Thursday, May 31, 2007

Five Toyota New Concept Vehicles: in Brief

Toyota proves to be still one of the most famous automobile brands in the industry. Five of its surely most awaited concept vehicles include the PM, NLSV, Hybrid X, FT-SX, and the FT-HS.

The PM is a personal mobility vehicle that fits car race. Its very small appearance makes it very sporty yet stylish. According to the Toyota website, the car’s cutting-edge vehicle-to-vehicle communications technologies are employed under the concept of "meeting, linking and hanging out together".

The NLSV meanwhile, features a huge, wireless electric sliding door on the passenger side and a flatter and wider floor. On the exterior, it has a narrow bumper, but the interior is exceptionally wide.

Toyota rewrites the rules for conceptualizing hybrid cars in its production of the Hybrid X. The company says Hybrid X might establish the norm in building hybrid cars in the future. A key concept on this vehicle is the Vibrant Clarity. It is a design establishing all design works in a unique and emotionally vibrant identity that definitely speaks of Toyota.

It offers sustainable mobility for modern families. Through this car, Toyota is making one step closer to its vision of a zero smog-forming emission future because of its environmentally advanced technology.

Inside the car, the driver sets the mood using an internal interface that controls lighting, and music. Complete driver control is experienced through technological innovations in interactive navigation, driving information and comfort control.

Resembling a tamed tiger, the FT-SX is an exploration of an entirely new genre of automobile. This car delivers complete function, luxury and sporty performance, and is conveyed visually by its imposing size and sleek silhouette. Making it incredibly versatile are the powerful V6 engine, all-wheel drive, 21-inch wheels, four doors, an inventive rear hatch and multi-functional glass roof.

Loading large and heavy objects is easy in this car. A loading tray that automatically extends when the lower hatch is opened makes the rear cargo area extremely user-friendly.

The interior has a sleek, sporty design of the exterior, with "flying speed board" gauge clusters. Added to this is the luxury of natural woods, soft leathers and durable metals.

Finally, the FT-HS -- according to Toyota, the
car answers the question “What sports car suits the 21st century concept?” The FT-HS is a mid-priced sports car that integrates ecology and emotion, pairing a potent hybrid power train with essential sports-car fundamentals.

Using a powerful V6 3.5L engine, the FT-HS is coupled with Toyota's Hybrid Synergy Drive to produce a target power output of approximately 400 horsepower and a projected zero-to-60 acceleration in the four-second range.

The roof has a distinctive scooped-out section designed to reduce aerodynamic drag and provide head room at the key areas.

The FT-HS's interior features “create a dedicated driver's cockpit” that includes a cross-car instrument panel structure and delta-wing driver pod. Creating an enclosed pod effect an integrated instrument panel surrounds the driver. When the roof retracts, the 4 seats are converted to a seat good for two. This is another milestone from Toyota.

Common among this 5 and the other new concept cars are the well enhanced Toyota mufflers .
Source: Submit Articles at ArticlesBase.com

About the Author:Jerick Brooks is a BS Computer Science graduate at Columbus State University. He has passion for anything car-related especially car racing. He loves writing and currently works as an IT consultant in a company based in Atlanta.

Wednesday, May 23, 2007

Honda Civic Hybrid 2007-A Review By Arindam Chattopadhyaya

Makers and Designers of the Honda Civic Hybrid have been successful to bring out a car that is both extremely fuel efficient with cleaner fuel emissions. This hybrid car is a stunning car to match your lifestyle.

The car has been voted as a stunning car, to look at. The mileage that averages more than 50 miles per hour qualifies if for the ATPZEV (Advanced Technology Partial Zero Emission) status in almost all states of America.

The slicked back windshield as known for waste of space, this space has been used by the designers for making a two-tier instrument rack that has been again, beautifully designed, thus making it something attractive in designing. The front and the outdoor design of the car have been designed stylishly and give it a very handsome look.

The machine of the Honda Civic Hybrid 2007 has the mode of deactivation when it is certain cruising modes, i.e. the machine deactivates all its cylinders, thus reducing the emissions from the engine to nil since the electric motor powers the vehicle. Again the machine allows opening and closing of cylinders to give the right amount of power to engine while accelerating.

The car uses more batteries that the previous versions of this car, and the more the batteries more the power that is provided by them. However, on the downside, these batteries have been stored behind the rear seats therefore, the rear seats do not fold like the earlier versions of Honda Civic Hybrid did.

Honda has effective and powerful breaking system which gives you more power when you brake since once you press the brake pedal the computer activates all the components that are required at the time of braking thereby reducing the pumping losses and gives a powerful breaking system.

The Honda Civic Hybrid is priced around $23000 to $24000 this makes it cheaper than many other models available in the market. This makes it an attractive buy. Since the car also allows a lot of safety and economy it can definitely give other car makers like Toyota a good competition.
So affordable, economical, good-looking are the new advantages given by the Honda Civic Hybrid making it the car to look out for. The colors available for this car are Opal blue and magnetic pearl along with many other options.

Hybrid car information provides excellent and easy to understand information on hybrid vehicle. Author is an auto engineer and she will be happy to answer your questions on hybrid car.
Article Source:

Hybrid Cars – Hottest Trend on Wheels

The increasing popularity of Hybrid cars is a clear indication of increasing fuel prices and increased concern over air pollution levels. People are looking for safe fuel alternatives for running their cars. Hybrid cars are the perfect answer of both the problems. Let us understand what hybrid cars are and how efficient they are for helping solve the global environmental problem.

The term hybrid means a mixture of two things. As the name suggests, hybrid cars run on a combination fuel. The energy for hybrid cars comes from a combination of a gasoline/diesel engine backed by an electric motor. Batteries in turn power the electric motor. These batteries are recharged automatically by utilizing the energy that is lost during braking and slowing down of the vehicle. In hybrid cars, the electric motor acts as an electric generator by running backwards, when the car slows down thus recharging the batteries. Hybrid cars are more efficient in city traffic rather than long distance driving due to the increased use of the electric power source.

The engines in hybrid cars are smaller than those in a traditional gasoline powered car. Thus, they consume less gas and are more energy efficient. The extra power needed to accelerate the hybrid car, comes from electric motor and batteries. The gasoline engine of hybrid car runs at higher engine revolutions without using excessive fuel. In some hybrid cars, the engine shuts off when the car stops at a traffic signal, and starts on its own when the car is put in gear.

Today, the consumer is well aware of the environmental harm being done by gas/diesel engines. The ever-increasing price of gas can make you feel the pinch every time you go to refuel your car. The hybrid cars offer a combination of power and energy. The constraint before now with hybrid cars however, was that there was not much choice available. Now, increasing popularity of hybrid cars have resulted in availability of several different models of hybrid cars. Many leading car manufacturers such as Honda, Ford and Toyota have come up with their version of hybrid cars.

There is a wide choice of hybrid cars available to fit everybody’s style and need. The old limitations that seemed to exist for the buyers now seem to be fading into the past. High cost, low speed, limited choice, non-availability are all things of yesteryears. Now you can have a trendy looking hybrid car that is easy on your pocket not only when you purchase it but also when you run it.

Copyright © 2007 Will Jones
Will is a retired Research Food Technologist who worked over forty years with a major Fortune 500 food company in the Midwest. Product and process development of various types of foods were Will’s expertise. Will’s interests include reading, cooking, fishing, travel and golf.
Will is also a contributing editor for http://www.best-free-help.com/ a FREE Informational Website Portal that is dedicated to giving people expert knowledge of real value, to help people them decide!

Monday, May 14, 2007

New Technology for Hybrid Vehicles

Hybrid vehicles have become more and more popular in the U.S. since Toyota introduced the Prius. This fuel efficient vehicle is equipped with a small engine that is powered commonly by gasoline. Its fuel efficiency is due to the use of an electric motor which supplies the additional power to aid the engine.

While a small engine may not be suitable for some driving conditions, the electric motor powered by an on board battery pack makes the power produced by the small engine adequate enough. But designers and engineers in the auto industry are constantly looking for ways to improve the performance of a hybrid vehicle. Turbodyne Technologies Inc. is one of the companies looking for ways to improve the performance of hybrid cars. Recently, the company announced that they have developed a new technology which is aimed to help hybrid vehicles perform even better.

Turbodyne has improved the design of the Turbodyne TurboFlow™ electronic air injection system. The technology is aimed for use by hybrid vehicles. “It’s clear that hybrid vehicle production is experiencing significant growth,” says Al Case, the Chief Executive Officer of Turbodyne. “”The biggest challenge is maximizing engine output while maintaining fuel economy. That’s where the opportunity lies for the Turbodyne TurboFlow™ air injection system,” Case added.

The TurboFlow technology differs from turbochargers and superchargers by the absence of mechanical linkages. That is because the Turbodyne TurboFlow air injection system uses an electric motor to operate the air compressor which in turn supplies air to the engine.

By eliminating the mechanical linkages, the air injection system is made better than turbochargers or superchargers. Superchargers need power from the engine to operate the air compressor and this means that the power generated by the engine will be reduced.

Turbochargers, on the other hand, use gas exhaust to force air to the combustion chamber. This means that when there is significantly less exhaust gas, like for instance when starting a car, the turbocharger cannot help the engine. Both the engine power reduction and lack of take-off power problems are solved by the Turbodyne TurboFlow™ air injection system.

Since hybrid vehicles are known to have a good storage of electrical energy, it makes sense that the new air injection system for hybrid vehicles is powered by electricity. Since the Turbodyne TurboFlow™ air injection system is not dependent on the engine, it can be used throughout a driving cycle. It is specifically designed to provide air into small displacement engines like those used on hybrid engines.

This new technology will further increase the performance of the fuel efficient vehicles. This could mean that hybrid vehicles will be continuing their domination of the auto industry in the future. From the way things look, hybrid vehicles have become the bully dog in the yard of automobile industry.

With more and more developments like these, we can surely expect more and more hybrid vehicles roaming our streets.

About the Author:

Jenny McLane is a 36 year old native of Iowa and has a knack for research on cars and anything and everything about it. She works full time as a Market Analyst for one of the leading car parts suppliers in the country today.

Source: Free Online Articles from ArticlesBase.com

Wednesday, May 9, 2007

Don't be Gas Dependent – Choose a Hybrid

Oil will not last forever!

Gas prices have sky-rocketed over the past 5 years. Due to the greatly increased prices, it can take as much as $50 and $60 dollars to fill a tank with gasoline, an amount never dreamt of a few years ago. Americans have been dependent on gas for many decades, and with supplies of this non-renewable resource diminishing and the pollution conventional vehicles put into the environment, the auto industry has had to look for solutions to the problems associated with gas dependency. The main solution is the hybrid car, a fuel-efficient, environmentally-safe vehicle. A hybrid car has two engines--a gasoline and electric engine.

Excellent Range

Hybrid cars are becoming more and more diverse. Those who are considering purchasing a hybrid car now have many options to choose from. Toyota, Honda, and Ford, among others, currently produce hybrid cars. Sales in the United States of hybrid cars made by Toyota and Honda have been certainly on the up over the past few years. The most recent Statistics suggest that nearly 8,000 hybrid cars were sold in 2004. This was almost 0.53% of the total U.S. car sales in 2004.

Significant Sales Increases predicted

It is also predicted that sales of hybrid cars will reach 535,000 in 2011, which would be over half of all U.S. auto sales. All major auto manufacturers like General Motors, Ford, Honda, Toyota and others, will be producing and releasing more hybrid cars and trucks and in coming years, the production of hybrid cars and trucks could match or exceed the production of traditional trucks and cars.

Why are hybrid cars becoming popular?

It's not just because of the rising gas prices, but also because of environmental issues and a need to reduce significantly Co2 emissions that hybrids are better for the environment. Hybrid cars use less gasoline and emit fewer pollutants in the air than traditional cars resulting in substantially less pollution in the air.

Don't be scared off – think long-term

Many potential hybrid buyers are scared off because of the higher hybrid price. . When you consider the fact that purchasing a hybrid will mean less money spent on gas and less pollution, the hybrid is well-worth the extra money initially spent. Also, most, if not all, hybrids in the U.S. qualify for a tax break that can shave thousands off the price of the hybrid.

An Example

Are you still not sure that hybrid car is right for you? Let's look at an example. A Honda Civic gas-based car costs $15,000 in the U.S. The Honda Civic hybrid car costs $19,000. That is a $4,000 price difference.

The Honda Civic gas-based car gets 36 mpg in the city. A Honda Civic hybrid car gets 48 mpg in the city. If the price of gas is roughly the same as it is now($2.20 a gallon), and the car racks up 15,000 miles a year, it will cost $4,900 less dollars for the Civic hybrid car than the Civic gas-based car. Essentially, you get back your money after a year, and every following year, you save more money. After factoring in the tax break, you're saving even more money. All of this makes the hybrid car very appealing.

Toby Russell & his website: http://www.hybridcarlatest.com offers news, advice and information covering this fast developing market.

Sunday, May 6, 2007

Hybrid Car Review: It’s A Baby Nissan Hybrid! By JB Anthony

Nissan recently made public its first baby in the hybrid car industry with its 2007 Nissan Altima Hybrid! Although it has not been priced yet at the moment, car enthusiast are looking out for its initial release into the hybrid auto market which will be in 2007. On the exterior, the new 2007 Nissan Altima Hybrid will assume the similar look of the non-hybrid Altima and will also run on the same gas engine as its non-hybrid counterpart. But this newly-introduced 2007 Nissan Altima Hybrid Car will be boasting of its added hybrid electric system that helps reduce gas emissions and maximize its gas mileage with an expected fuel economy of 36 mpg - miles per gallon - for highway driving and 41 mpg - miles per gallon - for city driving.

Emission-wise, the 2007 Nissan Altima Hybrid has passed the standard of PZEV or the Partial Zero Emission Vehicle, classified as AT-PZEV, which means to say that this new baby will be ruling the roads of the eight states which has adopted the California standard for vehicle emission tests.

A peek under the hood will tell us that the new 2007 Nissan Altima Hybrid Car will have 2.5 liter 4 cylinder engine with a power of 158 horsepower and with a CVT powertrain . Together with the hybrid system, it will have a total of 198 horsepower, net! The 2007 Nissan Altima Hybrid Car will run with a 40 horsepower permanent magnet synchronized AC motor. Its electric motor will have a 199 lb-ft, torque and a hybrid battery pack of 244.8 Volts.

Not a bad primi for Nissan. And if all goes well, we might expect more hybrid models from Nissan.

JB Anthony is the webmaster of
http://www.hybridcars.hottestniches.com For more information on hybrid cars,
latest hybrid car reviews and updates and links to hybrid cars, please visit http://www.hybridcars.hottestniches.com

Don't be Gas Dependent – Choose a Hybrid By Toby Russell

Oil will not last forever!

Gas prices have sky-rocketed over the past 5 years. Due to the greatly increased prices, it can take as much as $50 and $60 dollars to fill a tank with gasoline, an amount never dreamt of a few years ago. Americans have been dependent on gas for many decades, and with supplies of this non-renewable resource diminishing and the pollution conventional vehicles put into the environment, the auto industry has had to look for solutions to the problems associated with gas dependency. The main solution is the hybrid car, a fuel-efficient, environmentally-safe vehicle. A hybrid car has two engines--a gasoline and electric engine.

Excellent Range

Hybrid cars are becoming more and more diverse. Those who are considering purchasing a hybrid car now have many options to choose from. Toyota, Honda, and Ford, among others, currently produce hybrid cars. Sales in the United States of hybrid cars made by Toyota and Honda have been certainly on the up over the past few years. The most recent Statistics suggest that nearly 8,000 hybrid cars were sold in 2004. This was almost 0.53% of the total U.S. car sales in 2004.

Significant Sales Increases predicted

It is also predicted that sales of hybrid cars will reach 535,000 in 2011, which would be over half of all U.S. auto sales. All major auto manufacturers like General Motors, Ford, Honda, Toyota and others, will be producing and releasing more hybrid cars and trucks and in coming years, the production of hybrid cars and trucks could match or exceed the production of traditional trucks and cars.

Why are hybrid cars becoming popular?

It's not just because of the rising gas prices, but also because of environmental issues and a need to reduce significantly Co2 emissions that hybrids are better for the environment. Hybrid cars use less gasoline and emit fewer pollutants in the air than traditional cars resulting in substantially less pollution in the air.

Don't be scared off – think long-term

Many potential hybrid buyers are scared off because of the higher hybrid price. . When you consider the fact that purchasing a hybrid will mean less money spent on gas and less pollution, the hybrid is well-worth the extra money initially spent. Also, most, if not all, hybrids in the U.S. qualify for a tax break that can shave thousands off the price of the hybrid.

An Example

Are you still not sure that hybrid car is right for you? Let's look at an example. A Honda Civic gas-based car costs $15,000 in the U.S. The Honda Civic hybrid car costs $19,000. That is a $4,000 price difference.

The Honda Civic gas-based car gets 36 mpg in the city. A Honda Civic hybrid car gets 48 mpg in the city. If the price of gas is roughly the same as it is now($2.20 a gallon), and the car racks up 15,000 miles a year, it will cost $4,900 less dollars for the Civic hybrid car than the Civic gas-based car. Essentially, you get back your money after a year, and every following year, you save more money. After factoring in the tax break, you're saving even more money. All of this makes the hybrid car very appealing.

Toby Russell & his website: http://www.hybridcarlatest.com offers news, advice and information covering this fast developing market.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Toby_Russell

Thursday, May 3, 2007

Hybrid Car Buying Options By A Chatfield

The hybrid car market has built upon us slowly but steadily over the last decade ago. If you can remember back that far you’ll recall that gas was hovering around a dollar a gallon and we were in an economic boom, right on the edge of the dotcom bubble and the economic reality of the new millennium.

The last half decade or so has brought a few other realities as well, the most prevalent being the truth in global warming. The social effects are just now starting to be seen, right alongside the commercial effects. The evolution of the automobile has sidled right up to the plate as the next major development. For those interested in helping out by owning one of the new generation of the car, your choices were limited for a long time, but with each passing year a whole new slew of options open up as car companies hop onto the bandwagon, realizing that there is in fact money to be made in this market.

Until Ford finally announced their Escape model recently, the market has been dominated by Japanese automakers, and even now as more American companies get involved, they have nearly a ten year head start in the market.

Toyota Prius – The most popular and oldest of all hybrid models, the Prius is one of the cheapest models available as well as the most efficient with nearly 60 mpg. There is a downside to being the most popular however – a waiting list of two to nine months.

Honda Insight – Honda’s new entry, the Insight is a straight up competitor to the Prius, with a slightly lower price point and slightly higher mpg. It doesn’t have the establishment of brand name like Toyota’s machine, but the success of Civic and Accord hybrids in Honda’s line places them in a better position than any other car company to take Toyota on.

Ford Escape – The Escape Hybrid is the first time an American car company has offered a hybrid vehicle to the public. Their first entry is an attempt to pacify both markets at the same time, offering a more expensive SUV hybrid that gets significantly better mileage than most SUVs on the market, but still fails to come anywhere near the Toyota or Honda mileage standards.

Lexus and Toyota have offered their own entries into the SUV hybrid arena, with the Lexus RX 400h and Toyota Highlander respectively. The popularity of the SUV being what it is, the price point is rendered partially if not entirely mute, as those on the cusp of buying an SUV because of gas mileage might reconsider when these options are presented.

With upwards of 10 new models supposedly being unveiled later this year, the list of hybrid cars available to the public is growing rapidly, finally catching up to the demand that Toyota and their over-stuffed order forms can attest to. What remains to be seen now is if the kind of technology race that this market needs is coming right behind.

***You may use this article on your website as long as the two URLs are hyperlinked.

Anthony Chatfield writes for Go Hybrid, where you can find information on hybrid cars, hybrid car batteries, and more energy-saving alternatives.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=A_Chatfield

Hybrid Trucks Are Here and More On The Way! By L. Winslow

Did you know that there are Hybrid Trucks just like Hybrid Cars? They are taking the Trucking Industry by storm and the dealers cannot get enough of them and there are even waiting lists from businesses who want them to save fuel and/or the PR value to show that they are environmentally with the program.

Kenworth now has a Hybrid Electric Class 6 Truck (Kenworth T-270) that operates in Hybrid mode below 30 miles per hour combining diesel and electricity and then it simply operates like a normal diesel truck once above 30 miles per hour. The system requires nothing from the driver it automatically switches as needed.

The best part about this truck is that the fuel economy efficiency savings is just over 30%. Saving 30% on your fuel bill makes the extra cost very much worth it for operators and this unit will be in full on production sometime in 2008 and this is a great leap forward.

Since the Hybrid Truck uses electricity in combination under 30 mph the more stop and go traffic the better mileage it gets; perfect for a deliver truck in the city. The battery is charged during braking using "regenerative braking" strategies and the electricity helps during acceleration and makes the performance also quite good.

It appears that the US Truck Manufacturers are not allowing the foreign Truck Makers to steal the show and that is because this Hybrid Truck Market is way too Hot! Indeed these Hybrid Trucks cost a little more, but with fuel prices on diesel so high they easily pay it back in fuel savings in a relatively short amount of time.

L. Winslow is a Transportation and Economic Advisor to the Online Think Tank, a Futurist and retired entreprenuer. Currently he is planning a bicycle ride across the US to raise money for charity and is sponsored by http://www.Calling-Plans.com and all the proceeds will go to various charities who sign up.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=L._Winslow