Suzuki Swift Plug-in Hybrid

Suzuki will be presenting the Swift plug-in hybrid at the Tokyo Auto Show.  The Swift is not available in the US.

The plug-in is an electric range extended vehicle (E-REV), which drives on all electric power for a given range powered by a lithium-ion battery pack.  After the battery gets low, the small 660cc gas engine recharges the battery pack until you can get back to a plug.

The battery pack runs down the center center of the car and the electric motor can produce 55kW, while the gas engine can produce 40 kW.

The small K-car (mini-car or 660cc) is targeted at city commuters and shoppers.  But really, not a lot of details are floating around, yet.  The all electric range, size of the battery pack, etc...

Get Four Free Price Quotes From Yahoo! Autos Hybrid Research and Pricing at Edmunds.com

Wednesday, April 15, 2009

Ford and GM Give Drivers at NY Auto Show $50 Just to Test Drive

GM and Ford are handing out $50 to anyone attending the NY International Auto Show if they head to a local dealer and test drive a vehicle.

Now that's really working hard to get customers into the showroom.

The thought here is to 1) get the attention of high potential customers and 2) get those same customers to test drive a vehicle of theirs and 3) show they are willing to put their money where there mouth is. In other words, if you would just give us a chance, we can show you our cars are quality.

The $50 is in the form of gift cards. Ford gift cards can be spent anywhere. The GM gift card is only good for purchases on restaurants.com.

"Auto shows provide a perfect opportunity for buyers to see, touch and feel the latest new cars under one roof," said Mark Schienberg, president of the Greater New York Automobile Dealers Association, the organization that owns and produces the New York Auto Show.

"Programs like the $50 gift card offered by GM and Ford help continue conversations between auto show visitors and new car dealers. This is a great way to get engage customers and gets them behind the wheel of some amazing new vehicles," concluded Schienberg.

The $50 offer is available to New York International Auto Show visitors, which runs at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center in Manhattan, until Sunday, April 19. For more information, visit www.autoshowNY.com.

Hyundai Nuvis Hybrid

Hyundai presented their Nuvis Hybrid Concept, a small 'future-generation' crossover. Hyundai tried to blend in motion as in a living machine, with lots of blue.

The hybrid engine is a 2.4-liter Theta II engine to a 6-speed automatic transmission and a 30kW (205 N-m) electric motor, and is used to showcase Hyundai's parallel hybrid system. The electric motor or gas motor or both can move the car at any time, depending on the situation. This is the basis of the hybrid motor Hyundai will be using in their future cars.

In the rear, a high trunk floor houses the Nuvis' lithium polymer battery pack.

Toyota Presents at the Tokyo Auto Show

Toyota will be bringing along two concept vehicles of interest to the Tokyo Auto Show. The first, we've seen before is the Prius plug-in hybrid, which may be arriving in the US by 2012.  The second is a compact EV designed for urban driving over short distances, the FT-EV II.

Plug-in Prius Concept
The plug-in Prius concept to be on display in Tokyo is based on the third-generation Prius. It can be plugged in and recharged in about 180 minutes at 100V and 100 minutes at 200V.

The plug-in Prius aimed to have 55 km/l or better, CO2 emissions of 42g/km or less and an EV cruising range of 20 km or more on a fully charged battery. The battery is a lithium-ion battery pack, unlike the third generation Prius which uses nickel metal hydride still.

Specs:
Length: 4,460 m
Width: 1,745 mm
Height: 1,490 mm
Wheelbase: 2,700 mm
Seating: 5

FT-EV II

The other concept is the world premier of the Future Toyota Electric Vehicle II (FT-EV II). It's a compact EV designed for short distances. 'It is based on the idea of a future mobility society in which EVs are common, and means of transport are divided according to purpose, the characteristics of the energy to be used and the status of the supply infrastructure.'

Features include:

• Ultra-efficient package with body more compact than ultra-compact "iQ", but still with seating for four
• Drive-by-wire technology enables joystick operation of all functions including accelerator, brakes and steering wheel; ample legroom provided by elimination of accelerator and brake pedals
• Vehicle designed with low front cowl and auxiliary window below windshield for outstanding forward visibility; further consideration paid to safety around vehicle led to see-through LED rear combination taillights
• Electric sliding doors on both sides facilitate ingress and egress, particularly in narrow spaces
• Top-speed of over 100km/h
• Easy coverage of over 90km on fully charged battery—ample for everyday use
• Extremely quiet and comfortable ride with smooth acceleration, thanks to TMC-cultivated motor-control technology, which is part of the hybrid system at core of TMC's environmental technologies

Specs:
Length: 2,730 m
Width: 1,680 mm
Height: 1,490 mm
Wheelbase: 1,900 mm
Seating: 4

Subaru Hybrid Tourer

Subaru will be bringing their gull-winged Hybrid Tourer concept to the Tokyo Auto Show. The 2-liter, direct injected, turbocharged 'Horizontally-Opposed Boxer Engine' is mated to two electric motors for all wheel drive fun.

The two electric motors will be used in different situations as needed. The rear motor is used in acceleration situations and to run the vehicle at 'extremely low speeds' in all electric power. 

The front electric motor serves as a power generator and in accelerating uphiill, assisting the gas engine which does most of the powering.

Subaru has said they are planning on a hybrid vehicle, maybe as early as 2011, but are planning on licensing the hybrid synergy drive from Toyota. So it's unclear how much of what you see in the Tourer will show up in a production vehicle.

The gas engine shuts off when the vehicle comes to a stop, and regenerative braking helps to recharge the battery pack.  The lithium-ion battery pack is derived from the Subaru Stella EV which just launched in Japan.

Some Features of the Tourer

• The top of the dashboard is movable up and down to provide an optimal driving environment for the driver according to driving conditions.
• A flat floor in the rear seat was achieved even with the implementation of AWD, for improved use and movement inside the cabin.
• Specialized shielding is incorporated in the windshield to reduce eyestrain on the driver.
• New leather covering developed with superior breathability and a ventilation function is used in the seats for improved comfort and texture.
• Lineartronic, Subaru’s new generation automatic transmission, achieves further improvements in both fuel efficiency and driving performance by reinforcing parts for use with the high-power output of a turbo engine.
  

Specifications

• Length x Width x Height: 4,630 x 1,890 x 1,420mm
• Engine type: 2.0-liter Horizontally-Opposed direct fuel-injection turbo gasoline engine
• Max output of Motor: 10kW (Front) / 20kW (Rear)
• Transmission type: Lineartronic
• Drive train: Symmetrical All-Wheel Drive with 2 motors assist
• Battery type: Lithium-ion battery

Top Gear is Back for Season 13

Top Gear is back for Season 13 on January 25 and to celebrate, they are hosting a week long DVD giveaway at BBCAmerica.com/TopGear. If you want to catch up on Season 12 for free, this may be your best chance. Otherwise, you can look to buy starting Season 12 (or prior seasons) starting today at the BBC store.

For full disclosure: as part of the new season launch, I was asked if I would talk about the new season, plus the Season 12 sale. I agreed (because I like the show even though they really don't talk all that much about hybrid cars) and may be receiving a screener of Season 13.