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Wednesday, 17 March 2010
The 2010 Geneva Motor Show is just over and the car makers now know what the buyers are eyeing. Yes, you’re right. The green and hybrid cars at the Geneva auto show made it a big hit. With the pollution levels just hitting the ozone layer and endangering everybody’s lives on earth, it is high time we realized the danger in India too. Audi has realized this, hasn’t it? For car manufacturers, it is not really the green mantra. It is just that the electric and hybrid vehicles are becoming more and more popular, and the makers want to mint money. In another two years, Volkswagen Group’s Audi line will give car buyers a huge inventory of hybrid and electric vehicles. Yes, the car makers are hurrying before the green light for the eco-friendly automobiles switches. Audi is targeting a 30 per cent increase in internal combustion engine efficiency and is also planning for five per cent of Audi vehicles to be electric. A highly competent Audi plans to have a new array of cars that includes a highly efficient A8 Hybrid sedan strapped with a powerful 2.0 Litre, 211 bhp engine and houses the 45 bhp motor. The hybrid will be quick. Wondering about the efficiency scale? Well, it is going to be a flattering 16.4 km/l. The new Audi Hybrid was showcased as a concept car at the Geneva Motor Show. But, no worries. The launch is likely to happen very soon. Yes, the market release will happen sooner than expected. Oh yes! We just mentioned that Audi will have a full inventory of electric and hybrid vehicles. There are other cars joining the A8 Hybrid. The new Q5 crossover variant too will be out in no time. By 2012, car enthusiasts and buyers will be pleased to see the hybrid version of the Q5 crossover. There’s no stop. After this, Audi wants the A6 hybrid on the roads. If you know of the A6 sedan design, this new A6 hybrid will be a fuel or electric version of that well-accepted vehicle design. Audi has big dreams now. Remember how Audi was successful in making Quattro synonymous with its all-wheel-drive vehicle designs? Now it plans to do the same with the e-Tron brand. The main intention behind making the news of the hybrid vehicles public, is the laying of the foundation for the Audi e-Tron concept. Audi's smallest e-Tron features a 16 bhp an hour lithium ion battery pack that pours out a balanced stream of electrons to a front-mounted electric motor with 102 bhp. The Wankel rotary engine is characteristic of one lone rotor that transfers 254cc and sits just at the rear of the battery bundle under the rear seat. The complete package of the Audi e-Tron weighs just 70 kilogram and puts out a pleasant and solid stream of power at a constant 5,000 RPM. So now, we all know Audi plans to make it large. It is going to climb new heights in another two years. Yes Audi, we are listening. For those who don’t know, Audi is the Latinized version of the word ‘listen’. Labels: Audi-A8-Hybrid, Audi-E-TRON, Audi-Electric-Car, Audi-Green-Car, Audi-Hybrid, Audi-New-Car, Electric-Car, Green-Car, New-Hybrid-car, Q5-Crossover-Hybrid, Quattro
Monday, 8 March 2010
 The Geneva auto show that began on the 4th of this month seems to be the most happening news in the auto industry. Green cars are in trend and car manufacturers are just too happy flaunting their electric, hybrid and fuel cell cars. What are their intentions? Is it the friendliness towards nature or is it something else? Well, why bother? Everybody is happy. Nature and car makers; both seem delighted. New technologies too were brought to light at the Geneva auto show. The Quant is the solar electric car built in a partnership between Koenigsegg and NLV Solar. While most of the car makers paraded their lithium-ion battery variations, NLV Solar’s Quant made a difference. It visualized a redox-flow energy storage system. If you have seen fuel cells, these redox-flow batteries too work a little like them. However, these batteries contain two liquid electrolytes separated by a proton-exchange membrane. Electrons flow through this membrane. Now, is this battery practical enough? Does it work to everyone’s advantage? With these batteries, there is a possibility of very quick discharge backed by a high output of power. The tolerance level when overloaded is high as well. Also, there is a possibility of a super-fast recharge by replacing the spent electrolyte liquids with fresh electrolyte. The last possibility has its own infrastructure challenges though. The concept's comparatively low energy density has been discreetly planned to keep these usually vanadium-based systems out of mobile applications. Their immediate response to the mighty loads too has made them popular as uninterrupted power supply emergency backup generators. That seems to be a major plus point. But there surely must be something more that the Swiss know and no one else, at least we Indians do not know. NLV, after leading the solar business for so long, has done something different. It claims to have coated the Quant concept with a photovoltaic solar-energy capturing coating. The special coating is applied using chemical vapor deposition methods. Even with the entire body absorbing energy, it is only enough to power the accessory loads. In other words, this will allow for solar energy to be stored in the flow accumulator energy storage unit. Are you wondering what the flow accumulator energy storage unit is? Well, it is nothing but the battery. On the whole, the design, the drive system, the range and photovoltaics of the NLV Quant are simply fabulous. A few years down the line and it looks like the concept will be something noteworthy to be remembered in the automobile industry's history. Let’s see how far it goes. Labels: Electric-Car, Geneva-Auto-Show, Green-Car, New-Battery, NLV-Solar, NLV-Solar Quant, solar-battery, Solar-Car
Friday, 12 February 2010
 Well, did it ever occur to you that Reva, the first Indian electric car company might soon have a “Made in Italy” tag attached to it if all things just go right? Just when the electric car company which had said that it could make profit from factories that make just 5,000 electric cars a year and is planning to open a plant near Syracuse, NY, USA, we also have word that Fiat’s Termini Imerese plant in Sicily, Italy could be converted to build the next-gen electric vehicles (EVs). Cimino & Associates Private Equity is raising funds of 50 million euros, to date, around $68 million U.S. to buy the plant and is talking to Reva about taking it over and building vehicles there that cost around 16,000 to 17,000 euros ($22,000-$23,250). Apparently, the project needs 65 million euros to get off the ground. Automotive News says that the plant would need to make 30,000 vehicles a year to break even, which doesn't mesh with Reva's bold claims. Fiat is expected to close the plant in 2011. Reva is currently taking orders for the NXR in Europe and the cheapest option – 9,995 euros or approx. $13,728 is to buy the car and lease the lead acid batteries. The upgraded NXG model, pictured, should be available as a 2011 model sometime soon. Labels: Electric-Car, Electric-Car-Company, Fiat, REVA
Friday, 5 February 2010
 Remember we had written a blog pondering if the Jaguar XJ will be first hybrid car to be fitted with turbine jets just a couple of days ago? Well, it seems that the truth is out and Jaguar XJ will be fitted with the turbines. In a recent development Island-based micro gas turbine company, Bladon Jets has announced a partnership with Jaguar Land Rover to develop a device fitted to hybrid petrol/electric cars that charges batteries on the go. This is a good news for us auto enthusiast in India as the Jaguar Land Rover group is now owned and controlled by Tata Motors of India and the day may not be far when Tata Motors brings this technology to India built in their cars for us to experience the feeling in the near future. Well getting back to the story this Ultra Lightweight Range Extender (ULRE) battery charger allows a hybrid vehicle to travel further without the inconvenience of stopping to charge the vehicle's batteries. The ULRE could be a significant piece of technology in the evolution of the next generation of electric vehicles. Bladon Jets is leading a consortium that has been awarded funding from the UK government's Technology Strategy Board to develop the ULRE. The objective of the consortium, which includes luxury car maker Jaguar Land Rover and leading electrical machine company SR Drives, is to produce the world's first commercially viable ULRE. Backing for the project was secured in a hotly contested £15 million funding competition organised by the Technology Strategy Board to support the advancement of the mass adoption of low carbon vehicles and is a key part of its wider programme to stimulate technology-enabled innovation and to help boost UK growth and productivity. The ULRE will incorporate a Bladon Jets' patented axial flow gas turbine engine coupled to a high speed generator utilising SR Drives' technology. Design of the ULRE's packaging for vehicle integration will be overseen by Jaguar Land Rover. This exclusive technology if goes right in every which ways, will not only lead to the renaissance of the British automotive industry but also the global automotive scene. This could be the future of low carbon vehicle development. Bladon Jets is a world leader in the development of micro gas turbine engines. Its patented breakthrough axial flow technology enables the production of highly efficient, small gas turbine engines that are ideally suited for use in hybrid electric vehicles. The SR Drives Group is based in Harrogate UK and comprises two operating companies which are Switched Reluctance Drives Ltd (SRDL), and SR Drives Manufacturing Ltd (SRDML). Both companies are wholly owned subsidiaries of Emerson Electric Co of St Louis, Missouri – the world's largest manufacturer of electric motors. The Technology Strategy Board is an executive non-departmental public body established by the UK government in 2007 and sponsored by the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS). The activities of the Technology Strategy Board are jointly supported and funded by BIS and other government departments, the devolved administrations, regional development agencies and research councils. Labels: Bladon-Jets, Electric-Car, Engine, Hybrid-Car, Jaguar-Land-Rover-Group, Jaguar-XJ, Micro-Gas-Turbine-Engines, Tata-Motors
Wednesday, 3 February 2010
 The adage “ Born from the Jets” might be the slogan of the recently saved from death Swedish Saab car company, but guess what, the above mentioned adage will be more appropriate for the British car maker Jaguar. We have a reason for that. Jaguar has been awarded funding from the U.K government to develop a small jet turbine as a range extender for a future hybrid Jaguar luxury car. In stating the Jaguar luxury car, we mean the newly launched 2011 Jaguar XJ full-sized luxury sedan. This car which could get an extended-range electric model in its portfolio in a couple of years might also provide a platform for the innovative jet-powered range extender. Yes, we call this innovative as the jet-powered turbine technology though was first developed by Rover Cars which developed JET1, the first-ever jet-powered turbine car, is one of the predecessor companies of Jaguar Land Rover, now owned by India's Tata Motors. So the technology fits the Jaguar cars to the T.  Rover Cars’ JET1 which is currently housed in London’s Science Museum, ran on petrol, diesel or kerosene and sped up to 88 miles per hour. This car also spawned a Le Mans racer developed with BRM Formula One that averaged more than 100 mph and topped out at 142 mph. The cars that run on turbine technology is smaller, lighter and emits less CO2 which should be a welcome news for the green warriors. The British government awarded $1.8 million in development funds to develop the turbine-based range extender for electric vehicles to a consortium of Jaguar-Land Rover, Bladon Jets, and SR Drives. The highlights of the modern micro-turbine technology is that it saves more than 200 pounds over a petrol engine for onboard power generation to recharge an electric car’s battery pack, while slightly reducing CO2 emissions. The Bladon Jets turbine has just 5 percent of the weight and parts count of a typical four-cylinder engine. There are a few drawbacks which come imbibed with this technology as it is not so good for direct drive. As Chrysler learned a decade later, when it released 56 prototypes of its elegant Chrysler Turbine coupe for real-world tests by roughly 200 drivers, turbine technology proved too inefficient and expensive for production-car use. Chrysler's test cars suffered from throttle lag, lack of low-end torque, very high exhaust temperatures, and mediocre fuel economy (17 mpg) from their 97-kilowatt (130-horsepower) turbine engines, which powered the car through a standard automatic transmission.  Turbines also aren't particularly suited to the rapid acceleration cycles of varied driving. Using a turbine as a steady-speed source to generate electric power, on the other hand, lets it operate most efficiently and at close to its maximum output. Labels: Chrysler, Electric-Car, Formula-One, Hybrid-Car, Jaguar, Jaguar-XJ, Jet-powered-turbine-technology, Land-Rover, Rover Cars-JET1, Saab, Sedan, Tata-Motors
Wednesday, 27 January 2010
 It has been confirmed that Audi concept car E-Tron has not been damaged in the fire that erupted in the Audi stand at the 2010 Detroit Auto Show on Thursday. The freak fire mishap which happened in the Audi stand saw forceful evacuation of the visitors there. The Auto Show organizers were quick to issue a statement saying that the fire was quickly contained and there were no injuries. Though the fire was first seen in the Audi stand at the show, Audi spokespersons have said that there had been no damages on the production cars or the E-Tron Concept car that was displayed at the show. They also mentioned that no injuries were reported on Audi’s stand by the visitors or the Auto Show staff. The fire seems to have started above our stand and not on our stand stressed the Audi spokesperson in an emailed message and added that the investigation by the proper authorities was on. This second version of the E-Tron electric car is described as the “little Brother” of the earlier version of the E-Tron which was displayed in late 2009. The 2010 E-Tron made its formal debut earlier this month at the media kickoff of the 2010 Detroit Auto Show. Audi still has to confirm whether or not the second E-Tron is going into production at a later date. Labels: 2010-Detroit-Auto-Show, Audi, Audi-E-TRON, Concept-Car, Electric-Car
Tuesday, 5 January 2010
 Renault barged in the Auto Expo 2010 party by unveiling Twizy, its compact electric car. The chief minister of Delhi Mrs Sheila Dikshit flagged the Renault Twizy concept car to ceremoniously begin the Expo for Renault. Twizy, a two-seater concept electric car was earlier showcased in the Frankfurt Motor Show if you remember it, we had carried a blog o the same. Twizy is quite unique with its ultra-compact dimensions of 2300 mm length and 1300 mm width and very retro in design. Twizy is Renault’s version of innovation of the next generation electric cars. Twizy however is classified as a quadracycle and does not need to comply with the full panoply of safety regulations. And most importantly the carbon imprints is lessened by car as the car does not have doors and therefore minuses the need of an air conditioner. The concept car Twizy is a rear wheel drive and weighs 420kg. It is powered by a 15kW engine that Renault claim produces 20PS of power. The electric motor has range of 100kmph with a top speed of 75kmph. The four-wheeled scooter is due for production in late 2011. Apart from this car, Renault has much more to offer in its pavilion at the Delhi Auto Expo 2010. Labels: Concept-Car, Delhi-Auto-Expo-2010, Electric-Car, Frankfurt-Motor-Show, Renault-Twizy
Wednesday, 23 December 2009
 Volvo, the Swedish auto maker, in its way of turning green will build a fleet of 50 electric powered C30s, which will be used as daily drives from 2011, with a range of 150 kms on a full charge. Impressed? Even we are. Read the blog further for more. The drivers of these green Volvos will simply use a home power socket rather than going to a petrol bunk for a fill. Although a pure electric car, they will look no different to the current petrol or diesel powered Volvo C30s, but inside, it’s a whole different story. Volvo C30 is a four seater car with a main electric 40/82KW engine which generates 111 bhp and can reach 0-100 kh/h in 10.5 seconds and has a top speed of 130 km/h. Battery power for the electric C30 is courtesy of a lithium-Ion battery pack and a full charge from a standard household power socket will take eight hours. This car has no gears and yet the drive is delivered seamlessly, with full power and torque delivered from the very instant the driver steps on the throttle. The car has the gauges and graphics that are quite different from a conventional car and the user-friendly instrument shows only speed and energy consumption. A gauge for the battery charge level is also present in the car. Safety is not a concern in this car as the maker of this car is Volvo which has high standards of safety measures thrown in into the car for the driver to feel extremely at ease while driving. The electric motor is a battery pack (24kWh) which is concealed under the bonnet while the batteries are stored in the propshaft tunnel and the space normally occupied by the fuel tank. For fully electric cars to succeed in the market place, they need to be attractive and provide the same level of comfort, performance and convenience of other power driven cars. Volvo’s C30 Coupe is certainly a good shape to start with when it comes to electric power and the company hopes that the authorities and the rest of society follows Volvo Cars in their “Drive Towards Zero” emissions. Lets hope this electric car makes its presence in India as well in the near future. Labels: Electric-Car, Volvo, Volvo-C30-Electric
Friday, 11 December 2009
The wait for Indica Electric might get a little shorter for us Indians. Tata Motors speculate that they might be launching their Tata Indica Electric in India at the same time of its launch in European markets in 2011. Tata Motors has already planned to study the Indian market for the feasibility of running the electric versions of Indica here in India starting next year. The important criteria for launching the electric version of Tata Motors popular hatchback would entirely depend on the cost factor as it would be an expensive car when it hits the road. Another roadblock for this car could be the availability of electricity in India. But the overall expectation from the car is that the car would be suitable for Indian roads. The electric version of Indica is being developed by Tata Motors along with a Norwegian company, and is scheduled for launch in Britain, Norway and Denmark in 2011. However, the production of the Tata Nano is on track. At present, 3,000-4,000 units of the car are being produced on a monthly basis. Trial production at the Sanand plant in Gujarat is expected to begin by the last months of 2010. Meanwhile Tata Motors’s production plant in Pune has bagged the prestigious Gold Category Award in National Productivity Contest for the year 2008-09. The event was held at the 51st National Convention of Industrial Engineers & National Seminar held in Nagpur on December 5-6, 2009. The team representing Tata Motors displayed the Productivity Improvements achieved at the Car Assembly Line by the application of innovative Industrial Engineering approaches. Some of the other participants of the contest were HPCL, Mumbai Railways, Heavy Engg. Corp. and ONGC. Tata Motors is India's largest automobile company, with consolidated revenues of Rs.70,938.85 crores ($14 billion) in 2008-09. Through subsidiaries and associate companies, Tata Motors has operations in the UK, South Korea, Thailand and Spain. Among them is Jaguar Land Rover, a business comprising the two iconic British brands. It also has a strategic alliance with Fiat. With over 4 million Tata vehicles plying in India, Tata Motors is the country’s market leader in commercial vehicles and among the top three in passenger vehicles. It is also the world's fourth largest truck manufacturer and the second largest bus manufacturer. Tata cars, buses and trucks are being marketed in several countries in Europe, Africa, the Middle East, South Asia, South East Asia and South America. Labels: Electric-Car, Small-Car, Tata-Indica-Electric, Tata-Motors
Friday, 27 November 2009
Tata Motors must have thought about adverse environmental affects in India and decided to roll out the Indica Electric in the country. Hence, India will welcome another electric car in the coming years. The Tata Indica Electric will be launched in India at the same time as it will be launched in the markets of Europe. The company will make a market studyfor the car before they introduce it in 2011. The introduction of the electric version of the Indica in India would depend on the cost factor, as the price tag attached to it will be a bit heavy. Tata Motors has always been wise on pricing its cars and other vehicles. Hence the company will tackle this problem easily. Another hurdle Tata Motors has to face is the availability of electricity for the car in the country. The car is said to be suitable for Indian roads. The Indica Electric is being developed by Tata Motors along with a Norwegian company. The car is scheduled for launch in Britain, Norway and Denmark in 2011. If the feasibility study in India shows positive results, the Indian launch of the car will coincide with its launch in European markets. The Tata Indica Electric was unveiled at the 2008 Auto Expo. The Indian car market will soon have a few more electric cars in its catalogue. The upcoming Auto Expo will showcase the Toyota Prius. Hyundai has announced to build an electric variant of the i10. Moreover, the REVA NXR and NXG are India bounded. Labels: Electric-Car, i10-Electric, Tata-Indica-Electric, Tata-Motors, Toyota-Prius
Wednesday, 14 October 2009
You would all know how we celebrated the tie up of the only Indian electric car company, Reva, and the U.S. auto mammoth General Motors. It happened soon after Reva showcased its two new electric car models at the Frankfurt Motor Show that happened just a few days back. Except for those well informed, there would be many who would be wondering as to ‘what is cooking’ between Reva and GM after the mega tie up. Well, one thing is sure, both the companies are going to get benefitted from this tie up. The companies, ignoring their tie up as a medium that would make them one and respecting its individuality, are preparing to bring out its first born. They will launch electric version of the small car Spark in India within the next 12 months. Do you think twelve months is a pretty long time, but in fact it is not. If things go well, it is sure that one would not regret for waiting another year before the new electric version of the Spark gets launched. And meanwhile the Indian car market will see many new cars that would surely keep you entertained and you would hardly feel it as a long wait. But now it is up to the car manufacturers to see whether the car ‘has it all’ to lure the customers. As after a year when there will be more electric cars with most modern technology the companies would benefit from the car only if they are able to anticipate what holds for them in the future. And so the companies have chosen to work on fields that they excel. Reva will provide the technology and GM will engineer and manufacture the new Spark. Labels: Electric-Car, Frankfurt-Motor-Show, GM, Revai-cars, Spark
Tuesday, 13 October 2009
This would be the apt time to write on what one should expect from the upcoming Tokyo Motor Show or at least mention a few models that is all set to be unveiled in the show. Mentioning about the cars that will be showcased at the Tokyo Motor Show, there are a few of them that gushed into my memory. Nissan will be launching two electric car models at the Tokyo Motor show. One is the much hyped EV, the Leaf, and the other, a concept car from Nissan, the Land Glider concept. The Nissan Leaf is available in a 24kWh of laminated compact lithium-ion batteries. It delivers a power of 90 kW of power and its electric motor delivers 80kW/280Nm. The Land Glider will be powered by a lithium-ion batteries and it is made of ultra light weight materials. The 1+1 seating arrangement of the car makes it slender enough to easily commute through any traffic situations. The Deca Deca concept car from the Daihatsu stable will be unveiled at the Tokyo Motor Show along some five other models from the manufacturer. The Deca Deca concept is a multi-functional super box that can be customized in whichever way needed to hold a huge range of activities. The flat floor and pillar less, side-by-side doors make it easy to load and unload and there are also the fold away seats that can be rearranged as per the requirement. The 2010 Honda Accord Crosstour is also worth a mention. It has a remarkable Whitebread efficiency. And as always, the car will feature roomy interiors, which is apt to meet any of your travelling needs. The Crosstour is supported by a modified version of the Honda Accord chassis. The car will be powered by a 3.5-litre i-VTEC V6 engine. The Motor Shows are truly the best way a car manufacturer can boast of his efforts in the past, pride of today and promise for tomorrow! Labels: Electric-Car, Honda-Accord, Nissan, Tokyo-Motor-Show
Thursday, 8 October 2009
 The 41st Tokyo Motor Show is fast approaching. And you can surely expect goodies from the auto major Toyota. Yes, Even before we come out dazed looking at the astounding ideas and designs of cars showcased in the Frankfurt Motor Show 2009 we already have the Tokyo Motor Show all set to take us to another level in the world of motoring. The car makers will be rejoiced to introduce their labour in show. And it will surely be a treat for the car lovers. Toyota has already publicized its plans on unveiling its lightweight sports car concept at the Tokyo Motor Show. Toyota will showcase FT-86 that has a rear-wheel-drive and can seat up to five adults. The FT-86 is powered by a 2.0-litre four-cylinder ‘Boxer’ engine. And the engine, the company has sourced it from Subaru. It is expected that the company will start the sales of the production-spec FT-86 in 2011. Toyota also does not forget to introduce an electric car, which is the buzz of the period. And you cannot predict anything less from the Toyota’s stable than a user friendly electric car that is capable of pleasing and satisfying customers with its high-quality performance. And it will be the best choice for the future, where electric cars will be most commonly used. The FT-EV II will be a four-seater that is powered by lithium-ion batteries. The car id designed basically for short distance travels and has a top speed of more than 100 kilometres per hour and a range of more than 80km. The FT-EV II is smaller than the Toyota iQ. The car has a drive-by-wire technology that permits all vehicle functions such as the accelerator, brakes and steering to be controlled through a joystick. Labels: Electric-Car, Tokyo-Motor-Show, Toyota, Toyota-iQ
Wednesday, 30 September 2009
Reva Electric Car Company has made the Indian car market proud at the 2009 Frankfurt Motor Show. The two new electric car models from Reva, NXR and NXG, were unveiled at the show and soon became show stoppers and stole a lot o car lovers’ hearts. The company had the European markets in mind, when it unveiled these two new cars at the Frankfurt Motor Show. Now for those who had been tangled with the thought of when these two new cars will be launched India. Both the NXR and NXG is expected to get launched by the mid of 2011. To be very precise, the NXR will be launched by mid-2010 and the NXG will be launched by mid-2011. NXR is a lithium-ion powered four-seater electric car and the NXG is a sporty two seater. Those of you, who are planning to own one, get ready to shell out Rs 10.49 lakh for the NXR intercity version and Rs.16.1 lakh for the NXG. And this is excluding the price for the lithium ion battery. The NXR has an acid battery option also and it will be priced at Rs. 6.99 lakh. This is the approximate pricing of the new Revas in the European market. And it is expected that there will not be much change on the price at which it will be available in India. It is for sure pretty expensive. But you cannot also expect anything less for these electric cars. The question here is, will the Indian car lovers really care that much for the environment and buy this electric car when they can use the same money to buy more attractive cars with high tech and alluring features. Both these models will have a distinctive recharging technique. The new REVive, an invisible fuel tank and the customer SMSes or telephones RECC, which helps in immediate remote recharge. Labels: Electric-Car, Frankfurt-Motor-Show, REVA, Reva-NXG, Reva-NXR
Tuesday, 22 September 2009
 Audi has presented its E-TRON concept car at the ongoing Frankfurt Motor Show. The E-TRON is a performance sports car with electric drive system that runs on four motors. There are two motors which are located at the front and rear axles that drive the wheels making the concept car a true Quattro. The E-TRON can produce 313 bhp and 4,500 Nm torque. Moreover, the two-seater E-TRON can sprint from 0 to 100 km in just 4.8 seconds. The lithium-ion battery in the car provides a truly useable energy content of 42.4 kilowatt hours to enable a range of approximately 248 kilometers. The design of the Audi E-TRON concept car defines its place at the major leagues of sports cars, while the package takes into account the specific realities of an electric vehicle. The battery is directly behind the passenger cabin for an optimal center of gravity and axle load distribution. Car with electric drive systems took to the roads around 1900, yet till date no car manufacturer has a car powered exclusively by batteries in its lineup even though electric driving potentially offers numerous advantages. Electric cars reduce the dependence of transportation and the economy on the raw material petroleum. They produce no direct exhaust emissions and thus ease the burden on the environment. However, there is still a lot of work to do before electric cars are ready for mass production. Labels: Audi, Audi-E-TRON, Audi-E-TRON-Concept-Car, Concept-Car, Electric-Car, Frankfurt-Motor-Show
Monday, 21 September 2009
It seems like nothing in the world is capable of stopping the Tata Motors from its objectives and ambitions and if you have such an opinion this piece of information that you will be reading on, will give you a reason to rejoice thinking you are in the right lane of thoughts. Tata Motors, one among the major automakers of India has been successful in attaining a loan of amount £10-million from the British Government.And the most amusing part is that it is the first time the British government is lending a loan under the British government's £2.3-billion automotive assistance programme. Now, the loan is for the company’s new electric car project in UK. Thinking about all possible reasons, which would have made the British government feel comfortable, and secured too, to lend Tata Motors a loan, the first few things came into mind is its plans to launch Nano in the European and American car market and its buy out of Land Rover and Jaguar.These initiatives have surely called for global attention and now have helped the company to create such an achievement. The company will manufacture electric cars in the UK and apart from the £10-million loan from the UK government, the company is also investing an amount of £25 million. It is said that the company is thinking about setting up a factory in the UK. It seems Tata has foreseen this helping hand and it has developed a four-seater electric car in partnership with Norwegian group 20Miljo Grenland/Innovation and with is huge financial from the British government, the company will start the production of this car later this year in Norway. This will surely be a give and take process as both the parties, Tata and the British car industry, will gain from it. With the help of the British government itself, Tata will soon fully overpower the fast growing green car industry. Labels: Car-Loans, Electric-Car, Fiat and Tata, Jaguar, Land-Rover, Nano, Tata-Motors-Cars
Wednesday, 19 August 2009
The alternative fuel vehicle seems to be the “in” thing now. Everybody wants to have a chunk of electric car market. Ford Motors also have jumped into the bandwagon with gusto and to prove a point in the electric car segment. But Ford Motors have a different way of producing things and currently Ford is highly future focused on technology in the electric car and wants it to talk and communicate with the power grids. Sounds awesome right? A talking car in the making. This futuristic feature will in reality be very helpful to car owners as it permits them to charge the vehicle at a given time limit. Transit Connect, the first battery electric vehicle from Ford is due for the release in America and this new facility will only strengthen the sales of their electric commercial van. The company seems to be very concerned about the comfort of its customers; as it has signed two-year collaboration with almost 10 utility companies and Department of Energy to develop a system that would be very beneficial to the alternative fuel customers. Even though the grid is now ready for use, the company is working on further developing the technology. It can be of a slight issue that most of the customers are not equipped for a latest technology like this, but in the next one year’s time the stage will be set for a successful launch of the system. GM’s Chevrolet Volt can be a great competitor for the Ford’s Transit Connect, but the company still hopes high. The Transit Connect will not be equipped with a combustion engine and mileage of the car will depend on the size of the battery Ford installs in the car. Let us wait for a better tomorrow with more eco-friendly cars that are user friendly too. Labels: Eco-Friendly-Car, Electric-Car, Ford
Thursday, 19 March 2009
If you love to take a ride on electric car then the Jim Dowle’s dream electric car is perfect pick up for you. Christened as P1 sports car, the proposed electric car is composed of lightweight composite body panels and two electric motors placed on either side of the car’s chassis. The lithium-ion batteries fitted in the car gives a stunning acceleration of 0 to 100 km/h in an amazing 2.9 seconds and offers a practical top speed of 370 km. It’s a little hardtop sports car with stunning looks and commanding presence. It also features four-wheel-drive and long wishbone suspension front and rear to improve performance. Adding to the worth of the car is the regenerative braking technology for topping up the charge of the lithium-ion batteries. The P1 Sports car is a perfect answer to an ideal electric car with no compromise and is smart enough to drive the 21st century. Speculated to be launched by 2012, this car will definitely raise the bar for electric cars. Hang on! As the speculated launch time is not for the Indian car market. So, till then you can dream a ride on this tantalising electric car. But as the industry is switching over to electric cars, India may witness the launch of Dowel’s electric car in future. Labels: Electric-Car, Indian-car-market, Sports-Car
Friday, 9 January 2009
A white Reva plastered with signs displaying positive effects of reforestation is on an environmental tour. The car is on a green journey taking along the vows of Indian Youth Climate Network. Strikingly, this white Reva along with two other cars that run on jatropha oil and waste vegetable oil are driven by 20 people to complete a journey of 4,000 km across the country. This tour is solely organised to spread awareness of environment-friendly cars. The stickers on these cars also depict the same motive - 'save the environment and combat climate change'. The cars started their journey from Chennai and would make pit stops at Bangalore, Nagpur, Mumbai, and Jaipur including various other places. Throughout the journey the drivers and the association members are educating people about the use of innovative technologies and solutions for generating clean technologies and designing green buildings. The main target of these groups are the universities across the country where they plan to encourage students to pick green jobs. They will also stress on various climate change policies. Even the economic factors will be considered because many have a myth that green concept is an expensive affair. But actually it is a healthy and a long-term saving affair that needs to reach the masses. Spreading green awareness can be best done by a car like the Maini Reva, the sole electric car in India. This is the only car in the country that generates zero emission and help us save our environment, thereby maintaining an ecological balance. Labels: Electric-Car, Environment-Friendly-Cars, Maini-Reva
Wednesday, 10 December 2008
India’s tiny and cute Reva is now set to ride to Israel. The little Indian-made electric car powered by eight battery units is a big hit in the Indian car market. It was first introduced in May 2001 after around seven tedious years of research and development. The fact that it runs only on electricity does not hamper its popularity, rather it is the little heart of many car buyers across the globe. This small car ensures a safe drive with tubular steel construction and a large crush zone. After initial success on the home ground, the Reva was taken outside Indian boundaries to places like London, Barcelona, Madrid, Oslo, and Athens. In London, this car has experienced good success as the municipal corporation there has granted special benefits to Reva owners. Additionally, Reva owners in London enjoy the benefit of specifically earmarked and equipped parking spaces, waived congestion fees, and the permission to drive in lanes allocated for public transportation. Now, after rejoicing success in various car markets, Maini REVAi is driving to the Israeli car market. It is believed that the Indo-Israeli business consulting firm BDO-I2I has received permission and the franchise to import the car from India. Labels: Electric-Car, Indian-car-market, Small-Car
Saturday, 18 October 2008
Tata Motors has enjoyed an accelerated journey starting from its oldest car model Tata Indica to the recent launch Tata Indica Vista. Now, after rejoicing the ups and downs in the Indian car market, Tata plans to go electric. Driven by high desires to introduce an electric car in the Indian market, Tata Motors European Technical Centre Plc, company’s UK subsidiary, caught hold of Norwegian electric vehicle firm, Miljoe Grenland/Innovasjon. The main aim behind this association is to produce electric vehicles. Norwegian based company will now produce electric vehicles purely based on the concept of Tata cars. Excitingly, the first target is the Tata Indica. Tata Indica EV will roll out with innovative features and a predicted acceleration of 0-60 kmph in under 10 seconds. You would also be interested to know that the car is capable to run a stretch of 200 km in one complete charge. Labels: Electric-Car, New-Car-Launch, Tata-Motors
Tuesday, 30 September 2008
Long before when green cars was only a concept for global car industry, a small two-seater boxy car came rolling out a small factory in Bangalore. This boxy car was named Reva, a car that shines above all in the electric car segment. The Reva, brainchild of Chetan Maini, rolled out the car during the period when feasibility of electric vehicles was skeptical. Today, the car has scored the highest in the global car market with its bright colours, curious looks and modest appeal. It is believed to be the world’s first electric car sold commercially. The car built of lightweight steel and plastic is entirely indianized. People just love this car and the fact is proved by having a look on the Bangalore city roads. The fully-automatic version of Reva, delivering a top speed of 65 km/h, is not as popular among Indian populace as the entry-level car. After Bangalore and New Delhi, Reva made its debut in the international market as well. In United Kingdom and Europe, Reva is sold by the name of quadricycles and in Britain it is branded as G-Wiz. Reva is now also exported to various other countries including Cyprus, Malta, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Spain, Norway, and Sri Lanka. Maini is still working to produce high-end versions of its electric car. Reva Maini-holds the history of electric cars! Labels: Electric-Car, G-Wiz, Maini-Reva
Tuesday, 8 July 2008
Many car manufacturers are planning to roll out green cars in India and so is Mitsubishi. The company is planning to roll out its innovative electric vehicle, ‘I MiEV’, to India after its success in Japan and Hong Kong.
This car is a part of the agreement between Hindustan Motors and Mitsubishi. The joint venture has a keen desire to line up its make and increase their presence in the global auto market. With innovation and advancements the venture tries to beat the market in all possible ways. MiEV, a mini car, is one such way of beating the market. This mini car comprises of classy interiors and a fuel economic engine. The price is expected to be around Rs 8 lakh and this amount can run up to 180 kms in one recharge.Price is only a prediction, so we have no option than to wait for the launch in 2010. Labels: Electric-Car, Mitsubishi-Car
Thursday, 26 June 2008
Join for a ride with Reva. Delhities will now have the opportunity to drive the wonderful, cute little Reva car. There are many people in India who wear a green conscience and attracted to the electric car model manufactured by Reva. Unfortunately, this model was launched only in Bangalore but now the cards of fortune have opened. Maini Revai has launched the advanced version of the Reva for Delhi roads.
Seven years ago when Reva was launched in Bangalore, the company was not sure of its performance and success. That time Reva was not able to make further launches because of the absence of subsidy but now Delhi is putting forward hands to support Reva in all aspects including subsidy, VAT exemption, refund of road tax, low registration charges and much more. This has eventually reduced the price tag of Reva from Rs 4 lakh to Rs 2.99 lakh in Delhi. Such a low price tag will definitely make a stronger move towards Revai. Labels: Electric-Car, Maini-Reva, New-launch
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