Electrovaya receives $5M grant from Canadian goverment for PHEV Dodge Ram project
Filed under: EV/Plug-in, Hybrid
The development of the plug-in hybrid Dodge Ram has flown under the radar lately, but we’ve managed to uncover an update or two within the past year. Dodge’s secretive nature regarding the PHEV Ram has left us wishing for more details, but we’ll have to make do with what we can get for now… and it at least shows that the PHEV Ram is still progressing along.
As we’ve mentioned before, the Canadian-based Electrovaya will supply the lithium-ion batteries for the test fleet of PHEV Rams. Now, the Canadian government has stepped in with monetary support to help quicken the pace of development for the plug-in Ram and other future PHEV trucks. Sustainable Development Technology Canada has provided Electrovaya with a $5 million grant to help the company further develop its advanced energy storage systems for plug-in hybrid trucks.
The additional funds won’t be funneled entirely towards the PHEV Ram test fleet, but it’s likely that it and many other future plug-in hybrid trucks will reap the benefits of Electrovaya’s li-ion research and development… now funded by our friendly neighbors to the north.
[Source: Green Car Advisor]
Electrovaya receives $5M grant from Canadian goverment for PHEV Dodge Ram project originally appeared on Autoblog Green on Sat, 10 Jul 2010 18:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Toyota Outlines New Quality and Safety Initiatives, Is it Enough?
Toyota North America gets more “regional self-reliance” as part of its parent company’s sweeping plan to improve quality, and quality perception, after suffering several major blows to its reputation in the past year. This is the most important action for Toyota’s U.S. and Canadian customers, as it became clear last year when Toyota Motor Company President, CEO and scion Akio Toyoda testified about unintended acceleration, misapplied floor mats and rusty Tundras before a rabid U.S. House committee. It was clear from those hearings that Toyota in Tokyo gave its North American operations far too little authority and autonomy in dealing with quality, safety and overall engineering and management issues.
Now, having studied 3600 complaints of “unintended acceleration” so far, Toyota has found no reproducible cases, and it may be turning the tide on this issue after a couple of out-and-out hoaxes followed sincere, though ridiculous “demon runaway car” claims. Unspeakable as it may be, the unintended acceleration issue looks to me like it’s largely the product of a quickly aging Toyota buyer base. There have been no such cases regarding its Scion youth brand.
Its quality initiative is designed to take on all such issues, real and imagined. It has added a layer of management to train its workers. And about 1000 engineers are being added to Toyota’s quality innovation activity. It’s stepping up evaluation of quality and safety problems from consumers’ points of view and it’s adding about four weeks to a typical new model’s development time.
Digital radio switchover due by 2015 (UK)
The Government is likely to go ahead with plans to replace analogue with digital radio from 2015, but has agreed on the date, if consumer uptake fails to rise.
The switch-over could make approximately 20m car stereos outmoded. Just 1% of cars on UK roads currently have the capability to receive digital signals. Nevertheless, the Government said that it wouldn’t switch off FM transmissions at the same time.
There has already been disapproval of the digital switchover strategy by the Communications Committee of the House of Lords. It has warned of a ‘major negative public reaction’ to the switch-over, as car manufacturers are continuing to fit analogue radios and will not make digital units compulsory until 2013.
The UK digital coverage stands at around 90% compared with 99% for FM. Digital signals are also more vulnerable to coverage problems because they will cut out completely rather than carry on at low quality. On a more positive note, digital radio will offer a wider range of radio stations and genres. Sound quality will also be much better than analogue.
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BMW celebrates 25 years of M3
Filed under: Classics, Convertible, Coupe, Performance, Europe, BMW
1986 BMW M3 – Click above for high-res image gallery
It’s been 25 years since the BMW M3 first hit the scene. During that time, the car has evolved from a bantamweight fighter capable of taking on heavy hitters of the sports car world to the yardstick that the rest of the segment is measured. In the process, it has shed its bulging, steroid-riddled fenders for smoother sheetmetal and abandoned its four-cylinder engine for an out of this world aluminum mill with twice the pots, but its essence as a well-balanced sports coupe remains.
The transformation wasn’t easy. BMW sent the car through innumerable trials on the tracks and trails of the motorsports world, and the mean little 3 Series quickly established itself as a force to be reckoned with on the grid.
BMW has commemorated its wicked child’s birthday by recounting the tale of the car’s conception. Don’t worry: it’s a lot less repulsive than listening to your parents yak on about how you came around. The tale is filled with the origins of the car’s 2.3-liter four-cylinder engine, including where the engineers managed to source parts and the like. It’s well worth your time if you’ve got a second. Check past the jump for the full tale and the high-res gallery below for for the M3′s stunning quarter-century as chronicled in photos.
Ferrari F430 gets Lambo-style SV treatment
Filed under: Aftermarket, Performance, Japan, Ferrari
Ferrari F430 Super Veloce Racing – Click above for image gallery
Exotic cars may look all the same to most passers-by, but gearheads know a Ferrari from a Lamborghini. Japanese tuning house Auto Veloce has blurred the lines somewhat, however. Its Ferrari F430 package gets a similar visual treatment to those seen on the Lamborghini Gallardo Superleggera and Murcielago SuperVeloce. The result is dubbed the F430 Super Veloce Racing. It’s got the front air dam, quarter panel intakes and rear wing like the hardcore Lambos, only they’re applied to the outgoing mid-engined V8 Ferrari. As you can see in the attached image gallery, the Super Veloce Racing package can be applied to either Berlinetta or Spider bodystyles. Call it an unholy mash-up or the best of both worlds; either way, it’s available for order.
Gallery: Ferrari F430 Super Veloce Racing
0-60 interviews record-setting Bugatti driver
Filed under: Motorsports, Coupe, Performance, Europe, Bugatti, Luxury
Pierre Henri Raphanel in the Bugatti Veyron 16.4 Grand Sport – Click above for high-res image gallery
We hate to be the ones to break this to you, but chances are you will never manage to drive 267.81 mph. That’s OK though, because neither will we, nor will the fair majority of humanity. Speeds of 250+ mph plus are relegated to the select few who have played their cards right enough to become factory test drivers for the likes of Bugatti. Such is the case with Pierre Henri Raphanel, the guy who just piloted the Veyron 16.4 Super Sport into the history books.
0-60 magazine phoned Raphanel to discuss his recent run down the Ehra-Lessien track and found out just what it takes to put your right foot down and hold it there well beyond the point when your sane mind tells you to let off. Raphanel gives up some really interesting details. For instance, running the course backwards presents unique challenges, as the grain of the asphalt wreaks havoc on the direction of the vehicle at speed. Hop over to 0-60 for the full read.It’s a good one.
Report: Fiat says Ferrari boss Montezemolo not quitting
Filed under: Ferrari, Fiat
Luca Cordero di Montezemolo stepped down from his position as chairman of Fiat a couple of months ago but remains chairman and president of Ferrari. There have been recent reports that Montezemolo also leave that role, with an Italian paper claiming that an Agnelli family scion would take over the position. Fiat has gone on record with Reuters to say those reports aren’t true.
Montezemolo is 62, and outside of his Ferrari obligations runs a think tank and is considering a leap into politics. People would certainly understand his leaving, but it looks like Montezemolo will retain his position and continue making bi-weekly complaints about the FIA and its Formula 1 stewards for a while longer.
[Source: Reuters]
Report: Fiat says Ferrari boss Montezemolo not quitting originally appeared on Autoblog on Sat, 10 Jul 2010 14:25:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
