Archive for the ‘vehicle’ Category
Wednesday, June 25th, 2008 |
For more than four months now we have been driving a car that runs off water. Our ‘92′ Honda Civic was converted to a gas-water hybrid and we have been saving an average of $40 per week on our fuel costs.
To say our car runs off only water would not be accurate. The new injection system actually only puts a small amount of water in the fuel system, broken down into very fine particles.
What do you need to build a car that runs off water?
· Accurate plans to build the water for gas car
· No special skills
· No real mechanical skill
· Easily obtained parts for the car that runs off water
It’s important to note that we really don’t have any real mechanical skills in order to build the injection system. If we needed to be a mechanic we would never have been able to install the system. That is definitely not my specialty. But we really wanted to save money on our fuel costs and this system has turned out to be a great choice.
Our fuel savings is about 45% right now and that is pretty good. It cost us about $220 including the plans to install the water-gas injection components and it took about 4 days to find them.
There sure is a lot of controversy surrounding the new technology but we have seen several cases of vehicles working fine and much improved gas mileage, including our own. We even went so far as to ask the publisher where we could find someone who had installed the conversion before we began. We enjoyed our visit with the referral we got and decided to give it a try. Glad we did.
Posted in Cars, vehicle | No Comments »
Wednesday, June 25th, 2008 |
Given the recent developments in the auto industry, it appears that the big car makers in the US are looking eastwards in search of markets.
The sales of automobiles during the month of June in the US is close to drop to an annual rate of 12.5 million units. This figure is about 15% less than last year’s stats. Coinciding with these developments, the Big three manufacturers, namely GM, Ford and Chrysler would be exporting goods worth US$ 2.2 billion to China.
Why is China a promising destination?
Not to mention that the Chinese auto industry has it’s own share of troubles, but it is still one of the most happening markets. According to a projection by Mckinsey, at present the country has the highest sales-growth rate for automobiles. Moreover, by 2010 it is expected to attain mammoth proportions and become the second largest market, just behind the USA.
There’s little doubt about the fact that China’s automobile production has been on the rise for years now.
Between the years 2001 to 2005, automobile consumption in the country experienced CAGR of 54.42%. While the consumption showed an increase, the real promise lies in the fact the country still had only 11 automobile units for every 1000, and that’s a much smaller market penetration of vehicles compared to other countries. For instance, in 2007, UK had 373 cars per 1000, US had 478 cars per 1000, Australia 485 had cars per 1000, Japan had 395 cars per 1000 and Italy had 539 per 1000.
On the whole China seems to be a hot spot as far as the automobile industry is concerned. As far as the US is concerned, though there may be some differences between the two countries about investments, but as it is learned the high ranking U.S. and Chinese officials are working to smooth out even those.
Posted in Auto parts, vehicle | No Comments »
Thursday, March 13th, 2008 |
Some vehicle owners think that after they have treated their vehicle’s surface and underside with simple wax or even costly corrosion-inhibiting and car fabric protection products, the rust problem is solved. This is not true. Underside panels are very vulnerable too. It’s them that you need rustproofing for.
Whether you live inland or on the coast, in the hills or on a plain, in a huge city or a town, whether you own a new or a used vehicle; corrosion is always a very serious problem. All vehicles are subject to at least one of the following rust provoking factors; rain, snow, salty or humid air, rocksalt, sleet, home garage mould, atmospheric or man-made chemicals, washing detergents - all of which speeds up the corrosion of your vehicle radically!
As my friend Jonathan from KROWN rust checking centre explains, rust prevention is basically the process of applying rust-inhibiting materials, sealers and persistent waxes to all corrosion-risky areas on the underside, topside and inside of the vehicle’s body. This is quite similar (although not identical) to undercoating which treats only the underside of the vehicle. The essence: rust proofing is something that every vehicle deserves and needs!
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Friday, December 21st, 2007 |
The carmaker’s CEO wants to boost profits with a new, economical, 2009 hybrid—and with emerging market sales to offset weakness in Japan
Considering the environment for auto sales in Honda’s (HMC) two largest markets, Japan and North America, company chief Takeo Fukui looked remarkably relaxed as he delivered his outlook for the year ahead in Tokyo Dec. 19. It didn’t take long to understand why. During the address in Tokyo’s Shinagawa district, a confident Fukui predicted another year of overall expansion at the automaker in 2008, including a 3% increase in U.S. auto sales to 1.59 million vehicles despite concerns about the sub-prime crisis and stubbornly high fuel prices. He also predicted spectacular growth in several other key markets.
And in another sign of the Tokyo-based automaker’s burgeoning strength, Fukui also promised to give Toyota a tougher run for its money in the battle for eco-supremacy in the years ahead. Honda was an early mover in hybrids. But so far it hasn’t been able to benefit with a breakthrough like Toyota’s Prius, which dominates the hybrid sector. For instance, Toyota had 79% of hybrid sales in the U.S. in November, compared to just 10% for Honda, the No. 2 hybrid maker. The Prius alone accounted for 50% of all hybrid sales in the U.S. last month.
That’s why Fukui says that the battle is only now beginning. According to the Honda chief executive, the last decade was just the first phase for hybrids, a time when automakers focused on marketing a green image. The next phase, he argues, will focus on improving the economics of buying a hybrid. “The price needs to be reasonable and fuel efficiency higher so the [premium] the consumer pays [for a hybrid car] can be returned in a short period of time,” he says.
Posted in Latest News, Trucks, vehicle | No Comments »
Wednesday, December 19th, 2007 |
General Motors has set up a car design studio in Bangalore.
GM’s new car design studio in south India’s technology hub is seen as a step toward making the Indian subcontinent a major location for is global operations. According to reports, General Motors plans to make the new facility a part of the GM Technical Centre located near Bangalore.
The new studio takes the total number of such General Motors design studios to 11 across the world. The company expects that each of its product would have a contribution from the Bangalore design studio.
To be manned by more than 70 employees by the end of the current year, the design studio is being spruced up in such a way that it would be capable of supporting a global design strategy for the technical centre. The technical centre itself has about 1,900 employees currently.
This in turn is expected to make the General Motors’ centre a pit stop of expertise for interior trim and component surfacing, the report added. The company expects that the Bangalore design studio will contribute to the mid-cycle enhancement of existing models and the advanced design of future products.
Though it will take a while before the studio starts designing complete cars, the design centre will initially act as a listening post for the company to gather and understand local product design requirements.
Meanwhile, GM is currently focused on designing small cars.
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Monday, December 17th, 2007 |
Sheriff’s deputies have stepped up enforcement of traffic and safety rules for commercial vehicles since Oct. 1 to control what some see as dangerous conditions on area roads.
The increase resulted in five arrests and 199 citations in 30 days against trucks driving through the county. Many citations issued by Deputies James Novian and Matthew Dill, who oversee the program, involve tractor-trailer rigs that are over roads’ weight limits.
According to the sheriff’s Web site, the deputies have been diligent in working locations where the county has received specific complaints from the public about commercial vehicle violations.
The presence of enforcement officers and scales, along with a record of citing more than 200 safety violations in 30 days will help the county enforce compliance with trucking. Considering that the officers did not have the use of scales until Oct. 23, Sheriff Bob Alford said, their record for October is even more outstanding.
Although fines for overweight trucks are high, the number of wrecks involving these trucks is significant, Precinct 2 Commissioner John Matthews said, and one truck was cited for being more than 30,000 pounds over the weight limit. Too-heavy trucks damage county roads.
“Unfortunately the gas companies are taking a hit from the public standpoint on this, but the truckers are not employees of the gas company. They are subcontractors,” Matthews said.
Oil and gas companies in the area voluntarily offer most of the precincts money each year to repair damage caused to county roads by heavy truck traffic, although they are not obligated to do so.
Tutle & Tutle Trucking Inc., a trucking company in Cleburne, said it takes several measures to ensure the safety of their trucks and drivers. Spokesman Sadie Salinas said the company has a point system to monitor individual drivers’ safety.
The company also inspects each truck before every trip, monitors drivers’ driving records and maintains equipment to strict safety standards, Salinas said.
If the truck needs to go over the legal weight limit of 80,000 pounds, Salinas said, the company purchases an additional permit for the extra weight to ensure the company trucks remain safe and follow the law.
The program is important, Matthews said, because it will improve the safety of roads in the county and make it safer for residents.
Matthews said that having four enforcement officers would further benefit the county.
“The success has just been fantastic, but if we had more weights and measures in more precincts, we would see an increase in compliance,” Matthews said.
Matthews said the court will probably continue to discuss the addition of two more officers to the program, but the discussions probably won’t come up until next year.
Although the revenue brought in from citations has been high — $36,642 — the goal of the program is safety, not revenue, Matthews said.
Sheriff Bob Alford gave a report on the program’s progress to the commissioners Dec. 10.
“We’re trying for voluntary compliance,” Alford said.
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Tuesday, December 11th, 2007 |
Suppose I said the 2008 Chevrolet Malibu is a midsize sedan worth considering alongside the Honda Accord and Toyota Camry. Would you believe me?
I could understand if you didn’t.
The Malibu competes in the toughest part of the auto market, one dominated by Camry/Accord/Altima.
Chevrolet, once the center of the American automotive cosmos, buried its reputation long ago under tons of Corsicas, Luminas and Celebritys that promised quality but failed to deliver.
Not so with this baby.
The new Malibu is the finest midsize car Chevy has produced in three decades.
I’m not alone in that thinking. The Malibu elicited many questions from co-workers — and it turned heads wherever it went. Its sleek lines evoke the 2008 Cadillac CTS. Subtly beveled sheetmetal and chrome trim reinforce the deception. This handsome car is a sharp contrast to the new Honda Accord and Toyota Camry, which seem dowdy by comparison.
Unlike previous Chevrolet interiors, which must’ve been targeted by GM accountants for cost-cutting, the Malibu boasts the same soft-touch surfaces, ambient lighting and expensive detailing seen in Asian rivals. The twin cockpit dashboard design recalls ’60s-era Corvettes. A two-tone color scheme is carried throughout the cabin. The instrument panel is refreshingly simple, lacking the overload of buttons that plagues too many cars in this class.
The front bucket seats are comfortable and supportive. The seat bottoms have good depth and thigh support. The rear seat is comfortably high off the floor, though it lacks a fold-down center armrest. Legroom is plentiful.
And there are little delights throughout, such as the rear power outlets, adjustable foot pedals, rear sunshade.
But the Malibu offers more than great styling and build quality. Underneath is a platform that exhibits equal finesse.
Malibu isn’t a sports sedan, but it has enough agility to make the daily commute entertaining. Its personality is more like a European car. Yes, there’s body roll during cornering, but it’s offset by good grip. The car insolates occupants from road impacts without robbing the driver of road feel. Steering is responsive and precise. This Chevy’s excellent balance between ride and handling is surprising for a family hauler.
Performance comes from two smooth engines. For fuel-economy fans, there’s a 169-horsepower 2.4-liter four-cylinder engine hooked to a four-speed automatic. It provides adequate power, but the power-hungry will want the 252-horse, double-overhead-cam 3.6-liter V-6. It comes with a six-speed automatic that can be shifted manually via steering-wheel paddles. The car reaches 60 mph in less than 7 seconds, and it returns good fuel economy. The V-6 test car had overall mileage of 24 mpg.
And it’s very serene, with just a bit of road noise. The solitude can be banished with the AM/FM/XM/CD audio system.
The trunk is very deep, but not tall.
The car Chevrolet sent for testing was the top-of-the-line LTZ model. Standard equipment includes anti-lock disc brakes, stability control, traction control, 18-inch wheels, heated outside mirrors, heated leather seats; split folding rear seats, power adjustable foot pedals, tilt/telescopic steering wheel wrapped in leather, and remote starting.
GM is charging Wal-Mart prices for a product with Nordstrom elan.
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Tuesday, December 11th, 2007 |
According to AFP, South Korea’s Chinese-owned automaker Ssangyong Motor said on 13th of November it is considering shutting down production lines for sport utility vehicles due to sluggish sales.
Ssangyong Motor has suffered from slow demand for its flagship SUV models Rexton and Actyon at home and abroad, according to company officials.
“Talks are now underway between management and union representatives to suspend the SUV lines,” spokesman Kim Bum-Suk told AFP.
Schedules had yet to be agreed on, he said. The Seoul Economic Daily newspaper quoted an unidentified union leader as saying the automaker would suspend the SUV lines by the end of next February.
Specialising in SUVs and passenger sedans, Ssangyong is the smallest of South Korea’s five carmakers. Last month its vehicle sales declined 10.3 percent year-on-year to 10,526 units amid sluggish exports.
Ssangyong, whose main plant is at Pyeongtaek, 70 kilometres (43 miles) southwest of Seoul, was acquired by China’s Shanghai Automotive Industry Corporation in 2004.
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Tuesday, December 11th, 2007 |
According to TOYOTA, on a consolidated basis, net revenues for the first half of the fiscal year totaled 13.01 trillion yen, an increase of 13.4 percent compared to the same period last fiscal year. Operating income increased 16.3 percent to 1.27 trillion yen, while income before income taxes, minority interest and equity in earnings of affiliated companies was 1.36 trillion yen. Net income increased 21.3 percent to 942.4 billion yen.
Positive contributions to operating income totaled 330.0 billion yen, consisting of 150.0 billion yen from changes in foreign exchange rates, 130.0 billion yen from marketing efforts and 50.0 billion yen from cost reduction efforts. Negative factors totaled 151.3 billion yen.
TMC also announced an interim cash dividend of 65 yen per share for the first half of the fiscal year, an increase of 15 yen per share compared with the same period last fiscal year.
Commenting on the results, TMC Executive Vice President Mitsuo Kinoshita said, “For this period, we posted record results in both revenues and profits. We believe our efforts to build a globally balanced operational foundation contributed to these results. Net income has increased by nearly 70 percent over the last two years, due to a substantial increase in earnings by companies accounted for under the equity method, as well as increase in operating income.”
Consolidated vehicle sales for this period reached a record high of 4.301 million units, an increase of 156 thousand units over the same period last fiscal year.
In Japan, vehicle sales decreased by 67 thousand units, to 1.006 million units. Operating income increased by 88.9 billion yen, to 773.3 billion yen, mainly due to improvements in the model mix of domestic and export sales, including strong sales of the Lexus LS models.
Vehicle sales in North America totaled 1.497 million units, an increase of 33 thousand units, due to steady sales including the redesigned Tundra and the Prius. Operating income increased by 3.6 billion yen, to 254.1 billion yen.
In Europe, vehicle sales increased by 46 thousand units, to 635 thousand units, due to strong sales of the redesigned Corolla and the Auris which has been manufactured locally since early 2007.Operating income increased by 2.3 billion yen, to 68.3 billion yen. Strong Russian sales of Lexus models, the Camry and the Corolla contributed to this result.
Sales in Asia increased by 70 thousand units, to 452 thousand units. Operating income increased by 55.4 billion yen, to 116.7 billion yen, mainly due to brisk sales recovery in the Asian markets including Indonesia. Our consolidated subsidiaries in China also made a substantial contribution to the results, due to strong sales of Lexus models.
In other regions, including Central and South America, Oceania and Africa, vehicle sales increased to 711 thousand units, an increase of 74 thousand units, due to steady sales of the IMV series and the redesigned Camry. Operating income increased by 35.6 billion yen, to 71.7 billion yen.
TMC estimates that consolidated vehicle sales for the fiscal year ending March 31, 2008 will be 8.93 million units, which is an upward revision from TMC’s initial forecast of 8.89 million units announced in May 2007. Additionally, consolidated net revenues were revised to 25.5 trillion yen (from 25.0 trillion yen), operating income to 2.30 trillion yen (from 2.25 trillion yen) and net income to 1.70 trillion yen (from 1.65 trillion yen).
Commenting on the outlook for consolidated profit for the fiscal year ending March 31, 2008, Kinoshita said, “We aim to achieve higher levels of revenues and profits through further increase of vehicle sales and cost reductions.”
Posted in Latest News, vehicle | No Comments »
Monday, December 10th, 2007 |
2007 North American Environmental Report Now Available
Toyota today issued its first update on progress toward the goals and targets in the company’s new 2011 Environmental Action Plan (EAP). The 2007 North America Environmental Report details Toyota’s efforts in six key areas of impact: Environmental Management, Energy and Climate Change, Air Quality, Substances of Concern, Recycling and Improved Resource Use, and Cooperation with Society.
“Toyota’s approach to reducing CO2 is far broader than just a commitment to fuel economy standards,” said Dian Ogilvie, senior vice president of Toyota Motor North America. “We take these targets very seriously. Our environmental reports show a consistent history of achieving - and in many cases exceeding - our targets. We believe that the combination of actions we are taking will all play a part in meeting the challenges we all face.”
Toyota’s enthusiasm for upholding and surpassing environmental goals is exemplified in its first renewable energy Power Purchase Agreement (PPA), also announced today. Toyota Motor Sales, USA, Inc. (TMS) has partnered with SunPower Corporation to install a 2.28 megawatt solar electric power system on the roof of the TMS Ontario (California) Parts Center. The system will be financed and owned by a third-party financier under the SunPower AccessTM power purchase agreement program, which allows Toyota to take advantage of the environmental and financial benefits of solar with no upfront capital costs. When completed in 2008, the photovoltaic (PV) system will be the largest single-roof solar power installation in North America.
Last week, Toyota’s outstanding environmental leadership was recognized with the state of California’s most prestigious environmental honor, the Governor’s Environmental and Economic Leadership Award (GEELA), in the category of sustainable practices or facilities, during an awards ceremony at the California Environmental Protection Agency.
The award was given in recognition of pioneering efforts to integrate environmental values and conservation of natural resources into long-term decision making and management of businesses and facilities.
“The Governor’s award is really a reflection of Toyota’s overall approach to everything we do,” said Ogilvie, upon receiving the award. The program recognizes individuals, organizations, and businesses that have demonstrated exceptional leadership and made notable contributions in conserving California’s precious resources, protecting and enhancing the environment, and building public-private partnerships.
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