Volvo Pushes for Standardized Charging Spec for Electric Vehicles

Currently, Volvo has plans to offer a plug-in hybrid variant on every new model as it updates its lineup over the coming years, with fully electric models set to come out in 2019 based off the modular CMA vehicle architecture. Volvo supports the Charging Interface Initiative (CII), which was founded to establish a Combined Charging System (CCS) for charging battery-powered vehicles.

"We see that a shift towards fully electric cars is already underway, as battery technology improves, costs fall and charging infrastructure is put in place," said Dr. Peter Mertens, Volvo's Senior Vice President for Research and Development, in a release. "But while we are ready from a technology perspective, the charging infrastructure is not quite there yet. To really make range anxiety a thing of the past, a globally standardized charging system is sorely needed."

The proposed CCS infrastructure would offer regular and fast charging capabilities to make the ownership of electric vehicles more practical and convenient. The system combines single-phase with rapid three-phase charging, and uses alternating current at a maximum of 43 kW and direct current at a maximum of 200 kW. In the future, up to 350 kW may be possible on the same system. The CII is drawing up the requirements for certification and charging-related standards for markets around the globe to get the project off the ground.

Currently, most plug-in cars in the U.S. accept the SAE combo plug. In Europe, the Mennekes Type 2 connector is the most prevalent. Some cars can use the CHAdeMO DC quick charging plug, while Tesla has its own plug design for both standard charging and Supercharger quick charging. Though the Tesla plug is proprietary, the company has opened up its patents for other automakers to use. When Porsche announced the Mission E electric sedan, it said it was working on an 800-volt charging system that could charge its battery packs to 80 percent in just 15 minutes.

Source : motortrend.ca

Lexus LC500h officially debuts at Geneva Motor Show

Lexus debuted the hybrid version of the LC500 at the Geneva Motor Show.

Earlier this year Lexus unveiled a luxury coupe of the highest order, and one of our favorite cars at the Detroit Auto Show. It was a futuristic concept that looked damn near ready for production.

Fast-forward a month later to Switzerland and Lexus made some more headlines at the Geneva Motor Show with the official debut of the hybrid version of the LC500. Needless to say, they nailed it again.

The LC500h is a potentially groundbreaking idea that will feature the next-generation Lexus Multi Stage Hybrid System. This will provide enhanced driving pleasure, more performance, and more efficiency than ever. Lexus hopes the LC500 and its hybrid version shift their engineering processes and design ideologies to start a new phase for the Japanese brand.

It will feature a gasoline-powered 3.5-liter V6 engine along with an electric motor and lithium-ion battery, and it will be controlled by a 4-speed automatic gearbox. The hybrid is set to be released later in the year as a 2017 model vehicle.

Source : nydailynews.com

Maserati will bring Levante to New York Auto Show

The Levante marks Maserati's fashionably late arrival to the ultra-premium SUV party.

Maserati has joined the ultra-premium SUV world with the Levante here at the 2016 Geneva Motor Show. And if future sales of this slinky sport-ute mirror the Italian automaker's packed show-stand, it would seem the Levante is guaranteed success.

It would hardly be the first time that a SUV took a traditional sports car company to a whole different level. Since it arrived more than a decade ago, the Cayenne has been Porsche's best-selling vehicle. Bentley has hinted it expects as much from the totally new Bentayga sport-ute. Aston Martin and Lamborghini will also join the SUV fray within the next few years.

The Levante will compete with the well-established Porsche Cayenne, fellow newcomer Bentley Bentayga and upcoming sport-utes from Aston Martin and Lamborghini.

So what makes the Levante so special?

Well, for starters, it looks like a proper Maserati should - even if it's one that has a degree of off-road credentials (that is, if anyone ever truly takes this truck off-roading).

Tackle the Rubicon Trail in a Maserati? We'd feel less guilty completing the task in a Jeep, thank you very much.

The Levante comes with a twin-turbocharged 3.0-liter V-6 is offered in two states of tune: The base model delivers 350-horsepower, while the range-topping S trim pushes out 430-hp.

Still, there's no denying that performance has been taken care of in the Levante. A twin-turbocharged 3.0-liter V-6 is offered in two states of tune: The base model delivers 350-horsepower, while the range-topping S trim pushes out 430-hp. That latter power figure is good enough to haul the Levante from 0 to 60 mph in approximately 5.2 seconds, according to Maserati's stopwatch.

All-wheel-drive and an 8-speed automatic are standard fitment. So too is a posh leather-lined cabin - though our seat-time was limited, due to the crush of cameras and journalists. The materials are high quality, though Volvo still leads the SUV field when it comes to cutting-edge dashboards (as seen in the new XC90).

All-wheel-drive comes standard in the Levante, as does an 8-speed automatic transmission.

Maserati did a fine job transferring the curvaceous lines of Quattroporte and Ghibli sedans onto the larger profile of the Levante. The grille is dominated by the brand's gorgeous trident logo, while strong character lines along the fenders helps to remove some of the visual mass found in many SUVs. In fact, the similarity to the Ghibli should come as no surprise, considering the Levante shares the platform as Maserati's least expensive sedan.

The Levante also arrives not a moment too soon, as Ghibli sales have seriously cooled off after a red-hot start. Set to go on sale in the U.S. later this year, Maserati confirmed that the Swiss sales price would start at roughly $76,000 (at current exchange rates). We pegged the base MSRP at $80,000, so this Euro pricing sounds right on the money - no pun intended.

The Levante will hit the U.S. later this year and should carry a starting price tag in the $80,000 range.

Don't be surprised if one year from now the best-selling vehicle in the Maserati lineup is an SUV. The formula has worked extremely well for Porsche, after all.



Source : nydailynews.com

Geneva Motor Show: 2017 Aston Martin DB11 is no Bond car, but it's pretty close

The DB11 is a beefier, more pragmatic version of the DB10.

The name's Martin, Aston Martin, and it's ready to roll out a brand new sports car fit for Britain's finest secret agent this week at the Geneva Motor Show.

The U.K. automaker, famous for making cars featured in the James Bond franchise, will showcase the DB11 sports coupe in Switzerland this week. Lucky for us, a few photos of the car have been leaked in advance of Tuesday's press day.

With a powerhouse 5.2-liter V-12 engine, the DB11 is said to be able to make 600 horsepower and 516 lb.-ft. of torque en route to a top speed of 200 mph. It's also supposed to go from 0 to 60 mph in less than 4 seconds.

The DB11 replaces the DB9, which has been Aston's signature sports coupe since 2004. The DB11 is 44 lbs ligher than the DB9 despite being 1.18 inches longer and having a 2.56-inch-longer wheelbase. It's also said to be stiffer than its predecessor.

Aston had been keeping quiet about what the DB11 would look like, but word on the street was that it would bear a strong resemblence to the DB10, which was featured in and made exclusively for the last year's Bond film, 'Spectre.'

Photos of the new Aston Martin DB11 were leaked in advance of the 2016 Geneva Motor Show this week.

 

Based on the images leaked this week, the similarities are quite striking, except the DB11 is a more muscular version of the DB10.

They two models have similar rooflines and identical rims, but the DB11 has bulkier and more defined lines on the hood, side paneling and rear quarter panels. Also, while front and rear of the DB10 taper into slender points, the DB11 is bolder, with a higher trunk and larger grille.

 

The headlights on the DB11 are also wider and more rounded that the slivers on the front of Bond's DB10, most likely for safety purposes.

Other small change are a two-toned roof and wider air intakes on the side and hood of the DB11.

So while 007 hasn't driven it, we're pretty sure he'd approve.

Source : nydailynews.com

Check out actor Robert Patrick's intense command to start engines

Actor Robert Patrick gave the command to start engines prior to Sunday's race at Atlanta Motor Speedway, and it was awesome.

(Actor Robert Patrick gives drivers the command to start engines prior to the Folds of Honor QuikTrip 500 at Atlanta Motor Speedway.)

Actor Robert Patrick isn't exactly the shy and retiring type. That much is obvious from his appearances in films like "Terminator 2," "Die Hard 2," "Wayne's World," "Walk the Line" and "Flags of our Fathers" or small-screen roles on "The X-Files" and "Sons of Anarchy."

Patrick, who was born in Marietta, Georgia, was the Grand Marshal for Sunday's Folds of Honor QuickTrip 500 at Atlanta Motor Speedway. And when he gave the command to start engines, everyone at the track heard it.

It was a loud note, for sure, but the right one to start a 500-mile race with.


Source : foxsports.com

This car travels 300 miles on just 85oz of (hydrogen) gas

The Rasa hydrogen fuel cell car has a top speed of 60mph
A European start-up has announced a hydrogen fuel cell car with just 18 moving parts and a range of 300 miles that is now being tested on public roadways.


The Rasa hydrogen fuel cell car from Riversimple Movement has a chassis made from carbon fiber composite skin weighing less than 90lbs.

While a Rasa prototype, which has a top speed of 60mph, is currently being tested on European roads, a one-year public beta trial of 20 vehicles with prospective customers is being proposed for later this year. The company did not release any pricing information on the Rasa.

The car is expected to be on the market beginning in 2018 through a "sale of service" ownership model, which is similar to a lease where a driver has a fixed monthly fee and mileage allowance. With a sale-of-service agreement, Riversimple covers all repairs, maintenance, insurance and fuel expenses of its new, two-door hatchback.


"The Rasa engineering prototype marks another key milestone in bringing an affordable and highly-efficient hydrogen-powered car to market. We really have started from a clean sheet of paper," Hugo Spowers, founder of Riversimple Movement, said in a statement. "The car is simple, light and fun in every respect."

When the vehicle is in motion, hydrogen passes through a small 8.5 kilowatt (kW) fuel cell (the size currently used in forklift trucks), which has the equivalent to 11 horsepower. As the hydrogen passes through the fuel cell, it combines with oxygen to form water and electricity to drive the motors positioned in each of the four wheels. Water is the only exhaust.

More than 50% of the kinetic energy produced under braking is recovered and turned into electricity to boost acceleration via a bank of super-capacitors. The result is a range of up to 300 miles on 85 ounces (1.5 kilograms) of hydrogen; that's an estimated fuel economy equivalent to 250mpg.

Development of the Rasa was supported by a £2 million grant from the Welsh government in 2015.

Major automakers around the world have announced plans for working hydrogen fuel cell vehicles.

One major issue facing the clean-energy vehicles is a lack of infrastructure to support them -- in other words, the lack stations at which to fuel the cars.

Last year, Toyota, Nissan and Honda announced they will increase efforts to produce more hydrogen fuel cell vehicles and plan to work together to build more fueling stations to support them.

Despite slow market uptake, Hyundai Motor Co. said last year that hydrogen fuel cell vehicles represent the future of eco-friendly cars more than all-electric vehicles.



Source : computerworld.com

Jaguar's 575-horsepower F-TYPE SVR is coming.

If I've ever had one complaint with the Jaguar F-TYPE sports Coupe (and Convertible) it is that it has never been fast enough. Wait. No, that's not it. It's that I can't afford one.

Nevertheless, Jaguar has gone and solved one of those issues with the new F-TYPE SVR, which adds brutal power to the already staggeringly beautiful F-TYPE form.

Underneath the long, raked hood lies a reworked version of the brand's supercharged 5.0-liter V8 engine. With extra tuning, it now produces 575 horsepower and 516 pound-feet of torque. To put that into perspective, that's like 3.25 Camrys worth of power (I know that's a weird comparison, but stay with me here).

Bolted to an 8-speed automatic transmission that routes power to all four wheels through an all-wheel drive system, the F-TYPE SVR will sprint to 60 mph from a standstill in 3.5 seconds on the way to its 200-mph top speed, which is nearly double the top speed of the Camry (oh, I am running with this Camry thing).

Jaguar's Special Vehicle Operations (SVO) team simply didn't add more power and a new SVR badge to the F-TYPE and call it a day. Designers also added bigger front air intakes and an active (meaning it extends automatically at speed) rear carbon-fiber spoiler. Then they upgraded the chassis both for stiffness and lightness (it weighs 55 pounds less than the F-TYPE R). Finishing off the look, Jag bolted up some lightweight 20-inch wheels.

Certainly, that's not all the changes made in the SVR transformation. However, that's all the tweaks I go into here. That's because detailing the rest might well put you and me to sleep.

OK I'll discuss one more detail: the exhaust. The "regular" F-TYPE makes some of the loudest, most wonderful noises in the whole world. In fact, I once compared the sound to a lion being stuffed through a jet engine. The SVR has a new Inconel Titanium exhaust system that Jaguar brags "delivers an even more purposeful, harder-edged sound," which I didn't think was possible. That'd be like someone telling me that cantaloupe could get more delicious — it just doesn't seem within the realms of possibility.

Perhaps best of all, unlike other brands that keep the most potent models to a single hard-top variant, Jaguar will sell you the SVR in either Coupe or Convertible form. That means you can hide from the sun in the Coupe or invite all the noises of that new exhaust into the interior with the Convertible.

Pricing starts at $125,950 for the Coupe and $128,800 for the Convertible and the first SVRs will hit showrooms this summer.

Source : http://mashable.com

Scandal-hit Volkswagen sees sales fall 2%

German carmaker Volkswagen says its global sales fell two per cent last year as it struggled with a scandal over cars it had rigged to evade diesel emissions tests in the US.

Sales volume dropped to 9.931 million vehicles from 10.14 million the year before.

The scandal became known only in late September, so it could only have affected figures in the last months of the year.

Sales plunged 37 per cent in Russia and 38 per cent in Brazil as those economies slowed, accounting for much of the overall drop.

Weaker sales in China, the source of much of the company's profits, also hurt.

Deliveries rose by 1.2 per cent in the United States for the full year, though they fell slightly in December.

The figures announced on Friday were for all Volkswagen's brands, including SEAT and Skoda as well as luxury makes Audi and Porsche.

The Volkswagen flagship brand saw sales fall a sharper 4.8 per cent.

"Delivering almost 10 million vehicles is an excellent result, particularly in view of the continued challenging market situation in some regions as well as the diesel issue in the final quarter of last year," chief executive Matthias Mueller said in a statement.

In 2014, Volkswagen finished just behind Toyota in the contest for the title of world's largest carmaker by sales, while General Motors was third.

GM and Toyota announce full-year figures later this month.

Volkswagen briefly pulled ahead for the first six months of 2015 but then slipped behind Toyota.

The company originally set a goal of passing Toyota by 2018, but since the scandal broke has said it is placing less emphasis on raw sales numbers.

Mueller says the company is working to change its culture to prevent future wrongdoing.

The company has commissioned an investigation by US law firm Jones Day.

The US Justice Department is suing Volkswagen, saying it equipped 600,000 cars with software that turned off emissions controls when the vehicle was not on the test stand.

Volkswagen says 11 million cars worldwide have the software. It faces billions in potential fines and costs for recalls as well as lost sales.


Source : http://www.skynews.com