Archive for Hybrids, Electric vehicles, fuel cells, alternative fuel

When the first Toyota FT-EV concept car was displayed at the Detroit show earlier this year, It looked much closer to a production electric Toyota iQ than this new concept car called the Toyota FT-EV II.

The interior has gone completely concept car, while the original FT-EV’s interior looked more like a futuristic iQ’s interior. There are no foot pedals or steering wheel, but only two control levers which you use to drive the car.

But get this – you won’t be driving the car most of the time, as the car is designed to run on auto pilot mode on normal commutes. It can travel up to 90km on a full charge of its lithium ion batteries, and its top speed is limited to over 100km/h which should be more than enough in the city.

Look after the jump for an initial set of four photos that Toyota have released.

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The plug-in hybrid system in this modified Suzuki Swift features a combustion engine that’s much smaller than its production Swift counterparts – only 658cc producing 54 horsepower (40kW). But what it does have is a 74 horsepower (55kW) electric motor to run the car at all times, powered by lithium ion batteries. The combustion engine kicks in to recharge the batteries, making this a series hybrid system much like Volt. One full charge can take the car about 20km.

Because there is no need for a conventional geared transmission, the lithium ion batteries are positioned in the center console where a car’s transmission would typically be, between the two front seats. The seats are quite funky though – with a design reminding me of expensive ergo office chairs.

Look after the jump for larger photos of the Suzuki

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I’m actually pretty amazed. Here is a concept car that’s quite obviously an SUV, but it has not been given the sloping coupe roofline treatment by its designers. They must have not really bought into that whole tall four door coupe with large wheels thing, which I feel is refreshing. What’s wrong with the traditional SUV shape. I mean, some might argue that everything about it is wrong since it’s an SUV to begin with, but hey there are people who still like and buy SUVs.

A wheelbase of 2,630mm and dimensions of 4,510mm by 1,830mm by 1,65mm makes this about the same size as the first generation Outlander/AirTrek actually. It’s smaller than the current second generation OutLander (which is also sold as a Peugeot 4007 and a Citroen C-Crosser).

So this could be a prototype for a new compact SUV slotted beneath the Outlander. The interior is definitely concept for now but the exterior looks pretty much production-ready. But if that’s the case, where does that leave the old Concept-cX that’s supposedly going into production? Is that some kind of new cross-Colt kind of compact hatch?

The PX-MiEV is powered by a new hybrid powertrain called the Mitsubishi Plug-in Hybrid System. The name’s definitely not as cool as Hybrid Synergy Drive but the system consisting of a petrol engine and electric motors can operate in either EV mode, series hybrid mode, parallel hybrid mode, regenerative mode, charging mode, and finally power supply mode. While driving, the various drive modes are selected using the MiEV OS system according to the data it has access to.

The EV mode is probably the most simple to understand – powered by the vehicle’s batteries, the front motor drives the vehicle. The MiEV OS also has all-wheel drive logic in it so if there is front wheel slip, the rear motor also activates to provide traction. Both front and rear motors can produce a combined 60kW and 200Nm on their own. In terms of EV mode range, you can expect to travel over 50km on the Japanese 10-15 drive cycle.

The petrol engine is a 1.6 liter MIVEC unit making 85kW and 125Nm of torque. It has a generating capacity of 70kW. When the battery energy level falls to a predetermined level, the gasoline engine starts and generates electricity to charge the batteries. This is called the series hybrid mode and the MIVEC engine does not drive the vehicle – it just generates electricity for the motors which drive the vehicle.

The other hybrid mode is the parallel hybrid mode. Probably because of gearing and the fact that Mitsubishi says a combustion engine is more efficient at high engine revolutions, the car runs on parallel hybrid mode at higher speeds such as highway speeds. In this mode, the MIVEC engine drives the wheels, and is assisted by the rear motor whenever the additional traction is required such as during sudden lane changes or other maneuvers. If additional power boost is needed, both the front and rear motors activate to provide peak power.

And then there is of course the regenerative mode, charging mode and power supply modes. The regenerative mode is easy to explain – its basically brake energy regeneration when the car is slowing down or coasting along a long descending slope. The charge mode is when the car is plugged in to the wall to charge. You can define your own schedule to begin charging or to run other functions such as use air conditioning to cool down the vehicle at preset times.

The power supply mode is something interesting. Basically it allows the vehicle to be part of a “Smart Grid” concept. The car can store electricity at night (where in some countries the rates are lower as it is off-peak) and then allow you to use that electricity later during the day via regular connectors. The car’s battery can be used as a power source during natural disasters, or in situations such as powering cooking or lighting equipment when you bring the vehicle to a campsite. If the charge level drops below a certain predetermined level, the MIVEC engine will fire up to maintain the power supply.

As if debuting a new plug-in hybrid system is not enough, there are also a few active safety technologies implemented in the car. It’s equipped for the Driving Safety Support System (DSSS (Level II)) currently being promoted by the Japanese National Police Agency. An on-board receiver picks up signals transmitted by roadside optical beacons and the system urges the driver to take extra care when other vehicles or pedestrians have been detected by roadside sensors and cameras at intersections and pedestrian crossings.

There is also a system that uses wireless technology to know the position of other vehicles and warn the driver if they are in a dangerous distance to the PX-MiEV. This is part of the Advanced Safety Vehicle 4 (ASV4) project being promoted by the Road Transport Bureau of the Japanese Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism.

A Driving Monitor System uses a camera mounted facing the driver to monitor eye movements to determine their level of alertness. If the system detects a decrease in their concentration it issues not only audible but visual and vibrational warnings and also emits an aroma to alert him or her to the situation.

The Concept PX-MiEV also has an electronically-controlled air suspension which is user-definable at three heights: auto, high or low. Naturally when set in auto the suspension sets its own height to whatever makes sense such as reducing the height for better aerodynamics and less drag during highway travel.

This is all really not bad for a company that’s not really seen as doing very well. If Mitsubishi was in a strong position right now it would not have had to license the latest Lancer platform to Proton for money.

Look after the jump for hi-res photos of the Concept PX-MiEV.

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Wanna know what the latest fad in Japan is when it comes to concept cars? Putting really funky doors on what are essentially very stylish people movers.

The Honda Skydeck had scissor doors in addition to its rear sliding doors, and this new Subaru concept called the Subaru Hybrid Tourer has twin gullwing doors! Apparently the designers penned the concept after imagining “wings of freedom” giving its driver and his family a feeling of freedom and confidence in driving the vehicle.

Taking a cue from the 5-Series GT, the Subaru Hybrid Tourer seats only four. With these new ‘tourer’ vehicles the seats are limited but each seat is supposed to do its job really well – we’re talking about the best padding, legroom and entertainment that money can buy (in whatever pricerange the car is in of course). Subaru takes the driver’s comfort one step ahead by letting the top of the dashboard be movable up and down according to the driver’s wants.

I’ve heard of seats being adjustable infinite ways but never of an adjustable dashboard! Or at least that’s what the press release says as Subaru doesn’t exactly have any videos of how it works. Maybe they’ll release more nearer to the motorshow.

Under the hood is naturally a boxer engine – it’s a real Subaru after all isn;t it? There’s also symmetrical all-wheel drive, another Subaru trademark. The boxer engine is turbocharged and of a 2.0 liter displacement. It also has direct fuel injection. The turbo-boxer is mated to a Lineartronic CVT. But that’s not where it stops – the boxer engine is only one part of a hybrid powertrain that complements the combustion engine with another two motors.

One 10kW power/drive motor is at the front together with the engine while there is another 20kW drive motor at the rear. At start-up and slow speeds, the rear drive motor is used primarily to move the vehicle while the combustion engine stays shut off. Under normal driving, the primary power source is the combustion engine. Then when there is extra power needed, the rear motor kicks in. Finally, at maximum power needs, the front motor kicks in.

At other times the front motor functions primarily as a power generator, charging a lithium ion battery that powers the motors. There’s also auto start-stop and brake energy regeneration.

The styling looks pretty appealing actually, though I can see some hints of Audi at the rear. Look after the jump for the initially released photos of the concept.

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The Honda EV-N Concept is surprisingly retro-styled in a sea of very futuristic Honda concepts being released in the past 2 to 3 years. Like you can probably expect from its name, the EV-N Concept is an electric car, though for the moment Honda has not released any details on its motor and battery specifications. It’s probably got a pretty short range though, designed to be used for short commutes in cities like Tokyo.

After you reach your destination and park but you’re feeling a little lazy, you can take out one of the U3-X Segway-like unicycles which is smartly strapped to the passenger door. At first I thought it was some really big and hardcore speaker system or something.

The EV-N Concept is part of a larger display called the “HELLO!” (Honda Electric mobility Loop) display, where Honda will be showcasing a total “ecosystem” of mobility products. You have products that supply electricity, vehicles that run on electricity and products with innovative electronic technologies.

There will be solar panels that supply electricity and battery electric vehicles that emit zero emissions in use. The HELLO showcase is pretty much a preview of the potential of a low-carbon society of the future of course centered around Honda products. In addition, each HELLO! vehicle features communication technologies that showcase fun ways in which mobility devices can interact with people and society.

Look after the jump more shots of the Honda EV-N Concept.

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Honda’s new SKYDECK concept can seat 6 people in a three-row passenger configuration (2+2+2). Honda’s last 6-seater was the Honda Edix which has now been phased out, but that MPV had its 6 seats in a two row configuration, similiar to what Fiat did for their Multipla.

The styling cues are quite obviously inspired by the CR-Z, which leads me to believe this kind of look might become quite commonplace on future Hondas. The front doors have a scissor hinge like a Lamborghini while the rear door is of the rearward-sliding variety. The powertrain is of course a hybrid but no further details have been revealed.

More will probably be disclosed at the Tokyo show next month, so stay tuned, but for now you can look after the jump for hi-res images.

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Honda will be showing various automobiles at the Tokyo Motorshow next month. Being their home turf and an Asian country, I must say the concept, near-production and production cars to be shown are definitely more interesting to us as an ASEAN country as they would be the most relevant to production cars that we’ll receive in the future.

The most exciting is probably the new Honda CR-Z Concept 2009, which is the most close-to-production concept version of the upcoming CR-Z sports car so far. No technical details have been revealed on the car so far, but I do have some nice high-resolution photos for you showing a very production-ready exterior and interior.

Word is that the CR-Z will get a 1.5 liter version of Honda’s IMA Hybrid system (the Civic and Insight use 1.3 IMA hybrid systems) and high on the wishlist of speculators so far is a 6-speed manual transmission, which is rare in a typical hybrid car where you usually see CVT and e-CVT transmissions.

Look after the jump for a nice hi-res gallery of the new CR-Z!

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When the Lexus brand was finally introduced back in its homeland of Japan, it marked the end of the Toyota-badged Lexus products such as the Toyota Harrier, which was essentially a Lexus RX. The Land Cruiser and Lexus LX twins are still on though.

Or so we thought, because the new Lexus HS250h will be launched in Japan as a Toyota called the Toyota SAI, alongside the original HS250h which has already been launched in Japan, which isn’t really completely original at all, being a restyled Euro-market Toyota Avensis (platform also used for the Scion tC) with the Camry Hybrid’s gaso-electric powertrain. Boy, that was confusing!

Toyota will be positioning the Toyota SAI as a larger hybrid-only car compared to the Prius, though since they share the same 2,700mm wheelbase I don’t expect the interior space to be all that different, though rear headroom should be better.

In the HS250h, the chassis had to handle the naturally larger 2.4 liter Hybrid Synergy Drive hybrid system but some are saying that the Toyota SAI will use the 1.8 liter version thats in the Prius. There are of course also news that it will use the same 2.4 liter HSD engine as the HS250h. What it will have is a proper boot, while the Prius is a hatchback.

Lexus has facelifted the GS 450h. No, it’s not yet another update to the GS line as we’ve already seen that early last year but more of a cosmetic update to further differentiate the hybrid version from the “regular” GS. There’s a new front grille with thicker horizontal bars instead of the regular GS’s horizontal bars, and new rear tail lamps.

There have also been some changes to the Pre-Crash Safety system, so I guess it is safer to crash your 2010 GS450h compared to the 2009 model, in case you’re wondering. The new features are the pre-crash seatbelt and brake assist functions with pre-crash brake technology. Both front seats are fitted with new, inflator-operated active headrests, activated by a signal from the ECU in the event of a rear-end impact. The inflator slides a piston into the headrest, unlocks the mechanism and projects the headrest forwards and upwards to support the occupant’s head and reduce the risk of whiplash injury.

With the new Euro 2M diesel implemented here in Malaysia, I can tell you that there will be a barrage of eco-marketing (i.e. – good for nature and pocket) from the two main German luxury marques here in Malaysia. Lexus has its hybrid models positioned for the same purpose internationally.

There has yet to be any hybrid Lexus introduced in Malaysia yet, but with the introduction of the Prius out of the way, you would think there could be the possibility of a hybrid Lexus sometime in the future. But that remains to be seen as the hybrid Lexus cars all have their combustion engine sizes over 2.0 liters, which disqualify them from any kinds of incentives currently offered by the government.

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Four motors – two on each axle – take the Audi e-tron from 0 to 100km/h in 4.8 seconds. Collectively, the motors put out 313 horsepower but check out the torque figures – 4,500Nm! That looks like a seriously insane number but remember that the concept of gearing for an electric car is totally different (most only have one gear) so you don’t exactly have multipliers like the first few low gears on a regular stepped transmission.

The torque that each electric motor produces can vary as required to create a torque vectoring effect. Perhaps you can call this e-quattro or something, but Audi doesn’t have a name for it. The car’s water-cooled lithium ion battery pack will allow a maximum range of about 248km but don’t expect that kind of range if you’re really gunning it on the B-roads. The rated range is for the NECD driving cycle.

Yes, it’s an electric R8 and all, that is very interesting. But I feel the most interesting part about this e-tron concept is the car-to-x communications system. It’s basically a wireless communication system where the Audi and various other data feed providers (traffic lights, other cars, etc) around the car are able to help the car make intelligent decisions on various systems. For this to really work, such a system really needs a standardised protocol but it’s very very interesting to hear what can be achieved.

For example – a car has spun out on a slippery road in a blind curve. Other vehicles are approaching quickly. The stuck vehicle uses car-to-x to send out a warning signal reporting the precise location of the hazard (itself). A corresponding warning then appears on the navigation system display of the approaching cars.

Look after the jump for a full press release with full details on the e-tron as well as some very hi-res images which you can use as wallpapers etc.

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