New SCX Citroen C4 WRC

CPP Global Holdings to buy Spyker

A few days ago I carried news about the Spyker C8 Aileron moving to Coventry from Holland. According to recent news reports, Spyker has already signed a provisional deal to sell it's sportscar arm to CPP Global Holdings for around 32m euros (approx. £27mil).

The Coventry based firm is owned Russian businessman Vladimir Antonov and employs 250 people.

As part of the deal Spyker Cars would have to change its name. This would enable the company to focus on the Saab brand.

Drayson Racing enters EVCup Race Series

DRAYSON RACING, the green technology race team run by former British Government Minister of Science Lord Paul Drayson, which raced to success in the international Le Mans Series in the USA, Europe and Asia last year is to race in the new zero-emission EVCUP, the first electric vehicle race series that launches this summer, it was announced today (Wednesday, February 23rd)

Drayson Racing will enter a race-bred Westfield iRACER in the Sports EV (electric vehicle) series within the EVCUP. With a peak power of 260bhp and 660Nm of maximum torque per wheel, the Westfield iRACER is sure to keep even the most accomplished race drivers focused at every straight and corner.

Lord Drayson’s experience as a science entrepreneur, Government Minister, FIA panel member on future energy technologies, MIA Honorary President and successful race driver and team owner makes him perfectly placed to work closely with EVCUP in not only demonstrating the performance of electric vehicles, but progressing the development and growth of zero emission racing.

Lord Drayson said: “Drayson Racing have paved the way in green racing over the past four years with second generation biofuels and we have been looking at electric vehicle technologies for a while, waiting for the technology to mature and for the right time to enter this exciting new field. The team at EVCUP have taken a bold step forward to create the world’s first electric racing series. As one of the world’s leading green motorsport teams, we want to be a part of it and we want to win it!”

EVCUP Race Director Grahame Butterworth says: “Lord Drayson has the foresight, experience and ability to help drive these cars forward in a realistic but also very exciting way. He will be a great competitor and also a strong voice in developing the next era of high performance electric race cars. We look forward to working closely with his team.”

The EVCUP series gets underway in August with four events in the UK before going to Spain, Portugal and the USA. MSVR will be the UK organising club for the events which will feature races for THINK city cars, Westfield iRACER sports cars and a prototype class for any electric car based on a timed laps format.

Opel touts the 'silent' advantages of having an all-electric police cruiser

Opel touts the electric Ampera police cruiser as a good car for silent, undercover work.

The German automaker, keen to begin selling the Ampera to police forces in Germany, has dressed the Ampera in police blue and proclaimed its advantages as a patrol car.

The Opel Ampera will have a range of between 40 and 80 km (25 to 50 miles) running solely on electric power, reliable for patrolling city neighborhoods. A 1.4 liter gasoline engine then kicks in and can extend its range to around 500 km (310 miles), which means a police chase doesn't have to end embarrassingly for the good guys. It's healthy 370 Nm of torque helps it do the 0 to 100 km/h sprint in an okay 9.0 seconds and the Ampera can reach a top speed of 160 km/h (99 mph).

The Ampera is powered by a 16-kWh lithium-ion battery feeding current to an electric motor that produces 111 kW (150 hp / 152 PS) and 370 Nm (273 lb-ft) of torque. The battery can be recharged using a 230 V outlet in around 4 hours.

The Opel Ampera is priced at €42,900 in Germany with a net cost of €36,050 to buyers when including government tax-credits.

It is available for order now with deliveries set to start at the end of the year (2011).

Source: Opel

Rolls Royce Electric Vehicle Concept [video]

With the Geneva Motor Show just around the corner, Rolls-Royce has released the first teaser images of the 102EX concept.

Essentially a Phantom EV, the 102EX is a "test bed" which will be used to gather feedback about consumer acceptance of alternative powertrains. As part of this process, VIPs (owners, enthusiasts, and members of the press) will get the opportunity to test drive the car at a number of locations in Europe, Asia, North America, and the Middle East.

According to Rolls-Royce CEO Torsten Müller-Ötvös, "With this vehicle, we begin an exploration into alternative drive-trains, seeking clarity on which alternative technologies may be suitable to drive Rolls-Royce motor cars of the future." He added, "It must be a technology that is right for our customers, our brand and which sets us on a sound footing for a sustainable future."

No word on specifications, but more information will be released when the 102EX is officially unveiled on March 1st.

Source: Rolls-Royce Motor Cars

Williams not ruling out flywheel KERS

(click for larger image)

Williams technical director Sam Michael says his team is not ruling out using its flywheel KERS this year, although he conceded it was very unlikely.

The team will start the season with its battery-based KERS, after having ruled out the flywheel version because of packing reasons.

Williams has been the only F1 team known to be developing a flywheel system.

Michael admitted it was unlikely that the system is used this year, but claimed it is on the cards for next season.

"We have a battery system in the car. All about KERS is contained underneath the chassis and we did mainly for aerodynamic reasons," said Michael during the launch of Williams's livery on Thursday.

"We did consider a flywheel for this car. It was very close but unfortunately the packaging sort of us stopped us from doing that to start with.

"But we also haven't discounted introducing it in the car at some point. It'd be very unlikely during 2011, but it's definitely on the cards for 2012."

New SCX Renault 5 Turbo

Euro NCAP starts testing electric vehicles

Euro NCAP has published the results of tests on seven new vehicles, including its first test of a fully electric car- the Mitsubishi i-MiEV. The car received a credible four star rating.

The cars were tested in the same test conditions as the other cars in the programme. They paid special attention to post-crash battery integrity and the proper functioning of the battery cut-off switch that isolates the high-voltage battery in the event of a crash. The news release mentioned that no electrical or fire hazards were detected during the testing of the i-MiEV.



Regarding the test results of the other cars, the small off-road 4x4 Dacia Duster didn't do well with an overall rating of only 3 stars. In contrast, the Mitsubishi ASX and the Nissan Juke achieved the coveted 5 star overall rating. Furthermore, the small MPV Hyundai ix20, also received a 5 stars Euro NCAP rating.

New SCX Cuda

Production of the Spyker C8 Aileron moves from Holland to Coventry

Found out that there is more good news for Coventry. It looks like the home of the car industry in the UK is seeing a resurgence.

The production of the car has moved from Zeewolde in the Netherlands to Coventry, creating 40 new jobs in the city. Coventry Prototype Panels (CPP) will start producing the car on the Seven Stars Industrial Estate in Whitley. The car is expected to cost about £200,000.

The car will be powered by the GM V8 engine, the same engine in the CTS-V and the Corvette ZR1.

Check out the Smoking Tire review:

The MINI Rocketman Concept

The MINI Rocketman concept can be seen at the International Geneva Motor Show from March 1st to the 13th.

Autoworld Batman cars

From REH:
Autoworld is running a small batch of #185 Batmobiles in April since the first batch sold out so quickly. This is a very small batch, and it will not include iWheels.

Porsche Panamera S Hybrid 2012 TEST DRIVE [video]

Porsche have released a video of the hybrid version of its Panamera four-door sedan due to be unveiled at the 2011 Geneva Motor Show next month.

Tata Indica Vista EVX manufactured in Coventry

The Tata Indica Vista EVX was developed at the Tata Motors European Technical Centre (TMETC) based at Warwick University by a 230-strong team of engineers who worked on the project for four years.



The Tata Motors European Technical Centre (TMETC) was set up at the University of Warwick, Coventry in 2005.

Anyway, the car won two awards at the inaugural Royal Automobile Club (RAC) Brighton to London Future Car Challenge in September last year, namely the the Most Economic Small Passenger Electric Vehicle (EV) and the Most Economical and Environment Friendly Small Passenger EV.



The Indica Vista EVX completed the journey from Brighton to London at a cost of only £1.35. The same journey would cost around £6.17 for a comparable sized petrol engine car.

The new Indica Vista EVX is now being manufactured at Tata's secret location in the Walsgrave area of Coventry.

Toyota iQ EV to launch @ Geneva Auto Show

Toyota will launch this iQ-based electric prototype at next month’s Geneva motor show.
The car “represents Toyota’s long-term vision for short-range sustainable mobility”, according to the Japanese firm, and demonstrates how the new technology could find its way across the model range.

The prototype uses the firm’s new flat lithium-ion battery from the plug-in Prius and is hidden beneath the floor to not impede on the interior space of the four-seat iQ. The dimensions are identical to the IQ upon which the EV prototype is based.

Toyota has yet to confirm final specifications of the car, but says its battery pack will be good for a range of 65 miles and it could be introduced for sale in 2012 after undergoing fleet trials this year.

It will be on display at Geneva alongside the firm’s FT-86 Concept I, the seven-seat Prius+ and the Yaris HSD.

BMW Vision ConnectedDrive Concept [video]

At the Geneva Auto Show this year, German manufacturer BMW will be bringing a new interpretation of the Vision concept shown in 2009 in Frankfurt. This time, however, the concept has been created not as an extension of a power train, but as an extension of the drivers themselves.

To be used as a show-and-tell platform for BMW's finest technologies in terms of “current and future methods of mobile networking,” packed with eye-catching, mind-blowing infotainment systems, the car will also benefit from a very special unveiling during the Geneva event.

Among the technologies developed by BMW for the concept, one of the most important is the new interpretation of the Head-Up Display (HUD). Build to render the information in 3D, it is capable of projecting information about the route precisely onto the location of a possible turn-off - in relation to the actual field of view.

Working in conjunction with the display is the freely programmable instrument cluster, which is used to complement the projections generated by the HUD. Also built to render the information in 3D, the cluster is said to be able to enhance the impact of the data relayed to the driver by means of graphics.

In the Vision ConnectedDrive concept, the passenger too can feel he is part of the car. The Passenger Information Display can be used by the wannabe co-pilot to evaluate information or address details for the navigation system. The funny side of the ride is insured by means of an Emotional Browser, which can gather data about the surroundings, including people, mood or location.

On the outside of the car, an array of sensors embedded into the headlights and the rear lights is used to monitor the traffic situation and the environment. The outside mirrors have been replaced by antennas, which are used as transmission-reception hubs for the data transmitted from or to the vehicle.

Elvin

Elvin the Electric Vehicle

ELVIN stands for Electric Vehicle with Interactive Noise and it is a utility vehicle which is used around the University of Warwick campus of patrol the car parks.

Electric vehicles are really quiet and the lack of sound has been identified as a safety issue. Tests are now being carried out at the University of Warwick by fitting the vehicles with the NoViSim's sound system to find out of drivers' and other road users reactions.

'Gas-guzzling' F1 needs a new image, urges Whitmarsh

F1 must change its perception from that of ‘a gas-guzzling, money-guzzling sport’ to one that is far more society-relevant in the modern day-and-age and ‘leading the way’ in terms of environmentally-friendly technology, CEO of McLaren Racing Martin Whitmarsh has stressed.

The arrival of KERS (Kinetic Energy Recovery Systems) in 2009 – and its return to the grand prix grid this year – is one of F1’s recent concessions to modifying its traditional ways, and the fervent cost-cutting drive and anticipated switch to ‘greener’ 1.6-litre, turbocharged four-cylinder engines from 2013 are further evidence that the most glamorous sport in the world is increasingly committed to cleaning up its act. Not before time, Whitmarsh contends.

“I think F1 has to recognise that we are on the world stage, and as such we’ve got to remain relevant to society if we are going to be such a great global sport,” underlined the McLaren-Mercedes team principal and Formula One Teams’ Association chairman, going on to point out his pride at the Woking-based outfit’s recent receipt of a Carbon Trust Award – the only team in the sport to have been bestowed such an accolade – as well as FOTA’s earnest vow to reduce its carbon footprint.

“We can always get romantic about what we have, but we must also be seen to be socially-relevant, otherwise it becomes very difficult. F1 has not historically done a good job of shaping its image of being a gas-guzzling, money-guzzling sport. Perhaps in the seventies and eighties that was acceptable and a part of the allure of F1, but increasingly, efficiency has become more important. We’ve got to change our perception, and we’ve got to be doing things that are passionate with regard to resources and money.

“The Resource Restriction Agreement (RRA) has been difficult for all the teams, but it’s important that we have reached some agreements there. I think we’ve got to [paint the picture] that people who win in F1 are the most passionate organisations in terms of how we use resources and technology relevant to what you’ll see in road cars in the future. If F1 can be a development hotbed and create public interest in such technologies and we make it our quest to reduce carbon issues, I think it can only be a good thing.

“KERS technology is back this year, which creates public interest. It’s a further step in terms of hybrid technology, which all helps to make the sport relevant – and looking to the future, in 2013 we’ll have downsized engines. F1 has to be seen to be doing its bit and leading the way. We’re all excited about the technology challenge, and we should be proud as a sport that we are really grasping these issues rather than just carrying the stickers – we’re actually doing something concrete, something tangible about it all.”

Another area close to Whitmarsh’s heart – and one in which he feels F1 continues to fall short – is that of taking the sport closer to the fans, with McLaren’s recent unveiling of its new MP4-26 contender in front of hundreds of Vodafone customers in Berlin one small way of approaching that goal.

“We wanted to do something different rather than just pull a silver cloth off the car,” the Englishman explained, expressing his appreciation for the ongoing support of the team’s sponsors in such tough economic times. “To have our fans and Vodafone customers and employees involved in such an event is fun, and stimulating for all of us. We’re trying to take it more to the people, which is something in F1 that we’ve got to do more of – we need to embrace the fans and the people who love our sport.”

Toyota Prius gets extra seats for Europe

Toyota will launch its Prius + in the European market with seven seats, two more than the five-seat Pruis v variant that will be sold in the US.

It has been revealed that this is down to the batteries both variants use as well as greater demand for the hybrid vehicle in the US.

According to Guillaume Gerondeau, Toyota Europe’s Vice President of product planning and marketing: “The US Prius uses nickel batteries which are located in the boot of the car, whereas the European version will have lithium-ion batteries stored in the front.

“The nickel batteries are bigger and have to be located in the boot, leaving no room for the extra row of seats. The European version, however, has more space for this to be made possible."

Gerondeau added: “The demand for the Prius in the US is such, that they want it now,” but said a seven-seat variant wasn’t necessarily what Prius customers wanted. "Demand for it isn’t strong enough in the US. Cars with such accommodation are much bigger in the US market so the Prius will be too small."

Both the Prius + and the hybrid Yaris are being lined up for European debuts at next month’s Geneva motor show.

Porsche launches field tests with electric Boxster

Porsche has introduced an electric version of its Boxster roadster as part of an e-mobility pilot programme in the southwestern German city of Stuttgart.

The three fully electric prototypes of the small sports car are intended to be “rolling laboratories” that will help engineers gauge the practicality of electric vehicles’ everyday use.

“Electric mobility will be one of Porsche's central challenges in the coming years, and our engineers are ready to meet the challenge with their usual high standards,” said Porsche boss Matthias Müller in a statement released on Thursday.

The e-Boxsters are part of a larger scheme to maximize electric cars in Stuttgart and the surrounding state of Baden-Württemberg.

Scientists will also use the cars to learn about the infrastructure needed to support electric mobility on a mass scale, Müller said.

Stefan Mappus, the premier of Baden-Württemberg, added that the Porsche pilot project is an important one in a state known for automotive prowess.

“Together with the auto industry, we want to further develop methods of sustainable mobility in Stuttgart and surrounding regions,” he said. “Porsche is an important partner in this endeavour.”

Stuttgart is one of eight “model regions” of electric mobility in Germany, where projects for electric vehicles and infrastructure are being tested through mid-2011.

The Federal Ministry of Transportation has committed about €130 million total for the eight regions to research electric mobility.

Transportation Minister Peter Ramsauer praised the progress Porsche has made.

“We need marketable products that excite the consumer and win him over with their functionality,” he said. “That is why we support research into electric vehicles’ everyday use.”

The Porsche Boxster roadsters each have two electric motors with a combined 240 horsepower, and are intended to perform at a level similar to Porsche’s traditional internal-combustion engines. The electronic components used in the cars were manufactured by Volkswagen, which recent took over the sports carmaker.

While BMW, Mercedes, VW and Audi already offer several electric hybrid models, Porsche currently has only one consumer vehicle, the sports-utility Cayenne, available in hybrid form.

New Sloting Plus BBS wheels!

New Sloting Plus BBS-style wheels.

Fullycharged Volvo C30 EV Crash Test [video]

Robert Llewellyn was invited on a PR trip to visit Volvo in Sweden and have a look at how they crash testing the electric version of the Volvo C30.

Proton Satria Neo Rally Car in Japan

Malaysian car maker PROTON and Japanese Manufacturer Carrosser Co. Ltd. (CUSCO) has formed a partnership to sell the Proton Satria Neo Group N rally car in the Japanese domestic market.

The pictures here are from a Shakedown event last month at the Maruwa Autoland Nasu in Togichi.

Five Japanese professional drivers, from various racing backgrounds, were invited to test drive the cars (Group N Rally car, Neo Standard and the Neo Concept car) and share their experience with the media present.

The cars were put through the paces and covered over 250km on gravel roads in 2 days without any mechanical issues. Overall the Neo was rated as having very good handling and balance when driven at high speed, by the experts.

At the same event, the Neo raced a Mazda 2 rally car and the Proton car beat the Mazda, clocking in a time of 1 min and 19 seconds, ahead of the Mazda by 6 seconds over a 1km stage.

PROTON and CUSCO will be participating in the Asia Pacific Rally Championship 2011 under the Junior Trophy category. The category will be introduced for the first time this year in the APRC, to increase opportunities for young talented drivers within the Asia Pacific region.

Sorry about the low resolution pics. Will try to get some higher resolution pics later.

"Facebook" Porsche

Is your name on this car?;)

Porsche Will Debut New Hybrid Next Month @ Geneva Auto Show

Porsche will likely unveil a hybrid version of its Panamera four-door sedan at the 2011 Geneva Motor Show next month, with possible plans to start selling the car in the U.S. later this year.

The Panamera already has a brake energy recuperation system as standard.

Porsche started making a hybrid version of its Cayenne SUV available in the U.S. late last year. That car, with pairs a V-6 with an electric motor, can drive solely on electric power at speeds up to 37 miles per hour and gets an EPA-rated 21 miles per gallon in combined city and highway driving, compared with an 18 MPG rating for the convention Cayenne S.

Bigger steps towards Porsche's electrification are likely to follow the two hybrid models, as the European Union has given Porsche five years to cut its CO2 emissions by about 15%. Porsche will produce its first electrically-powered sports car, the 918 Spyder, in three to four years.

Last October, new Porsche Chairman Matthias Mueller told reporters at the 2010 Paris Auto Show that the German automaker is testing a plug-in electric concept version of the Panamera sedan, though it has no plans to show the car publicly. The company will also field-test three electric-powered Boxsters starting next year, Porsche said in July.

Ford Explained: Hybrid, Plug-In Hybrids and EVs [video]

What's the difference between a BEV and a PHEV? Or why is an HEV considered an electrified vehicle?

As electrification options are increasing for consumers, many are looking for information to understand how the new technologies work and if it's right for them.

Ford offers some easy to understand explanations about electric vehicle technology with this new online video.

Formula One Teams consider running F1 cars in EV mode down pit lane

In a recent interview with Wired.co.uk, Jonathan Neale, managing director of McLaren mentioned Formula One Teams are considering running F1 cars as EVs in the pit lane.

"There’s a debate going on about running F1 cars as EVs in the pit lane. Some people say, “Isn’t that just a milk float in the pit lane?” But when you look at the technology required to make that happen and restart the engine at the end of the pit lane it’s exciting."

This year most Formula One cars on the grid will be equipped with a 60 Kw liquid cooled brushless direct current (BLDC) motor / generator unit. That's almost as much power as the 80 Kw motor found in the Nissan Leaf, yet an F1 car is approx 1/3rd the weight. Combined with the 400kj (111 watt hour) KERS battery storage that's more than enough power to traverse a pit lane at the usual 100 km/h speed limit.

Sounds like a great idea. It might be seen as a bit of a gimmick at first, but as the pit stops play a prominent role in the TV broadcasts, running silently in EV mode would be a very audible reminder to the hundreds of millions watching that F1 cars do in fact carry hybrid electric propulsion systems, something that can only be seen via a 'battery' TV graphic while the cars are on-track.

Carbon Nation Trailer

Something that might be of interest - the official theatrical trailer for Carbon Nation.

A movie for those who DON'T believe in climate change. There have always been a long list of issues behind the move towards EVs and one of those happened to be climate change. Unfortunately, most marketing efforts post-Gore have focussed almost exclusively on the climate angle and it has proved hard to move opinion in certain, usually older, generations.

So here's a docu-movie attempting to shift the focus and list all the 'other' reasons to go green.

Opens in theaters this month! www.carbonnationmovie.com

The Nissan Land Glider

One of my friends who works with Proton, the Malaysian auto maker mentioned that the Peugeot BB1 concept looks like the Nissan Land Glider.

Nissan Landglider at the 2009 Tokyo Motor Show

The Nissan Land Glider concept was unveiled at the 2009 Tokyo Motor Show. Similar to the BB1, the Land Glider also has a motorcycle-inspired Tandem architecture. The rear view mirrors have been replaced by cameras and monitor. Another innovation was the non-contact charging system that enables it to be recharged at any wireless charging station.

Continental Enhances Electric Vehicle Safety

Continental, the international automotive supplier, has developed a sensor (satellite) for electric and plug-in hybrid vehicles which will immediately shut off the high-voltage battery in the event of a collision. This means that emergency service personnel can come to the aid of accident victims without the risk of suffering an electric shock.

"The evSAT acceleration sensor is active in charge mode. It detects an accident and passes this information on to the battery management system which then shuts off the high-voltage battery," said Dr. Axel Gesell, Senior Manager Platform Development Sensors & Satellites, in the Passive Safety and ADAS business unit of Continental's Chassis & Safety Division. "The major benefit of our product is that it prevents fire and rescue service personnel sustaining high-voltage injuries when coming into contact with vehicle metal parts or if they have to cut through the vehicle to recover accident victims," Gesell added.

Electric vehicles and plug-in hybrids are powered by high-voltage batteries of up to 400 volts. evSAT will go into series production with a major German vehicle manufacturer in 2012.

'evSAT' stands for 'Satellite for Electric Vehicles' and essentially consists of an independent, triaxial sensor with a CAN (controller area network) interface. During the charge phase, the other vehicle electronics, including the airbag system are not operational. So as to avoid the considerable expense of adapting the airbag system to meet new requirements, Continental has developed evSAT for the vehicle's charge mode. The accelerator sensor employs an algorithm to detect a frontal, rear or side collision with another vehicle and immediately transmits a signal via the CAN interface to the battery management system which then switches off the battery within half a second. evSAT reacts in the same way if it detects a rollover in driving mode. In this case, the battery is deactivated within four seconds at most. In the event of other types of driving accident, evSAT remains inactive. In such cases, the airbag system assumes the task of cutting off the battery. If the electric or plug-in hybrid vehicle has been switched off and is not being charged, the evSAT moves to a standby mode to prevent the battery discharging. As such, evSAT represents an additional passive safety system function for electric and plug-in hybrid vehicles.

Safety is important for ensuring a future for electromobility

Most high-voltage batteries in electric or plug-in hybrid vehicles generate a voltage of 400 volts, twice as great as the standard domestic plug socket and potentially fatal. Already, in the United States, there is a legal requirement for the vehicle power supply voltage to fall to below 60 volts within five seconds of an accident occurring.

"As electromobility continues to develop, the safety of electric vehicles will assume an increasingly important role. The need for technologies to meet future challenges is already demonstrated by the additional demand for evSAT from numerous other vehicle manufacturers," said Telmo Glaser, Continental's evSAT project manager.

evSAT sensors – possible applications and advantages

Essentially, evSAT can be installed in a number of different places in the vehicle; it should, however, be placed sufficiently well inside the vehicle (beneath the front passenger seat, for example) to avoid being damaged in an accident. The advantages of using evSAT are that there is no need for the conventionally powered vehicle variants within a model series to be modified. evSAT can be integrated into the existing systems of electrically powered vehicle variants without redesign work. This benefit also increases flexibility as regards installation space, customer-specific requirements and development time. Savings can be made due to lower system development costs and by avoiding placing greater demands on the airbag system. The sensors will be produced, starting this year, in Continental's Regensburg, Germany plant.

Renault 'spy' row over electric car costs

Alleged spying at French car maker Renault may have targeted the costs involved in making electric cars, its chief executive said in an interview published Friday.

Renault and its Japanese partner Nissan have staked their future on electric vehicles and plan to launch several models by 2014 to meet rapidly rising demand for more environmentally friendly methods of transport.

Renault has sacked three top managers in the past month over alleged industrial espionage and has launched legal action. The three executives have denied the allegations and struck back with lawsuits for defamation.

It has so far not given details on what the men allegedly disclosed, saying only that the case concerned the economic model, rather than the technology, for electric cars.

"The most interesting information I can have about a competitor is the cost," Renault chief executive Carlos Ghosn said in the interview with the Wall Street Journal.

He was answering a question on why information about the economic model was so sensitive.

"For example for a battery, the most important element is the cost per kilowatt. From the cost per kilowatt I may guess what kind of technology you're developing," he was quoted as saying by the US business daily.

"All that action that has been taken by the company is designed to protect the company," Ghosn said.

He added that it was now up to prosecutors to figure out exactly who was responsible for what.

"Who did what and how exactly, it's not up to us to decide," the Renault chief said. "Today, all the elements are in the hands of the justice department and it's for the prosecutor to determine the different responsibilities."

Renault and Nissan, of which Ghosn is also chief executive officer, are aiming for annual capacity of 500,000 electric cars by 2015 at the latest, the Wall Street Journal said.

But much uncertainty remains over how fast the cars will take off, as the batteries that power them are still prohibitively expensive for most consumers, the paper said.

It added that though Nissan's Leaf electric vehicle went on sale last year, Renault is still waiting to release its first models later this year.

Electric Andros Trophy Prost gets title 2010

Nicolas Prost gets the first Electric Andros Trophy title at St-Dié des Vosges.

BMW ActiveE 2011 Electric Car TEST DRIVE [video]

The 2011 Geneva Motor Show will see the world premier of the BMW ActiveE. Based on the current BMW 1 Series Coupé, the BMW ActiveE is the second electric test vehicle to be created by the BMW Group.

Read more

Visit to Slot Connection-Nuremburg club

While I was in Germany for Toyfair I had the great fortune to be able to visit a slot club. I had no idea what was waiting for me at this club. The video start with me eating dinner at the cafe in the club. What the heck? A cafe in a slot club, this completely blew my mind! What a wonderful idea... and the food was amazing. Anyplace you can get a cool Weiss Bier and race slots is the place for me!

The club was huge. The have a small store there for members to buy new parts/cars which was full of their preferred scale of cars, 1/24. They race tons of 1/24 Plafit chassis cars. Of course they also race Carrera too, being a club in German you'd expect that. Though what was unexpected was that the club races Carrera cars with the stock tires, something that is quite unusual especially for non-magnetic racing. They use oil they call, "cheater oil" to soften the tires and make them stick, and BOY do they stick! The track was VERY rubbered in and the cars stuck like crazy. I mention this in the video, maybe a bit too much but I was completely stunned. The running gear of the cars was stock with the magnets removed, weight added (which increased the weight of the cars to about 100 grams) and a light weight interior tray was added. The cars were hand-out cars owned by the club and the drivers all used Parma controllers to keep the field a bit more equal.

That night was a DTM series race. They had a tremendous field of 30 racers. The field was, as you might imagine mostly adult males, but there was also something different as I looked around the room... kids... women! They were racing all together. Now I know that sounds really odd for me to say but in all the visits I've done to clubs in the US I can could on one hand the number of times I've seen kids (I mean children under the age of about 14 or so) racing on the track during what is considered a "serious" race. Further, again counting on one hand, I don't ever remember seeing a woman race aside from "Mopar Jenny" who was a part of the team I raced with during the Chicago 24. When I asked if this was normal to have such a diverse field of drivers, I got a smile and "of course"... yeah, of course. Why not. Slots have been around in Germany as a mainstream hobby, really a main stream toy I should say, forever. Carrera have been around since the 60's and are a leading toy company in Germany/Austria. Now I know that those previous statements might be interpreted as maybe a bit odd to note, but I was really excited to see that the club was full of activity and full of future racers and families enjoying the evening together. This is what we need in the US... this is the future and the way forward for slots here!

I got to take some laps with a borrowed 1/24 car, Plafit chassis with BRM body on the wood track they have which is about 100' or so lap length. Using a borrowed Slot It SCP1 controller I did a little more than 100 laps and was within about 4/10's of what they consider fast... obviously a very easy car to drive! HA!

One thing that is always exciting to feel is the similarity between how people enjoy slot racing. I've had the good fortune to work for 2 slot companies now and I've been tremendously lucky to be able to visit not only Germany but Spain as well. What I've enjoyed most is not seeing the tracks and seeing some "unobtanium" that we cannot get here in the US, but talking with the slotbrothers (and sisters) and finding out that we all have a common language. It's amazing to see that smile of recognition on someone's face while you're talking about tires or chassis set up (in broken English or in my case very broken German) when they realize that you both love the hobby and you really understand the hobby in the same way. You feel at home and welcome, this is how I felt at Slot Connection.

They're having a 24-hour race in March.... hmmmmm.... how much are tickets to Nuremburg again?

Thanks to Christian who was my host for the evening, without whom the visit would not have been possible.

Dave Kennedy
Publisher, Slot Car News

New Sloting Plus Reynards

Sloting Plus are three mono-coloured Reynard cars ( blue, orange and yellow ) with ultra light body, sport guide, lexan cockpit, racing tyres and 11/28 ratio.

Honda EV Concept and Plug-In Hybrid due @ Geneva Auto Show

Honda's EV Concept electric vehicle and a platform for mid size plug-in hybrid vehicles will be displayed alongside the revised Accord range at the Geneva Motor Show.

The concepts were unveiled at the LA Auto Show in November 2010 and will be shown at Geneva as part of Honda’s “Road to Zero Emissions”, illustrating the current technology of hybrids alongside the near-future technology of plug-in vehicles and the ultimate goal of Fuel Cell Electric Vehicles, like Honda’s FCX Clarity.

The two new cars are integral to the Honda Electric Mobility Network, the company's comprehensive approach to reducing CO2 emissions through innovative products, energy-management and energy-production technologies.
The Honda EV Concept hints strongly at the direction and styling for Honda's upcoming production battery electric vehicle, the Fit EV, which will be introduced to the U.S. and Japan in 2012. The all-new plug-in hybrid platform showcases Honda's next-generation, two-motor hybrid technology set to debut in 2012.

Honda EV Concept
The EV Concept is designed to meet the daily driving needs of the average metropolitan commuter and utilises the same 5-passenger layout found in the popular Fit hatchback (known as Jazz in the UK).

The Honda EV Concept will achieve an estimated 100 mile driving range per charge using the US EPA LA4 city cycle. Driving range can be maximised by use of an innovative 3-mode electric drive system, adapted from the 2011 Honda CR-Z sporty hybrid. In addition to this, the Honda EV Concept will include several interactive coaching systems to assist the driver in maximising battery range.

Alongside the Honda EV Concept will be a prototype Honda charging stand, providing a glimpse at the future of an electric-charging infrastructure that is easy to use and intuitive for consumers.

Honda Plug-in Hybrid
Honda will also preview a plug-in hybrid platform, which showcases Honda's next-generation two-motor hybrid system. Integrated into a mid-size saloon platform, the plug-in hybrid is designed to be compatible with daily driving habits, allowing for short, frequent trips in all-electric mode, while providing long-distance driving capability when needed.

The Honda two-motor system continuously moves through three different modes to maximise driving efficiency: all-electric, petrol-electric and an engine direct-drive mode. The plug-in hybrid also uses regenerative braking to charge the battery.

FCX Clarity
The FCX Clarity will also be displayed alongside the two concept vehicles demonstrating its position as the ultimate solution to zero emissions mobility. The world’s first production fuel cell electric vehicle has been available to lease in the US and Japan since 2008.

Honda Range at Geneva Motor Show 2011

Accord
The revised Honda Accord Saloon and Tourer models will make their debut at the show. Both cars receive a host of changes including enhanced styling, emissions, ride and handling.

Jazz
The revised Honda Jazz marks the return of a CVT automatic transmission to the endlessly flexible B-segment hatchback.

Jazz Hybrid
The Jazz Hybrid went on sale at the beginning of February 2011 and further demonstrates Honda’s continuing commitment to petrol-electric hybrid technology.

Insight
The 2011 Honda Insight features revised suspension components and settings, specification changes and new exterior colours.

CR-Z
The world’s first 6-speed manual hybrid coupe, the Honda CR-Z will grace the stand at the Geneva Motor Show.

CR-V
The CR-V equipped with the Euro NCAP award-winning Collision Mitigation Brake System, the Honda-developed autonomous emergency braking technology, will sit in the safety zone of the Geneva Motor Show stand.

BMW to Launch ActiveE EV at Geneva Auto Show [video]

The 2011 Geneva Motor Show will see the world premier of the BMW ActiveE. Based on the current BMW 1 Series Coupé, the BMW ActiveE is the second electric test vehicle to be created by the BMW Group.

With four seats and a luggage compartment of 200 litres, the BMW ActiveE is the first electric vehicle from the BMW Group to combine the space and comfort of a traditionally powered BMW with a fully electric drivetrain. Intelligent packaging ensures that the driver and all three passengers have the same head, leg and shoulder room as they would in a standard BMW 1 Series Coupé.

At the heart of the BMW ActiveE is a powerful electric synchronous motor which propels the car from zero to 60mph in just nine seconds, delivering 168hp and maximum torque of 250Nm, from a standing start. While its top speed is electronically limited to 90mph. The BMW ActiveE maintains the dynamic driving style that is typical of a BMW, with a low centre of gravity and 50:50 weight distribution to enhance traction and power transfer of the high torque.

Replacing the engine block, transmission and fuel tank are three large energy storage units containing lithium-ion cells, developed in conjunction with SB LiMotive. These modules are protected by a steel-plate battery housing with integrated liquid cooling system, to keep the batteries at optimum operating temperature helping to increase the range. These housings also help to ensure that the BMW ActiveE meets the same stringent safety standards as the BMW 1 Series Coupé, meeting and exceeding the levels legislated.

The BMW ActiveE is engineered so that when the driver takes his foot off the accelerator pedal the motor becomes a generator and feeds the electricity created from kinetic energy back into the vehicle battery, while at the same time braking torque is created, slowing the vehicle down. This recuperation of energy can increase the range by up to 20 per cent.

For the first time in a BMW Group electric vehicle the BMW ActiveE features an ‘intermediate position’ for the accelerator pedal that results in the car’s own kinetic energy being used to move forward, without consuming energy from the batteries. In essence it is a ‘gliding’ mode. With previous electric vehicles when the accelerator lifts the car automatically starts to brake. To further increase the range of the BMW ActiveE ECO PRO Mode can be selected whereby the drive configuration and comfort functions are modified to use less energy and facilitate a more efficient driving style. In ECO PRO mode the heating and air conditioning system are programmed to use less energy and the accelerator demands less power with the same travel.

The BMW ActiveE retains the dynamic looks of the traditionally powered BMW 1 Series Coupé but with circuit inspired graphics, a scoop in the bonnet and a closed rear apron, with no exhaust pipes, to distinguish it. Inside Pearl Grey Dakota leather seats with Blue contrasting seams, along with a revised instrument cluster are the main indicators of the electric drivetrain. Instead of the traditional fuel gauge and rev counters the dials show the level of charge left in the battery and the amount of energy being used and recuperated.

The BMW ActiveE is not dependent on a specific energy source and so can be charged using 32-ampere wallbox in five hours, or overnight from a conventional domestic socket. This allows greater flexibility allowing the car to be charged wherever there is an electricity supply.

Starting in 2011, a test fleet of over 1,000 BMW ActiveE vehicles will be trialed in the USA, Europe and China and will provide valuable insights into the everyday use of the electric vehicle. The knowledge and insights gained from the field trials of the BMW ActiveE will be fed back for the future development of the Megacity Vehicle, due to go into production in 2013. BMW UK will be leasing BMW ActiveEs to select customers. Further details will be announced in due course.

Le Mans 24-hour race sees first Hybrid entry

The Automobile Club de l’Ouest on Wednesday presented the official entry list for the 2011 24 Hours of Le Mans. The race organizer nominated 56 cars and 10 reserves. As usual, the entry list is highlighted by the prospect of a renewed battle between the factory Audi Sport and Peugeot Sport teams with their latest turbodiesels.

However, there are hopes this year that, under the latest regulations, gasoline-powered engines will be much more competitive in the front-running, 17-car LMP1 division. Such cars have been entered by Aston Martin Racing and Honda Performance Development. Toyota also is supplying works engines in LMP1, and there will be additional factory participation in other classes by BMW, Chevrolet, Lotus and Nissan, with Ferrari and Porsche again supporting their privateer teams.

In the second year of Hybrid drivetrains being encouraged at Le Mans, with full hybrids allowed to use four-wheel drive, we see the first Hybrid entries. Hope Racing has secured a firm entry for its new Oreca hybrid, but the Rangoni Motorsports team’s Zytek is on the reserve list. This year, kinetic-energy-recovery systems are allowed in both LMP1 and LMP2, but they must be activated by the accelerator pedal.

With virtually the entire Formula One field running KERS this season, how many more years will it be before we see a works team enter a hybrid at Le mans?

NSR Car of the Year-Slot MiniAuto

CAR OF THE YEAR

SLOT MINIAUTO DELIVERY NSR THE CAR OF THE YEAR AWARD

Over the past Nuremberg Toy Fair, Slot MiniAuto delivered to the Italian manufacturer's NSR the 2010 Car of Year trophy for his Porsche 997 RS Rally.

The award is the result of the election of fans around the world, in a vote conducted through various social networks, Slot Adictos, Pasion Slot, DemoSlot Blog and Slot MiniAuto Facebook friends.

This is the eleventh convocation of the Car of the Year, one of the most recognized awards for global manufacturers of slot sector.

Salvatore Noviello (right) and Giovanni Montiglio (left) from NSR, received from Albert Boet, Slot MiniAuto Editor, the trophy in German toy fair exhibition.

COCHE DEL AÑO

Slot MiniAuto entrega a NSR el premio del Coche del Año.

Durante la pasada Feria del Juguete de Nuremberg, Slot MiniAuto hizo entrega al fabricante italiano NSR del trofeo Coche del Año 2010, por su Porsche 997 RS Rally.

El premio es resultado de la elección de aficionados de todo el mundo, en una votación efectuada a través de diversas redes sociales, Slot Adictos, Pasion Slot, Blog DemoSlot, y los amigos de Facebook de Slot MiniAuto.

Esta es la onceava convocatoria del Coche del Año, uno de los premios más reconocidos por los fabricantes mundiales del sector del slot.

Salvatore Noviello (dcha) y Giovanni Montiglio (izq.) de NSR, recibieron de Albert Boet, Director de Slot MiniAuto, el trofeo en su exposición en Alemania.

Racer Nuremburg news

Please check the excellent coverage from Racer's upcoming releases on Slot Car Illustrated.com .

Ford Focus Electric saves thousands in running costs

Ford has cranked the numbers on its all-new 2012 Ford Focus Electric to reveal that savings in servicing costs alone will lead to an extra $1171 in the pockets of its owners.

The calculation was made comparing the 2012 Focus Electric with a standard petrol-powered 2012 Focus over the total life of the vehicles (240,000km), highlighting all of the servicing areas that do not apply to electric vehicles:

• 15 oil and filter changes at $29.95 each – $449.25
• Five air filter replacements at $24.95 each – $124.75
• Two cooling system flushes at $109 each – $218
• One transmission service – $179
• One drive belt replacement – $130
• One new set of spark plugs and installation – $69.95

The total saving of $1170.95 almost covers the cost of Ford’s fast charging home system, which will be sold separately for around $1499. (This also assumes that there are no servicing costs associated with the battery pack or any of the EV-specific components.)

Of course, these figures overlook the biggest vehicle running cost – fuel – and the vast savings that EVs achieve by plugging into the wall rather than filling up at a petrol station.

Ford says, with its range of 160km, it will cost between $2 and $3 to fully recharge the Focus Electric, at an average cost of $0.10 per kWh. Over the 240,000km life of the vehicle, that works out to be just $3750 in electricity.

Ford says the standard petrol Focus will get around 40mpg (5.88 litres/100km) on the combined cycle. If we say unleaded fuel costs an average of $1.50 per litre over the life of the vehicle, that works out to be $21,168 in fuel. That's almost equal to the purchase price of the vehicle.

Ford is yet to announce the pricing of the Focus Electric, but (based on the above calculations) if it is less than $17,400 more expensive than the petrol Focus, it could be a good value proposition for those who plan to keep it for its entire life.

Without a conventional piston engine or an automatic or manual transmission, Ford’s director of electrification programs and engineering, Sherif Marakby, said the Focus Electric eliminates more than two dozen mechanical components that would normally require attention during the life of the vehicle.

“When you have moving parts, such as the gears in a transmission or the pistons in an engine, you have maintenance,” Mr Marakby said.

“With an electric drive, there are very few moving parts. And in the Focus Electric, the only moving parts are the motor and the wheels.”

He said the Focus Electric would be the most maintenance free and easiest to own vehicle Ford Motor Co has ever produced.

“About all the driver will have to do is charge up the battery pack and go.”

Lithium ion battery market to quadruple by 2020

Greater demand for lithium ion batteries means the market is set to quadruple between now and 2020, a new report suggests.

According to MarketResearch.com, consumer electronics have been the predominant users of lithium ion batteries since they were commercially developed in the 1990s.

However, their applications are now diversifying and they are increasingly being used in electric and plug-in hybrid vehicles.

As a result, MarketResearch.com expects demand to soar over the next 20 years as the need to create cleaner cars intensifies.

In 2010, the lithium ion battery market was worth $11 billion (£6.8 billion), but the report suggests that this will reach $43 billion (£26.7 billion) by 2020.

WikiLeaks: Peak Oil is Real, Saudis running out of oil

The latest startling revelation to come via documents leaked to Julian Assange's website and published by The Guardian should give pause to every suburban SUV-driver: U.S. officials think Saudi Arabia is overpromising on its capacity to supply oil to a fuel-thirsty world. That sets up a scenario, the documents show, whereby the Saudis could dramatically underdeliver on output by as soon as next year, sending fuel prices soaring.

The cables detail a meeting between a U.S. diplomat and Sadad al-Husseini, a geologist and former head of exploration for Saudi oil monopoly Aramco, in November 2007. Husseini told the American official that the Saudis are unlikely to keep to their target oil output of 12.5 million barrels per day output in order to keep prices stable. Husseini also indicated that Saudi producers are likely to hit "peak oil" -- the point at which global output hit its high mark -- as early as 2012. That means, in essence, that it will be all downhill from there for the enormous Saudi oil industry.

"According to al-Husseini, the crux of the issue is twofold. First, it is possible that Saudi reserves are not as bountiful as sometimes described, and the timeline for their production not as unrestrained as Aramco and energy optimists would like to portray," one of the cables reads. "While al-Husseini fundamentally contradicts the Aramco company line, he is no doomsday theorist. His pedigree, experience and outlook demand that his predictions be thoughtfully considered."

Nissan ESFLOW Rear Wheel Drive Electric Sports Car [video]

It may be a concept, but the Nissan ESFLOW electric sports car proves it's possible to remain environmentally sympathetic without having to give up the joy of driving.

It looks like a sports car, handles like a sports car and performs like one too. But ESFLOW is different to every other sports car yet built: it's electric. Using technology pioneered in the award-winning Nissan LEAF, the EV concept shows that driving can still be as much fun tomorrow as it is today.

The Nissan ESFLOW

Nissan has a reputation for creating some of the most exhilarating sports cars on the market. Nissan has also developed the world's first practical Zero Emission family car, the Nissan LEAF.

Now Nissan has put that expertise together. It has captured the excitement of a sports car and the environmental benefits of an electric vehicle and blended them into one dramatic two-seater concept: ESFLOW.

ESFLOW has been created from the ground up as a pure electric vehicle, to give an idea how a Zero Emission sports car of the future might look. Living ecologically has often been seen as an act of austerity - to save one's environmental conscience sacrifices must be made. ESFLOW is here to address that misconception.

Owning an ecologically sound car does not have to come at the expense of driving enjoyment. The briefest glance at the ESFLOW is enough to tell you what kind of car it is: a long bonnet leading into a steeply raked, wrap around windscreen, the compact cabin placing the occupants bang on the car's centre of gravity, hunched arches over ultra-low profile tyres wrapped around six spoke wheels. ESFLOW is unmistakably a sports car, and those in the know will recognize its heritage - hints of classic and contemporary Nissan sports cars abound.

Vitally, ESFLOW is not an existing ICE (internal combustion engine) powered vehicle that has been adapted to run on electricity, but a sports car that's been designed from the outset as a Zero Emission vehicle. This means that Nissan's forward thinking designers have had free rein to place the power train and batteries in the optimum positions to benefit the car's handling and performance and enhancing the thrill of driving.

The Car

The ESFLOW is based on existing technology, implemented in innovative ways. An attractive, head turning composite body covers an aluminium chassis, incorporating its own roll cage. The powertrain unit, which employs the same technologies installed in the Nissan LEAF, is tuned to offer a sporty driving experience.

The Powertrain

ESFLOW is rear-wheel drive and it runs on two motors. The car's graceful proportions allow the twin electric motors to be placed above the axis of the rear wheels, in a mid-ship position,. These motors independently control the left and right wheels, and so the torque is optimized to ensure outstanding vehicle stability and control as well as efficient power regeneration. The motors produce enough torque in an instant for it to reach a 100kph in under 5 seconds.

Power for the motors comes from the same laminated lithium-ion battery packs used in the Nissan LEAF, but in ESFLOW the packs are located along the axis of the front and rear wheels. This centralizes the mass of the car, and thus its rotation point, close to the driver's hips. These cleverly positioned batteries enable the car to travel over 240km on one charge.

The Chassis

An aluminium chassis has been built around the drive train, taking full advantage of the opportunities that Zero Emission electric propulsion provides. Power cells are incorporated in such a way that they benefit ESFLOW's strength and poise, not detract from them. Indeed, unlike a conventional fuel tank, batteries do not get lighter as they provide energy, so the car's weight distribution remains constant throughout a drive.

The high waistline afforded by the ESFLOW's classic sports car proportions allows strong, yet unobtrusive roll bars incorporated in to the structure behind the seats to safely take the entire load of the car in the event of a roll over, negating the need for obtrusive, thick, reinforced A-pillars and the blind spots they inevitably create.

This almost unobstructed view ahead will not be unfamiliar to fighter pilots, and just as such pilots speak of "strapping their planes on to their backs", we hope ESFLOW owners will also feel the car to be an extension of their bodies, reacting to their slightest whims. The driver must be at the centre of the sports car both physically and metaphorically.

The Body

The ESFLOW is undoubtedly an attractive car. Crisp, clean lines not only convey the purity of its sporting potential, but suggest the clarity of electric power. The colour scheme chosen for the concept car is inspired by glaciers - highly reflective solidified liquid with blue tints in its shadows. Like its ZEV concept forebears and contemporary stable mate the ESFLOW's headlights and Nissan emblem are tinted cool blue. The six spoke wheels contain blue carbon inserts while the same material adorns the side sill, roof mounted lip spoiler and lower rear bumper.

Blue LEDs accentuate the futuristic lights slashed into the bodywork both front and rear. Where the Nissan LEAF's protrusive headlights are used to guide airflow around the door mirrors, this is not needed on ESFLOW as the mirrors have been replaced with minute rear view cameras at the base of its A-pillars. The ESFLOW's front lights do protect a secret of their own however: flip out charging points built in to the air ducts beneath.

The Interior

Ecological minimalism need not come at the expense of luxury. The cabin of the ESFLOW is clean and open and weight saving has been a priority throughout its design, but it is still a comfortable and pleasant place to sit. By far the heaviest components in modern cars' interiors are the steel framed, thickly upholstered and increasingly motorized seats. In ESFLOW the seats are sculpted into the rear bulkhead of the car, negating the need for a heavy frame. This of course means that they are immobile, but this is of no consequence as the fly-by-wire steering and pedals adjust electrically to the best spot to suit each individual driver's size and preferred driving position.

The seats themselves are upholstered in gold leather and perforated gold suede while the doors are trimmed in dark blue leather and suede. The blue and gold motif, the colour of sparks, is continued across the dashboard, which is also adorned with silver carbon trim, and features four multifunction illuminated LCD displays.

Car Specifics At A Glance:

• ESFLOW – a pure EV sports car concept
• Rear-wheel drive two-seater
• Two electric motors, each driving a rear wheel
• Laminated lithium-ion batteries mounted low for best weight distribution
• Dramatic styling with wraparound windscreen for unobstructed visibility
• 0-100km/h in under 5 seconds
• Over 240kms on one charge

SK Innovation to Supply Batteries to Mercedes SLS AMG E-Cell supercar

SK Innovation Co., parent of South Korea’s biggest oil refiner, said it will supply lithium-ion batteries for Daimler AG’s Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG E-Cell supercar.

Shipment schedules and volumes haven’t been fixed, according to a regulatory filing today.

SK Innovation is competing with chemical maker LG Chem Ltd. for a share of the car-battery market and has won orders from Hyundai Motor Co., Kia Motors Corp. and Daimler’s Japanese unit, Mitsubishi Fuso Truck & Bus Corp.

The South Korean company, previously known as SK Energy Co., is focusing on overseas energy exploration and new businesses such as electric-car batteries after completing the spin-off of its petroleum and petrochemical operations on Jan. 1.

Electronics not a fault in Toyota unintended acceleration cases

A study by the United States' Department of Transportation (DOT) concluded that electronic throttle systems were not at fault in reported cases of unintended acceleration by Toyota vehicles that precipitated a series of recalls in the US.

The DOT used engineers from NASA to examine systems and software in nine Toyota vehicles where the owners of which experienced unintended acceleration.

Toyota's own investigations assigned blame to loose floor mats and poorly manufactured throttle pedal mechanisms and issued recalls to fix these issues. Toyota also implemented systems in its vehicles that cut off acceleration when the brake was applied.

Congress asked the government to look into the reported incidents and the DOT released its final report today. Investigators examined lines of code and even blasted the cars with electro-magnetic radiation to cause a failure. The report exonerated the electronics that govern the acceleration systems.

Reports of unintended acceleration reached the public after a fatal crash involving a Lexus ES350. The DOT saw an increase in complaints about unintended acceleration in Toyota vehicles and began the study.

Toyota's study found that it had identified the problems correctly and that there were no problems with the electronics. Even so, Toyota's reputation and sales in the North America and Europe took a hit in an already tough economic climate. No cars in Australia were recalled over unintended acceleration and the company romped away as the sales leader in 2010.

Anyone without KERS 'will be making up the numbers'

McLaren-Mercedes’ newly-promoted technical director Paddy Lowe has warned rivals electing not to run with KERS (Kinetic Energy Recovery Systems) in F1 2011 that they will be unable to ‘produce a competitive car’ and as such will be left languishing at the rear of the field and merely ‘making up the numbers’.

The controversial KERS technology – one that is being developed to become road-relevant in the near future, with F1 as a sort of proving-ground – first entered the top flight two years ago, but it was not a universal success, with fewer than half of the teams using it due to its excessive weight and cost, and some of those that did abandoning it before season’s end.

McLaren, indeed, was the only competitor to persevere with the ‘power boost’ system all the way to the conclusion of the campaign, with the Mercedes-developed device widely-recognised as the best on the grid – and Lowe insists the team would not be without it now, going on to warn the likes of KERS sceptics Team Lotus, Virgin Racing and Hispania Racing (HRT) that they are fighting a losing battle.

“It wasn’t a difficult decision to re-introduce KERS,” he reflected. “We know there is real performance there and some real lap time. Also, as we found out in 2009, it’s very powerful to use at the race start. Teams would admit they had lost position relative to us before the race had even begun...

“If you were going to compete this year without the KERS hybrid, we believe you would simply be making up the numbers as you would not be able to produce a competitive car. We believe the re-introduction of a hybrid system will play to our strengths. We’re very positive about what we can get out of it in terms of extra gains.

“The re-introduction of KERS has been a big project, but we’ve learned some lessons from the previous occasion. We are using a common system developed by Mercedes, so we had to find a package that would accommodate the needs of both teams – and we’re really happy with what we’ve got.

“One of the problems with an F1 car is trying to find extra volume, which is pretty scarce these days. By putting KERS back in we had to displace fuel, so we had to grow the dimensions some other how and make the tank a little bit longer in order to allow the KERS to sit at the front of the engine.”

Revealing that the KERS of 2011 is ‘a much more integrated system’ than it was back in 2009, Lowe explained that it is ‘better for weight distribution and easier to manage’ – and a unanimous accord amongst competitors last year played no small part in facilitating its re-introduction, he admits.

“In the middle of last year, the teams all agreed we would fix the weight distribution on cars to a very narrow range,” he recounted. “As the [Pirelli] tyres had not yet been developed and the specification was not clear, what we didn’t want was to have to take a gamble, because it would be a very expensive gamble for a team to get wrong. In 2009, the ballast of the car reduced with KERS, so the ability to play with weight distribution was eliminated. The key for 2011 was reaching this agreement for a fixed weight distribution range.”

One key change for F1 2011 is that the so-called ‘double-decker’ diffusers – so contentious in the early stages of 2009 – have been outlawed, causing teams to look for alternative solutions to regain the lost downforce at the rear of the car. McLaren has opted for a pullrod suspension à la defending double world champions Red Bull Racing, and Lowe hints at far more shrewd innovations beneath the MP4-26’s surface, invisible to the naked eye.

“Aerodynamics is always the big area we need to keep pushing,” the 48-year-old mused. “It’s the area that has historically delivered the most lap time, particularly in an era of frozen engine rules. The loss of the double-diffuser has taken a lot of downforce from the rear of the car, but we think we’ve come up with some good ideas about how to recover it.

“The sidepod solution is quite unique, and has given us a new envelope to try to drive performance to the rear of the car. We need to keep thinking out-of-the-box. Compared to ten or 20 years ago, it’s really quite staggering what can be delivered given the restrictions we have now – it’s a tribute to imaginative thinking.”

World Record DBM Electric Car will return [video]

DBM Energy - Electric Car World Record (German Trailer) from Imageworx on Vimeo.

Shortly before Christmas, a world record-setting electric car developed by small German start-up DBM Energy burned. Authorities are investigating and conspiracy theorists have since accused established car-making giants, which were embarrassed by the record, as responsible for the fire.

The story started in October, when Mirko Hannemann, the 27-year-old founder of DBM Energy, drove his yellow and purple all-electric Audi A2 from Munich to Berlin, a trip of some 375 miles taking seven hours, without recharging the car's battery.

As we discussed last week, there seems to be nothing remarkable about a claim that an EV with a 115 kWh battery pack has covered 600 kms on a single charge.

The record-setting trip was a media phenomenon. Hannemann steered the car directly into the German government district, where Economy Minister Rainer Bruederle jumped in for a quick drive in the courtyard of his ministry.

Bruederle, who had helped fund the project with $380,000, called the car's battery -- based on what DBM Energy calls the KOLIBRI AlphaPolymer Technology -- a "technological quantum leap." He urged the German car industry to consider using it in their future electric cars.

Observers say the German automobile giants weren't amused. The likes of Volkswagen and Daimler have invested billions of dollars in lithium-ion-based battery systems but are behind French and Asian competitors in rolling out an electric car. And then a small start-up shows them all up.

Soon after the trip, however, accusations surfaced that DBM Energy might have cheated. Why didn't DBM Energy agree to have its battery checked out? Also, for a few minutes toward the end of the drive, the car had been out of sight, so maybe there was an illicit battery recharge? Was the trip just a big scam to lure investors?

Hannemann vehemently denied the accusations, saying that he couldn't simply open the lid on all details of his technology.

In a bid to defuse further speculation, he provided a German government agency with KOLIBRI battery packs that are being tested for safety.

On its Web site, the company reacted to allegations of fraud when setting the record. It provides what it says is a Global Positioning System protocol of the trip and notes that "manipulation on the car or the battery, for example an unobserved recharge, can be absolutely ruled out with this protocol." Moreover, more than 30 witnesses joined the trip.

The German government, in a reply to questions submitted by the opposition Green Party, backs DBM Energy's account, saying it had no reason to believe that the vehicle's record wasn't valid.

Then, at the height of the controversy shortly before Christmas, the record-setting car, parked in a warehouse rented by local utility Gasag, burned. Authorities have been investigating on suspicion of arson.

"We are allowed to say only this: Neither the car nor DBM Energy is responsible for this fire," Hannemann told the Wirtschaftswoche weekly.

This shouldn't be the end for DBM Energy. The record-setting car is now junk but the battery pack had apparently been taken out the vehicle before the fire. A non-inflammable battery was in the car, Hannemann said, countering speculation that the battery might have caused the fire. Either way, the KOLIBRI battery can be reproduced and is currently built into a new car, Hannemann said.

The engineer in the Wirtschaftswoche interview said he was taken aback by the attacks in the media and the rumors that have since surfaced. Everyone deplored that German car companies lag behind their competitors when it comes to battery technology, Hannemann said.

"And then comes a 27-year-old inventor, shows how it could be done, and gets a beating for it," he said. "We have done nothing wrong. This has nothing to do with fair play."

Source: UPI