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Showing results for tags 'hybrid cars'.
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Peugeot plans to introduce Hybrid Air system in cars by 2016
SYF77 posted a blog entry in MyAutoBlog
PSA Peugeot Citroen plans to put Hybrid Air powered vehicles on the road by 2016. The system combines an internal combustion engine with compressed air energy storage. It is similar to electric hybrid system but uses compressed air for energy storage rather than batteries. A hydraulic pump/motor unit recovers energy generated from the combustion engine and from braking/deceleration and stores it in the air energy storage unit. The system claims to improve fuel efficiency by 45% and increase a vehicle's range by 90% as compared to conventional engines of similar power ratings. The system can operate solely on gasoline power, air power or a combination of both when high power acceleration is required. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rjqFihLltSY In small vehicles such as the Citroen C3 and Peugeot 208, the system is said to achieve a combined cycle fuel efficiency of 2.9-litres/100 km with an estimated CO2 emissions of 69 g/km. PSA plans to introduce the system in their B segment models from 2016 in the first phase. C segment and light commercial vehicles will follow after that. -
Infiniti Canada has mistakenly posted the all-new Q50 sports sedan on its website prior to the car's world premiere at the 2013 Detroit Motor Show. The photos were quickly removed but unfortunately, news on the internet spreads faster than wild fire. Infiniti's upcoming sedan is targeted at the compact luxury segment currently dominated by the likes of the BMW 3-Series and Mercedes C-Class. It is the replacement for the G37 sedan, which has been in production since 2007. The front of the car gets a pair of fierce-looking headlights with LED treatment. The grille, which looks like a toned down version of Lexus
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Nissan's luxury division, Infiniti, has confirmed that a compact hatchback model is under development and will hit the market in 2015. The model will be the production version of the Etherea concept unveiled at the 2011 Geneva Motor Show. The new premium hatchback will be based on Mercedes-Benz's MFA platform that underpins the latest A-Class and B-Class. Engine details are limited at the moment but the car is believed to be offered with the same hybrid power train featured in the concept version. It may also borrow the existing range of turbocharged petrol and diesel engines from the A-Class. For readers' information, Daimler (Mercedes) and Renault-Nissan signed a multi-billion dollar tie-up in April 2010 to co-develop vehicle platforms, engines and components. The new model will be built at Nissan's production facility in Sunderland, UK. Investment costs will come out to be about
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Honda has created a Facebook application https://www.facebook.com/Acura/app_573862745964535 that allows the netizens to play around with the NSX Concept in different shades. The website also provides a link for the users to submit a request to stay informed on the future vehicles of the Acura brand. The Acura NSX Concept made its debut at the 2012 Detroit Motor Show. Developed in tandem by Honda's design studios in California and Japan, the new NSX is a svelte-looking supercar . The new NSX will be powered by a hybrid powertrain and will also be the Japanese brand's first mid-engined application of its Super Handling All-Wheel Drive system. The production version of the second generation NSX will not be ready for sale before 2014. I believe the timeline would depend on the economic outlook as well. In the meantime, have fun painting the NSX Concept.
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[extract] Just like a miscarriage, the production version of the Jaguar C-X75 will not live to see the day light on the common street. According to global brand director Adrian Hallmark, the decision was made due to the ongoing global economic crisis. "We feel we could make the car work, but looking at the global austerity measures in place now, it seems the wrong time to launch an
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Qoros, a joint venture between Chery and Israeli investment firm Israel Corp, has released sketches of its upcoming compact sedan due to be unveiled at the 2013 Geneva Motor show. The European body style is clean and inoffensive but is not something that will make heads turn. Such styling theme is evident in the VW Group. The dashboard of the car adopts a minimalist approach and would not look out of place in a Skoda. Like Kia, another Asian brand, Qoros has recruited a foreign talent to head its design department. He is the former MINI design boss, Gert Volker Hildebrand. The sedan, internally known as C11, is expected to be powered by a 1.6-litre turbocharged engine mated to six-speed manual or dual-clutch automatic transmission. Hybrid and electric versions are expected to follow later on. Qoros has set a goal to build all cars to achieve maximum NCAP crash ratings. The company is currently building a new production facility in China with an initial annual capacity of 150,000 units.
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Former GM Engineer and husband found guilty of stealing trade secrets
SYF77 posted a blog entry in MyAutoBlog
An ex-General Motors (GM) engineer, Du Shanshan and her husband, Yu Qin, were convicted of stealing trade secrets on hybrid car technology from their former company to help develop such vehicles in China. The 53-year old Du was found guilty of conspiracy to possess trade secrets without authorization and two counts of trade secrets. However, she was acquitted on wire fraud charges. The U.S claimed that Du copied GM's trade secrets and provided the documents to Yu. Prosecutors accused Yu of using the data to seek business ventures or employment with GM's competitors, including the Chinese automaker Chery Automobile. Yu was found guilty on all six counts and a seventh count, which is obstruction of justice. "These defendants stole trade secrets, which General Motors spent many years and millions of dollars to develop, to give an unfair advantage to a foreign competitor," US Attorney Barbara McQuade said after the verdict. "We hope that this prosecution will send a message that stealing proprietary information from an employer or competitor is a serious crime," McQuade added. The couple's attorneys said that the documents in question were not trade secrets, while GM declined to comment on the issue. The defendants face a maximum sentence of 10 years on each of the trade secrets counts. Yu could face a stiffer sentence on wire fraud and obstruction convictions. The trade secret counts, wire fraud and obstruction of justice carry a fine of US$250,000 each. -
According to The National Insurance Crime Bureau (NICB) in the US, the Toyota Prius has a much lower theft rate than other cars and a much higher recovery rate. Only 1 in 606 2008-2010 Toyota Prius is reported to be stolen as compared to the average for all 2008-2010 models, in which 1 in 78 vehicles is reported stolen. The 'problem' is that the car-jackers want commonly used vehicle parts when they break the car apart.
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With the new CEVS scheme in place, will diesel cars gain momentum here?
PetrolHead posted a blog entry in MyAutoBlog
Diesel powered cars are expected to be a huge draw among buyers next year when a new emission based tax system kicks in on January. The new emission based tax scheme called - Carbon Emissions-based Vehicle Scheme (CEVS) grants tax rebates from $5,000 to $20,000 for new cars that emits no more that 160g/km. Additionally any new car that emits more than 210g/km will be charged extra tariffs ranging from $5,000 to $20,000 from July 2013. On top of the CEVS rebates, the annual special diesel tax would be slashed to $0.40 per cubic centimetre (cc) from the current $1.25. Thanks to advanced technologies and engineering methods, diesel cars which have met the Euro V emission standards generally emit up to 30 percent lesser carbon dioxide than petrol powered counterparts - a possible reason why diesel car sales could outnumber petrol variants. In the local scene - diesel cars mainly from Jaguars and Land Rovers captured a 1.3 percent market share of new car sales in the first ten months of this year - a sharp rise from 0.2 percent two years ago. The figure is set to rise as high as 15 percent in the next few years. Even in neighbouring country Indonesia, the market share for diesel cars rose from 0 to 16 percent two years ago. The new CEVS Scheme and cleaner, possibly cheaper diesel cars set to be introduced from next year, is seen to affect buying habits of local motorists. For example the people -
In Japan, Honda is not so well known when it comes to hybrid cars. Over there, Toyota or Lexus is more popular for its hybrid offerings. Although Honda has been producing hybrid cars for quite a while, they are not popular as Toyota's Hybrid Synergy Drive vehicles. But things are about to change as Honda has announced three new hybrid systems that will be used in the near future. Let's start off with the Sport Hybrid Intelligent Dual Clutch Drive system. This particular one is aimed specifically at small, compact cars. It is a single motor system and Honda promises the best fuel economy in its class and better acceleration than any existing Integrated Motor Assist (IMA) vehicles. This system features a 1.5-litre Atkinson Cycle engine with a seven speed dual clutch transmission which contains an integrated high output electric motor powered by lithium ion batteries. During heavy acceleration and high speeds, the system uses both engine and motor power. While in low and medium speed, the car functions as an electric vehicle; provided there are sufficient battery charge. Honda stated that this system will improve efficiency by thirty percent when compared to its previous IMA vehicles and at the same time it delivers a more linear acceleration. Next up is the Sport Hybrid Intelligent Multi Mode Drive which is for larger sized cars. This system features a two motor system which offers three different types of driving modes. Firstly is the EV Drive which allows the vehicle to function in pure electric mode. This will give a good range in planned plug-in versions. Next is the Engine Drive mode which is used for medium to high speeds. And lastly is the Hybrid Drive mode which mixes power from the engine and the two electric motors. This is particularly useful during heavy acceleration and stop-and-go traffic. Lastly, the hybrid system which might interest some performance enthusiasts; is the Sport Hybrid Super Handling All Wheel Drive system which utilises three motors. This system uses two electric motors to drive the rear wheels and an engine and a seven speed dual clutch gearbox with an integrated electric motor for the front wheels. This particular system is ideal for performance and fuel economy. It is said that torque could be precisely optimised for traction on the rear wheels across a wide range of road surfaces and conditions. A fitted 3.5-litre V6 engine will support the electric motor to give a V8 engine-like acceleration with a V6 engine fuel economy. Honda mentioned that this system can deliver the performance benefits of an all wheel drive performance vehicle while minimising the weight penalties of such conventional systems. These three new hybrid systems are expected to feature in Honda vehicles in the near future. Image credit: Honda and Net Car Show
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Toyota mulling over KERS hybrid system for 86 and FR-S
FaezClutchless posted a blog entry in MyAutoBlog
Many love the Toyota 86 (or Scion FR-S in some markets) sports coupe. While numerous reviews of it stated that it is a fun car to drive but many were disappointed with the performance. People have been hoping for a forced induced variant but Toyota has been very clear about one thing about the car from the very beginning and that is there will be no forced induced version of the car. Instead, they are considering a more unique way of increasing power for the car and that is to introduce a hybrid system. Tetsuya Tada, chief engineer of the Toyota 86, has said that the company is considering a hybrid system to boost power for the Toyota 86. Before anyone starts to ask whether the 86 is going to be a sporty looking Prius, the answer is no. It will not use the company's efficient Hybrid Synergy Drive system due to the 86's sporty image. Instead, the company is currently deciding on a new kinetic energy recovery system (KERS) for the car. The new system is heavily inspired by Toyota's TS030 Le Mans prototype. The TS030 (pictured below) is fitted with a KERS system that transfers captured braking energy to the rear wheels. Not much information was said but Tada did reveal that the system has been installed on a prototype 86 and will go through testing soon. He also mentioned that a hybrid system could set a high performance Toyota 86 as a sporty model and also as an environmentally responsible choice. Tada commented that 300bhp with a turbo and 200g/km of CO2 would be tasteless nowadays and if the company pursue such power without consideration to fuel consumption, then the market will not accept it. And also, a turbo will make the 86 lose its uniqueness. -
Lexus has introduced the second iteration of the striking Lexus LF-LC concept at the 2012 Sydney Motor Show. On the outside, the most obvious difference from the original version shown at the Detroit Auto Show is the color. Instead of red; the concept is painted in blue. According to Lexus, the new shade is inspired by the glossy base color found in naturally occurring semi-precious opal stone of outback Australia.The updates over the initial concept are more than skin deep though. The blue LF-LC leverages on Lexus' extensive in-house experience in combining carbon fibre and aluminium alloy materials to achieve a light body mass. The result is an extremely taut body that responds quickly to driver
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The 918 Spyder gets leaked on top of lapping the Nurburgring with a decent time
PetrolHead posted a blog entry in MyAutoBlog
Besides the Ferrari Enzo 2.0 and the recently unveiled McLaren P1, the other highly anticipated hybrid supercar must be Porsche's 918 Spyder. At the age of technology and the internet, nothing can be kept a secret. The latest victim of leaked material is Stuggart based Porsche. The 918 pieces limited - 918 Spyder images from a product brochure has been leaked onto the web. This comes a month after footage from a private event in New York was leaked. The leaked brochure provides us a clear(er) picture on the production ready 918 Spyder that has often been concealed. With refrence to the brochure, the 918 can decked out in iconic Martini or Salzburg racing livery besides ten other body colours. While the base Spyder can already cost a fraction of many's fortune, is web sources are to be believed, Porsche will (be pleased) to announce that for just $65,000 (S$79,637) you have an option to finish your car in a special Liquid Metal Grey or Liquid Metal Blue paint job. With reference to the image, the Spyder -
[extract] Nissan has developed a fuel cell vehicle known as the Terra SUV concept that opens a path to zero-emissions future. The compact SUV exterior design expresses athletic eco-appeal with 'Modern Toughness' that the company is very much confident would appeal buyers, no matter for off-road or urban use. The Terra SUV concept is set to be unveiled at the upcoming 2012 Paris Motor Show on Sep 27. The concept combines two of Nissan
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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wVcM04W4Qfo Lexus has released a short video clip to promote its new concept, the LF-CC, which will be unveiled at the 2012 Paris Motor Show Starting the end of September. The concept shall preview an affordable mid-size coupe and styling direction that the next generation Lexus IS sedan will take. The concept is driven by Lexus Hybrid Drive consisting of an all-new 2.5-litre four cylinder petrol engine and a compact permanent magnet electric motor. This promises to set new standards in fuel economy and produce less than 100 grams of CO2/km travelled. Taking central stage at the front fascia of the LF-CC is an aggressive interpretation of Lexus
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After all the talks regarding a BMW three-cylinder engine, the luxury car maker has released fresh details on this new engine range. It will be available in both petrol and diesel versions and is set to debut in a production model next year. The new engine family has an aluminum block and can be mounted longitudinally or transversely. It features technologies such as double vanos infinitely variable camshaft control, valvetronic variable valve timing (on petrol variant), direct injection (common rail on the diesels) and up to three turbochargers. The petrol engine will have outputs ranging from 121 bhp to 221 bhp with an accompanying 180-240 Nm of torque. Its diesel brethren will generate between 80 bhp to 181 bhp and 225-330 Nm of twist. According to BMW, each cylinder has a capacity of about 500cc and the power plant is designed for thermodynamic efficiency with smooth and quiet operation. The engines are equipped with a torsional vibration damper which reduces vibrations. "Because the frequency of the sound of a three-cylinder engine increases 50 percent faster than that of a four-cylinder, the engine is perceived as being extremely vivacious and sporty," said BMW in a statement. The new 1.5-liter turbocharged engine is expected to power the all-new 2014 Mini and the BMW i8 hybrid supercar. Now that we have a 1.0-liter Ford Mondeo, don
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I recently had a go (sometime early this year) with the facelifted Honda Insight courtesy of Honda Malaysia via a journalist friend of mine who was testing it for a few days. It is basically the same car with some cosmetic changes to the front and rear bumpers, front grille, a CVT gearbox with some minute improvements and some tweaks to the hybrid drivetrain. The improvements made are nothing to shout about as it is still basically the same car, powered by the same 88ps, 121Nm 1.3-litre engine coupled to a tiny 14ps, 78Nm electric motor that assists the car when the going gets tough. What both engines give you isn
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[extract] Some of us would know that Mazda plans to use their rotary engine as a range extender for an electric vehicle. But like all plans, we won
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All-new 2013 Toyota Auris unveiled ahead of Paris Motor Show debut
SYF77 posted a blog entry in MyAutoBlog
[extract] Toyota has revealed the official photos of the upcoming 2013 Auris which is scheduled to debut in September -
[extract] Diesel engines have undergone a technical revolution over the last twenty years. In the past diesel powered vehicles have been considered by many to be noisy, dirty (with smelly black exhaust) and underpowered. Today
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GM may squeeze more mileage out of electric cars in the near future
SYF77 posted a blog entry in MyAutoBlog
[extract] Envia Systems, a small battery company with investment from General Motors (GM), is working on new technology that could allow an electric car to travel up to 322km on a single charge within the next 2 to 4 years. That is about the distance between Singapore and Kuala Lumpur. Speaking at an employee meeting, GM -
[extract] Honda has released details of the production version of the ninth generation Accord in both four-door sedan and two-door coupe body styles for the US market. Looking at history, this is the version that will most likely end up in Singapore as well. The styling of the new large sedan is clearly an evolution of the current generation but Honda would like you to believe that this is the
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[extract] A fleet of specially BMW
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[extract] Lexus has given its flagship model, the LS sedan, a major facelift for the 2013 model year. Like the latest GS sedan, the revised LS gains the company
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BMW Group Asia retains its crown as best selling automotive brand in Singapore
PetrolHead posted a blog entry in MyAutoBlog
BMW Group Asia has sustained its lead as both a premium and overall automotive brand in Singapore with a total of 2,647 vehicles registered based on LTA figures for New Registration of Cars. The BMW 5 Series continues to be the top selling model with the recently introduced ActiveHybrid 5 expected to provide a further boost. The range topping M5 has also seen success with more than 50 units already sold since its launch, while the new 3 Series and the flagship 7 Series limousine significantly contributing to sales figures. More exciting products will be arriving on the coming months as BMW gets on with its second phase of EfficientDynamics strategy by introducing ActiveHybrid 3 and 7 models after the successful introduction of the ActiveHybrid 5. Moreover BMW will also introduce the M Performance Automobiles with exclusive engine variants, enhanced agility and precision for a greater performance without compromising on everyday use. MINI has also performed well with a total of 150 vehicles registered. The MINI Clubvan, a premium model in the small car-based van segment, will also arrive later this year and targets the trend-conscious commercial vehicle users.
