2012 Tesla Model S
Tesla is planning to introduce a sporty EV sedan, currently called the Model S, for the 2012 model year. The Model S will be Tesla’s second model which will join the Roadster sports car. Tesla has not announced the on-sale date, but the new vehicle will go into production in late 2011 and will appear in the market as a 2012 model year vehicle.
The Model S is a five-door vehicle that will be capable of carrying up to seven passengers. The new vehicle will also be built solely by Tesla unlike the company’s first model – the Lotus Elise-based Roadster.
The Model S will be powered by a water-cooled electric motor and will have a coefficient of drag of a low 0.26. The two of these features combined will allow the vehicle to reach 60 mph in 5.6 seconds and have a maximum speed of 130 mph. A future sport version is also planned that has a predicted 0-60 time in the 4 seconds range. The first Model S will be a rear-drive vehicle. However, Tesla does plan to offer an all-wheel-drive option in the future.
Tesla claims that the new vehicle will be available with a variety of battery pack options – 160-mile, 220-mile, and 300-mile range options. The 300-mile option will be an increased range capability over the smaller Roadster which has a 244-mile maximum range. The battery pack will weight in the region of 1200 lbs. The body panels are lightweight aluminum and so is the majority of the chassis. The complete vehicle will weigh approximately 3825 lbs.
The 2012 Tesla Model S will have other state of the art technologies features in addition to the battery electric technology. The Model S will come with a 17 inch touch-screen infotainment system that is fully programmable like a desktop computer.
The Model S will rival other EVs – electric vehicles – as well as traditional luxury vehicles like the BMW 5-Series. The Model S 160-mile battery pack option is expected to retail for approximately $50,000 after tax credits. The vehicle will be built in Southern California. Telsa is already taking orders and is expecting to produce approximately 20,000 Model S vehicles per year.
2013 Audi A3 Plus
It is rumored the Audi will bring a sedan/coupe version of the next generation A3 to the US for the 2013 model year. The new variant is currently known by Audi engineers as the A3 Plus and will definitely be a welcome addition to Audi’s US lineup.
Although the original A3 was introduced by Audi in 1996, a North American A3 was not introduced until 2005 as a 2006 model. The only model available in the US at the time was the five-door Sportback. There are many other versions of the A3 already available in Europe but not in North America. However, Audi obviously think that a small four-dour version may just be the right vehicle to add to the five-door variant that is currently available in the US.
The new Audi A3 lineup will make its official introduction in mid-2010 in Europe and mid-2011 in the US. Audi has delayed the introduction by one year to concentrate on a few of its other all-new models like the A1 hatch and the Q3 soft-roader. The all-new A3 will be designed to compete with BMW’s 1-Series range.
The entire A3 range, including the A3 Plus will share its platform with the VW Golf. The A3 footprint will also increase in size from the current model, and the styling is rumored to be much sleeker than the current model.
The 2013 Audi A3 Plus is said to have been inspired by the Mercedes-Benz CLS. Little is known about the A3 Plus, but it is expected to have start-stop technology on it including energy regenerating brakes. The model will also come with low-rolling resistance tires and a fuel efficient transmission.
The A3 worldwide range will likely get a few different four-cylinder engines. It is not exactly clear which engine will be available for the US market. However, the rumors are that it will be the 2.0L TFSI engine that will deliver 200+ horsepower and 350Nm of torque.
Although there is not a great deal of information available yet about the 2013 Audi A3 Plus, the new vehicle should be a very nice addition to Audi’s lineup in the US market.
2013 Jaguar Crossover
There are rumors around the Jaguar will enter the crossover market in 2013. Many other luxury car makers have already entered this segment, and it looks like Tata, Jaguar’s owner, may move the British automaker in that direction as well.
Some luxury makers are moving into the SUV and crossover segment together. Jaguar is unlikely to enter into SUVs because Tata also owns Land Rover. If Jaguar also came out with an SUV, it would compete directly with the Land Rover products that are already in the marketplace. However, crossovers are really possibility for Jaguar. Jaguar will be looking to compete with similar models from Porsche, Audi, Mercedes, and BMW in the 2013 time frame with this new entry, if it does get approved by company directors.
If Jaguar decides to go ahead with the crossover vehicle for 2013, it could be built using the Freelander platform. The four-wheel-drive system from the Freelander could also be used for the new crossover. Land Rover is also owned by Tata, and the two brands could easily share a platform if the Jag crossover got the green light. The brands already share a diesel engine and are fairly integrated in terms of product development.
Top end models of the Jaguar crossover could use the new AJ-V8 Gen III engine. This new engine will deliver 510 horsepower. The new crossover would likely have a higher ground clearance and more interior room than the X-Type Estate. The styling would definitely have to take some cues from the Jaguars of the past but be stylish enough to compete with the German vehicles that are already in this segment.
A few sketches are available of the new vehicle, so obviously Jaguar is considering going ahead with the 2013 crossover entry. However, some purists think that the British brand should stick to its roots and get back to high performance, luxury sports cars. If Jag concentrates on sports cars, there would be no possibility of the two Tata brands cannibalizing each other’s sales.
A new Jaguar crossover vehicle could be in the plans for 2013. Although not yet approved by Tata, it is fun just considering what the new entry would be like if it does go forward into production.
Petrol Car vs Diesel Car and Hybrid Car vs Fuel Cell Car
I would quite like to make an informed decision but currently cannot.
I’m an engineer and quite capable of working out the pros and cons given the basic data. The problem currently is that the data is either produced by vested interest or is incomplete.
I spent 20 years when younger and fit, cycling 5000 miles a year to and from work so hopefully that gives me some green credits.
So here are some of my problems with the entire what car debate:
- Most investment now has to have a green slant, this does tend to shoot the green argument in the foot as everyone wants the money. We’ve seen several cases recently where a tower of research has been undermined because the premis has been based on opinion or a cynical grab for chash. I’d like to think the green debate is a good one but I can’t see the truth through the bull****.
- The anti-green lobby produces just as much effluent, the reply tends to be flac rather than reasoned unbiased argument.
- One of my biggest concerns is the yard-stick. We currently have all this argument between various groups base on the levels of a few gases produced that directly effect the greenhouse layer of the atmosphere. To have the definitive bun-fight we need to see the whole picture.Take for instance diesel, in the uk over the last 20years there has been a move towards diesel vehicles but as far as I can see the particulates they produce are not even considered in the green debate. In the last 20 years the cases of asthma and chest complains have increased (no science here but I just find I wheeze when I follow a diesel 4×4). So is there a tie up or not and if there is what’s the extra overhead due to drug production and extra journeys to doctors/chemitsts etc. If a particular driving option has some secondary paths leading to “dirty processes” then looking at the basic data may result in the wrong conclusion.
- Government – may politicians all die a painful and hideous death. In the uk we have a government that claims it’s doing it’s green bit, we get taxed on buying a vehicle, we get taxed on the fuel – this is fine by me as the tax can relate to the pollution.
- Tax on engine size – why, your already paying for that in the fuel. If it is based on the CO2/mile then it should be related to the MOT production level. I keep my car serviced and replace faulty parts and my CO2/CO on a 10year old 2litre is 15% of the book level at my MOT. Where as a knackered 1litre may still pass the test pump out significantly more pollutants and pay less tax.
Finally some of us work in jobs where there are limited jobs available so a few years ago I found myself flying each week to and from work. I would have liked to move the family but we now have a large penalty tax on moving house so “financial sense” = screw the environment.
So please can we set loose a band of cynics with inquisitive minds and show the primary and secondary financial and environmental costs of:
- what is takes produce a car.
- full life cycle of vehicle (repairs and replacement parts).
- hit per mile (+ battery efficiency, power line and power plant efficiency).
- end of life costs.
- social change/impact.
Perhaps if we had the info the choice or solution may be more obvious.
Here’s some daft ones that might come out of the results:
If the media stopped equating the one unfortunate incident where a child is killed on the roads out of millions of journeys by children on our streets every day to: “your child will die if you let it walk to school”. Would this get the vast majority of kids walking to school, this would get the dosey parents in their 4×4s that wave to each other and probably do the vast majority of running over kids on their way to school, off the roads. Secondary effect, if the kids get exercise twice a day five days a week does that mean the 3 journeys to the gym a week disappear too?
Put the money in to fast cheap internet and get a large proportion of those who can “working from home”.
Would it be more cost effective pool all the money we pump in to hybrid technology, use it to lease all the farm land in equatorial countries and replant the rain forests.
Ps. I think fuel cell is the way to if we can get all the efficiencies up.
This is based on the fact that the vehicle itself runs clean and you fill it up like a petrol vehicle. Unfortunately the power to crack the hydrogen probably comes from a US power station burning brown coal – so what do I know (like most folks probably very little).
Submitted as a comment – Gordon
2010 Jeep Wrangler EV
Jeep will introduce a new electric version of the Jeep Wrangler to demonstrate their fuel efficient technology to customers. The 2010 Jeep Wrangler EV was introduced at the 2009 Detroit auto show and is expected to be a hit with customers in that segment when it comes out as a 2010 model year vehicle.
The 2010 Jeep Wrangler EV will not be the first electric Jeep, but it is supposed to be more advanced than the DJ-5e. Most automakers are using small, fuel-efficient compact cars as platforms to introduce their extended-range electric vehicles (EERVs). However, Chrysler has chosen a minivan and the body-on-frame Wrangler to demonstrate and introduce their technology on.
Chrysler is using the two-wheel-drive model for the EV, and it is expected that the fuel economy gains for the EV model will be quite substantial over the base Wrangler vehicle. Chrysler claims that EV will achieve 40 miles per gallon fuel economy. The current two-wheel-drive Wrangler achieves around 20 miles per gallon.
Similar to other EERVs that are in the market, the 2010 Jeep Wrangler EV will run its electric motor as long as the lithium-ion batteries hold a charge. When the batteries are out of charge, the internal-combustion engine will act as a generator to both the batteries and the electric motor. The engine will not directly drive the rear wheels. Chrysler says the batteries can power the 268 horsepower, 295 lb-ft engine 40 miles on a single charge. During these 40 miles, the vehicle will have zero emissions and no fuel consumption.
The 2010 Jeep Wrangler EV is only available as a two-wheel drive vehicle and will be similar to the current Jeep Wrangler Unlimited in terms of styling. Many in the industry believe that Jeep customers would actually prefer a four-wheel-drive Wrangler. Chrysler has said that they are working on it, but it will not be available until the 2011-13 timeframe.
As other automotive manufacturers are using smaller, more fuel-efficient vehicles as donors for their EERVs, Chrysler is going a different route and using the Jeep Wrangler as the vehicle that they will introduce their latest electric offering on in 2010. The new vehicle is expected to be a hit with customers especially if Chrysler delivers on the fuel economy predictions.
2010 GMC Terrain – Rugged, Aggressive Styling
GM will introduce the 2010 GMC Terrain to the public at the New York Auto Show. In the build-up to the show GM has released all of the details of the new vehicle including the press photos, which show very dramatic and rugged, block styling for the five-passenger crossover SUV.
In fact, the new Terrain is actually a 2010 Chevrolet Equinox with a new exterior. However, he Terrain is going for a much more aggressive look than its brother model.
Under the hood, the Terrain offers the same engines as the Equinox – a 2.4 liter, 182 horsepower four cylinder engine and a 3.0 liter, 264 horsepower V6. The 2.4 liter will be available in either front-wheel drive or all-wheel drive. The front-wheel drive version is claimed to deliver 30 mpg in highway fuel economy. Both engines will be coupled with a six-speed automatic transmission.
The 2.4 liter models will also be equipped with GM’s first application of Active Noise Cancellation technology. Active noise control uses microphones to detect unwanted sounds in the passenger compartment. The system then uses the vehicle’s audio system to send canceling sound waves so that passengers are treated with a quiet driving experience.
The interior of the Terrain is also slightly different from the Equinox in terms of color choice and the selection of materials. The rear-seat passengers of the new SUV are in for a treat. The rear seats move fore/aft as well as recline. In addition, the vehicle is equipped with DVD players for the rear seat passengers.
The new Terrain is also equipped with standard rear vision camera and is expected to achieve segment-best safety ratings. Safety features include the four-wheel disc brakes with StabiliTrak electronic stability control and traction control and six standard air bags. OnStar, with a one-year Safe and Sound service, is also standard on the Terrain.
The 2010 GMC Terrain is the 2010 Chevrolet Equinox with a different look, but it is a very different look indeed. GM, who is known for just rebadging its models between different brands has really pulled out the stops to differentiate the Terrain and the Equinox in terms of styling. The rugged, aggressive styling of the new Terrain will not appeal to all, but it should make a hit with many customers when it is debuted at the New York Auto Show.
2011 Volkswagen Golf Twin Drive
Volkswagen is planning on introducing a plug-in hybrid version of the new Golf, called the Twin Drive. The new vehicle is currently being tested in Europe, and if all goes well, the Twin Drive Golf will go into production for the US market around the 2011 time frame.
The current Twin Drive Golf vehicles that are being tested in Berlin, Germany are fitted with diesel engines. However, it is likely that the production model will be designed around a gasoline/electric combination. VW is looking to compete with vehicles like the Chevy Volt with its Twin Drive hybrid. The Volt is being designed around a series hybrid concept where the electric motor is mechanically coupled to the wheels. However, the VW Golf prototypes are built around a parallel system concept without a transmission. The lithium ion battery pack on the VW provides 30 miles of range and is able to store energy that is normally lost through braking.
The reason VW is switching to gasoline from diesel even in Europe for the new Twin Drive is that the emissions regulations will soon make diesel too expensive of an option for such a hybrid.
Typically, hybrids are heavier than traditional combustion engine only vehicles. However, because the Twin Drive has no transmission, some of the additional weight from the electric motor can be offset. The parallel engine concept allows the electric motor to supply the low-end torque to get the car moving to about 30 mph. Then, the traditional combustion engine starts. The electric motor is then used to add in acceleration. The Twin Drive will also have an “e-mode” where the gas engine can be inhibited completely.
The production gasoline engine will likely be a 1.05L three-cylinder, turbo-charged engine. The downsized turbocharged engine will give higher fuel efficiency even without the hybrid. The 2011 Volkswagen Golf Twin Drive will be able to reach a top speed of approximately 75 mph.
In summary, Volkswagen will enter the plug-in hybrid market in 2011 with the Golf Twin Drive. The VW model will be powered differently than the competition with a parallel engine setup. The Twin Drive should be a nice competitor for the Chevy Volt.
Kia Soul’ster Concept, the Car of the Future?
One very interesting car being released is the 2009 Kia Soul’ster Concept. This car, which features a yellow body, dual chrome exhaust, carbon-fiber interior sleeves and 19-inch aluminum alloy wheels, was first unveiled in 2009 and there are many who think it may be the car of the future, despite its odd look.
The production version of the 2009 Kia Soul’ster Concept car has a 1.6 liter engine that has 120 horsepower and a five speed manual transmission. Going on sale in 2010, this vehicle is sure to be one that will be seen more and more on the streets of tomorrow.
The vehicle itself is very agile and smooth, with a ride that is very relaxed. The four-cylinder engine will be good for most, but there is another version of that engine that others will prefer. It is the 2.0 liter four-cylinder engine that comes with either a five-speed manual transmission or the four-speed automatic transmission. This engine produces 120 horsepower.
The fuel economy for both engines is quite good, reaching over 30 miles per gallon.
The vehicle features two roof panels that cover the occupants of the vehicle when the weather is not great, and the four seats in the back fold down in order to give more room to what you may be carrying. There is also increased leg room and several storage compartments that make this vehicle a must for a family that wants to look good as they drive.
One really interesting part of this vehicle is the fact that they have crank windows, which are almost never seen anymore. Going old-school and retro can be a good idea and what was once old is now new again.
One thing is certain; the 2009 Kia Soul’ster Concept car is a very interesting vehicle that is sure to turn some heads while it goes down the street for the simple reason that there has never been a car like it before.
Mercedes Steps into the Future with the 2012 Mercedes ML
Mercedes knows that the world needs good cars that are good for the environment and they are ready to provide them. One such car is the 2012 Mercedes ML450 Hybrid SUV that has 335 horsepower and 381 pound-feet of torque, while getting 24 miles per gallon on the highway. However, there is a new vehicle, codenamed W166, that will be released in 2012 and it is the new 2012 Mercedes ML vehicle.
While it has only been seen under camouflage recently, this vehicle is expected to go into production in October of 2011 with a release date of 2012.
The engine is expected to be an upgraded version of the current engine used in the ML series. Right now there is the 3.5 liter V6, the 5.5 liter V8 and the diesel engine, so expect an improvement on all of these. It is expected that the new version of the Mercedes Ml will be able to produce a whopping 570 horsepower. There will even be a gasoline-electric hybrid model of the 2012 Mercedes ML available.
Mercedes is putting a lot of work into this vehicle, with about $290 million invested in their plant to produce the next generation of SUVs. Thanks to vehicle makers like Mercedes, the SUV is no longer being seen as the bane of the green movement. The next generation of SUVs, like the 2012 Mercedes ML, is going to be greener and better for the environment. They will have vastly improved fuel efficiency, and they will be able to go farther for less fuel. This is a big shift from the 1990s when the SUV would guzzle gas. In the days of high gas prices and worry over global warming, all that has changed and companies like Mercedes are beginning to take notice.
Power in an Eco-Friendly Package with the 2011 Mustang GT
Wanting to retain its status as the car everyone wants, the Ford Motor Company has decided to give the Mustang a big of a kick in the pants. This kick in the pants comes in the form of its fuel economy and its power. First of all, its power is something to be respected. Thanks to the new Coyote Engine, the Mustang GT is capable of reaching 400 horsepower. This puts it in the same class as the Chevy Camaro, which is its main competitor in their class of cars.
In regards to fuel economy, the 2011 Mustang GT has got it going on there too. While it doesn’t have exceptional fuel economy, the fact that this sports car can reach 30 miles per gallon on the highway and 19 miles per gallon in the city, is nothing to shy away from. That is an exceptional amount of fuel efficiency especially considering the amount of power under the hood of the 2011 Mustang GT.
How is this fuel economy possible? The main reason is the 2011 Mustang GT six-speed automatic transmission. This transmission allows the vehicle to have high fuel efficiency by making the driving of the vehicle and the energy it uses more efficient. One example of this is hill mode. When the Mustang is going up or down a hill, the 2011 Mustang GT six-speed automatic transmission will adjust the gears to ensure that the proper gear is being used for the hilly terrain. It eliminates the sixth gear in this regard and it makes the vehicle more efficient as a result.
The 2011 Mustang GT six-speed automatic transmission really makes this Mustang a step above its predecessors. Now you can drive a vehicle that is fuel efficient, but which also has a lot of horsepower under the hood. It is an eco-friendly car that looks good and drives good, and it can be expected that 2011 will be a good year for Ford with the Mustang GT thanks to the 2011 Mustang GT six-speed automatic transmission and Coyote Engine.
