Updates from November, 2011
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Toyota Motor Corp. and BMW AG said they would hold a joint news conference in Tokyo on Thursday after sources this week flagged a likely cooperation between the two in green-car technology.11:41 pm on November 30, 2011
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Lotus Cars USA said Maurizio Parlato, former CEO of Ferrari North America, has been named CEO of the British automaker's U.S. arm as part of a plan to move the brand upmarket.5:25 pm on November 30, 2011
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BorgWarner Inc. said today it sold its tire pressure monitoring business to Germany-based Huf Electronics GmbH.4:07 pm on November 30, 2011
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3:46 pm on November 30, 2011
Crippled by the global downturn and the effects of this year’s earthquake, Japanese automakers used the Tokyo Motor Show to highlight the fact they’re coming back stronger than ever.
While the business of selling cars and highlighting the greenest technologies that will make make their new products more fuel efficient and kinder to the environment are of prime importance, what is equally apparent from the Japanese is their sense of fun married with function. Many of the vehicles on display at the 42nd edition of the Tokyo Motor Show will never set wheels in Canada. Some are pure whimsy, concepts designed to stretch the imagination and technological prowess of the engineers and designers. Others are vehicles that by design, regulations or market realities, are not viable in our country.
It matters not. They are bold, attractive, interesting designs that incorporate power and fuel efficiency without being boring.
2011 Tokyo Motor Show: Honda’s new technology put to the test
2011 Tokyo Motor Show: Nissan is going to get racy
2011 Tokyo Motor Show: Cars we won’t see in Canada
Patricia Cancilla / National Post
Suzuki Regina at the 2011 Tokyo Motor Show
Patricia Cancilla / National Post
Smart fortwo tailor made at the 2011 Tokyo Motor Show
Clare Dear for National Post
Nissan Townpod EV concept the 2011 Tokyo Motor Show.
Patricia Cancilla/National Post
Suzuki Q concept at the 2011 Tokyo Motor Show
Patricia Cancilla/National Post
Nissan Pivo3 at the 2011 Tokyo Motor Show.
Graeme Fletcher for National Post
Mazda6 at the 2011 Tokyo Motor Show
Graeme Fletcher for National Post
Subaru BRZ at 2011 Tokyo Motor Show.
Patricia Cancilla/National Post
Honda Micro Commuter Concept debuts at the 2011 Tokyo Motor Show.
Patricia Cancilla/National Post
Mercedes F125 debuts at the 2011 Tokyo Motor Show.
Patricia Cancilla/National Post
Daihatsu Pico debuts at the 2011 Tokyo Motor Show.
Patricia Cancilla/National Post
Daihatsu Sho Case debuts at the 2011 Tokyo Motor Show.
Patricia Cancilla/National Post
Daihatsu Sho Case debuts at the 2011 Tokyo Motor Show.
Patricia Cancilla/National Post
Toyota FT-EV III the 2011 Tokyo Motor Show.
Patricia Cancilla/National Post
Nisan Juke NISMO at the 2011 Tokyo Motor Show.
Patricia Cancilla/National Post
Nissan Leaf NISMO at the 2011 Tokyo Motor Show.
Patricia Cancilla/National Post
Honda Canopy debuts at the 2011 Tokyo Motor Show.
Patricia Cancilla/National Post
Audi A1 Sportback debuts at the 2011 Tokyo Motor Show.
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The Happy Honda Days spokesman, played by Patrick Warburton, seems to find those Lexus red-bow holiday ads as insufferable as I do.3:15 pm on November 30, 2011
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The long weekend that starts with Black Friday is the time traditional retailers kick off the start of the holiday season by making big bucks from bargain-hunting consumers. And car dealers apparently earned a piece of the action this year, too.2:38 pm on November 30, 2011
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2:29 pm on November 30, 2011
Yokosuka, Japan • The earthquakes and tsunami in Japan earlier this year has that country re-evaluating its sources of electricity — and those concerns are helping kick-start development of electric vehicles as an additional resource to the nation’s power grid.
The battery that powers the all-electric Nissan Leaf is a significant storage unit for electrical energy. In fact, Nissan says the battery’s six kilowatts of power is sufficient electricity to supply the needs of a typical household for two days. It’s also capable of storing photovoltaic energy generated by wind and/or solar panels through its power control system.
The Japanese automaker is actively working with the government here to develop the concept of tapping into electric vehicles such as the Leaf as a viable part of the power supply grid. With Nissan expecting to sell 1.5 million electric vehicles annually by 2016, this supplementary power source could play a role in enhancing electrical infrastructures around the world, assuming various regulatory issues can be resolved.This new chapter in the Leaf story was only part of an extensive global media briefing held at Nissan’s Oppama proving ground this week prior to the opening of the Tokyo Motor Show. The company pulled the covers off several technological innovations it’s working on. Some features we’ll be seeing soon; others may be farther down the road. For example, in an effort to make recharging more convenient for Leaf owners, Nissan engineers have developed a wireless charging system. Simply park the car over the pad, which recharges the battery through electromagnetic induction— no plug-in is required. Engineers say the charging efficiency of the wireless unit is about 80% to 90%, similar to a plug-in charger.
While the Leaf is grabbing all the EV attention at the moment, Nissan continues to work on developing a practical fuel cell stack, which its engineers say will be the solution for long-range use of electric vehicles. They showed off a third-generation, in-house-developed cell that features 2.5 times the power density of the previous unit, yet is 50% smaller in size. Weight has been reduced to 40 kilograms from 120 kg and its cost to produce has been reduced significantly. This new, compact fuel cell stack will still cost about $200,000 to produce, but that’s about 10% of the price tag on the original iteration. Engineers working on the project are confident those cost figures can be reduced further. In fact, they’re currently working on developing fourth and fifth generations of the stack and promise these new units will be very different from the model just introduced — and more cost-efficient. Interestingly, Nissan’s fuel cell technology connects directly to the powertrain used in the Leaf, so there’s no need to develop an electric motor system specifically for use in its fuel cell-powered vehicles.
Efforts to develop new environmental technologies and reduce carbon dioxide emissions — as well as global dependence on non-renewable resources — are only part of Nissan’s story. The company is also committed to developing new safety technologies. It has set a goal of cutting in half the number of fatal and serious injuries involving Nissan vehicles by 2015, with the ultimate objective of reducing that number to substantially zero. While that may sound like a lofty target, there has already been significant progress. In 1995, there were 15.3 fatal and serious injuries per 10,000 units of Nissan vehicles in Japan. That total has already been cut in half (it was 7.2 in 2009) and the prospect of reaching close to zero seems to be attainable. In the United States, the record is similar, with the number of fatalities per 10,000 units reduced to 1.63 from 3.14.
Much of the credit for these improvements in vehicle safety can be attributed to Nissan’s Safety Shield concept, which includes nine technologies — lane departure prevention and lane departure warning, distance control assist and forward collision warning, around-view monitoring system, blind spot warning and intervention systems, plus backup collision intervention and rear moving-object detection.
Now that suite of safety technologies is about to expand. For example, an acceleration suppression system will soon be available that overrides misapplication of the pedals. In other words, when someone accidentally stomps on the accelerator instead of the brake pedal as they pull into a parking stall, the system will apply the brakes and stop the car before it hits the bricks. This technology really works. Creeping up to a foam wall, I was told to mash the gas pedal. I put it to the floor and the car moved forward, then halted abruptly with about 15 to 20 centimetres to spare. The system also works when backing into a parking spot.
Another nifty new system I experienced is what Nissan calls a predictive forward collision warning. Basically, the car sends a forward radar signal that not only detects the vehicle in front, but also the vehicle ahead of that — the signal is channelled under the vehicle immediately in front. If the lead vehicle, which typically can’t be properly seen, suddenly changes speed or stops, the system will issue a series of warnings. An icon is displayed on the dash, there is an audible signal and the seat belts tighten. In a hands-on test, it worked to perfection. I followed a big SUV, which completely blocked my view ahead. The car ahead of it suddenly stopped and the SUV swerved to avoid a collision. I, on the other hand, would have barrelled into the rear of the stopped car had I not already been warned that trouble was brewing. I was able to make an avoidance manoeuvre with ease. However, the system, which has a forward range of about 150 metres, does not apply your vehicle’s brakes — that’s still left to the driver. Expect to see this feature available on Infiniti models soon.
One can also expect to see greater use of cameras as multi-sensing systems in future Nissan products, and not just in the high-end Infiniti lineup. Nissan is developing front and rear camera systems that not only provide a typical view, but also integrate other safety features such as pedestrian avoidance (at speeds up to 30 km/h), lane change and blind spot warnings, rear-view warning of objects and persons (especially little ones) and forward collision avoidance warning. By integrating single cameras front and rear with these technologies, costs are reduced enough that these safety features can be available on models further down the lineup, rather than limited to the upscale vehicles.
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Subaru finally rolled out an undisguised, fully finished production version of its highly anticipated BRZ sports car at the Tokyo motor show.2:24 pm on November 30, 2011
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2:19 pm on November 30, 2011
Motegi, Japan • Honda is set to introduce a new plug-in hybrid and an all-electric version of the Fit. The two are part of an exercise that falls under the company’s Earth Dreams Technology umbrella. Both will be launched in the United States next year. At this point, Honda Canada is still evaluating the viability of bringing one or both to Canada. Put my vote in the bring box!
The new plug-in hybrid uses an entirely new drivetrain — a gasoline-powered engine that is teamed with not one but two electric motors. This is a significant move that vaults Honda into the full-on hybrid league. As such, the plug-in hybrid can run on electric power, a combination of the gasoline and electric power sources or on the gasoline engine alone.
The new 2.0-litre Atkinson-cycle engine uses direct injection along with i-VTEC and variable cam phasing. The combination boosts torque and horsepower considerably while reducing fuel consumption by five per cent compared with the current 1.5L engine used in the Civic Hybrid.
As it stands, the gasoline engine produces 134 horsepower and 111 pound-feet of torque (although one should expect slightly better numbers in the production car). The main electric motor chips in with another 161 hp and 221 lb-ft of torque. The second electric motor plays the role of a generator.Where this system differs from others is that the plug-in hybrid is designed to run on the electricity stored in the six-kilowatt/hour battery — which requires 1.5 hours to recharge using 220 volts — for the first 24 kilometres of the drive. When it’s depleted, the gasoline engine kicks in and drives the generator, which then provides the electricity consumed by the main electric motor.
At highway speeds, the plug-in decouples the electric side and runs on the gasoline engine alone. The interesting part is that, in each case, the motor and engine drive the wheels directly as there is no multi-speed gearbox.
It sounds complicated, but the system is remarkably seamless in the manner in which it operates. Launch is strong thanks to the motor’s low-end torque, and the delivery of power remains linear through the mid-range. Push on a little harder and the gasoline engine fires up and keeps things rolling along nicely.
The test drive of the new hybrid system was conducted in the current Accord sedan — which model will see the production version of the plug-in hybrid system is still up in the air (although my money says Accord).
Outwardly, the Honda Fit EV looks (graphics aside) exactly like its gasoline-powered sibling. In fact, it is only when climbing behind the wheel does one find the first big difference — step-in height is taller because the car has been raised to accommodate the 20-kWh main battery beneath the floor, where it is protected as well as provides a lower centre of gravity. Recharging the battery is done through an onboard charger. The 6.6-kW unit is capable of fully recharging the battery in three hours when using a 220-volt outlet. The downside is the 18 hours it takes to accomplish the same with a regular 110-volt outlet.
In lieu of the 1.5L four-cylinder engine, the EV adopts a derivative of the electric motor that currently sees duty in the fuel cell-powered Clarity. In this instance, it delivers 123 hp and 189 lb-ft of torque. The output is such that the Fit EV enjoys the same sort of acceleration as its regular compactsized counterpart equipped a 2.0L gasoline engine — credit the early arrival of the torque and the fact it stays with the program through the mid-range and on to the top end.
The Fit EV has the potential of delivering a city driving range of 195 km and a highway rating of 150 km. The difference in the distances is due to the lack of regenerative braking when the Fit is driven at a constant speed.
However, Honda is up front and admits that these are ideal distances. As such it takes the ideal and multiplies it by 0.7 to arrive at a real-world number. The multiplier takes into account the power needed to drive the electric air conditioner and power steering, provide heat in winter and supply the power requirements for everything from the radio to the wipers and heated seats. In the end, the Fit EV can provide 125 km of everyday real-world fun.
The EV also features a three-mode drive system similar to the one found in the CR-Z. In economy mode the throttle is much softer (actually too soft for most situations). The caveat to this is that if the distance to empty is getting tight, selecting the eco mode might just be the difference between getting home and not.
Selecting the sport mode sharpens things appreciably, but it does so at the expense of driving range (it reduces the driving distance by up to 25% when compared with the economy mode). As such, normal mode is the best, as it balances the desire for performance with the need for a usable driving range.As for the rest of it, the EV is every bit a Fit. It does not suffer because of the additional mass added by the battery, nor is there any compromise in the utility aspects.
The all-too-brief test drives proved both plug-in hybrid and Fit EV are road ready. Both offer surprising performance and have a ton to offer in terms of reducing the toll the automobile places on the planet.
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The UAW's protest at Hyundai dealerships today is to show support for Korean workers, not to target the automaker's U.S. employees for a membership drive, a union spokeswoman said.1:36 pm on November 30, 2011
