Toyota Using Noise-Cancellation On Crown Hybrid
July 16, 2008
Toyota is using “active noise control” in its Crown Hybrid model. The system relies on three microphones embedded in the vehicle’s interior to detect noise coming from the engine. When engine noise is picked up, three speakers emit sound waves that are 180° out of phase to the noise, providing effective cancellation. This technique is commonly used in noise and echo cancellation.
The always-on system provides an overall interior noise reduction of 5dB to 8dB, and was deemed necessary after the vehicle’s engine proved noisier than expected. The system is tuned to provide optimal cancellation at ear-level.
The Crown Hybrid and the Lexus GS share the same hybrid system, but the Crown Hybrid’s engine operates at a lower rotational frequency in low-speed driving. The adjustment gives the Crown Hybrid better mileage but creates more interior noise.
Source: Gizmag
Photo: Toyota
GM Says Volt Won’t Carry 2015 CAFE Requirements
July 11, 2008
GM is cautioning Federal regulators that the Volt and similar vehicles planned by other automakers will not have a profound impact on average fleet mileage by the NHTSA-established deadline of 2015. Citing high production costs and complex manufacturing requirements, GM says it will not be able to produce the Volt in numbers large enough to impact CAFE standards.
GM estimates that in the best case, fewer than 500,000 Volts will have been sold by 2015. Further, it remains to be seen whether the Volt will be a commercial success, given that the vehicle will carry a price tag between $30,000 and $40,000. Other manufacturers of hybrid and electric vehicles are facing the same challenges: high production costs push the sticker price of each vehicle upward, making it less attractive to entry-level consumers. In addition, several manufacturers, including GM and Toyota, are contending with serious battery supply and reliability problems, which have significantly reduced the number of vehicles each company can produce in relation to its maximum production potential.
GM’s comments follow earlier statements made by the Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers, which recently asked the Federal government to ease tougher proposed CAFE standards scheduled to take effect in the 2010 model year, which the group labeled as technologically unfeasible and that would come only at the cost of more than 80,000 auto industry jobs. Members of Congress have already indicated that they would like to see even tougher fuel economy and emissions standards put into place in the near future.
Chrysler Announces Pricing For Full-Size Hybrid SUV, Truck
June 17, 2008
Chrysler, LLC announced yesterday that it would be pricing its full-size hybrid SUVs and trucks to move.
The vehicles are rated to achieve a best-in-class 20 mpg, a 40-percent improvement in fuel economy when city driving, and an overall fuel economy improvement of 25 percent. The full-size Durango and Aspen have towing capacities of 6,000 pounds and feature dual mode hybrid operation, allowing the vehicle to optimize fuel economy based on the type of driving. Each vehicle is equipped with a 5.7-liter HEMI V-8 engine with a total power output of 385-hp.
The company has priced the base model 2009 Dodge Durango Hemi Hybrid at $45,340 and the 2009 Chrysler Aspen Hemi Hybrid at $45, 570. Customers who purchase either vehicle will also be eligible for a tax credit estimated at about $1,800. The 2009 Dodge Durango is in dealer showrooms now. The Aspen will debut later this summer.
Chrysler To Introduce Hybrid Durango, Aspen
June 9, 2008
Chrysler will join the stream of automakers planning to introduce hybrid vehicles to their lineups. First out of the gate for Chrysler will be a hybrid version of the Dodge Durango SUV and the Chrysler Aspen. Both vehicles will feature a Hemi hybrid engine and power train. The hybrid 5.7L two-mode Hemi engine used in the Durango gets about 25% better gas mileage than its conventional cousin and is expected to hit dealer showrooms in the 2009 model year.
The company is also examining the possibility of designing a series of hybrid vehicles for the Dodge brand, including the Dodge Journey SUV, the Dodge Ram and Dodge Avenger programs. The company has not made any firm commitment to the Dodge hybrid series beyond the Durango.
Toyota, Honda, Ford and GM offer regular production hybrid models, and plan to increase the number of hybrids in the vehicle lineup. Kia, Nissan, Subaru and luxury maker BMW have already made plans to add hybrid vehicles to their lines in the next one to two model years. Toyota’s Lexus line will also add hybrids. The vehicle makers are turning to hybrid designs largely to comply with new CAFE regulations and to appeal to buyers who are being hit hard by rising fuel costs.
Toyota To Build Eighteen New Models To Meet European Regulations
May 27, 2008
In the face of European Union regulations that require carbon emissions of no greater than 130 g/km by 2012, Toyota says it will produce 18 new or redesigned models that meet that standard. The company’s present goal is to increase the number of models it sells in Europe that can achieve carbon emissions of 140 g/km or less. If successful, that would lower the fleet average CO2 emissions, which is what the EU regulations require. In 2007, 30 percent of Toyota’s European vehicles emitted more than 140 g/km of CO2.
When the new regulations kick in, the EU will assess a fine of €20 per g/km of CO2 that exceeds the mandate. Fines will escalate to €95 per g/km by 2016. When combined with other vehicle regulations and safety technology requirements for vehicles sold in the EU, models there are likely to become the most expensive in the world. Toyota has not yet indicated how much of the cost increases it will pass along to consumers, but it is widely expected that Toyota’s customer base will end up footing the bill.
Bentley Introduces All-Electric One-Seater
May 9, 2008
Bentley has developed a prototype one-seater, the Greenpower, which was designed, engineered and built by a group of apprentices at the company’s factory. The vehicle prototype, officially known as the Bentley Continental DC Electric Concept Car, offers a top speed of 40 mph and uses two 12-volt batteries to power a 24-volt motor. The vehicle, which weighs just 265 pounds, makes heavy use of carbon-fiber in the suspension and wheels. The vehicle will compete on the Formula 24+ circuit this year. The vehicles in those competitions must use 24 volt electric motors powered by two 12-v batteries.
With regard to its production vehicles, Bentley has committed to reduce its CO2 emissions by 15% by 2012; introduce a new power train that delivers 40% better fuel economy than its existing design; and make its entire vehicle line compatible with biofuels by 2012. The company also promises to maintain its reputation for high-performance luxury in the process.
The company cites the rising price and growing scarcity of oil, and the impact of climate change as the primary drivers for the switch. The company concludes that they can better reach its goal by pursuing alternative drivetrain technologies than by increasing the efficiency of its gasoline engines.
The company has not ruled out offering diesel engines, but cites the low adoption rate of diesels in North America – its primary market – as a reason it is not pursuing diesel drive technology at this time.
Th!nk City Will Debut In US In 2009
May 7, 2008
The Th!nk City will make its debut on the US auto market in 2009. The Th!nk City is being offered by Norwegian automaker Th!nk Global, which is using a design originally developed by the Ford Motor Company.
Ford owned the company from 1999 to 2003 but sold it. The firm declared bankruptcy shortly after the sale, but was resurrected last year by a Norwegian investment group. The drive to hit the North American auto market is being supported by a pair of venture capital firms.
The Th!nk is a two-passenger car that can go 110 miles on a single charge, and also offers a top speed of 65 mph. Th!nk City is currently being sold in Norway and will hit the rest of Scandinavia and Europe later in 2008.
The vehicle uses nickel-chloride batteries, which are owned by the company and leased to the drivers. Pricing for the North American version of the vehicle hasn’t been worked out, but a battery-lease model is being planned for the US.
Extreme Hybrid Goes Cross-Country For Earth Day
April 17, 2008
The 150 MPG Extreme Hybrid SUV, a product of the AFS Trinity Power Corporation, is currently making a cross-country trip, and will be on display at the Capitol Mall on Earth Day, April 20, 2008. The vehicle stopped last week in Austin, TX for a demonstration sponsored by Austin Energy and the Plug-n Partners, an Austin-based consortium that supports the development of PHEVs.
In recent tests, the vehicle was able to power a 200-hp motor at speeds of up to 86 mph and charges on normal house current (110V). According to AFS Trinity CEO Edward Furia, most American drivers would use no gasoline at all and would not draw significantly more power from the grid than they do now, if their vehicles were powered by the technologies that drive the XH-150. Further, Furia estimates that owners could recoup the vehicle’s cost in 2-3 years, based primarily on fuel savings.
The vehicle offers a dual mode operation: all-electric for the first 40 miles - which would suit most American commuters, or hybrid gas-electric operation, which would increase the maximum output to 370-hp, and run both the gasoline engine and the electric motor. This mode is better suited for towing or emergency vehicles.
The company expects to license its hybrid powertrain to auto manufacturers for production within two to three years. AFS Trinity has created a number of novel power generation and storage technologies for automobiles, spacecraft and stationary power sources. The company also produces flywheel-based propulsion systems for Formula 1 race cars.
Chinese Automakers Step Into Hybrid Vehicle Production
April 16, 2008
Chinese Automakers Step Into Hybrid Vehicle Production
Chinese automaker Chery has announced that it plans to begin production of a hybrid gas-electric sedan this summer following the 2008 Olympics in Beijing. To publicize the availability of the vehicle, the company is providing the Olympic Committee with 50 vehicles for use during the Games.
The first hybrid off the line for Chery will be a gas-electric hybrid of the A5 sedan. The standard gasoline version retails for about USD$10,000 and the hybrid version will come with a $1,500 to $3,000 premium added to that. Other Chinese manufacturers, including Geely, Chang’an, BYD and SAIC all plan to introduce hybrids by the end of 2008.
BYD has announced its plans to develop a gas-electric hybrid for the European market within the next two to three years. BYD was formed in 2003 and initially developed lithium-ion battery technology. Based upon its successes in that field, the company has committed to the production of hybrid vehicles. The company reports that its prototype can travel 110 km on battery power alone. Initially, the company expects to make 500 units per month, but could expand its production to 2,000 units per month within the next year.
The manufacturers have not indicated whether they plan to bring hybrid vehicle designs to the US market, however Chery has developed a number of vehicles designed to appeal to US consumers that will be distributed through Chrysler as part of a twenty-five year agreement between the companies.
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BMW Hydrogen 7 Earns SULEV Designation
April 10, 2008
Tests at the Argonne National Laboratory have awarded BMW’s Hydrogen 7 vehicle a super-ultra-low-emission vehicle (SULEV) designation. According to the testers, the vehicle passed the SULEV tests with flying colors, registering only a fraction of the maximum emissions allowed to achieve the designation. In fact, at times, with respect to certain exhaust components, the car exhaust was cleaner than the ambient air in the test facilities, and the laboratory needed special equipment to measure the vehicle’s emissions accurately.
The Hydrogen 7 is a mono-fuel version of an ultra-low-emission vehicle that BMW introduced two years ago. The test vehicle is production-ready and according to the company, additional vehicles will be delivered to consumers on a trial basis.
According to BMW, the facility at Argonne was the only test facility in the US that was capable of measuring the vehicle’s emissions accurately. Argonne has conducted cutting-edge alternative vehicle technologies including engines, batteries, fuel cells, and materials research for more than 30 years. Results of the emissions tests will be presented jointly by BMW and Argonne at the 2008 Society of Automotive Engineers 2008 World Congress in Detroit in mid-April.
The company is a strong advocate for the hydrogen-based economy, a stance that puts it into conflict with many other automakers. BMW indicates that the next major hurdle to overcome is the relative scarcity of hydrogen fueling stations in the United States.
BMW is not the only manufacturer looking for more hydrogen stations in North America. GM said last week that its development of FCVs and fuel-cell electric hybrids is virtually at a standstill for lack of a hydrogen filling station infrastructure. Larry Burns, GM’s VP of Research and Development said that the company is no longer able to make significant progress on hydrogen-based vehicles in the absence of safe and convenient access to hydrogen filling stations.
Photo Credit: BMW
