Indian Car Blog – Carazoo.com

Bremach T. Rex is world’s most badass electric vehicle

Bremach T.Rex 1
For those who came in late, Bremach, the Italian auto company, specialized in churning out rugged work trucks since the late 1950s is yet again in news. This time for all the right reasons. Bremach trucks are similar to the Unimog trucks from Germany. That means it builds no-nonsense trucks and completely workaholic machines.

Now, Bremach, has come out with its latest bad-ass machine which the have christened as T.Rex after the dinosaur which had spread terror on the face of earth, when it was very much in existence. But, Bremach T.Rex is an electric vehicle. The shape and design of the T.Rex is nothing like what you had visualized, but completely radical and butch.

The Bremach T. Rex is powered by electric technology, the same way that can be seen in Tesla Roadster, the EV sportscar. Th only difference being the output of the torque and power the T.Rex pumps out. The T. Rex’s electric motor provides 100 kW of power at 0 rpm, with a claimed 150-mile range even under work conditions. Bremach will also warranty the powertrain for 30,000 miles or three years.

Bremach Interiors

Well for those who are a little skeptic of the electric vehicles and its range, Bremach has ready answers for them also. In the form of traditional 6.0-liter gasoline-fired Chevrolet V8 with either a six-speed manual or five-speed automatic cog box. Even with the big-bore Chevy mill, Bremach claims the truck will achieve 20 mpg on the highway. For those who like to ride the middle line, there are compressed natural gas and hybrid options available as well. All of these powertrain options are available in a two- or four-door hardtop or a two-door convertible.

Bremach Rear

The T. Rex was designed to be as capable as possible while staying extremely fuel and space efficient. Partly by leaving the truck’s spaceframe skeleton exposed, Bremach’s designers were able to jam three seats into the T. Rex’s narrow cab, which the company claims will withstand five Gs of force. Bremach says that’s two Gs more than most of the competition… we’ll have to take their word for it. The price for all this is fairly steep, with a loaded EV version of the T. Rex hitting the register at just over $120,000. Awesome don’t come cheap.

posted by carazooblog @ Wednesday, April 13th, 2011 Comments Off links to this post

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March 2, 2011

Tata displays the Pixel at the 81st Geneva Motor Show

Tata Motors, at the 81st Geneva Motor Show, on March 1st displayed its Pixel. Tata Pixel, a new city car concept for Europe is based on the popular Tata Nano. The Tata Pixel, stands just over three metres in length and is the most package efficient four-seater in the world, comfortably accommodating four adults, unlike a typical city car which is either a two-seater or can accommodate two adults and two children only.

A 1.2 litre three-cylinder turbocharged diesel engine, positioned at the rear of the Tata Pixel, gives lively performance. The engine is a low-friction design, featuring variable coolant and oil pump and rapid warm-up technologies. With optimised aerodynamic drag, low rolling-resistance tyres, stop-start technology, and intelligent battery charging, the Tata Pixel returns European combined cycle (NEDC) fuel economy of 3.4 l/100km and CO2 emissions of just 89g/km.

The Tata Pixel’s ability to manoeuvre and park in the tightest of spaces is made possible by its Zero Turn toroidal traction-drive Infinitely Variable Transmission (IVT), which assists rotation of the outer rear wheel forwards and the inner rear wheel backwards, while the front wheels turn at acute angles. The result is a turning circle radius of just 2.6 metres. The ‘scissor’ doors rotate upwards from the front to allow passengers to effortlessly enter or exit the Tata Pixel, even in the tightest of spaces.

A forward sweeping roofline, with minimal front and rear overhangs, accentuates the youthful styling. The Tata Pixel is also designed to provide a high level of connectivity. Key functions are controlled by the driver’s smart phone, running ‘My Tata Connect’, the first integrated human-machine interface (HMI) concept from Tata Motors.

Speaking on the occasion, Mr. Carl-Peter Forster, Managing Director and Group CEO of Tata Motors, said, “Tata Motors holds true to its belief that there is an opportunity in Europe for a city car, which is optimal in space, manoeuvrability and environment-friendliness. The Tata Pixel is a reflection of Tata Motors’ idea of what such a car should be.”

Along with the Tata Pixel, Tata Motors is also displaying the Tata Indica Vista Electric Vehicle at the Motor Show’s Green Pavillion, taking its pursuit of electric vehicles forward. The Tata Indica Vista EV will be made available to fleet customers this summer in the UK. The four-seater family car has a predicted range of up to 160 km.

The Tata Indica Vista EV bagged two trophies for its performance at the Royal Automobile Club’s Brighton-to-London Future Car Challenge. A special version, the Tata Indica Vista EVX, participated in the Progressive Insurance Automotive X Prize contest, one of the world’s most prestigious events for environment-friendly vehicles.

Apart from the Tata Pixel and Indica Vista EV, the company has displayed the Tata Aria, the first Indian four-wheel drive crossover that was launched in India recently, the Tata Indigo Manza, India’s best selling sedans scheduled for launch this year in select countries, and the Tata Indica Vista, a top selling hatch already launched in select countries. In Europe, the Indica Vista has already been introduced in Poland and Italy, and is planned for launch in Spain. The Tata Aria too will be launched, further enhancing the company’s portfolio in these markets.

posted by carazooblog @ Wednesday, March 2nd, 2011 Comments Off links to this post

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February 28, 2011

Union Budget 2011 highlights – Cheers for Auto Industry

We bring some 2011 Union Budget highlights on the Automobile sector.

Fist and foremost, the Union budget did bring in cheers for auto buyers as the Government has not changed or hiked the excise duties, which comes as a relief to the auto sector. This means, while the excise duty on the small cars will remain at 10 per cent, large cars and SUVs will continue to attract 22 per cent of excise duty.

The government seems to be considering going green all the way and in an eco-friendly step, the finance minister proposed the setting up of a national mission on hybrid vehicles and electric vehicle (EV) as well as special incentives for hybrids if made in India. Yes, this decision though was taken last year itself, it will become a reality this year.

The Indian Government still taking its green yatra further proposed full exemption from basic customs duty and a concessional rate of Central Excise Duty would be extended to batteries imported by Electric Vehicle manufacturers. The excise duty on LEDs is reduced to 5 per cent, which should encourage automakers to adopt this technology and concessional excise duty of 10 per cent to vehicles based on fuel cell technology.

posted by carazooblog @ Monday, February 28th, 2011 Comments Off links to this post

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December 6, 2010

Nissan Launches Electric Vehicle Leaf in Japan

nissan-leaf-launch Nissan has formally launched its zero emissions Leaf vehicle in the Japanese market. The Nissan Leaf is an electric car that boasts of having a range 200 kms (124 miles) and is being touted as the first of its type to be sold on a grand scale. With the Leaf, Nissan and Renault are trying to build their brand image in the electric car market, much like the Prius hybrid worked for Toyota.

Electric Vehicle are expected to come across as a blessed alternative to internal combustion engine cars, as governments seek to cut the world’s dependency on fossil fuels. But the short range offered by the EVs and their high price have restricted the growth of the industry so far.

Nissan has said that its five-seater Leaf was rated with a range of 200 km (124 miles) on a full charge under Japanese test standards, although Californian authorities have rated it at 160 km (100 miles) and another U.S. agency at just 73 miles (around 130 kms). The Nissan Leaf will be sold in the US with a price tag of $25,000 after a federal tax credit and in Europe about 30,000 euros before subsidies.

“With today’s launch … we mark the start of a new era for the global auto industry as well as for a sustainable, low-carbon society,” Nissan Chief Operating Officer Toshiyuki Shiga, standing next to a sky-blue Leaf at Nissan’s headquarters in the port city of Yokohama, told.

The company would start the delivery of the car in Japan and select U.S. states this month, followed by the first European markets in January. Nissan has already got a maximum initial order for 6,000 Leafs in Japan and 20,000 units in the United States, set to reach customers over the next year or so.

posted by carazooblog @ Monday, December 6th, 2010 Comments Off links to this post

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November 30, 2010

SIAM praises govt’s move to incentivise electric vehicle production

electric-car-station
Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers (SIAM) recently welcomed the government’s decision to incentivise production of electric vehicles and said steps like this will encourage development of alternate fuel technologies in the country.

“The industry is encouraged by the initiative taken by the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy… The extension of the existing scheme to cover all categories of Indian individuals and institutional users would go a long way in encouraging development of such vehicle technology in India,” SIAM President Pawan Goenka said in a statement.

The government has recently announced an Rs 95 crore-incentive package to the electric vehicle (EV) manufacturers for each such vehicle sold in India during the remaining part of the 11th Plan, which is 2010-11 and 2011-12.

“We hope that this support would continue even as part of the 12th five-year Plan of the government since this is a ’technology leap’ programme and would require support for an extended period,” he added.

Goenka said the industry also appreciated the move to encourage indigenous development as against only imports by introducing the requirement of minimum 30 per cent local component usage in these electric vehicles to avail the incentives.

Earlier the Society of Manufacturers of Electric Vehicles (SMEV) had said that it expected electric two-wheeler market to witness 100 per cent growth following the incentives. At present, the Indian electric two-wheeler market stands at about 85,000 units annually.

Mahindra Reva NXG

The EV promotion scheme, effective November 11, envisages incentives of up to 20 per cent on the ex-factory prices of the vehicles, subject to a maximum limit.

The cap on the incentive will be Rs 4,000 for low speed electric two-wheelers, Rs 5,000 for high speed electric two-wheelers, Rs 60,000 for seven seater three-wheeler and Rs one lakh for an electric car.

It is nice to see the Government of India put its green foot forward to spread awareness regarding the electric vehicles in India and it’s also equally be a pleasure to see new electric vehicles ply on the Indian roads with this much needed booster of a incentive.

posted by carazooblog @ Tuesday, November 30th, 2010 Comments Off links to this post

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September 21, 2010

Cruze Electric Cars to Hit Streets in South Korea Next Month

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The Chevy Cruze EV demo fleet is all set to hit the roads next month. GM will be out on this demo project in collaboration with GM Daewoo, LG Chemical and LG Electronics. Electric vehicles based on the Cruze will be out on the roads exploring market needs and gauging customer response on battery EVs in Korea.

“Although there is much more work to be done, our ability to develop this vehicle in less than a year offers a peek at the very promising plans we have for our customers in Korea and around the world,” said Mike Arcamone, GM Daewoo President and CEO.

The new GM project has been aimed at strengthening the car maker’s core vehicle electrification capabilities that include batteries, electric motors, power controls and charging. Through the project, GM will be able to extract data on how well battery electric vehicles are accepted by consumers, they could study driving patterns and charging behaviour while sharing costs and resources. The demo fleets with other partners will be tested in other urban markets too later during the year.

“This Cruze EV demonstration project reinforces GM’s commitment to being a leader in the development of electric vehicles and green technologies, building on our portfolio of hybrids and the Chevrolet Volt,” said Karl Stracke, Vice President, GM Global Vehicle Engineering. “We’ll apply the learnings from this and our other demo projects to help us deliver the world’s best vehicles for our customers.”

The Cruze EV demo fleet will contain the first compact sedan EVs hitting the road. The new cars will draw power from batteries from LG Electronics’ LG Chemical and propulsion systems (motor/inverter). There would be Chevrolet Cruzes and GM Daewoo Lacetti Premieres roaming on the streets of South Korea this October. As of now, GM markets the cars under the local brand in South Korea.

“Expanding the domestic electric vehicle market carries significant meaning for collaboration between GM Daewoo and LG Chemical,” said Bahn-suk Kim, Vice Chairman and CEO of LG Chemical. “Over the past two years, we have forged a strong partnership with GM, and now we look forward to doing the same with GM Daewoo in our home country.”

The LG Chemical 31-kWh battery in the Cruze EV delivers a 201 bhp output. Battery packs usually occupy trunk space, but the electric Cruze’s battery pack has been mounted on the underbody giving the car the same trunk space as conventional vehicles with gasoline engines.

GM and LG Chemical analysis and early tests done earlier indicate that the demo vehicles could deliver a 160-km range on specific test schedules. However, the fleet will be closely monitored to find out the real-world range vehicles of that size can deliver. The electric cars will be capable of accelerating from a standstill to a hundred kmph in just about 8.2 seconds and they will hopefully demonstrate peak speeds of 165 kmph.

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Getting to the charging, on a standard household 220-volt outlet, the electric version of the Chevy Cruze will fully recharge in about 8 to 10 hours. However, the demo fleet will test the Quick Charge application that’s gonna reduce charge time considerably.

GM has been working with LG Chemical since 2008 which is the exclusive battery cell supplier for the Chevy Volt electric vehicle with extended range. The Chevrolet Volt will enter the U.S. market later this year.

posted by carazooblog @ Tuesday, September 21st, 2010 Comments Off links to this post

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July 27, 2010

An All-Electric Porsche Confirmed

Porsche to take on Tesla Roadster with its new electric Boxster
Just think of a high-performance electric car. That certainly isn’t too easy to imagine. Electricity and high-performance automobiles may or may not mix; it all depends on your frame of reference. But, whatever the type of person you are, a Tesla fan or a Formula one fanatic, a sports car enthusiast or an electric vehicle supporter, a hybrid or all-electric Porsche will definitely excite you, will it not?

We have seen a lot of hybrids from Porsche already; a few have seen production while the rest have remained as concepts. The car maker has now officially confirmed something more stimulating. We hear that the sports car maker is busy building an all-electric automobile. Well, are we really going to see a zero-emission vehicle manufactured by a high-performance car maker? Porsche is working on it and let’s hope the outcome is positively stunning.

Porsche has one aim in mind at the moment; to combine greater efficiency with even lower fuel consumption and emissions. The ultimate goal is to carve an automobile with no emissions at all. We also believe that the all-electric sports car will be pitted against the Tesla roadster. CEO Michael Macht has just revealed that the company will, in due course, offer an electric sports car for sale but only if it “offers product qualities typical of a Porsche”. He said, “We will definitely be offering an electric sports car in future. But such a concept only makes sense if it offers performance and a cruising range comparable to that of a sports car today.”

We hear that the car maker has already built three research vehicles based on the entry-level Porsche Boxster. All of them are believed to carry electric drivetrains. In a test process, the three electric Boxsters will help the car maker by offering data on new electric drive components and battery systems for all-electric vehicle drive.

To assist the company further in its plans, a field test will be conducted to determine what infrastructure would be needed for the electric vehicles and their charging. The field test which will begin next year will also gauge user behaviour and the demands made of future products. Porsche said it will begin testing the three all-electric Boxsters in early 2011 as part of a broader commitment to what it terms “electro-mobility,” including plans to market a pure electric sports car as a supplement to its growing stable of hybrid vehicles.

Tesla_roadster_sport_2010

But, remember the revelation has just been made. So, don’t start imagining things right away. Unlimited torque, instant response, four-wheel motors and continuous traction control, all gathered together with Porsche refinement and handling; reserve those dreams till we get more info on the vehicle development. Also, you can be sure that any production model won’t be arriving very soon.

As far as production models are concerned, Porsche has just introduced the Cayenne S Hybrid and has announced plans to begin selling the hybrid variant of the Panamera S next year.

posted by carazooblog @ Tuesday, July 27th, 2010 Comments Off links to this post

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May 6, 2010

Renault to find a partner for entry into electric car market in India

Renault kangoo-be-bop-ev
Talk about automotive joint ventures and the first company that would flash through your mind would be Renault. Mahindra and Mahindra, Nissan, Renault-Nissan-Bajaj and now the company is on a mission to find yet another partner for itself. This time the point of focus is an electric car.

It has not been too long since Renault rescued itself from one ugly Indian partnership (Mahindra Renault), and the French automaker is already in the process of hunting for a strategic partner to stimulate its foray into the electric car market in India.

Renault is talking to numerous groups to bring its electric vehicle on the Indian roads, sources close to the company said on condition of anonymity. Speculations have it that Reva, the country’s only electric car maker, can come to the aid of Renault. But as of now, it is just a probability. The partnership will help build infrastructure support including charging stations and battery leasing services.

Renault_Zoe
A company spokesman has confirmed that it is looking at the electric vehicle (EV) market. “We have been studying the scope of launching EVs in India. However a lot depends on the government support to roll out a proper EV product,” he said.

Renault boasts of vast experience and expertise in the electronic vehicle segment. It has a wide portfolio of EV’s that include Kangoo intra-city goods mover, Zoe mid-sized sedan, and Twizy two-seater concept car.

Renault is also working with technical institutes in India for the research and development of batteries to power such vehicles.

Renault has big plans for the Indian customers. First it plans to bring its Fluence sedan in the country next year along with its Japanese partner Nissan. Renault has a 44 per cent in the partnership. The car will likely be manufactured at the company’s plant upcoming plant in Chennai, which has a capacity to build 400,000 vehicles a year. The plant will also manufacture Nissan’s Micra and Renault’s Koleos.

India will also welcome Nissan’s electric car Leaf in a couple of years. “We want to launch our EVs in the Indian market and a lot will depend on government support,” said K Tokuyama, MD and CEO of Nissan Motor India.

Renault has brought an electric variant of the Fluence, which the company aims to launch initially in Israel and Denmark. For this, Renault has formed a partnership with a local partner to build infrastructure support. Betterplace has been the preferred choice for infrastructure support in Israel and Denmark.

renault-twizy-z

But if Renault is looking up to Reva for an alliance, the chances of it materialising may be little too thin. Reva has already tied up with General Motors India to electrically power its small cars Chevrolet Spark and Beat.

posted by carazooblog @ Thursday, May 6th, 2010 1 Comment » links to this post

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May 3, 2010

Nissan and General Electric Unite to Bring Smart Charging Technology for Cars

Rising prices of fuels and the ever-increasing concern with CO2 emissions are forcing car manufacturers to come up with new car technologies. Electric Car Technology is one of the most important technologies that car makers are looking up to when fuel efficiency and renewable resources of energy are considered.

nissan-leaf

Nissan and General Electric have come together with a 3 year agreement to develop a robust and reliable charging infrastructure. The collaboration focuses on two main areas: while the first addresses the integration of electric vehicles with homes and buildings, the second concentrates on electric vehicle charging dynamics with the grid.

People who are pondering electric vehicles simply want to plug it into a socket and forget all about it. Most people don’t give a thought about what’s on the other side of that plug and how it can be utilised for optimal charging and use of the grid. In the recent past,Ford and General Motors have been found to be working with utilities to ensure that an electrical grid can efficiently handle the coming influx of cars with cords.

Similarly, Nissan is working with Ecotality to create charging infrastructure in several states in the US.

“In the past few years, we have seen an acceleration of innovations in plug-in hybrid and electric cars that have sparked a revolution in smart-charging technologies. Together with Nissan, we will take a comprehensive look at what technologies will be needed in the car, on the grid and at home or work to make smart charging a reality,” Mark Little, senior vice president and director of GE Global Research, said in a statement.

The Smart Charging Technology would let EV’s to communicate with local utilities and ensure that they are charging when the electricity is relatively cheaper and the impact on the grid is lesser. The increased efficiency would not only lead to cheaper energy for the electric vehicle owner but also a stable grid for the rest of the people.

The two companies are experts in their fields and their collective expertise will bring the best results in charging technologies. GE’s expertise in electricity at all levels of generation and distribution and Nissan’s experience in electric vehicles like the Nissan Leaf will work wonders.

Most of GE’s tasks will be accomplished at its R&S centre in Niskayuna, New York, and Nissan will make use of its technical centres in Farmington Hills, Michigan and in Japan.

Though electric cars are yet to get their due popularity in India, there are a significant number of people opting for EV’s. And the market for electric vehicles heating up in India, we hope to see similar projects making their way towards the country.