Automotive dreams in the queue

In our lifetime we will witness the age of 100 mile-per gallon cars, lifetime headlights and taillights, streaming entertainment and information content, and cars that drive themselves. Actually, all this will be here a lot sooner than you think -- within the next few years.

Here's the stuff of automotive dreams, already on queue for production.

(Picture Top-Left: Mercedes Bluetec Engine)

Engines

Diesels are aiming to be the new hybrids. The problem is, diesel's used to be dirty engines and have had a hard time making any progress in the U.S. market. But new emissions technology solves that, giving these oil burners a clean bill of health in all 50 states.

The high cost of diesels is also coming down to more affordable levels. Look for these cleaner, more efficient diesel engines in the Jeep Grand Cherokee, Volkswagen Jetta TDI; Mercedes' E320, ML320 and GL320 BLUETEC models, Chevy Silverado/GMC Sierra 2500/3500 HD, Dodge Ram 2500/3500 and the Ford F-250/F-350/F-450. Also on the horizon is a diesel powered Honda Accord, set to debut in 2009, which is apparently capable of 52 mpg.

Hybrids are hot now (who's going to argue with 50 MPG?), but they'll be getting hotter as prices in this segment also come down.

J.D. Power predicts 345,000 hybrids will be sold in '07 -- a 35 percent increase over '06. Honda and Hyundai are gunning for the big mileage (and sales) numbers by dropping their smallest engine into their most lightweight chassis (a Honda Fit-sized car and Hyundai Accent respectively). Also look for large models, like the Chevrolet Malibu Hybrid and Saturn's Vue and Aura Green Linemodels to deliver modest fuel savings at practical prices and stylish packaging.

More exciting than both diesels and hybrids is a technology that has gone from theory to aluminum in the last couple of years because of advances in computer technology. HCCI, or homogeneous charge compression ignition (also see more on HCCI here http://www.autoblog.com/tag/HCCI) is a gas engine that acts like a diesel motor.

Like a diesel engine, gas inside the cylinder is ignited through compression and the heat generated by the engine itself. No spark plugs. The result? Diesel economy and efficiency at roughly half the weight and materials cost of a conventional gas engine with no need to treat the exhaust.

GM demonstrated two vehicles fitted with HCCI engines in August. Mercedes wowed crowds even more recently at the Frankfurt auto show with their DiesOtto implementation that merges HCCI technology with a mild hybrid module to produce 238 hp, 295 lb.-ft. of torque and 39 mpg in a vehicle the size of an S-Class sedan. Mercedes squeezed that performance from a 1.8-liter four-cylinder engine.

All of these technologies are stop-gap solutions until the most efficient answer arrives on our shores -- hydrogen. How soon? FreedomCAR, a partnership of the U.S. Department of Energy and the United States Council for Automotive Research, projects that hydrogen technology will be broadly available to the masses by 2015.

On the fuel cell side, Honda has indicated that their new FCX Concept will slide alongside the existing previous-generation FCX already on the road by 2008. GM's Project Driveaway is putting at least 100 fuel-cell powered vehicles in the hands of lucky testers this year, but the hydrogen-powered Equinoxes are not available for sale.

As for hydrogen combustion engines, small numbers are popping up as manufacturers like BMW (see the BMW Hydrogen 7) keep real-world testing and refining concepts, but there are no production plans as of yet. Obviously, both solutions face infrastructure challenges for refueling that are still being worked out.

Until the heady days of hydrogen power are realized, you still have radical alternatives to diesel and conventional hybrids if you want to drive green.

Internet reports abound of home-customized Priuses topping the 100 mpg mark with the advantage of enhanced battery packs and modified software keeping the cars running on electric power far longer than their stock counterparts.

Plug-in hybrids hold the potential to dwarf the fuel economy potential of diesels and hybrids, but cheeky price points, mostly from the cost of hefty battery packs, might be what are holding off production announcements from manufacturers. Not even a date can be pegged to the darling of poster boards, Chevrolet's Volt. While plug-ins are being researched and developed by major manufacturers like Toyota, Ford and GM, the impatient can check out a handful of small companies which offer plug-in conversion kits for hybrids, complete with instructions.

Or the impatient can skip the gas motor all together. The smooth exterior lines and booked solid pre-orders of the Tesla proved that the electric car is far from dead ... it's just pretty expensive.

Miles Automotive Group aims to change that. Their coming XS500, an electric midsize sedan, will arrive in the states in 2008 with a top speed of 80 mpg and a range of 120 miles. The price: $30,000. The XS500 could be joined by a $45,000 electric sport-utility truck and SUV from Phoenix Motorcars sometime in 2009. The SUV and SUT would start with a 130 mile range, a 0-60 time of 10 seconds and a top speed of 95 mph.

Additional models coming to U.S. pavement (or already there) include Zap's intriguing Zap-X, Wrightspeed's blazingly fast Wrightspeed X1, and the very affordable NmG from Myers Motors.

Entertainment

A survey conducted by TRG, Telematics Research Group Inc., reveals that nearly 70 percent of announced upcoming 2008 vehicles for sale in the U.S. will have a Bluetooth communications system either as optional or standard equipment. Navigation systems will be available in 80 percent of coming 2008 vehicles, according to the same survey.

We're at the point where digital entertainment storage systems like Microsoft/Ford's SYNC (See video of SYNC ) and Chrysler's MyGiG (see more on MyGig ) are about to go from super cool to everyday accessories like an iPod thanks to broad introductions that span the luxury segment to value-driven cars like the Ford Focus. What's the next frontier?

Streaming media is one. Supplier interviews conducted by the Center For Automotive Research (CAR) point to 2010 as the year when customized or on-demand content will be streamed to vehicles. That customized content could span the gamut from television programming and movies to important local updates, along with new, far more robust real-time traffic data through two-way communication.

Couple this trend with the fact that vehicle-based digital storage (handy for buffering downloads) will increase and drop in price, and you have a done deal. Almost: CAR notes that the challenge isn't displaying the content, but finding the bandwidth and compression necessary to deliver the programming.

A closer star on the horizon of coming entertainment is HD radio, which is popping up in cars by BMW and Ford this year, and will be added to, at least, the Jaguar XJ and Hyundai's Genesis for 2008.

Using technology licensed from a company called iBiquity Digital, HD radio promises to deliver AM radio in FM-quality sound and FM channels in CD-quality sound, along with accompanying data that will begin with artist, song and station information. Digital radio gives a broader frequency response to channels, transforms AM radio from mono to stereo, and allows for better stereo separation.

Check out (http://www.ibiquity.com/hd_radio/hdradio_experience) to hear the difference. Bob Struble, president and CEO of iBiquity sees next-generation HD radios offering users the chance to buy songs and advertised products or even bring TiVo-like qualities to the radio experience. iBiquity estimates that by 2008 more than 90% of the U.S. population will be reached by HD radio broadcasters.

Safety

The Lexus LS 460 is the first vehicle for sale in the U.S. that can park itself. Audi's dynamic steering system adjusts the driver's steering inputs when the vehicle senses that the handling limits have been reached, even making slight corrective inputs on its own when things are getting out of hand.

The Lane Departure Prevention System on Infiniti's new EX35 manipulates the brakes at individual wheels to help steer the SUV back into its lane when it senses an unintentional drift. Welcome to the brave new world of Active Safety 2.0, where your vehicle humbly offers assistance to keep you out of trouble, in addition to trying to save you when you're in it.

In 2005 General Motors announced that the 2008 Opel Vectra would be the first car to boast Traffic Assist, a system that allows the car to drive itself at speeds up to 60 mph -- even in heavy traffic. The system sees road signs, bends and other vehicles in the road to adjust the car's trajectory and speed according to everything going on around it.

As advanced and capable as the system may be, composed of processors, lasers and a video camera, it won't be offered for sale in the United States, but in Germany. Why? Two reasons: one, we live in the most litigious nation in the world. Two, we Americans, as a mass of consumers, aren't comfortable paying additional price premiums for the safety technology we crave -- we feel it should be included in the vehicle's price.

One coming revolution we'll definitely see is brake-by-wire technology. A brake-by-wire system replaces the hydraulic hardware of conventional brakes with faster-acting and more environmentally friendly electric motors and relays that should be more reliable and take up less space. We're already seeing conventional hydraulic systems get smarter with radar-based augmentations like Mercedes' Brake Assist Plus and Infiniti's Preview Braking by pressurizing the brake system earlier, allowing for a faster response and shorter braking distance when the driver decides to hit the pedal. A fully electronic braking system should further improve on stopping times and distances. Automotive News predicts brake-by-wire systems will surface in 2011.

Whether or not you purchase a vehicle with any, or all, of these trends one thing is certain ... automotive dreams do come true.



By Jon Gromer taken from CNN/AOL Auto

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Green is the word

LONDON, England -- The major theme of this year's early motor shows in Detroit and Los Angeles confirmed that "green" cars are finally credible in the U.S., in the wake of increased awareness of climate change and continued high fuel prices.

(Picture Left-Top: Hybrid taxis are unveiled in New York City. At Detroit's Auto Show earlier this year, U.S. automakers highlighted the latest technology in hybrid models)

While development of the hydrogen fuel-cell as the probable motive force of the future, the technology of the moment is the petrol-electric hybrid, in which a petrol engine and electric motors work in tandem.

The benefits are zero emissions when the car operates in electric-only mode, while the petrol engine can be smaller due to its electrical assistance. A smaller capacity engine also means less carbon dioxide emissions, while battery charging is taken care of by the petrol engine.

Drawbacks include greater complexity and weight, then there's the issue of making and disposing of the batteries, not to mention limited range in electric-only mode.

But industry analysts say that hybrids are just token models. The reason for their increasing popularity in the U.S. is due to the Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) regulations -- the average economy of a car maker's range has to be 27.5 miles per gallon. This means that if a manufacturer sells a hybrid capable of 60 miles per gallon, it is allowed to sell less efficient cars -- typically SUVs and trucks -- that only manage 20 miles per gallon.

California is the undisputed hybrid capital of the world, due to a commitment to low-emissions regulations. The Los Angeles show featured offerings from the world's big four manufacturers of hybrid cars; Ford, General Motors, Honda and Toyota. Nissan also joined the party, showing a hybrid version of the Altima saloon.

Ford showed its Escape Hybrid, America's first hybrid-electric vehicle and the most-fuel efficient SUV on sale, delivering 36 miles per gallon in city driving.

General Motors introduced two of the four hybrid models it is launching this year, the Saturn Aura Green Line Hybrid and the 2008 Yukon Hybrid. The latter is only the second GM vehicle to be marketed with GM's new two-mode full hybrid system, which uses an electrically variable transmission with two hybrid modes of operation that optimize power and torque for various driving conditions. The first mode is for low speeds and light loads, while the second is primarily for highway speeds.

This system is also the starting point for a collaboration between GM, DaimlerChrysler and BMW.

At Detroit, GM launched its Chevrolet Volt concept car, the first mass market prototype designed to operate purely using an electric motor.

The vehicle will be powered by new-style lithium batteries, charged via a domestic electricity socket.

It could also feature a range of supplementary power sources including an ethanol-based petrol engine and, eventually, hydrogen fuel cells.

The Volt can run in electric-only mode for up to 40 miles. In a daily commute of 30 miles it would deliver an equivalent fuel consumption of about 150 miles per gallon using ethanol.

Honda, which reached a milestone of 100,000 hybrid sales in August 2005, launched an all-new version of the popular Civic Hybrid capable of 49 miles per gallon in urban driving.

The Civic, and the larger Accord Hybrid, are powered by Honda's Integrated Motor Assist (IMA) hybrid technology which uses an ultra-compact electric motor/generator to provide supplemental power to the engine using energy captured during deceleration or braking.

Toyota is a sales leader with its Prius, which combines a 1.5-liter petrol engine and an electric motor to give economy in the region of 60 miles per gallon in urban driving. The larger Camry hybrid, with similar Hybrid Synergy Drive, delivers an EPA-estimated 40 miles per gallon in the city.

Its Lexus luxury division is offering the LS600h, the world's first full V8 hybrid. Although it's a large, luxury car, thanks to the assistance of an electric motor the 600h is claimed to deliver the performance of a V12 petrol engine with emissions 70 per cent lower than equivalent V8-powered saloons.

The all-new Nissan Altima Hybrid, Nissan's first entry into the hybrid petrol-electric vehicle segment, made its debut in Los Angeles. It features a 2.5-liter, four-cylinder engine and electronic Continuously Variable Transmission (eCVT) with an electric motor and generator that combines greater economy (an estimated 41 miles per gallon around town) with low emissions.

At Detroit, Mazda unveiled a hybrid version of its Tribute SUV, its first production hybrid vehicle, which goes on sale in the U.S. later this year. With a combined power output from its petrol engine and electric motor of 155bhp, the Tribute HEV meets both the strict Super Ultra Low Emissions Vehicle (SULEVII) and the Advanced Technology Partial Zero Emissions Vehicle (AT-PZEV) standards in California -- the world's strictest emission regulations for a petrol-engined vehicle.


By Paul Hudson taken from CNN

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Carmakers rush to jump on green bandwagon

GENEVA, Switzerland -- There was a distinctly green theme at this year's Geneva motor show, as manufacturers battled to prove their environmental credentials in a world that is increasingly concerned with the environment and man's effect on it.

(Picture Left: Honda's Small Hybrid Sports Concept shows it's possible to eco-aware will having fun.)

Although petrol-electric hybrid vehicles are seen as the interim technology to reduce fossil fuel use and emissions of carbon dioxide, the hydrogen fuel cell is still likely to represent the future of motoring.

Plenty of the former were on display at Geneva as the industry realizes that so-called "green" cars can sell.

Honda and Toyota are the mass-market pioneers of petrol-electric hybrids, and although their offerings might be constructed at a loss it is worth it in terms of marketing and a perception of being at the vanguard of planet-saving technologies.

Yet it is Honda that stole the march with the presentation at Geneva of a driveable fuel cell-powered vehicle -- until now, such things had been confined to test beds and highly experimental prototypes.

Although still officially a concept, this vehicle is fully functional and a development of it could be production as soon as the end of this year, with Honda committed to selling this model in Japan and the U.S. next year.

It features a newly-developed compact, high-efficient Honda fuel-cell (FC) stack in a spacious saloon body. It offers a large, comfortable cabin and futuristic styling along with significant improvements in power output and environmental performance. It has a range of 354 miles (570 kilometers) and a top speed limited to 100 mph.

One of the biggest surprises was the announcement by Morgan, purveyor of quintessentially British sports cars, that it intends to develop a hydrogen fuel cell-powered machine. The company is famous for its traditional production methods, but managing director Charles Morgan announced a hydrogen-fueled, zero-emissions car -- using Morgan's traditional ash-framed body -- would be launched at Geneva next year. The goal is a lightweight car with a range of 200 miles.

(Picture Right: Lexus hopes LS600h will set standards in environmentally-conscious luxury cars)

The application of fuel-cell technology in smaller cars was investigated by Peugeot, with its Epure version of the 207CC. The existing small coupe-cabriolet (an open-top car with electrically operated folding steel roof) has a fuel cell developed in conjunction with the French atomic energy commission, which powers an electric motor to supply drive.

The investment in petrol-electric hybrids is massive.

Kia Motors of Korea demonstrated its intent to become a major player with the unveiling of its Rio Hybrid saloon at Geneva.

The European premiere of the hybrid celebrates the recent announcement that Kia, together with fellow Korean manufacturer Hyundai, will supply the Korean environment ministry with almost 4,000 hybrid vehicles over the next two years as part of the country's program of 'real-world' testing to develop this type of car propulsion. The existing Korean test fleet numbers 780.

The Kia Rio Hybrid saloon used in these tests has a 1.4-liter petrol engine, mated to a 12kW, 95 Nm AC synchronized electric motor and a continuously variable transmission (CVT) gearbox.

The high-torque permanent magnet electric motor is mounted between the flywheel and the gearbox and "assists" the petrol engine during starting, accelerating and hill-climbing, switching off during steady cruising when the petrol engine is at its most efficient. During deceleration it employs regenerative braking to recharge the battery.

The computer-controlled system also allows stop/start motoring which switches both engine and motor off whenever the car comes to a standstill for more than a few seconds. Restarting is automatic.

Compared to the standard petrol Rio, air pollutants are reduced by 37 per cent and fuel efficiency is improved by 44 per cent. The hybrid's CO2 figure is 126 g/km. There's little price to pay in terms of performance, with a top speed of 112 mph and 0-62 mph in 12.2 seconds, aided considerably by the inherent surge of torque from zero revs provided by the electric motor. Overall fuel consumption is 53.4 mpg.

To reduce fuel and power demands, the Rio Hybrid has an aluminum bonnet, boot lid and front seat frames, as well as lightweight wheels, low-friction tires and electric (rather than hydraulic) power steering.

Glimpse of future
Already to hit the streets is the latest petrol-electric hybrid from Lexus, the LS600h, which aims to set new standards in environmentally-conscious performance among luxury cars. It has a 5.0-liter V8 petrol engine, with two fuel injectors per cylinder and VVTi-E intelligent valve timing on the intake to boost performance and reduce emissions, noise and vibration.

What separates the Lexus from other luxury saloons is the inclusion of an electric motor, which enables the car to have the performance of a conventional V12-engined car with much lower fuel consumption and emissions. Its EC Combined economy is 29.7 mpg, with carbon dioxide emissions of 220 g/km, figures which compare well with the levels achieved by the cleanest diesels in the segment.

Honda unveiled its Small Hybrid Sports Concept at Geneva. This is a sports car that features a development of the company's existing hybrid technology in an effort to demonstrate that stylish design and driving enjoyment can be combined with low environmental impact. It was designed by Honda R&D Europe, based in Germany.

Meanwhile, Honda UK has announced that it plans to sell more than three times as many Civic Hybrids this year than in 2006, up to about 3,000 units.

Arch-rival Toyota revealed a new hybrid concept model, the Hybrid X. Designed by Toyota's European Design center, it gives a glimpse of the future for Toyota's hybrid synergy drive system, according to Toyota Motor Europe's executive vice-president, Thierry Dombreval.

"Over the next few years, we plan to double our global hybrid vehicle offering, anticipating annual sales of over a million hybrid vehicles by early in the next decade," Dombreval said. Including the compact Prius, Toyota and Lexus have 11 hybrid models on sale, and have sold 900,000 hybrids worldwide, of which 650,000 are the Prius.

Toyota also showed the FT-HS hybrid sports car shown at Detroit in January, which has a hybrid system capable of developing 400 bhp, providing a 0-60 mph acceleration time of about four seconds.

"Hybrd X and FT-HS represent two poles of the hybrid spectrum, which define the frontiers for an array of hybrids in the future," Dombreval added.

Biofuels -- those produced from naturally occurring products such as sugar cane -- are seen by some manufacturers as a way of reducing reliance of petrol while reducing harmful emissions. The fact that most cars also produce more power when running on bioethanol fuel is a bonus.

Saab already has a full range of flex-fuel (capable of running on petrol and biofuel) cars, and at Geneva launched a new, 1.8-liter flex-fuel engine for its 9-3 range of saloon, estate and convertible. The new engine 50-70 per cent less carbon dioxide (CO2) than its 1.8 t petrol engine equivalent, yet produces 17 per cent more power (to 175 bhp) and 10 per cent more torque (to 265 Nm) on bioethanol E85.

For comparison with standard petrol engine, the flex-fuel 9-3 sprints from 0-62 mph in 8.4 seconds and 50-70 mph in fifth gear -- a crucial test of real-world flexibility -- in 13.9 seconds, compared with 9.5 seconds and 15.0 seconds respectively.

Until the widespread availability of petrol-electric hybrids, there is still plenty of investment in cleaner internal combustion engines, both petrol and diesel. There is a genuine desire to achieve this, although the specter of even tougher Euro V emissions legislation is obviously an incentive.

Volkswagen has a range, called BlueMotion, designed to reduce fuel consumption. A Polo supermini has already gone on sale, and at Geneva the company announced BlueMotion versions of its Passat mid-size car and Touareg SUV.

The Passat BlueMotion saloon returns 55.4 mpg and produces just 136 g/km of CO2. Both saloon and estate models have a range of up to 838 miles (1,350 km).

Performance is barely compromised, with a top speed of 120 mph.

The Touareg SUV also has a turbodiesel engine, a 3.0-liter V6 developing 223bhp, with a Selective Catalytic Reduction system (SCR) reducing NOx emissions by up to 90 per cent. Current Euro IV emissions regulations dictate a NOx limit of 0.25 g/km -- the SCR-equipped Touareg meets the 0.043 g/km US limit.

The system sprays a film of ammonia-rich solution stored in an auxiliary tank into the exhaust stream before it reaches the new catalytic converter. A reaction occurs within the exhaust system to split the nitrogen oxide into harmless nitrogen and water. The SCR system works in conjunction with a diesel particulate filter and a conventional catalytic converter to further reduce emissions.

Although there are no plans to introduce the system in Europe, VW says that the SCR-equipped Touareg will go on sale in the US next year.

After being a late arrival on the diesel front, Honda produced a highly acclaimed 2.2-liter unit. Its next-generation diesel engine is claimed to reduce emissions to the same level of a petrol engine. A catalytic converter reduces nitrous oxide (NOx) emissions to a level that enables the engine to meet stringent US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) requirements.

The catalytic converter uses the reductive reaction of ammonia to "detoxify" oxides of nitrogen by converting them into harmless nitrogen (N2). However, unlike the VW SCR system which uses an injection of liquid containing ammonia, the Honda system uses ammonia generated within the catalytic converter. Honda plans to introduce its next-generation diesel engine within three years.

Lack of a credible diesel engine severely hampers sales potential in prime European markets -- just ask Jaguar, which saw a sales slump due to its line-up of large-capacity petrol engines only.

Cadillac, part of General Motors, introduced a new V6 diesel at Geneva, a 2.9-liter unit developing 250 bhp and 550 Nm of torque. Its first production application is scheduled for 2009 in the next Cadillac CTS.

Off-road specialist Land Rover has a novel approach to woo car buyers who are concerned about the environmental impact of their purchase. Its CO2 Offset Program enables buyers of all new Land Rover vehicles sold in the UK pay to offset the CO2 emissions produced by their vehicle, calculated on the certified CO2 emissions level for each model up to 45,000 miles, or about three years of use. The cost is from £85 to £165 depending on model.

The ultimate goal is CO2 neutrality, with investments being made in renewable energy projects such as wind and solar, technology change and energy efficiency.


By Paul Hudson for CNN

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