The manufacturers’ electric dreams continues. And this dream isn’t just reserved for US and Japanese car makers. There are other players out there in the market that sees a future in electric vehicles. In fact its a new face in the field. Think Global has electric dreams as well.
Change topic. Dreams end here. Lionel Roddick signs off.
Honda Motor Co. President Taeko Fukui admits that indeed the new Clarity is a bit pricey and he believes that this fuel cell car is in need of further reduction in terms of cost so that the vehicle can get a wider market acceptance. It is acknowledged that the low number of service stations that can serve these fuel cell vehicles can limit the proudction and in effect increase production costs.
Clarity’s Lease Program
Honda initiated the lease program for the Clarity and it is acknowledged as the world’s first retail initiative for fuel cell-run vehicles. The lease term for the Clarity runs for 36 months and it is expected that the customers will shell out around $600.00. That payment should include free maintennace and collision insurance.
That’s the Honda FCX Clarity and production starts this week.
What makes the Honda Clarity a complete stand out in the field is the fact that it uses a fuel cell, and its streamlined layout that is made possible by the compact layout and the car’s efficient powertrain components. The car works and power itselfs by combining hydrogen with oxygen to make electricity. This electrical output is the one that powers the electrical motor and the one that pushes the Clarity to run on the road. The Clarity is emission-free as its only waste is water. The operation of the FCX is basically anchored on five steps. The Hydrogen tank is where the hydrogen is stored, there is the V Flow fuel cell stack that generates the electricity, the Lithium-ion battery that stores the electricity, the Power Drive Unit that manages the electrical flow and the electric drive motor that runs the Clarity.
The Hydrogen tank on board the Clarity is the place where Hydrogen is stored. The V Flow produces the electricity for the vehicle. It combines the hydrogen with oxygen from air and this results in the creation of the electricity. That electricity is the one that powers the motor and runs the vehicle. The fuel cell on board the car is made from thin electrolyte film that is wedged in betwen the two electrode layers in betweeb two separators. Hundred layers of these cells are then connected in series. So how does this works. The Hydrogen will be delivered into an anoded of the fuel cell. The Hydrogen molecules are then divided into electrons and protons thur the use of a catalyst. The electrons are then channeled through the circuit in order to produce electricity. The protons on the other hand pass thrugh a polymer electrolyte membrane. The oxygen enters the cathode and combines with electrons and protons to form water. In the end of the reaction, water vapor and heat are released. The Lithium-ion battery is a supplemental power source on the Clarity. This effectively replaces the ultra-capacitor from earlier FCX models. This is a small battery that cna fit underneath the rear seat. The compact electric motor that serves the Clarity is a small and powerful motor. The motor traces its roots to the one that’s developed by Honda for the EV PLus electric vehicle. Low noise and high efficiency; things that can be delivered by this motor for the Clarity. The Power Drive Unit or the PDU manages the electrical power produced by the car. This is compact and high performing as well. Innovation marks the new powertrain of the FCX Clarity. With its design and layout, the powertrain of the vehicle has become garceful.
The current Nissan Skyline 350 GT that’s available in the market is sold as the Infiniti G35. Aside from the North American market, the Nissan Skyline/Infiniti G35, this car is also sold in South Korea, Taiwan and the Middle East. This car is an entry-level luxury car/midsize car that’s produced by Nissan’s Infiniti. This is Nissan’s own luxury division. The Skyline/Infiniti G35 is available in sedan and in coupe. This car from Infiniti is available in two generations and a 2005 refresh.
The first generation of the G35 was introduced in the North American market as a replacement for the Infiniti G20. The car is based on the platform that is shared with the Nissan 350Z sports car and the Infiniti FX crossover SUV. When this car was introduced in 2003, the car received positive reviews from critics and was also seen as a good alternative to the more expensive luxury cars that are available during that time. Some of the awards generated by the first generation G35 include a citation for North American Car of the Year and this was included as well on Car and Driver mag listing for Ten Best for 2003 and 2004.
The first generation of was refreshed for 2005. Much of the improvements were done on its styling. The interior of the G35 was given sportier gauges with better backlighting. The tinted interior trim was replaced by genuine aluminum trim. The dash and the center console was re-styled as well. The Rosewood trim was now available as a package on the 2005 refreshed version. Entertainment packages in the form of the MP3/WMA playback was added to the car. Brakes was improved as well as a response to concerns of premature wear on the 2003-2004 models.
The second generation of the G35 was introduced in 2007. This car was powered by a new engine, the VQ35HR. The HR stands for High Revolution.
In a step towards clean burning technology, Honda has started the production of their Honda FCX Clarity. The automaker revealed as well that they are planning to produce just 200 of these futuristic vehicles and just this week the company has announced their first five customers. And Jamie Lee Curtis is part of that list.
The start of the production of the FCX was celebrated in a ceremony at a factory somewhere in Tokyo. The automaker reveals that the FCX Clarity can be easily filled up at the pump and can be driven 280 miles in a full tank, comparable to a gasoline car. This car will get a high fuel efficiency as well. Tough it may look good, this same technology got some issues as well. One problem that is encountered by the manufacturer is the prohibitive cost of the of the fuel cells. But Honda assured people that it has found ways in order to drive cost down, and that can allow them to mass produce the said car. Just this week, the company showed visitors and reporters its fuel cell production line that looks like a semi conductor factory.
The move of Honda right now is part strategic and part safety on its part so that it won’t pale in comparison with its competitor, Toyota. When it comes to hybrids, the Toyota thru its Prius is known as the leader and the promoter of the technology. But it isn’t Toyota’s Prius as the first car of its kind in the market. It was Honda thru its Insight that was first introduced in the US market. But with its move rigth now, Honda can right whatever missteps it made by revealing A-lister customers. Aside from Jamie Lee Curtis, other personalities on the waiting list are Christopher Guest, Canadian actress Laura Harris and Oscar winning Little Miss Sunshine Producer Ron Yerza.
Certified cars, at least. That’s the plan that will be undertaken by Chrysler. This should be good news for fans of Chrysler vehicles who don’t have enough budget just yet for a new one. This development follows the pioneering tie-up between eBay and General Motors Corporation that the two group announced early this year. The partnership is expected to cover and to market over 15,0000 certified pre-owned vehicles of its Chrysler, Jeep and Dodge brands on the eBay motors site. This agreement between eBay and general Motors follows GM’s program announced in February to list all of the inventory of certified pre-owned cars at some 3,900 GM-affiliated dealers listed on eBay. The listing is now live on the site.
With the recent developments in the market, GM has set a moist eye on selling used vehicles. One reason why automakers like GM have been pushing for used vehicles in the market is the fact that US auto sales are expected to drop to near 15 million units in 2008. The number 3 US automaker has sold more than 122,000 certified used cars in 2007. Chrysler’s used car sales are up by eight percent, while the figures for new vehicles have dropped more than 20 percent. The Chrysler’s line-up cover models from 2003 to 2008 with less than 65,000 miles and these cars are all reconditioned to meet the automaker’s standard. Of course, these vehicles come with warranty. These vehicles carry an eight year warranty, or 80,000 mile powertrain warranty, roadside assistance and rental car allowances. Other than eBay, Chrysler is expected to seek tie-ups with search engines like Cars.com and AutoTrader.com in an effort to help dealers market used vehicles.
About eBay
eBay is an online auction and a shopping website wherein visitors of the site and businesses can buy and sell goods. Other than the US site of eBay, the company also operates localized version of the site in thirty other countries. eBay also owns PayPal, Skype and Stubhub.
With market looking grim, the boost and hype for alternative fuels and fuel efficient vehicles continues to grow. And right now, it’s the time of hype for the hydrogen cars. And to make its mark on the public minds, Hollywood A-listers lend their names and faces in hyping these cars.
One such Hollywood celebrity that promote these car is the Oscar-winning writer and director Paul Haggis. Haggis owns four Toyota Priuses and on the waiting list as well to buy the $100,000 Tesla electric roadster. And upon hearing the new Honda FCX Clarity- a hydrogen car that can get you 270 miles on a tank and emits nothing but water, Haggis intends to drive it as well. Another Hollywood name is Joely Fisher of Fox’s Til Death TV show. She arranged for BMW to loan her the sleek metallic blue Hydrogen 7-Series. There are only 20 of cars of this kind in the country, since this is just experimental.
Based on some initial tests, the soon-to-be released GT-R from Nissan was considered as among the fastest ever productions cars at the Ring. That feat was announced by Nissan last month after the supercar has achieved 7 minutes and 29 seconds at the Nurburgring in Germany. This strip is also known as the Ring. The feat by Nissan GT-R was achieved last April 16 and 17. The GT-R used for testing was a base specification car and then fitted with the standard Japanese market tyres. The test drive was initiated by chief test driver Tochio Suzuki. The lap time netted by the new GT-R easily edged out the previous fastest time for the GT-R by nine seconds. The previous lap time was also made possible by Suzuki.
The all-new GT-R has been delivered in Japan that started in December 2007. Sales in other countries like in US and Canada start in July and will extend to Europe and other markets in the span of 12 months.
Too little, too late? Either way, at least the government showed its determination in making sure that hybrid plug-in research will get the attention of most carmakers. The government thru Department of Energy has earmarked $30 million to develop and demonstrate Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicles research projects over the next three years. The said amount will be shared by Ford, General Motors and General Electric. The department said that the projects that can be funded by the money will hasten the development of vehicles traveling up to 40 miles without recharging. The said project will also address critical barriers to achieving the DOE’s goal of making such cars cost-competitive by 2014 and by making these cars ready fro commercialization by 2016. The announcement was made by the Assistant Secretary of the Department of Energy, Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Andy Karsner. Selected projects will be undertaken and these projects are geared towards the acceleration of the development of PHEVS. The Assistant Secretary added that this demonstrated a shared public-private sector commitment to advance clean vehicle technologies and can help reduce the dependence on oil and at the same time confronting the serious challenges of climate changes. He added that the Department remains committed to the research, development and deployment of cleaner and more efficient vehicle options for consumers from laboratory to the street.
Calling Batman.
Is it possible to change the shape of your car, by just a simple touch of a button? For BMW, that can happen in the future, and in fact the company is working on a concept that can allow the BMW driver to change the looks of the car’s exterior and body just by a touch of a button. BMW’s GINA Light Vision Visionary Model actually tries to do that. This concept is actually a two-seater concept car that wears a flexible and virtually seamless skin that is made of a textile fabric and then stretched over a metal wire structure enforced with carbon fiber. This would then give the driver with the flexibility to change the shape of the car from within and without.
The near-seamless, stretchable fabric that can contort into different shapes is water-proof and temperature-resistant. This special fabric is draped over a high-strength metal wire structure that features a series of carbon fiber and steel mesh in different locations. The appearance of the cars can be changed by means of switches. Take the car’s headlights. The headlights will remain hidden until the driver switch it on. If the engine of the concept car needs to be accessed, then the bonnet can be unzipped down the middle to create a half-meter-wide gap. Not all body changes need to be started by a switch. Some are automatic. For an improved aerodynamics at higher speeds, the roadster concept will generate extra downforce by deploying a rear spoiler. The concept was based on one principle, that’s to display only the functions that are relevant to the driver’s present driving situation.
Though the pictures of the concept has just been released, this concept car dates back to 2001. It has been reported as well that the GINA concept uses the platform of the Z8 roadster, the ones that were last sold in 2003. The designers of the concept calls the car a concept car behind a concept, and calls the car an object of research. GINA stands for Geometry and Functions in N Adaptions.
But this BMW GINA won’t be coming to the showrooms near you just yet. But its maker hopes that the design will rub off on some of BMW’s future models. If you would like to see the GINA personally, then you can visit the car at the BMW museum in Munich, Germany.
