French car company PSA, Peugeot and the Citroen owners had recently planned to making a few parts of the cars that are based on flax and hemp.They plan to make the cars using 600 percent of natural materials in 2015.
PSA's Green Materials Plan concentrate on 3 locations for alternative are Biopolymers to replace plastics derived from oil; Natural fibers from flax and hemp mixed with other materials, such as wood chips; And recycled materials from shredded plastic bottles mixed with glass fibers.
By now The PSA have already 50 percent flax fibers pressed with wood chips to make plastic interior door panels .The Other parts, including mirror and windshield wiper mountings, use hemp instead of glass fiber in their material mix.
Plastic based oil in the car up to 20 percent by weight of an average car. Of these, 20 percent, only six percent currently to green or cellulose. PSA target is to increase six percent to 30 percent based on the plastic.
Estimated the further progress of hemp for car parts could be the good future because in France hemps was legal. Laurent Bechin, natural fibers specialist of PSA noted that hemp used doesn't for the production of marijuana. "It would be about two tons of this material should produce a common," he joked.
Building cars with the hemp and flax for cars is not new. It was done in the United States by Henry Ford in 1941.And at the time hemp was legal. The experimental design of the body was seventy percent of fibers from the field of straw, cotton fibers, hemp and flax. The other 30 percent consisted of soy meal and bio-resin fillers.
Prototype Ford was published as a vegetable car or a car from hemp.
Green Ford-based motivation was for two reasons. He wanted to improve the integration of the agricultural sector for the materials for the automotive industry to improve the economic situation of farmers. And he wanted lighter, stronger building cars with better fuel efficiency.
The car weighed 2000 pounds and compared to 3000 pounds for all similar vehicles in steel. In 1941, ethanol had a higher octane rating, and it was cheaper to produce than gasoline. Ford designed the car for fuel ethanol or partial implementation.
But the steel and oil barons ensure lobbying the Government Vision Ford did not manifest.But now a breakthrough from the Peugeot and Citroen may be able to materialize.
November 17, 2009
Peugeot and Citroen Hemp Car
November 12, 2009
Chevrolet Camaro As The Current Best Seller
Chevrolet Camaro to be the highest car number of units sold ,although the crisis still happening in the automotive sector.Since the general motors and chrysler bankruptcy in last spring's, car sales dropped down dramatically.
Car sales decrease in 2009 declined by 40% from the peak car sales in 2005.Although the cash-for-clunkers program provided a nice summer,but some doubt that the subsidies would lead to a net profit at all.
Late 2009 the cars sales began to stabilize in the forecast until the end of the year of 2010.Recently the most sought cars was which have standard features, good mileage and have a quality of the reputation and price.
Although it remains,sports car is still a favorite and even better with sporty hybrid cars.Here are list of 5 cars were crowded in American cars market:
1.Chevrolet Camaro
Robust style gives life to the street, a few engines available, both packs punch, and the starting price of around $23,000 is at hand of the masses.purchasing nearly 50,000 units since the debuted at the summer.
2.Dodge Challenger
Dodge Challenger Chrysler division is the exception, with a retro muscle car that fits the Camaro and Ford Mustang, with two optional V-8 engines for fantasy drag racing. Sales of around 21,000 units this year to make the Dodge Challenger is Chrysler products only on the signs of life.
3.Ford Fusion
A hybrid model came this year with a high mileage in the 30s with minimal compromise and a reasonable price about $28,000. Continuous improvement make Ford Fusion one of the most popular American passenger car, with a turnover of the entire range up to 15 percent this year.
4.Honda Insight
The latest hybrid cars from Honda the definition of standards to save approximately $ 2,500 from Toyota Prius, the good formula for those who looking to save gas and money both. . City mileage of 40 mpg falls below the Prius's 51 mpg, but it still beats than almost all other cars on the road. Honda has sold about 18,000 units of Insights since the car went on sale in the spring
5.Hyundai Accent
Price start from $10,000 for the cheapest and about $13,000 for a better-equipped version . But all trim lines offer side-curtain air bags and better reliability than used cars in the same price range. Sales are up 29 percent, the best performance of any small "B car."
November 07, 2009
The Hybrid Sports Car ,Honda CR-Z 2011
Honda has recently announced the CR-Z Concept at the forty-first Tokyo Motor Show. The Japanese automaker has confirmed that the 2011 Honda CR-Z with this 2 seats will be on the market in North America in the 2nd half of 2010 looks like a sporty.
"Honda CR-Z is our range of hybrid vehicles, expand and improve the fun-to-Drive values associated with Honda," said Erik Berkman, Vice President of Planning and Logistics for American Honda Motor Co. Automotive., Inc. "In addition to his superb speed and functionality, CR-Z is a new level of commitment and fun people are interested in a small car or a hybrid vehicle to be done."
Power followed a 1.5L 4-cylinder Honda Integrated Motor Assist hybrid technology, combined. Honda confirms that the production version of the 2011 Honda CR-Z makes its world premiere at the 2010 Detroit Auto Show in January.
The hybrid starts the war between Honda and Toyota, Honda has been accepted and a piece of proposing a Hybrid Sports Concept, Honda CRZ-2011. On the basis of the present CRZ-design, the new 2011 version of a style even more body to minimize drag on engine power over that vision.
The concept of CRZ was originally a concept model in 2007, presented on the basis of the popular (but discontinued) CRX 2-door coupe. Originally, the CRZ of a gasoline car, but Honda has declined since, for the hybrid force.
The body design is essentially a wedge, nature, the modern equivalent of the famous 1980 high-end sports cars.
October 31, 2009
Tesla Electric car Set New Distance Record
Tesla battery-powered car has set a new distance record by going 311 miles on a single charge in the Eco Challenge as part of the 2009 Global Green Challenge in Australia.The record almost 30% farther than the vehicle’s official specs.In the route of 1,860-mile distances green car contest includes vehicles powered by a variety of green fuels, from commercial diesel and hybrids cars to exotic solar-powered buggies built specifically for the race.
The duo Tesla battery-powered car drivers,Simon Hackett and Emilis Prelgauskas said PC Authority that they kept the car at a constant, fairly low speed, averaging around 34 mph, to squeeze the most distance from the car’s 6,800 lithium battery cells.
With this event is expected more car manufacturers in competing to create electric car with excellence and a better ability in all countries in the world.So that could happen to support Global Green
October 26, 2009
Seven Simple Tips to Get A Good Used Cars
Today’s there are many dealers that offer used cars with various sweet talk, such a good condition and good price. So if you are offered used cars by brokers or the sellers directly. Generally, the cars will look good and looks like new cars. However, its could be just the sellers trick. Because the machines condition and the other spare parts are not necessarily good too.
The first step, surely we should love the car visually. The next step to avoid by cheated when buying the used cars are:
1. Make sure you have get the cars price list, especially the desired car. The cars price information can be finding at automotive newspapers or by surfing on the internet
2. Check the originality cars certification. This must be done in order to avoid from the buying stolen cars or by the crimes.
3. Check the cars overall
The examination includes:
*Open the cars cap, and check the engine from oil leaks, worn belts, leaking pipes etc.Hereafter push the accelerator pedal repeatedly and check the engine noise and engine power/Rpm
*Check the cars exteriors and the completeness
The examination including things like chasing cars, paint, mirror, roof of the car and tires. Also checked the windshield from scratches and clarity.
. *Check the cars interiors and the completeness
Includes the state of cars seat, Air Conditioner is still cold or have not, interior lamps, speedometer and other meters, such fuel meter is still functioning or it is not. Also, check the safety features like ABS brake system, safety belts, safety airbags, child door locks.
*The cars electrical
Examination includes lamps testing such as head lamps, dim lights, turn lights, city lights and the interior lamps.Dont forget the check the battery, stator motor, horn etc.
*Check the cars chassis and cars foot
Take a look the cars chassis from the rusty, the spiral suspension and the plat suspension is still smooth
4. Test drive
Perform a test drive in different road conditions. Check the comfort of steering wheel when turning, braking function, engine power, the softness of gear change and transmit power main lights. Inspection can be done at 60 to 80 km / h speed rate.
5. Knowing the history of the car
Get information on car maintenance car care card. Get all detailed information about the history of cars like never crash, never down the engine, never lost, asks an expert mechanic to check it.
6. Be careful with odometer fraud
To increase the value of the car, the seller sometimes mischievous alters the odometer numbers. So do not be fooled by the numbers listed on the odometer
7. Make a deal for the right price guided by the price list that we having before.
Leave the seller who gave a high price and cannot be nego or price does not match the state of the car.
So that simple things you can do in buying a used car, I hope can help minimize the incidence cheated when buying a used car. I hope that helpful, good luck...
October 18, 2009
What is the Most Fuel Efficient Vehicles?
by kimberly valerio
Most efficient overall - Honda Insight hybrid With 60 mpg city and 66 mpg highway, the Honda hybrid has top honors as most fuel efficient in the UnitedStates. With a 1.0 gas engine mated to an electric motor, the insight was designed to make the most of the power by using low resistance tires. The bad things about the Insight include a cramped interior, seating for two, and a very odd styling.
Fuel efficient mid size car - Toyota Prius hybrid(60 mpg city and 51 mpg highway)
The Prius, unlike the Honda Insight, is capable of carrying 5 people plus their gear. The Prius will generate a total of 110 HP from its gasoline engine and electric motor. The sleek shape to the Prius has a low co-efficient drag although Toyota has managed to do this with a larger, yet more driver friendly vehicle than the Insight of Toyota.
Most efficient compact car - Honda Civic hybrid(49 mpg city and 51 mpg highway)
With a reputation of being the cheapest hybrid in North America, the Civic hybrid takes the great design of the regular Civic and makes it a lot more efficient. With an output of 110 HP, the Civic hybrid is very competitive for the class.
Most efficient sub compact car - Volkswagon diesel(37 mpg city and 44 mpg highway)
The Volkswagon Beetle diesel is ahead of even the sub compact hybrids. Making 100 HP, the Beetle diesel may not sound that powerful, although the 177 lb-foot of torque will put shame on every other vehicle in the same class.
Most efficient station wagon - Pontiac and Toyota(30 mpg city and 36 mpg highway)The Pontiac Vibe and Toyota Matrix are both the result of a joint venture of Toyota and General Motors.Both vehicles come equipped with Toyota engines, although a lot of the design and engineering came from General Motors. Both the Matrix and the Vibe are versatile with active lifestyles. With a fuel efficient 1.8L 4 cylinder that produces 126 HP, the Matrix and the Vibe aren't going to win a street race although they make up for it with smoothness, efficiency, and
refinement.
Most efficient large car - Hyundai Sonata(24 mpg city and 34 mpg highway)The Sonata is a major surprise, beating out very stiff competition. The 2.4L 4 cylinder engine is very smooth, responsive, and powerful. The suspension however, is soft, and geared more towards comfort than handling. This isn't a BMW, although the build quality is great, clearly demonstrating that Hyundai is no longer a second rate manufacturer.
source
October 02, 2009
Power Electronics could make Hybrid Cars Cheaper
Earlier hybrid cars were considered as rare breeds but presently we can spot more and more such vehicles on the road. But still they are not produced on commercial scale. Therefore they are costly. Not all that long ago, hybrid vehicles were still really exotic. Now, you see them more and more frequently on our roads. However, hybrid cars are not mass-produced as their production costs are still relatively high.Hanna Plesko – a researcher from ETH Zurich – has given this problem a serious thought. Currently she is doing her doctorate at Power Electronic Systems Laboratory. She is developing a new concept as part of her doctoral thesis that integrates power electronic functions and an electric motor. This combination has the ‘power’ to reduce the costs of hybrid cars.
Hollywood stars such as Leonardo DiCaprio and Cameron Diaz are doing their bit by raising awareness about clean and green vehicles. They had proudly strutted their hybrid cars and driven up to the red carpet. Researchers are doing their work on making hybrid cars available to the commoner on the street. Hanna Plesko, utilizes public transport everyday to do her research on hybrid cars and the sweet irony is that she doesn’t have her own car!
Plesko is familiar with the ground realities as she says, “It’s rumored that hybrid vehicles can improve your image, but in some cases the automobile companies have difficulties to cover their costs.” The production of hybrid drives is still very expensive and the main culprits are the electric motor and the power electronic energy management system, in which inverters and DC/DC converters play a crucial role. They eat up the major chunk of money. Plesko is dealing with these two mechanisms. She is approaching the problem applying a new concept. She is focusing on the components, i.e. the power electronics and the electric motor. They might perform several functions simultaneously. The multiple uses of the electronic parts and the motor also save volume. This will help in reducing the costs.
Combination with motor has its advantages
In traditional hybrid vehicles, batteries are utilized to provide energy to electric motor, radio, ventilation and the lights. Unlike the electrical drive system, for which a high DC voltage of 200 – 600 V has to be converted into a three-phase AC voltage, a low DC voltage of 12 V is sufficient to power a car radio. Inverters are devices which convert the direct current into an alternating current. DC/DC converters transform the power between the two batteries for the two voltage levels. Therefore we can easily conclude that converters are significant power electronic mechanisms in hybrid or electric vehicles. These days converters are situated outside the electric motors.
A research group “Future Automotive Power Electronics” headed by senior scientist Jürgen Biela, is working towards the converters. Plesko is focusing on a mechanism that integrates the inverter, the DC/DC converter and the electric motor functionally. By combining the functions of the drive and the DC/DC converter, certain electronic constituents and the motor lamination stack can be shared. If we angle it from a manufacturers’ point of view we will see that large quantities of such functionally integrated systems will be cheaper as smaller number raw materials are required. Moreover, Plesko’s design is less complex, making it easier to produce.
source
September 25, 2009
India's Reva, GM to build electric Spark mini-car
by Penny MacRae
General Motors said on Thursday it had teamed up with India's Reva Electric Car Co. to develop a plug-in version of the GM Spark mini-car as the US auto giant embraces electrically-powered driving.
GM and Reva said the new electrically-powered Spark mini-car would be on Indian roads in a year and that they saw an eventual market abroad for the vehicle, which is aimed at city commuters.
"Both our companies have had technology teams working together for many months," said Karl Slym, head of the Indian unit of GM, which recently emerged from bankruptcy protection with the US government as its main shareholder.
"I can say with great confidence that in 12 months an electric Spark will be on Indian roads," Slym told reporters.
GM will piggyback Reva's electric battery-powered technology onto its best-selling Chevrolet Spark, which has sold 3.5 million units around the world. The car will have an automatic transmission.
Reva, which launched its first electric car in 2001, is a global leader in producing low-cost electric cars.
Chetan Maini, deputy chairman of Reva, said the collaboration was aimed at making India "a global hub for the development and manufacture of electric vehicles and related technologies."
The agreement comes as GM seeks to shed its reputation as a producer of gas-guzzling vehicles and fashion itself into an environmentally friendly fuel-efficient manufacturer.
"Development of small electric vehicles is a growth area around the global automotive industry," said Nick Reilly, president of GM International Operations.
"This cooperation with Reva will accelerate GM's progress to meet the emerging needs in many parts of the world."
In August GM took the wraps off its Chevrolet Volt petrol-electric hybrid -- an electric vehicle with back-up gasoline power for longer journeys that will go on sale next year -- as part of its more environmentally friendly image.
Electrically driven vehicles, based on battery and hydrogen fuel cell technology, offer the best long-term solution for providing sustainable personal transportation, GM said.
Slym said the two companies were still deciding on pricing but added it would be "very competitive." The Spark sells for around 300,000 rupees (6,258 dollars) while the Reva retails for around 350,000 rupees, depending on model.
Slym added the partners expected annual sales "in the thousands rather than the hundreds of thousands" for the electric Sparks in India.
But he said the numbers of electric cars sold would rise with Indian consumers increasingly environmentally conscious.
Reva has sold around 3,000 cars since 2001 -- half in Britain and half in India.
The Reva, which can seat two adults and two children, can cover 80 kilometres (50 miles) on a single charge of electricity. New planned models will offer greater distance.
Even though power outages are widespread in India, most cars in the country are charged at night when demand is less, Reva's Maini said.
India's Centre for Science and Environment says the country's cities are becoming haze-filled due to "killer pollution" caused by vehicle emissions.
"Electric cars offer the solution," said Maini.
source
September 16, 2009
Mercedes to bring 100 hydrogen fuel-cell cars to the United States
By DIANA T. KURYLKO
Mercedes-Benz will launch a production hydrogen fuel cell car in the United States next year based on its subcompact B class currently sold in Europe.
Of the 200 B-class fuel cell cars produced, about 100 will go to the United States, primarily in California where there are hydrogen filling stations, Thomas Weber, Daimler AG board member for r&d, said Tuesday at the Frankfurt auto show.
“They will go to private customers,” Weber said.
The cars will be leased, but terms have not been finalized, Weber said. “We are going into a small volume production and at least half will go to the United States as fast as they have enough infrastructure,” he said.
Weber said the B-class fuel cell car will have a range of 250 miles before requiring a fill up. It takes about three minutes to refuel the car.
The B class is the current-generation car, not the vehicle being considered for sale in the United States in two to three years.
The car has a hydrogen motor and a small electric battery.
source
September 08, 2009
Ferrari 458 Italia is the latest masterpiece from Maranello
By MICHAEL TAYLOR
Ferrari has drawn from the visual spirit of the Enzo to create a power-packed replacement for the F430 that shuns the rounded curves of its past V8s in favor of chiseled, unmistakable aggression.
Boasting a new 4.5-liter V8 engine, a seven-speed dual-clutch gearbox and a 202-mph top speed, Ferrari has revealed that the car--code-named F142 and long rumored to be named the F450--will be called the 458 Italia. Following Ferrari lore, it stands for a 4.5-liter engine with eight cylinders, though why Ferrari thought people would forget it came from Italy is anybody's guess.
The Ferrari 458 Italia will be unveiled on Sept. 8 at the Frankfurt motor show. It has been heavily sculpted for aerodynamic efficiency and has picked up more racing technology than any Ferrari before.
Ferrari claims the engine has the highest specific output in the motoring world. It produces so much power from the all-alloy, direct-injection V8 that its specific output has smashed the old 100-hp-per-liter mark and is pushing beyond even high-output turbocharged cars.
Where Audi's twin-turbo RS6 V10 huffs and puffs its way to 114 hp per liter, Ferrari's high-compression V8 howls out 127 hp per liter.
The high-revving V8 has light internal parts and tiny piston skirts, resulting in low-rotation inertia, a 12.5:1 compression ratio and it rips out 570 hp at an astonishing 9,000 rpm.
No Ferrari road car has ever revved higher and had a higher specific output.
It means that the 458 Italia will be ferociously fast, with Ferrari claiming that it will sprint to 62 mph in less than 3.5 seconds.
While advanced engine electronics are one key to the extra performance, it is also the first rear-mid-engine application of the direct-injection fuel system, which debuted on the front-mid-engine California, and it also runs Ferrari's now-traditional flat-plane crankshaft.
It will be one of the most flexible Ferraris in history, too, with 398 lb-ft of torque arriving at 6,000 rpm. While that sounds peaky, remember that it's only two-thirds of the way up the 458 Italia's rev range and that 319 of those pound-feet will be turning the ultralight flywheel from as little as 3,250 rpm.
Ferrari has clearly worked to produce an engine with a tremendous range of abilities, from record-setting specific outputs to enough torque to surge away from low engine speeds.
The direct fuel injection also helped with Ferrari's environmental challenges, producing a claimed 320 grams of CO2 per kilometer, even though it is faster and produces significantly more power than the 483-hp F430 or the 508-hp F430 Scuderia.
Ferrari learned much developing the seven-speed dual-clutch gearbox for the California, and it has had to learn more to make the unit fit into the 458 Italia's engine bay, behind the curvaceous hatch.
While the Scuderia sliced gearshift times down to 0.06 second, the dual-clutch unit is even faster and is so close to being a seamless shift, it's hardly worth bickering over the couple of wavelengths of caesium resonance. Its ratios are different from the California's, too, with a focus more on aggression than the philosophically softer convertible.
The E-Diff differential and the F1-Trac skid-control system have long been the flagship carryover technologies from Formula One, but the 458 Italia takes them even further.
Instead of using their own electronic control units to communicate, Ferrari has given the 458 Italia one ECU to control both systems, resulting in streamlined processing and communication.
Also in charge of the ABS system, it's an ECU that Ferrari claims gives the 458 Italia a 32 percent increase in longitudinal acceleration over the F430 out of corners--and the F430 was no slouch. Its control over braking is said to cut the stopping distance from 62 mph to just 107 feet.
Ferrari had felt, with some justification, that the suspension geometry of the F430 Scuderia was near perfection, and the 458 Italia is said to be a step forward from there. It's based on a double-wishbone front suspension and a multilink rear end, all bolted directly to the all-aluminum chassis. It's all been developed with heavy assistance by Michael Schumacher, who was even caught by spy photographers testing the car near the Nürburgring.
Ferrari has close ties to Alcoa, which has built a factory near Modena to produce basic chassis. The 458 Italia is based on lessons learned from both the F430 Scuderia and the Millechile (1,000 kilogram) concept car. It uses more-advanced bonding techniques than the F430 did, along with manufacturing processes more in line with the airplane industry.
While the 458 Italia was designed by Pininfarina, it is heavily influenced by lessons learned in the on-site, half-scale F1 wind tunnel. Ferrari even moved one of its key F1 aero specialists across to the GT program to get it right. The little winglets owe more than a visual link to F1, because they provide downforce and feed air through the lay-down radiators ahead of the front wheels.
It's been designed with enormous tumblehome, so the air curves around the cabin and runs over the integrated rear tail, while underneath, a flat floor enhances the effects of the rear diffuser to create 140 kg of downforce at 124 mph.
Inside, the 458 Italia will take the opportunity created by the more luxurious California to become the sportiest V8 in the family. Ferrari mysteriously says that the steering wheel and dashboard are all-new innovations in production cars and stem from Schumacher's input and experience of standard racing practices.
The 458 Italia will be built alongside the California on the air-conditioned, "upstairs" new production facility at Maranello, leaving the traditional Ferrari production line for the V12-powered cars, such as the 599 Fiorano and the 612 Scaglietti.
Though the line is currently only capable of producing 16 Californias per day, there are plans to lift that capacity soon, with improvements in foundry output believed to be the key.
What's in a name?
The trend toward slotting a name on the end of the traditional set of descriptive numbers has become the norm at Maranello.
It probably began with the 365 GTB/4, which was never officially christened "Daytona," even though that's what everybody called it.
The 512 Testa Rossa was the closest to starting it all, but there's been a flood in recent years. There was the 550 Maranello, the 360 Modena, the 612 Scaglietti, the F430 Scuderia and the F599 Fiorano.
Interestingly, some of the names stuck and some of the numbers stuck, but rarely for the same car. Most 550s get called "Maranello," most 360 Modenas are called "360s," the 599 Fiorano is commonly called a "599" and the 612 is most-often dubbed "612."
No hybrid?
Not yet, no. Although Ferrari was happy to let rumors grow that the 458 Italia would debut as a hybrid in Los Angeles later this year. And although it has applied for an all-wheel-drive gasoline-electric hybrid patent, there are no immediate plans for a hybrid version.
There are no test mules in hybrid mode and, to date, the only hybrid Ferrari is the F60 Formula One car, with its kinetic-energy-recovery system.
The only thing even remotely close to a hybrid Ferrari road car is the sole F430 mule at Maranello that runs on biofuel.
SPECS
Ferrari 458 Italia
POWERTRAIN: 4.5-liter, 570-hp, 398-lb-ft, direct-injection V8; RWD; seven-speed dual-clutch sequential manual
0-62 MPH: Less than 3.5 sec
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