Tata Motors to launch electric car by September

Indian conglomerate Tata Group Chairman Ratan Tata has said that Tata Motors will have an electric car in the market by September this year.

"We will have an electric car in the market in September," Tata was quoted as saying by Cornell University on its micro-blogging feed on Twitter. Tata is also a Cornell trustee.

He talked about the electric car at the Cornell Global Forum on Sustainable Global Enterprise organised by the university.In 2008, Ratan Tata speaking at the Annual General Meeting of Tata Motors said that the company was developing an electric car.

Foreign media also reported quoting Tata at the forum that Tata Nano, dubbed as the world's cheapest car, is expected to be available in the US in the next two years.

The much-awaited Nano was commercially launched in March in India and is expected to hit the roads soon. According to the university website, the Tata Education and Development Trust committed USD 50 million to Cornell in October 2008 to establish the Tata Scholarship Fund for Students from India and the Tata-Cornell Initiative in Agriculture and Nutrition, intended to improve the lives and livelihoods of India's rural poor

Toyota To Ramp Up Prius Production To Cover High Demand

THANKS TO HUGE demand and a surge of interest in the car ahead of its US launch, Toyota will be increasing production of the 2010 Prius at the two Japanese plants that produce the car. Initial sales forecasts were pegged at 100,000 cars for 2009, but after 80,000 people pre-ordered a Prius before it even launched in Japan and 20,000 more orders were placed after the launch, Toyota’s been forced to change its plans.

Annual production will be increased from 400,000 to 500,000 units per year, which should enable Toyota to supply most global markets on time and with a minimal waiting period. However, high demand from the US could rob other markets of their allocations which, considering the popularity of the outgoing model, may be a likely scenario.

That may drive some buyers into the arms of Honda and its recently-launched Insight, however bulging order books for that model means Honda is also experiencing the same supply problems as Toyota - so much so that the Australian launch of the Insight has been pushed back to the second half of 2010.

The 2010 Toyota Prius is scheduled to arrive in Aussie showrooms next month. Last time heard from Toyota that date was a dead certainty, so at this stage it appears we won’t experience any delays in receiving Toyota’s new hybrid. Whether that changes or not, one thing’s for certain: this is definitely a good time to be in the hybrid business.

Fifth-generation Roush Mustang unleashed

When the 11-month development cycle started for the latest-generation Roush Mustang, the vehicle's chief engineer expected to see a mostly carryover 2009 engine. Reality skewed the expectation.
"The 2010 Roush Mustang has approximately 300 new parts and about 80% of those are in the powertrain," said Gary Jurick, Chief Engineer of the 2010 Roush Mustang. "We made a number of changes because Ford made a number of changes to some of the stock Mustang's components. For instance, Ford changed the cooling module and the air induction system, so we redesigned the Roush Mustang's electrical circuits as well as the intercooler radiator and the intercooler bottle, and we changed all of the associated hose routings and wirings."
Compared to the previous-generation Roush Mustang (2005-2009), the 2010 version presented a thorny problem to the intercooler system. "The aggressive styling of the front end challenged us to replace the double-core radiator," explained Erin Michael Dmytrow, Powertrain Engineering Manager for Roush Performance in Livonia, MI. "We came up with a full-face radiator that is placed forward of the stock Mustang's cooling module. We actually now have a larger low-temp radiator; by area, it's about 50% larger than the radiator we had in 2009. It also has a thinner core than the previous model."
The new single-core intercooler is paired with a relocated intercooler pump (from near the frame rail to behind the bumper beam and in front of the intercooler low-temp radiator), a new plastic injection molded de-gas bottle (replacing a blow-molded bottle), as well as molded-to-fit hoses (replacing cut-to-fit bulk hoses). "We thought it was going to be a quiet year from a powertrain standpoint, but it turned out to be a very large investment for us. Of the 45 new tooled parts developed for the 2010 Roush Mustang, 27 were for powertrain components and 18 for vehicle-level components," said Jurick.
Induction system revisions were done to reduce the airflow losses associated with piping that stretched across the engine compartment and to increase the cross-sectional area of the air induction system. "The air-inlet track length was shortened by more than half the size of the 2009 Roush Mustang's inlet track length," said Dmytrow.
Roush engineers opted to move the throttle body from its passenger side location to a driver's side position in 2010. "Since the routing path from the throttle body to the air cleaner was longer than necessary in the previous generation and because Ford changed the air cleaner assembly for the 2010 Mustang, this provided us with an opportunity to have a more direct routing path to the supercharger, reduce some of the induction losses, and free up some space under the hood," said Jurick.
Suspension changes include all Roush Mustangs being fitted exclusively with Cooper tires, including an optional wheel and 20-inch tire package. "All of the chassis tuning is different on the 2010 models. We retuned the dampers, specifically the front and rear compression curves have been changed. The spring rates are different, giving the car a more refined ride but with all of the handling of the previous model," said Terry Hendricks, Chassis Engineering Manager for Roush Performance.
The 2010 Roush Mustang production was scheduled to launch this month. The initial models are the Stage 1, the Stage 2, and the 427R. The most popular version, the 427R, is the first in the Roush Mustang lineup to have a supercharger to boost power up to 435 hp (324 kW) at 6300 rpm and 400 lb·ft (542 N·m) from 3500 to 5000 rpm. All versions of the Roush Mustang use the same engine as the Ford Mustang GT, which is a 4.6-L V8.

Hybrid Technology

A hybrid vehicle is a vehicle that uses two or more distinct power sources to move the vehicle. The term most commonly refers to hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs), which combine an internal combustion engine and one or more electric motors.


Power sources include:

• On-board or out-board rechargeable energy storage system (RESS)


• Gasoline or Diesel fuel
  
• Hydrogen


• Compressed air


• Human powered e.g. pedaling or rowing


• Wind


• Compressed or liquefied natural gas


• Solar


• Coal, wood or other solid combustibles
  

Mopeds and electric bicycles are a simple form of a hybrid, as power is delivered both via an internal combustion engine or electric motor and the rider's muscles. Most of the locomotives we see pulling trains are diesel-electric hybrids. Cities like Seattle have diesel-electric buses -- these can draw electric power from overhead wires or run on diesel when they are away from the wires. Giant mining trucks are often diesel-electric hybrids. Submarines are also hybrid vehicles some are nuclear-electric and some are diesel-electric.

The Honda Insight, which was introduced in early 2000 in the United States, is designed to get the best possible mileage. The Insight is no longer part of Honda's line, but it's still a good example of how a hybrid car can work.Honda used every trick in the book to make the car as efficient as it can be. The Insight is a small, lightweight two-seater with a tiny, high-efficiency gas engine. The Insight has the best EPA mileage ratings of any hybrid car on the market.
The Honda Insight is a simplified parallel hybrid. It has an electric motor coupled to the engine at the spot where the flywheel usually goes. Honda calls this system "Integrated Motor Assist." The Insight has either a conventional, five-speed manual transmission or an automatic CVT (continuously variable transmission).

You might wonder why anyone would build such a complicated machine when most people are perfectly happy with their gasoline-powered cars. The reason is twofold: to reduce tailpipe emissions and to improve mileage. These goals are actually tightly interwoven.

The most popular and efficient hybrid cars are the Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, and Insight. Prices range from about $20K to $50K, depending on make and size of model. $30K will comfortably get you into a nice Prius. Toyota is also adding hybrid Camrys and additional models to their normal lineup of automobiles. There should be 50-70 different hybrids to choose from in the next fews years. Here is a list of current hybrid cars:

• Toyota Prius

• Honda Insight

• Honda Civic

• Suzuki Twin



• Honda Accord




• Ford Escape Hybrid




• Lexus RX 400H




• Lexus GS450H Hybrid




• Chevy Silverado




• Mercury Mariner Hybrid




• GMC Sierra




• Toyota Highlander Hybrid




• 2008 Lexus LS 600H Hybrid

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2009 Acura TSX

With the 2009 TSX, Acura has done a full remake of its entry-luxury level sedan. More than just bolting a slick new body on an old platform, the TSX is new from the ground up, as in, longer, wider and lower. In a couple measures, it's roomier, too.
Technology is what sets the new TSX apart. Acura's superb navigation system comes standard and can be operated using voice-recognition. The standard navigation system is the equal of anything in the class, while an optional system displays real-time traffic with congestion re-routing and local and national weather. An airlines display lets you track a flight's progress across the country. The top-line audio system sets a standard for the class, too, with superbly crisp surround sound. Hands-free, Bluetooth cell phone architecture is built right into the car's electronics.

2009 Nissan Murano

story, and part of that success comes from designing one set of parts into a platform and then stretching that platform's length, width, and strength to do other jobs under other kinds of vehicles. Nissan does this better than most manufacturers, and has done it successfully once again with the 2009 Murano, using basically the same kit of parts that goes under the Altima coupe and sedan for a much larger, heavier and more complex crossover SUV. Murano is named after two different luxury items from two very different parts of the world, Murano art glass from Italy and Murano pearls from Japan, which is a good thing, considering it's sold in more than 130 countries.
The outgoing Murano has been one of the most successful models in Nissan's recent history, with sales rising every year since its introduction in 2003, and a loyalty rate upwards of 30 percent. With sales up more than 70 percent, they've stopped production on the original Murano and given us this brand new second-generation version to consider.

LEBase Engine -MSRP Internet Price 2009 Nissan Murano LE Sport Utility 3.5L V6 - $36,450 SBase Engine - MSRP Internet Price 2009 Nissan Murano S Sport Utility 3.5L V6 - $28,470 SLBase Engine - MSRP Internet Price 2009 Nissan Murano SL Sport Utility 3.5L V6 - $30,020

2009 Jaguar XF

The 2009 Jaguar XF is a new model, replacing the aging S-Type in Jaguar's lineup. This mid-sized, rear-wheel-drive sedan offers a fresh, engaging alternative to luxury imports such as the Audi A6, BMW 5 Series, Mercedes E-Class, and Lexus GS. After a 300-mile test drive, we'd rank the Jaguar XF near the top of its class.
The Jaguar XF delivers everything you'd expect in a contemporary luxury sedan, and then some. The big news with XF is styling, interior design and features, though the hardware underneath is anything but ordinary. A lot of it, including the suspension design, is borrowed from the Jaguar XK.
Factor in a well-engineered body structure, and the XF is exactly what it should be: smooth, quiet and responsive. It feels lighter and more agile than some of its competitors, and it bears up like a sport sedan when driven aggressively