Kia News - Updates on hydrogen in Korea - Part 2 - The latest news from Hyundai
October 31, 2007 by tsikot · Leave a Comment
Filed under: Hydrogen, Hyundai, Kia
I wrote about the Kia Sportage FCEV in Part 1 of this story. Kia is owned by Hyundai, and both are located in Korea. Kia is supposed to be the slightly lower-end and sportier mate to Hyundai’s marginally higher-end and luxurious vehicles. So, it is no surprise that they share hydrogen R&D costs and technology.
Hyundai and Kia have been hard at work developing their fuel cells, but I don’t often hear very much new information from them. Therefore, it was good to read that they have made substantial improvements on their earlier efforts. They have not created any new passenger vehicles like the Tucson FCEV or Sportage FCEV since that 2004 unveiling, however they have been working on a bus. The bus uses their own fuel cell stack, unlike their last vehicles which used fuel cells purchased from UTC Fuel Cells. They are able to match the previous lighter weight FCEV SUV’s from ‘04 range of 180 miles using their own fuel cells, and using roughly the same amount of hydrogen. They hope to reach 200 kW of energy from their unit, up from the previous high of 160 kW.
So, besides the normal facts holding back hydrogen (mentioned in the Part 1), what is holding back the Korean efforts? For one, the production costs for the bus are 20 times higher than ordinary diesel buses. That is a pretty big one. However, Hyundai points out that the costs would go down substantially if more of them were produced.
Related:
- Updates on hydrogen in Korea - Part 1 - Kia and their hydrogen history
- With new battery, Hyundai hybrid inches one step closer to reality
[Source: Fuel Cell Works]
Read | Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments
BOLD MOVES: THE FUTURE OF FORD Step behind the curtain at Ford Motor. Experience the documentary first-hand.
[tags]kia cars, kia cars news, kia cars models, kia news, kia cars reviews[/tags]
DaimlerChrysler News - DaimlerChrysler and BMW officially not working on A-class follow-up
October 31, 2007 by tsikot · Leave a Comment
Guess the rumor was wrong. Automotive News Europe is reporting that DaimlerChrysler and BMW are not in discussions to build a new A-class successor together, using the MINI platform. Thomas Weber, head of research and development at DaimlerChrysler, told Automotive News Europe on Friday that, “There have been no discussions with BMW on sharing platforms. Although I would never say no.” So we’ll keep our ears peeled.
What’s more exciting than this rumor squashing is where Weber was speaking when he made the declaration: at a media event on future hybrid and electric powertrains for Smart cars. We’ll see what we can dig up on that event.
[Source: Dale Jewett / Automotive News Europe (subs req'd)]
Read | Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments
BOLD MOVES: THE FUTURE OF FORD Step behind the curtain at Ford Motor. Experience the documentary first-hand.
Source: www.autobloggreen.com
[tags]daimlerchrysler cars, daimlerchrysler news, daimlerchrysler models[/tags]
Mazda News - Frankfurt Preview: Mazda keeps the focus on low weight with new 6
October 31, 2007 by tsikot · Leave a Comment
The new generation Mazda6 will be debuting next week in Frankfurt and the Japanese brand wants to keep their “Sustainable Zoom-Zoom” strategy going. Like the subcompact Mazda2 that came out Geneva, Mazda has made weight reduction a major part of their design vision for the new car. Taking the opposite tack of the new Honda Accord, the Mazda6 will be lighter than the current model and have lower fuel consumption. All car companies need to putting effort into weight reduction since that is one of the reasons for ever more powerful engines. Keep the mass down and performance and handling both improve without sacrificing efficiency.
[Source: Mazda]
Mazda continues Lightweight Strategy
with All-New Mazda6
Leverkusen, 6th September 2007. At this year’s Frankfurt Motor Show, Mazda Motor Corporation will underscore its “Sustainable Zoom-Zoom” vision for developing technologies that have less impact on the environment. Taking centre stage is the world premiere of the all-new Mazda6, which continues Mazda’s lightweight strategy. It is slightly lighter, uses less fuel and produces less CO2 than its predecessor.
The all-new Mazda2 - the first model to break the upward spiral of ever-heavier cars - is also lighter, more frugal and produces far lower CO2 emissions than the previous model. In Frankfurt, Mazda introduces the diesel version of the all-new Mazda2.
The best proof of Mazda’s daring, innovative spirit is the rotary engine. Mazda will celebrate the 40th anniversary of this unique technology in Frankfurt with the presentation of a Special Edition RX-8.
The Frankfurt Motor Show press days are on the 11th and 12th September. The public days are the 15th - 23rd September. Mazda will unveil the all-new Mazda6 during its press conference on Tuesday, 11th September, at 13:45, at the Mazda stand, which is No. 3.1 A08 in Hall 3.1.
Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments
BOLD MOVES: THE FUTURE OF FORD Step behind the curtain at Ford Motor. Experience the documentary first-hand.
Source: www.autobloggreen.com
[tags]mazda cars, mazda news, mazda models[/tags]
Cadillac News - First Cadillac turbo diesel, but only for Europe
October 31, 2007 by tsikot · Leave a Comment
, Cadillac
We can add one more fuel saving vehicle to the list of the ones the U.S. won’t see in a showroom near you anytime soon. The Cadillac BLS, produced at GM’s Saab headquarters in Sweden on the Saab 9-3 platform, is a European-only Caddy positioned to compete in the mid-sized, luxury-car segment. The BLS is offered with a range of engines with displacements from 1.9 to 2.8-liters and maximum horsepower varying from 150 to 255. The Cadillac BLS with the 1.9-liter direct-injected, turbocharged diesel engine is really what stands out on this car, since it is the first turbo diesel ever offered in a Cadillac. The diesel engine offers an average fuel-consumption rate of 6.1 liters of gas per 100 kilometers, which corresponds to 38.6 mpg. This does not compare favorably with the 20.1 mpg fuel economy of the American made Cadillac CTS, powered by the 2.8-liter gasoline engine. While the article claims any type of diesel engine is a first for Cadillac, Eric Bryant reminded me that Cadillac used the infamous LF9 Oldsmobile 350 diesel back in the ’70s.
[Source: Wired]
Read | Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments
BOLD MOVES: THE FUTURE OF FORD Step behind the curtain at Ford Motor. Experience the documentary first-hand.
Source: www.autobloggreen.com
[tags]cadillac cars, cadillac news, cadillac models[/tags]
Jeep News - CAR checks out the Jeep Compass CRD
October 31, 2007 by tsikot · Leave a Comment
, Jeep
CAR magazine over in the UK has a quick look at the new Jeep Compass CRD, a combination that’s not available over here. The right hand drive oil-burning Jeep encounters many of the same complaints it faces in the US market, most notably the cheap feeling hard plastic interior, which is even more of a problem because there are a lot of neat details in the interior. The Volkswagen sourced 2.0L diesel also comes in for some criticism for being noisy, although it does have plenty of torque. Hopefully, if the domestic version of the Compass gets a diesel it will the new Mercedes 2.2L which should be showing up in other Chrysler products in the next couple of years. The handling on the other hand was good, thanks to it’s Dodge Caliber platform, but the ride was stiff. Overall it’s not bad as crossovers go, but not great.
[Source: CAR]
Read | Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments
BOLD MOVES: THE FUTURE OF FORD Step behind the curtain at Ford Motor. Experience the documentary first-hand.
Source: www.autobloggreen.com
[tags]jeep cars, jeep news, jeep models[/tags]
