Detroit Motor Show’s green highlights
Jan 13, 2009 Auto Tech
Cadillac Converj
ike most recent motorshows, various manufacturers showcased their existing and upcoming green plans in the ongoing Detroit Motor Show. Even in this gloomy financial environment, not many are daring to abandon research into more efficient and alternate fuel vehicles.
GM showed Cadillac Converj, with Chevy Volt underpinnings. Chrysler turned up with the Jeep Patriot extended range EV. Toyota had the new Prius gracing its stands, along with the FT-EV all electric concept and Lexus HS 250h. Read on for more details!
Chrysler tried proving its green credentials with the new Jeep Patriot EV concept. The SUV uses an
Jeep Patriot EV
electric-drive motor, lithium-ion battery, regenerative braking and a gasoline engine with an integrated electric generator to produce additional energy to power the electric-drive system when needed. It is claimedto have an all-electric range of 40 miles (~65 km) and can do 0-60 mph (0-100 kph) in approximately 8 seconds, thanks to its 150 kW (200 hp)motor.
With millions spent on the upcoming Chevy Volt, GM decided to try a new skin for its much awaited baby and voila, we have the cadillca Converj. It uses the same powertrain as the Volt, so the performance and economy ratings of the vehicles should be identical - the Converj, however, does have a edgier Cadillac styling. An all-glass roof with solar panels help to power the vehicle’s many accessories, while OLEDs are used to light the Converj’s instrument panel. The Converj also makes use of LED headlights. The two-door, four-seat coupe will definitely cost much higher than the expected $40000 Volt, if it comes to showrooms. Still good platform sharing strategy; looks like the US texpayers won’t have to despair.
Toyota would not like to cede its leadership in green automobiles. So it had the next generation Prius on display (whose pictures had already leaked out). It also promised that by the end of 2009, it will lease 500 prototypes of plug-in versions of the Prius with lithium ion batteries to consumers in Japan, US and Europe, to act as mobile beta testers prior to the full release of the car.
Toyota FT EV
Toyota also showed off a concept car, called FT-EV. Based on the iQ ultra-compact, which is currently available in Japan in petrol-powered guise, the battery version has a range of just 50 miles, making it suitable only for intracity trips.Toyota may put it into production in 2012. Check out a video here.
Lexus, the luxury vehicle arm of Toyota, which already has hybrids GS 450h, the LS 600h L, and the RX 450h on sale, unveiled the HS250h. The HS 250h is based on the Prius platform and sports a a four-door sedan look instead of the Prius hatchback design. Power comes not from the 2.4-liter four-cylinder engine from the Toyota Corolla and Camry. The gasoline engine when combined with the Lexus Hybrid Drive System provides a total of 187 HP. Lexus hasn’t given EPA mileage numbers for the HS 250h yet; it vaguely states that the vehicle will be “more
Lexus HS250h
than 30-percent better than the most fuel-efficient model currently in the Lexus lineup”. Expect it to be proced at around $35000.
Toyota could have shown the fuel-cell zero-emission FCHV-adv. Just a couple of days back, the company had announced that it has developed an advanced fuel-cell vehicle that can run for 830 km (516 miles) on a single tank of hydrogen and in temperatures as low as 30 degrees Celsius below freezing (-22 F). The company plans to lease the vehicles to government agencies, among other possible users, in Japan starting later this year, a spokeswoman said.
The new version of the fuel-cell car, which runs on hydrogen and emits only water, increased fuel efficiency by 25 percent with an improved fuel cell unit and other changes to its brake system and elsewhere. Combined with a slightly bigger fuel tank and a doubling of the maximum storage pressure, the FCHV-adv extended the cruising range from the previous FCHV’s 330 km (205 miles), Toyota said in a statement. It has a maximum speed of 155 km per hour (97 mph). The FCHV-adv would have been a good answer to the Honda FCX Clarity, now being leased in limited numbers in California.
Honda had its new Insight on display, powered 98-hp, 1.3-liter engine and 13-hp electric motor with 100-volt nickel-metal-hydride battery and scheduled to go on sale in US around April. Ford must be very happy with the positive press that its recent Fusion hybrid is getting all around.
Even though oil prices have fallen in recent times, it is encouraging to see that carmakers haven’t abandoned their energy efficiency and alternate fuel powerplant plans. Hurray…..
Ford Fusion
Honda Insight
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Tags: Chrysler, Detroit, Ford, GM, Honda, Hybrids, Lexus, Tesla, Toyota
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