Chrysler to begin testing electric vehicles

http://www.hydrogenfuelnews.com/chrysler-to-begin-testing-electric-vehicles/853467/

BY JOHN MAX

After years of fighting for recovery, Chrysler begins showing signs of recovery

Three years ago, American automaker Chrysler was faced with financial ruin due to the economic crisis that started in 2008. In 2009, the company received a large bailout from the federal government, coming in at $14 billion. Since the bailout, the automaker has been working to reclaim its former glory. To this end, Chrysler teamed with European car manufacturer Fiat. The partnership paid off, allowing Chrysler to establish itself as an influential company within the U.S. once again.

Focus on electric vehicles may be contributor to recent success

Part of the company’s newfound success is due to its shift of focus. Chrysler is no longer obsessed with producing high-performance muscle cars and has adopted mini-vans as its flagship vehicles. The company’s most recognizable brands – Jeep, Ram, and Dodge – are still around, but Chrysler has taken a keen interest in alternative energy and electric vehicles. The company recently announced that it will begin producing new electric and hybrid vehicles, the first of which is a plug-in hybrid mini-van.
Electric Town & Country mini-vans to be tested

Chrysler had developed a new line of Town & Country mini-vans – 25 in total. Eight of these vehicles have finished production and have been sent to Duke Energy in North Carolina. The energy company will test the vehicles to collect data on their performance and determine whether the lithium-ion batteries used in the mini-vans are viable for the purposes the vehicle was made for. The trial will span two years, with Duke employees driving the vehicles to and from work as well as around Charlotte, North Carolina.

Chrysler facing strong competition from other automakers

The automaker is one of several that have begun taking an interest in alternative energy. Chrysler has been attempting to produce electric vehicles for several years, but has been unable to overcome the financial challenges of producing these vehicles. The company is still reeling from the effects of a turbulent economy and it may be some time before it can produce viable electric vehicles. Other automakers, such as Nissan, have already established a promising head start, which will present a great deal of competition for Chrysler.

Oxmoor Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram Louisville Kentucky, Oxmoor Auto Group, www.oxmoorautogroup.com, www.oxmoorchrysler.com

 

All New Hyundai Models Will Have Brake Override System

http://www.chicagotribune.com/classified/automotive/sns-all-new-hyundai-models-will-have-brake-overri-20120503,0,5575566.story

Jennifer Geiger

Unintended acceleration isn’t just a Toyota problem. Hyundai is taking steps to ensure its cars are safeguarded from the issue by making brake override systems standard on all new models. Two years ago, the automaker made the system standard on half its lineup.

The fail-safe technology means that drivers can control a vehicle’s speed and stop it in the event of an unintended-acceleration incident, Hyundai said. If sensors recognize that the gas and brake pedals are pressed at the same time, the brake action takes precedence to safely slow the car down. Starting this month, all of Hyundai’s vehicles will have the system.

Although this is an uncommon problem, there is still the remote possibility that electric throttle control systems can malfunction and cause unintended acceleration, Hyundai said.

“With Hyundai’s brake pedal throttle override capability, any brake pedal input by the driver, even with a runaway throttle condition, completely overrides any throttle malfunction,” Robert Babcock, director of certification and compliance affairs for Hyundai’s technical center, said in a statement. “It is no longer possible to have increasing engine power once the brake pedal is depressed by the driver. This adds a reassuring, incremental safeguard of control for Hyundai drivers.”

Many automakers already use similar systems. BMW has been including it as standard equipment for years, and all Chrysler products since 2003 have brake override systems in place. All model-year 2011 and newer Toyotas have it, as well as model-year 2012 GM and Mazda vehicles, for example. More automakers will likely follow suit, especially if the government gets its way. Last month, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration began reviewing a proposal to mandate brake override systems on all new vehicles.

Oxmoor Hyundai Louisville Kentucky, Hyundai Of Louisville, Oxmoor Auto Group Louisville Kentucky, www.oxmoorhyundai.com, www.hyundaioflouisville.com, www.louisvilleequus.com, www.oxmoorautogroup.com

 

Ford Drives Innovation, Intellectual Property Development through TechShop Membership Incentive for Smart Ideas

http://www.sacbee.com/2012/05/04/4465691/ford-drives-innovation-intellectual.html

By Ford Motor Company

DEARBORN, Mich., May 4, 2012 — /PRNewswire/ –

TechShop Detroit will give Ford employees, plus all Metro Detroiters, access to classes, coaching and state-of-the-art tools to turn ideas into reality
Ford’s Employee Patent Incentive Award program now provides free TechShop memberships to Ford employees submitting inventions
Since the program was initiated at the beginning of the year, invention submissions are up more than 30 percent year-to-date versus 2011
Henry Ford would have felt right at home in Michigan’s latest do-it-yourself workshop, the newly opened TechShop Detroit. After all, Mr. Ford underscores what a “maker” represents, having built his first motorized vehicle in his backyard shed.

What is a maker?

It’s an individual within a growing movement of people interested in turning their ideas into reality – whether these are one-off art objects or potentially marketable products – someone who might not have the tools or know-how to get it done.

TechShop is located in Fairlane Business Park, a Ford Land-owned property. Ford Land helped bring TechShop to Metro Detroit with assistance from Bill Coughlin, CEO of Ford Global Technologies. Leading the domestic auto industry’s only intellectual property team with a licensing arm, Coughlin shares this vision to help drive innovation among Ford engineers.

“Innovation and invention are at the core of Ford Motor Company,” he says. “When I heard about TechShop and how they are inspiring and helping a new generation of inventors, I had to find a way to lure them to Detroit. Not only is it a great opportunity for the community, but it will be a strategic tool to spur creativity and new ideas within the Ford engineering community to help us continue to build our intellectual property portfolio.”

Ford Global Technologies is enhancing the Employee Patent Incentive Award program so that inventors now get a free three-month membership to TechShop Detroit for submitting an invention worthy of patent consideration. Since launch in 1988, this program has provided financial rewards to Ford employees who submit approved inventions.

Coughlin estimates about 2,000 incentive memberships will be provided to Ford employees this year. Since the program was initiated at the beginning of the year, invention submissions are up more than 30 percent versus last year.

Ford has a portfolio of more than 17,000 issued and pending patents around the world, and – as a technology company – needs to be at the very forefront of automotive innovation. With TechShop in close proximity, Ford’s employees in Dearborn will be able to easily and quickly build prototypes for almost any inventive solution they can conceive.

“By collaborating with TechShop Inc. to bring this new facility to southeast Michigan, we hope both to inspire and enable some of the great minds that live in this region to create, experiment and invent,” said Venkatesh Prasad, senior technical leader, Ford Research and Innovation. “At TechShop, the many creative people including talented engineers, designers and scientists who work in the auto industry can exercise their imaginations and innovate well beyond their usual job description.”

Dozens of Ford employees have already received TechShop awards for a variety of ideas that may be incorporated into future Ford vehicles, or licensed to other companies.

Learn about how Ford innovators are using their memberships by following this link: http://media.ford.com/article_display.cfm?article_id=36443.

“We are thrilled to be partnering with Ford – a company that truly embraces the open innovation model – to drive innovation in the Greater Metro Detroit area,” said Jim Newton, TechShop founder. “TechShop provides a great resource to Ford employees and the many other local entrepreneurs looking to incubate new technologies, as part of Detroit’s growing innovation community.”

From laser cutters to computer-aided-design workstations to 3D printers, every TechShop is outfitted with tools that Henry Ford couldn’t even imagine when he built his first cars more than a century ago. While much of this equipment is still well beyond the means of most tinkerers, memberships that start at just $99 a month enable everyone to be creative. All Ford employees and retirees will qualify for a 50 percent discount on TechShop memberships.

Click here to view a video introduction to TechShop Detroit.

TechShop was launched in 2006 in Menlo Park, Calif., near the heart of Silicon Valley where much of the technology that makes modern life possible was born. While Ford is in the midst of opening its own Silicon Valley Lab, it’s fitting the newest workshop opens in America’s industrial heartland, adjacent to Ford’s product development campus.

Along with access to tools, members can take beginner to advanced-level classes with TechShop Dream Consultants on how to use the tools, and bounce ideas off other members. The Allen Park facility includes 17,000 square feet of shop space, classrooms, a creative brainstorming lounge and a retail store offering convenience materials and consumables.

Every TechShop membership includes:

Use of all tools and equipment (safety and basic usage class required for some)
Spacious workshop with large worktables with 115-volt outlets and compressed air
Use of computer workstations with software including Autodesk Inventor suite
Wi-Fi® with high-speed Internet access
Free member-only meet-ups and other special events
Fresh-brewed coffee and hot popcorn
Members can also rent storage space for their projects as well as a limited number of private workshop spaces.

“If Henry Ford were starting today, he would almost certainly be a member of TechShop Detroit,” Prasad said.

Ford and TechShop – the membership-based workshop and fabrication studio – will host a Grand Opening celebration that spans the entire weekend of Saturday, May 5 through Sunday, May 6, 2012, both days from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. at the new location in Allen Park at 800 Republic Drive. TechShop Detroit is the result of collaboration between TechShop Inc., Ford Motor Company, Ford Global Technologies and Ford Land.

About Ford Motor Company Ford Motor Company (NYSE: F), a global automotive industry leader based in Dearborn, Mich., manufactures or distributes automobiles across six continents. With about 166,000 employees and about 70 plants worldwide, the company’s automotive brands include Ford and Lincoln. The company provides financial services through Ford Motor Credit Company. For more information regarding Ford and its products worldwide, please visit http://corporate.ford.com.

Oxmoor Ford Lincoln Louisville Kentucky, Oxmoor Auto Group Louisville Kentucky, www.oxmoorflm.com, www.oxmoorford.net.com, www.oxmoorlincoln.com, www.oxmoorautogroup.com

 

Mazda SkyActiv goes the distance

http://www.nwitimes.com/business/columnists/jim-jackson/mazda-skyactiv-goes-the-distance/article_8cccbaed-39a0-54f6-b58d-9ff1a9673cdc.html

By Jim Jackson Times Auto Writer

Japanese automaker Mazda joins the 40–plus mileage club with SkyActiv technology.

Today, gas mileage is king. And no where is it more apparent than in the brand’s volume leader 2012 Mazda3 sedan.

“Mazda3 is our bread-and-butter car,” says Andrew Thompson, new car sales manager for Kennedy Mazda in Valparaiso. “Its size is a good fit for most families and comes with a price point just over $20,000 when equipped with SkyActiv and an automatic transmission.”

Thompson goes on to say that SkyActiv is the blend of Mazda development that has refined its best engine and transmission technology for higher compression, better fuel economy and increased horsepower.

“With SkyActiv, mileage can reach the high side of 47 miles per gallon on the highway with an average combined mileage that routinely achieves 42 mpg in real world driving,” he said.

SkyActiv technology hones Mazda’s 2.0–liter, inline, four–cylinder engine to build 155 horsepower from our 2012 Mazda3 SkyActiv–G Touring test car priced at $22,300 with a six–speed sport automatic transmission. Add $795 for freight.

The five–passenger Mazda3 sedan enters the compact car segment with a base model Mazda3 i SV sedan equipped with a five–speed manual gearbox that costs $15,800 without destination charge.

However, Mazda3′s base model comes devoid of the SkyActiv powertrain.

Mazda3 comes in four–door sedan and four –door hatchback body styles, all with front–wheel drive.

Our 2012 Mazda3 SkyActiv–G press vehicle has standard one–touch power moonroof, intermittent front wipers, tilt and telescopic steering column, leather trimmed seats and door panels.

Also included is a leather wrapped steering wheel with built–in audio, cruise and Bluetooth controls, heated front seats, eight–way power driver’s seat, leather shift knob and 16–inch alloy wheels wrapped in all–season tires.

A Bose Centerpoint audio system with 10–speaker surround sound also comes standard.

An optional Technology Package ($1,400) features a blind spot monitoring system, rain sensing wipers, bi–xenon headlamps with automatic leveling, adaptive front lighting system, auto on/off headlights and a perimeter alarm. A four month Sirius Satellite Radio subscription is included.

Ride quality of the 2012 Mazda3 is comfortable for cross–town or cross country travel.

Back seat legroom suffers without the courtesy of front occupants moving their seats up a bit. Once accomplished, two adult passengers fit well in the rear quarters.

When unoccupied, the standard 60/40 split–fold rear seat can be lowered into the cabin for expanded trunk space of 42 cubic feet.

Mazda3 sedan and hatchback earn Four out of Five Stars in overall crash tests conducted by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Frontal Driver crash test ranks a Five Star rating.

The 2012 Mazda3 also earns a Compact Car Best Buy recommendation from Consumer Guide Automotive.

Oxmoor Mazda Louisville Kentucky, Oxmoor Auto Group Louisville Kentucky, www.oxmoormazda.com, www.skyactivlive.com, www.oxmoorautogroup.com

Toyota dominates annual Top Picks list

http://www.boston.com/cars/news/articles/2012/05/06/toyota_dominates_annual_top_picks_list/

As the competition grows stronger with each passing year, it has been increasingly difficult for a single automaker to dominate Consumer Reports’ annual Top Picks list. This year, Toyota is the first brand to earn half of the top 10 spots in nearly a decade. The redesigned Toyota Camry Hybrid and Highlander edged out the competition to become Top Picks in Consumer Reports’ family sedan and family SUV categories respectively. They Prius , RAV4, and Sienna as the best in their individual categories

Oxmoor Toyota Scion Louisville Kentucky, Oxmoor Auto Group Louisville Kentucky, www.oxmoortoyota.com, www.oxmoorscion.com, www.oxmoorautogroup.com

 

Want value? Dodge Dart hits the sweet spot

http://www.freep.com/article/20120503/COL14/205030397/Mark-Phelan-Want-value-Dodge-Dart-hits-the-sweet-spot

Mark Phelan

 

NEW ORLEANS — Chrysler threw in some of what Louisiana natives call lagniappe to sweeten the deal and get customers to try the automaker’s first compact sedan in years, the * * * 2013

 

Dodge Dart.

 

Lagniappe — pronounced “lon-yop” — is a little extra, something on the side to make sure the customer is happy.

 

The Dart heaps on features you don’t expect in a compact car, including some no competitor offers.

 

The Dart rolls into showrooms next month with cushy materials, sculpted seats, electronic blind-spot alert, and sporty handling and performance.

 

Consider the deal sweetened. Despite a few shortcomings, the 2013 Dodge Dart’s value and features make it a strong competitor for compacts like the Chevrolet Cruze, Ford Focus, Honda Civic, Hyundai Elantra, Nissan Sentra, Toyota Corolla and Volkswagen Jetta.

Prices for the Dart start at $15,995 for a base model with a 160-horsepower 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine and six-speed manual transmission. A six-speed automatic adds $1,100.

A turbocharged 1.4-liter four-cylinder is a $1,300 option. That engine combines good fuel economy and spirited performance, thanks to 184-pound-feet of torque available from 2,500 to 4,000 engine r.p.m.

 

The 1.4-liter comes with a six-speed manual transmission. A $1,100 six-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission will be available with the engine in the third quarter. The $22,495 Dart R/T will have a 184-horsepower 2.4-liter and six-speed manual or automatic when it goes on sale in the third quarter.

 

I tested a very well-equipped $25,160 Dart Limited. It had the 1.4-liter turbo, manual gearbox, touch screen controls, navigation, leather upholstery and more. All prices exclude destination charges.

 

The 2013 Dart is the first car jointly developed by Chrysler and Fiat, the Italian automaker that gained control of the Auburn Hills automaker during the Great Recession.

 

Fiat provided Chrysler, Dodge and Jeep with platforms, engines and technology to build fuel-efficient small cars and crossovers in exchange for a controlling stake in Chrysler.

 

Chrysler engineers and designers reworked the platform Fiat developed for the sporty little Alfa Romeo Giulietta hatchback to create the Dart. Chrysler designers crafted the Dart’s interior and exterior designs specifically for American tastes.

 

I drove a Dart Limited from Chrysler’s introduction of the car in Austin, Texas, where I rode with the Dart’s engineers and designers, to the New Orleans Jazz Festival. I covered well more than 600 miles from the Texas hill country’s sweeping curves to Houston’s superhighways and

 

New Orleans’ rough surface streets.

 

The car is roomy and comfortable. The 97.2-cubic-foot passenger compartment is bigger than the competitors’, with plenty of head, shoulder and legroom. The 13.1-cubic-foot trunk is useful. The Cruze, Focus, Elantra and Jetta offer more room.

 

Interior storage includes a cavernous glove box, bins and map pockets.

The interior materials are mostly excellent. Soft-touch padded plastics with attractive finishes cover the dash, armrests and the top of the doors in most models.

 

The doors’ lower surfaces, around the map pockets, have a hard surface and unattractive look. The sculpted leather seats of the car I tested were comfortable and attractive. The thick leather-wrapped steering wheel looks and feels solid and sporty.

 

Chrysler’s steering-wheel-mounted controls for cruise, voice recognition, phone and audio are among the best in the auto industry. The rest of the controls are equally easy to use.

The dials and buttons in the center stack and the 8.4-inch touch screen in the car I tested performed well, as did its voice-recognition for phone, audio and navigation.

 

The navigation voice-recognition had a small glitch when I dictated one address, but worked fine otherwise. You can configure the Dart’s LED gauge cluster to a variety of formats. The display is as sharp as high-definition television.

 

There’s not much wind noise. Road noise from rough surfaces was quite noticeable in fast driving, however.

 

The car negotiated fast curves well, but the ride got bumpy on rough pavement. The electric power steering provides good feedback and assist at all speeds.

 

The 1.4-liter turbocharged four-cylinder has surprising power. There’s not much low-r.p.m. torque, but performance is good and passing is easy for anybody willing to rev the engine and shift the smooth six-speed fast and frequently.

 

Fuel economy is good: an EPA-rated 27 m.p.g. city, 39 highway and 32 in combined driving. An upcoming Aero model will use special tires and lightweight parts to hit 41 m.p.g. or more on the EPA highway test.

 

However, the 1.4-liter turbo uses premium fuel. The Dart’s other engines use regular.

The Dart’s main competitors run on less-expensive regular. That means the Dart’s annual fuel bill will be about the same as less fuel-efficient models of the Focus, Corolla and Cruze, and more than the Civic, despite the Dart’s higher m.p.g. The Elantra’s annual fuel cost also undercuts the Dart. The 2.0-liter Sentra and 2.5-liter Jetta will cost more.

 

The Dart’s also a heavy car. The 3,191-pound curb weight of the one I drove is 180 to 485 pounds more than its competitors. While the Dart’s weight is partly due to its many features, like 10 standard air bags, Chrysler might have won outright fuel-economy and performance leadership with a lighter car.

 

Those flaws keep the 2013 Dart from scoring a clean bull’s-eye, but the value, features, performance and room of Dodge’s new compact are on-target enough to win lots of happy owners and make the competition uneasy.

 

More Details: 2013 Dodge Dart Limited

Front-wheel drive five-passenger compact sedan

Price as tested: $25,160 (excluding destination charge)

Rating: * * * (out of four stars)

Reasons to buy: Features, value, handling, interior space

Shortcomings: Premium fuel, low-r.p.m. torque, weight

More Details: 2013 Dodge Dart at a glance

Vehicle type: Front-wheel drive five-passenger compact sedan

Power: 160-horsepower, 148 pound-feet of torque, 2.0-liter four-cylinder; 160-horsepower, 184 pound-feet of torque turbocharged 1.4-liter four-cylinder; 184-horsepower, 171 pound-feet of torque 2.4-liter four-cylinder available in third quarter.

Transmission: Six-speed manual or automatic; dual-clutch automatic available in third quarter.

Price range: $15,995-$22,495 (excluding destination charges)

More Details: Key features on vehicle tested

Antilock brakes; stability control; curtain air bags; front- and rear-seat side air bags; front knee air bags; power locks, mirrors and windows; projector headlights and front headlights; LED taillights; LED interior lights; automatic headlights; active grille shutters; illuminated instrument panel surround; reconfigurable gauge cluster; Bluetooth phone and music compatible; voice-recognition for phone, audio and navigation; AM/FM/CD audio with Sirius satellite radio; 8.4-inch touch screen for audio, navigation, etc.; iPod compatible; USB port; power six-way driver seat; 60/40 split-folding rear seat; steering wheel audio, phone and cruise controls; manual tilt/telescope steering column.

Options: 1.4-liter turbocharged engine; remote proximity keyless entry; push-button start; rain-sensitive wipers; automatic high-beam lights; LED ‘race track’ taillight surround; rear parking assist; blind-spot and rear cross-path alert; high-intensity discharge headlamps; navigation system; Alpine nine-speaker audio system with subwoofer; Nappa leather seats; heated front seats; heated steering wheel; dual-zone automatic temperature control; universal garage door opener; polished aluminum wheels

More Details: Competitive EPA fuel economy ratings

(Manual transmission models unless otherwise noted)

Dodge Dart 1.4-liter turbo: 27 m.p.g. city/39 m.p.g. highway/32 m.p.g. combined. Premium fuel.

Chevrolet Cruze 2LT: 26 m.p.g. city/38 m.p.g. highway/30 m.p.g. combined. Regular fuel.

Ford Focus SE: 26 m.p.g. city/36 m.p.g. highway/30 m.p.g. combined. Regular fuel.

Honda Civic LX: 28 m.p.g. city/36 m.p.g. highway/31 m.p.g. combined. Regular fuel.

Hyundai Elantra Limited: 29 m.p.g. city/40 m.p.g. highway/33 m.p.g. combined. Regular fuel.

Nissan Sentra 2.0L: 24 m.p.g. city/31 m.p.g. highway/27 m.p.g. combined. Regular fuel.

Toyota Corolla: 27 m.p.g. city/34 m.p.g. highway/30 m.p.g. combined. Regular fuel.

Volkswagen Jetta 2.5L: 23 m.p.g. city/33 m.p.g. highway/26 m.p.g. combined. Regular fuel.

More Details: 2013 Dodge Dart Limited

Front-wheel drive five-passenger compact sedan

Base price: $19,995

Price as tested: $25,160 (excluding destination charge)

Safety equipment: Antilock brakes; stability control; curtain air bags; front- and rear-seat side air bags; front knee air bags.

Specifications as tested

Engine: 1.4-liter turbocharged SOHC variable-timing 16-valve four-cylinder.

Power: 160 horsepower at 5,500 r.p.m.; 184 pound-feet of torque at 2,500-4,000 r.p.m.

Transmission: Six-speed manual

EPA fuel economy rating: 27 m.p.g. city/39 highway/32 combined. Premium gasoline.

Dimensions

Wheelbase: 106.4 inches

Length: 183.9 inches

Width: 72.0 inches

Height: 57.7 inches

Curb weight: 3,191 pounds

Assembled at: Belvidere, Ill.

 

Oxmoor Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram Louisville Kentucky, Oxmoor Auto Group, www.oxmoorautogroup.com, www.oxmoorchrysler.com

 

Hyundai to Equip Its Cars With Throttle-Override System

http://blogs.wsj.com/drivers-seat/2012/05/02/hyundai-to-equip-its-cars-with-throttle-override-system/

By Jonathan Welsh

 

Hyundai Motor Co. said it will equip all of its new vehicles with electronic throttle-override technology beginning this month’s production run. The feature, the car maker said, will allow drivers to control a vehicle’s speed and bring it to a stop even in so-called runaway throttle situations.

 

Because electronic throttle links have replaced the cable or pushrod linkages that used to control engine speed, there is a possibility that electronic malfunctions can cause the driver to lose control of the engine’s speed.

 

Numerous cases of alleged unintended acceleration have made consumers especially wary of the potential hazards of the electronic or “drive by wire” systems that increasingly control our vehicles.

 

Hyundai said the likelihood of problems with these systems is extremely low, but it is seeking to reassure drivers that they will be able to keep their cars from getting away from them if something goes wrong with the throttle.

 

“With Hyundai’s brake pedal throttle override capability, any brake pedal input by the driver, even with a runaway throttle condition, completely overrides any throttle malfunction,” said Robert Babcock, director of certification and compliance affairs for Hyundai’s technical center. “It is no longer possible to have increasing engine power once the brake pedal is depressed by the driver,” he said.

 

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is considering including a brake pedal throttle override requirement in its motor vehicle regulations but has not yet approved a rule.

 

Oxmoor Hyundai Louisville Kentucky, Hyundai Of Louisville, Oxmoor Auto Group Louisville Kentucky, www.oxmoorhyundai.com, www.hyundaioflouisville.com, www.louisvilleequus.com, www.oxmoorautogroup.com