September 28, 2012
Yesterday in Paris, Audi provided a glimpse of its future design language, along with automotive and drive concepts, through its Audi crosslane coupé concept car.
The concept is powered by a plug-in hybrid drive based on a purpose-designed
1.5-liter three-cylinder TFSI and two electric motors, with fuel consumption according to Audi of only 1.1 liters per 100 km (213.81 U.S. mpg).
The Multimaterial Space Frame of the compact Audi crosslane coupé is comprised of three materials – aluminum, carbon fiber-reinforced polymer (CFRP), and glass fiber-reinforced polymer (GFRP). The concept car has an un-laden weight of about 1,390 kg (3,064.43 pounds), including the 17.4-kwh lithium-ion battery.
September 28, 2012
Toyota has announced a new Auris for Europe, and it comes with a revised hybrid system as well as a station wagon variant.
Since its launch in 2010, Toyota has sold around 60,000 of the British-built Auris Hybrid, making it Europe’s second most popular hybrid vehicle, after Prius.
Further improvements have been made to its Hybrid Synergy Drive powertrain. The control logic of the planetary gear transmission has been modified to give a smoother and natural feel to vehicle acceleration, with a closer relationship between vehicle speed and engine revs.
September 28, 2012
Following a similar report last month for the UK, Hyundai announced yesterday that it will begin series production of its hydrogen ix35 Fuel Cell vehicle (known in the U.S. as the Tucson) for European public and private lease by the end of 2012.
In December 2012, Hyundai will begin production of the ix35 Fuel Cell at its Ulsan manufacturing facility in Korea, with a target of building up to 1,000 vehicles by 2015.
September 28, 2012
Remote diagnostics has been offered as a main feature of telematics solutions from the very beginning by OEMs such as GM, Volvo, and BMW.
More recently, Ford has also added diagnostics as a feature on its hybrid phone-based SYNC system.
September 27, 2012
Today, Volkswagen presented in Paris the seventh generation of Europe’s most popular car– and calls it the greenest Golf of all time.
The vehicle’s weight has been reduced by up to 100 kilos, and fuel consumption has been reduced by up to 23 percent. An environmental commendation certified by the TÜV technical inspection authority confirms a significant improvement in the eco-balance over the entire life cycle compared with the predecessor model.
