PHEV
At the dawn of the millennium, Prof. Dr. Ferdinand Piëch, who is today Chairman of the Supervisory Board of Volkswagen AG, set his sights on creating a practical everyday use production car with a fuel consumption of 1.0 liter per 100 km (235 mpg). In 2002 a prototype VW 1-Litre was unveiled, which was followed in 2009 by the second-generation model, dubbed the L1, which boasted a combined diesel fuel consumption figure of 1.38-liter/100 km (170 mpg). As impressive as that figure is, the company has now managed to squeeze a combined fuel consumption of just 0.9-liter/100 km (261 mpg) with its third-generation VW 1-Litre prototype – the XL1. Read More
Those attending the International Motor Show in New York this weekend will be the first to get a close up look at Bombardier Recreational Products’ (BRP) Can-Am Spyder hybrid concept vehicle. In developing the hybrid Spyder roadster BRP are aiming to achieve a 50 percent improvement in fuel efficiency than the current Can-Am Spyder roadster with comparable acceleration and a total range of 375 miles (604 km). Read More
Toyota celebrated 10 years in the U.S. for the Prius at the Detroit Auto Show 2011 this week, introducing three new additions to the eco-friendly range. In addition to the announcement of the Prius v which will be available in 2011 and Prius c Concept which is expected to go into production in 2012, the company also unveiled plans for Prius Plug-in Hybrid Vehicle (PHV) technology which will allow the next-gen hybrid vehicles from Toyota to be recharged using grid power. While the new Prius v offers a midsize hybrid-electric vehicle aimed at young families the Prius c Concept vehicle will fill the city compact niche when released. Read More
Auto Stop-Start technology that shuts off a vehicle’s engine when it comes to a stop to save fuel is a standard feature on many hybrid and electric-vehicles (EVs), including Ford’s Fusion Hybrid and Escape Hybrid. Ford has now announced its Auto Start-Stop system will be added to conventional cars, crossovers and SUVs in North America from 2012. Read More
The lack of support infrastructure is one of the major hurdles for alternative fuel vehicles that use batteries and hydrogen fuel cells. Honda’s vision for solar-powered home-based hydrogen production station is one effort to ease the transition from fossil to alternative fuels and now the company has revealed plans to trial a solar-powered public EV charging station and conduct testing of a range of electric vehicles and technologies in real-world urban transportation environments, starting with Japan. Read More
Future of Electric Vehicles conference a buzzing success
This week saw the Future of Electric Vehicles USA 2010 conference take place in San Jose, California. Billed as “the world's only event that covers all forms of electric vehicles – land, water, and air,” it included a series of presentations on new technologies, an exhibit hall, and master classes that featured trips to nearby Silicon Valley tech development firms. Gizmag was one of the main sponsors of the event, and we were there to learn more about what’s happening in the world of EVs. Here’s a quick look at some of what we took in. Read More
As Fisker Automotive's Karma plug-in hybrid moves closer to production the company has turned attention from the outside to the inside for its Geneva Motor show appearance. Assembled by Valmet Automotive in Finland, Fisker says the advanced aluminum space frame incorporates new levels of rigidity and strength to deliver "world-class ride and handling characteristics". This pic has been released ahead of the Geneva Auto Show which kicks-off this week. Read More
A new development by Ford allows owners of the company’s plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs) to further reduce their operating costs by programming when to recharge the vehicle, for how long and at what utility rate. Ford says it has developed a vehicle-to-grid communications and control system for its (PHEVs) which enables them to ‘talk’ directly with the nation’s electric grid. Read More
Eaton Corporation’s truck and electrical businesses will play a major role in producing 378 plug-in hybrid electric power vehicles, the largest commercial hybrid deployment to date in the U.S., thanks to a USD$45.4 million government grant. Eaton will also provide the electrical charging infrastructure for these vehicles. Read More
The Fisker Karma Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicle (PHEV) recently demonstrated how quick it is in two ways – it goes from 0-60mph in six seconds and from concept to public driving debut just 19 months after the company was formed. The 403hp prototype Karma PHEV almost silently attained a top speed of 100mph (using no gasoline) as it made its way around the Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca during the Rolex Monterey Historic Automobile Races. Read More
