The two carmakers leading the race on hybrid fuels are ready to go head-to-head with their next generation hybrid models. Honda and Toyota both believe their products will give them the edge. Honda has already revealed that the Insight hybrid will be pitched around $5,000 less than the Civic Hybrid when it reaches the UK market in spring.
“Despite offering space for five and the convenience of a hatchback, this car has been developed purely as a hybrid,” said Honda engineer Thomas Brachmann, who is based at Honda R&D Europe in Germany. “Because the bodywork has not needed to be adapted, we have achieved savings in construction and production, as well as price reduction resulting from major steps in electronic systems,” he added.
But the fresh competition from Honda will not prompt any changes in Toyota’s approach to super-clean mobility, said Toyota Europe sales and marketing vice-president Andrea Formica. He claimed Prius was still the most advanced expression of hybrid motoring.
“Our present car delivers customer benefits that go beyond Honda’s proposed new model, and when our next generation version is unveiled at the Detroit Motor Show in January, we expect it to offer further benefits.”
Formica added: “More than one million examples of our pioneering petrol-electric powertrain technology have been sold so far and plans are in hand to achieve one million annual sales by 2010. Present strategy is linked with the Prius, but we will expand our hybrid applications and field models in every market segment by 2020.”
Sunday, October 26, 2008
Friday, October 3, 2008
The Mercedes-Benz S400 Blue Hybrid
Mercedes-Benz is making waves with its ‘BlueHYBRID’ which has the bodyshell and mechanicals of the S-Class with a modified V6 petrol engine and a compact hybrid module. The German luxury carmaker claims that its S400 BlueHYBRID is the world’s most economical luxury saloon with a spark-ignition engine. In the New European Driving Cycle (NEDC) combined fuel consumption, it is rated at 29.8 miles per gallon, and also has the world’s lowest CO2 emissions in this vehicle and performance class at 190 gms/km.
Mercedes-Benz emphasises that even with such environment-friendly numbers, brisk performance is maintained. The 3.5-litre petrol engine develops 205 kW/279 bhp while the electric motor generates 15 kW/20 bhp with a starting torque of 160 Nm. The combined output is therefore 220 kW/299 bhp with maximum torque of 385 Nm. The S400 BlueHYBRID is also the first production model to use the next generation of batteries with the more efficient lithium-ion process. The battery is specially developed for automotive use and is said to offer more efficient performance.
As mentioned earlier, the model is a S-Class, specifically the S350 and features an extensively modified drivetrain. This encompasses a further development of the 3.5-litre engine, an additional magneto-electric motor, the 7G-TRONIC 7-speed automatic transmission specially configured for the hybrid module, the necessary operating and control electronics, the transformer and a high-voltage lithium-ion battery.
When the brakes are applied, the electric motor acts as a generator and recovers braking energy by a process known as ‘recuperation’. Working in finely-tuned partnership, the electric motor supplements the braking effect of the petrol engine and the wheel brakes to deliver a smoothly progressive braking action. The recuperated energy is stored in the compact lithium-ion battery in the engine compartment, and made available when required. This complex system is managed by a high-performance control unit, which is likewise located in the engine compartment.
The centrepiece of the modular, very compact and highly efficient hybrid drive system is the new high-voltage lithium-ion battery. Major advantages over conventional nickel/metal hydride batteries include a higher energy density and better electrical efficiency, together with more compact dimensions and a lower weight. Thanks to space-saving installation in the engine compartment, where it replaces the conventional starter battery, the generous interior space and boot capacity of the S400 remain unchanged.
Especially on rural journeys and on motorways, the S400 BlueHYBRID is claimed to achieve superior efficiency improvement by moving the so-called ‘operating point’ of the petrol engine to produce a lower specific fuel consumption. The extremely high start-off torque made possible by the boost effect of the electric motor gives the driver a particularly exhilarating feeling of powerful acceleration and yet fuel consumption and emissions are reduced.
The compact electric motor which is installed in the torque converter housing between the engine and speed automatic transmission, improves efficiency even further. This is a 3-phase AC external rotor magneto motor with an operating voltage of 120V. This compact motor also acts as a starter and generator, adopting the functions of both these conventional ancillary units.
The S400 BlueHYBRID has a claimed acceleration time of 7.2 seconds from 0 – 100 km/h and reaches an electronically-governed top speed of 250 km/h. Compared to the conventionally-powered S350, fuel consumption is said to be about 22% better while CO2 emissions are reduced by 21%. To suit the hybrid driver, the well proven 7G-TRONIC automatic transmission has a different control program for the transmission management system. A newly-developed auxiliary oil pump ensures reliable lubrication of the transmission even during phases when the internal combustion engine is switched off. This complex system is managed by the modified high-performance engine control unit. This incorporates extensive functions, and distinguishes between operating conditions such as city traffic, rural journeys, motorway driving or slow manoeuvring.
The driver is also able to monitor the status of the hybrid drive system visually. The instrument cluster has a separate, centrally positioned, display showing the energy flow during boost and recuperation phases, as well as the battery charge status. As is usual at Mercedes-Benz, the development engineers gave safety aspects their very special attention. Knowhow incorporated into the series-production car included long years of Daimler research experience with fuel-cell technology. The challenge lay in not only complying with all the worldwide and inhouse legal crash test requirements, but also in ensuring the greatest possible safety for the electrical components.
Thanks to its compact dimensions and modular design, the additional weight of the overall system is only 75 kgs, including the comprehensive safety systems. The intelligent high-performance engine management system responds very sensitively to different driving conditions, and optimally configures the drive system for the relevant application, ensuring that both fuel consumption and emissions are kept to the lowest possible level. Pricing has been mentioned at about a $1500 premium to the S350 and Mercedes says consumers should break even in about 3 years from gas savings.
Mercedes-Benz emphasises that even with such environment-friendly numbers, brisk performance is maintained. The 3.5-litre petrol engine develops 205 kW/279 bhp while the electric motor generates 15 kW/20 bhp with a starting torque of 160 Nm. The combined output is therefore 220 kW/299 bhp with maximum torque of 385 Nm. The S400 BlueHYBRID is also the first production model to use the next generation of batteries with the more efficient lithium-ion process. The battery is specially developed for automotive use and is said to offer more efficient performance.
As mentioned earlier, the model is a S-Class, specifically the S350 and features an extensively modified drivetrain. This encompasses a further development of the 3.5-litre engine, an additional magneto-electric motor, the 7G-TRONIC 7-speed automatic transmission specially configured for the hybrid module, the necessary operating and control electronics, the transformer and a high-voltage lithium-ion battery.
When the brakes are applied, the electric motor acts as a generator and recovers braking energy by a process known as ‘recuperation’. Working in finely-tuned partnership, the electric motor supplements the braking effect of the petrol engine and the wheel brakes to deliver a smoothly progressive braking action. The recuperated energy is stored in the compact lithium-ion battery in the engine compartment, and made available when required. This complex system is managed by a high-performance control unit, which is likewise located in the engine compartment.
The centrepiece of the modular, very compact and highly efficient hybrid drive system is the new high-voltage lithium-ion battery. Major advantages over conventional nickel/metal hydride batteries include a higher energy density and better electrical efficiency, together with more compact dimensions and a lower weight. Thanks to space-saving installation in the engine compartment, where it replaces the conventional starter battery, the generous interior space and boot capacity of the S400 remain unchanged.
Especially on rural journeys and on motorways, the S400 BlueHYBRID is claimed to achieve superior efficiency improvement by moving the so-called ‘operating point’ of the petrol engine to produce a lower specific fuel consumption. The extremely high start-off torque made possible by the boost effect of the electric motor gives the driver a particularly exhilarating feeling of powerful acceleration and yet fuel consumption and emissions are reduced.
The compact electric motor which is installed in the torque converter housing between the engine and speed automatic transmission, improves efficiency even further. This is a 3-phase AC external rotor magneto motor with an operating voltage of 120V. This compact motor also acts as a starter and generator, adopting the functions of both these conventional ancillary units.
The S400 BlueHYBRID has a claimed acceleration time of 7.2 seconds from 0 – 100 km/h and reaches an electronically-governed top speed of 250 km/h. Compared to the conventionally-powered S350, fuel consumption is said to be about 22% better while CO2 emissions are reduced by 21%. To suit the hybrid driver, the well proven 7G-TRONIC automatic transmission has a different control program for the transmission management system. A newly-developed auxiliary oil pump ensures reliable lubrication of the transmission even during phases when the internal combustion engine is switched off. This complex system is managed by the modified high-performance engine control unit. This incorporates extensive functions, and distinguishes between operating conditions such as city traffic, rural journeys, motorway driving or slow manoeuvring.
The driver is also able to monitor the status of the hybrid drive system visually. The instrument cluster has a separate, centrally positioned, display showing the energy flow during boost and recuperation phases, as well as the battery charge status. As is usual at Mercedes-Benz, the development engineers gave safety aspects their very special attention. Knowhow incorporated into the series-production car included long years of Daimler research experience with fuel-cell technology. The challenge lay in not only complying with all the worldwide and inhouse legal crash test requirements, but also in ensuring the greatest possible safety for the electrical components.
Thanks to its compact dimensions and modular design, the additional weight of the overall system is only 75 kgs, including the comprehensive safety systems. The intelligent high-performance engine management system responds very sensitively to different driving conditions, and optimally configures the drive system for the relevant application, ensuring that both fuel consumption and emissions are kept to the lowest possible level. Pricing has been mentioned at about a $1500 premium to the S350 and Mercedes says consumers should break even in about 3 years from gas savings.
Thursday, October 2, 2008
Credit Crunch Hitting Auto Sales
Major automakers reported plunging American sales for September, led by a 34% slide at Ford Motors, as an escalating credit crisis hit the slumping industry and raised new doubts about when the world's largest auto market would stabilize. The 26% drop in industry-wide auto sales was sharper than expected and coincided with a crisis on Wall Street that automakers said rocked consumer confidence and made it harder for remaining shoppers to finance vehicles.
Sales were down 24% at Honda, 32% at Toyota and 37% at Nissan. Chrysler sales were down 33%. General Motors Corp, which was more aggressive in its discounting by offering an employee-price sale, posted a 16% sales decline. That was a narrower decline than analysts had expected, and it made GM the only major player to gain significant share in a collapsing market.
Across the board, auto executives said Americans had either walked away from vehicle purchases or been stymied by a lack of financing or requirements for larger down payments. The bleak sales results represent one of the earliest readings of the impact on Main Street from a now global credit crisis that has triggered a consolidation on Wall Street.
Toyota's sales decline was its steepest since 1987. The Japanese automaker's sales were down by over 40% in key regional markets, including California, where the drop in housing prices has hit consumers the hardest. As the stock market fell and the debate in Washington on a financial bailout raged this week, some buyers of Toyota's luxury Lexus models asked for deposits back.
"We saw the trend steadily decline," Toyota sales chief Bob Carter said of the uncharacteristically weak demand at the end of the month when sales normally peak at dealerships.
Ford also said the debate over the still-pending, banking bailout stopped buyers in their tracks by injecting a new note of uncertainty. "It was tantamount to a natural disaster," said Ford sales analyst George Pipas.
Ford's sales decline was deeper than analysts had expected, suggesting "continued pressure" on its share price, JP Morgan analyst Himanshu Patel said in a note. Erich Merkel, an auto analyst and consultant with Crowe Horwath LLP, said it appeared Ford, the No. 2 US automaker behind GM, had lost sales to its larger rival's employee price offer. "Those two tend to swap punches quite a bit," he said.
Shares of Ford fell almost 13% on Wednesday. GM shares were almost unchanged. Shares in both Toyota and Nissan fell 3.8% in Tokyo, while Honda slid 4.5% after the sales data, making it the biggest drag on the Nikkei 225, which was down 1%.
Some analysts and industry executives had held out hope that American auto sales had hit bottom in August after a summer of wrenching declines tied to higher gas prices. But the September sales result was far weaker than expected with overall sales dropping to an annual rate near 12.5 million vehicles, according to sales tracking firm Autodata Corp.
The drop in sales comes despite stepped-up discounting by automakers, a move that cuts into profit margins. Edmunds.com, an industry tracking service for consumers, estimates that the discount on the average vehicle for September was $2,801, up 19% from a year earlier. Sales for luxury German brands were also hammered. Sales for Daimler AG's Mercedes-Benz dropped 16%. BMW was off 30 percent; Porsche fell%.
"We're in a recession -- I keep saying that to people," Merkle said. "And this is how the issues we have in housing are spilling into the broader economy."
The weak sales underscore the risks for auto dealers, who are contending with dwindling sales, higher costs for inventory and increasing difficulty finding lenders for their customers. The top US auto dealership group AutoNation Inc said on Tuesday that car loan approval rates had dropped to about 60 percent from 90% a year ago.
Ford Motor Credit and Chrysler Financial, now owned along with Chrysler itself by Cerberus Capital Management, both were forced to raise the interest rates charged to dealers to finance inventory, executives said. Advisory firm Grant Thornton said in a forecast released Wednesday that it expected more US car dealerships to close over the remainder of this year and into 2009.
Bill Heard Enterprises Inc, one of the biggest General Motors Chevrolet dealerships, filed for bankruptcy protection on Sunday, citing losses, decreased demand and lack of credit. At its peak, annual revenue for the Alabama-based retailer was about $2.5 billion, according to the bankruptcy filing.
Sales were down 24% at Honda, 32% at Toyota and 37% at Nissan. Chrysler sales were down 33%. General Motors Corp, which was more aggressive in its discounting by offering an employee-price sale, posted a 16% sales decline. That was a narrower decline than analysts had expected, and it made GM the only major player to gain significant share in a collapsing market.
Across the board, auto executives said Americans had either walked away from vehicle purchases or been stymied by a lack of financing or requirements for larger down payments. The bleak sales results represent one of the earliest readings of the impact on Main Street from a now global credit crisis that has triggered a consolidation on Wall Street.
Toyota's sales decline was its steepest since 1987. The Japanese automaker's sales were down by over 40% in key regional markets, including California, where the drop in housing prices has hit consumers the hardest. As the stock market fell and the debate in Washington on a financial bailout raged this week, some buyers of Toyota's luxury Lexus models asked for deposits back.
"We saw the trend steadily decline," Toyota sales chief Bob Carter said of the uncharacteristically weak demand at the end of the month when sales normally peak at dealerships.
Ford also said the debate over the still-pending, banking bailout stopped buyers in their tracks by injecting a new note of uncertainty. "It was tantamount to a natural disaster," said Ford sales analyst George Pipas.
Ford's sales decline was deeper than analysts had expected, suggesting "continued pressure" on its share price, JP Morgan analyst Himanshu Patel said in a note. Erich Merkel, an auto analyst and consultant with Crowe Horwath LLP, said it appeared Ford, the No. 2 US automaker behind GM, had lost sales to its larger rival's employee price offer. "Those two tend to swap punches quite a bit," he said.
Shares of Ford fell almost 13% on Wednesday. GM shares were almost unchanged. Shares in both Toyota and Nissan fell 3.8% in Tokyo, while Honda slid 4.5% after the sales data, making it the biggest drag on the Nikkei 225, which was down 1%.
Some analysts and industry executives had held out hope that American auto sales had hit bottom in August after a summer of wrenching declines tied to higher gas prices. But the September sales result was far weaker than expected with overall sales dropping to an annual rate near 12.5 million vehicles, according to sales tracking firm Autodata Corp.
The drop in sales comes despite stepped-up discounting by automakers, a move that cuts into profit margins. Edmunds.com, an industry tracking service for consumers, estimates that the discount on the average vehicle for September was $2,801, up 19% from a year earlier. Sales for luxury German brands were also hammered. Sales for Daimler AG's Mercedes-Benz dropped 16%. BMW was off 30 percent; Porsche fell%.
"We're in a recession -- I keep saying that to people," Merkle said. "And this is how the issues we have in housing are spilling into the broader economy."
The weak sales underscore the risks for auto dealers, who are contending with dwindling sales, higher costs for inventory and increasing difficulty finding lenders for their customers. The top US auto dealership group AutoNation Inc said on Tuesday that car loan approval rates had dropped to about 60 percent from 90% a year ago.
Ford Motor Credit and Chrysler Financial, now owned along with Chrysler itself by Cerberus Capital Management, both were forced to raise the interest rates charged to dealers to finance inventory, executives said. Advisory firm Grant Thornton said in a forecast released Wednesday that it expected more US car dealerships to close over the remainder of this year and into 2009.
Bill Heard Enterprises Inc, one of the biggest General Motors Chevrolet dealerships, filed for bankruptcy protection on Sunday, citing losses, decreased demand and lack of credit. At its peak, annual revenue for the Alabama-based retailer was about $2.5 billion, according to the bankruptcy filing.
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