Anthony Fontanelle is a 35-year-old automotive buff who grew up in the Windy City. He does freelance work for an automotive magazine when he is not busy customizing cars in his shop.
September 1, 2009
Saying “we don’t want to rush” the Chevrolet Volt electric vehicle concept into production, the vehicle’s chief engineer took to the Internet over the weekend for a progress report. The report was published on the GM FastLane blog and YouTube.
Chevy Volt Vehicle Chief Engineer Nick Zielinski announced a number of enticing information. One of which is the fact that General Motors Corp. is considering installing a solar panel in the Volt to power fans or provide a small charge to the battery. “We can’t use it to power the motor,” he said. “The amount of energy for a solar cell is 75 watts, not enough to power the vehicle at 20-50 mph.” He noted that “a lot of people” have contacted the automaker to sign up for a test-drive of the Volt, but “we’re not at a stage where we can do that.” He added that the automaker is not ready to take deposits on a production version of the vehicle.
The Volt chief engineer also was modest about when and where production of the Volt will take place, saying, “We do not assign assembly plants this early in a program.” He assured viewers that “we will be building it,” although he refused to “share timing targets.” He decline to divulge pricing information about the Volt, but said that it may have a “slight premium” over unspecified competitive vehicles.
Zielinski said that the Volt’s system is “tailored more to compact and intermediate-size vehicles” and assured viewers that “we’ll have other vehicles out there.” But “you may not see a pickup truck with E-flex,” he said. GM describes the E-flex as a “family of propulsion systems.” He appeared to be speaking from a GM garage. He asked himself queries drawn from what was deemed as a list compiled from consumer questions on the FastLane blog and then answered them.
Though the report divulged little about the Volt, the information is still worthy of attention. The same involves one remarkable car that could spell a big difference in the auto industry. The Volt will drive about 40 miles on pure electric power. Vehicle Line Director Tony Posawatz said that GM arbitrarily picked this distance because the Department of Transportation studies show that half of U.S. households travel less than 30 miles per day, while 78 percent of commuters travel no more than 40 miles per day to work. “Most Volt drivers would use little or no gasoline,” Posawatz noted.
GM has unveiled the Chevrolet Volt concept, the company’s first plug-in hybrid vehicle, at the 2007 North American International Auto Show (NAIAS) in Detroit. The Chevrolet Volt concept is the first vehicle to use the automaker’s new E-flex family of propulsion systems. The automaker claims the Volt delivers triple-digit fuel economy and can travel up to 640 miles without a fuel fill-up or a battery recharge.
The Volt may not be equipped with the Chevrolet pickup cab extender but its features are outstanding in their own right. The Volt features a front-mounted electric motor that generates 160 horsepower and 236 pound-feet of torque. Lithium-ion batteries are housed beneath the Volt’s floor. Also onboard are the 53-kilowatt electric generator, turbocharged, 1.0-liter three-cylinder gasoline engine, and a 12-gallon fuel tank.
By GM’s calculations, the Volt would save the typical driver 500 gallons of fuel per year, amounting to a net cost savings of $900 (assuming gas costs $2.40 a gallon). The addition to a home electric bill would be approximately $300. Additionally, the Volt saves the environment some 4.4 metric tons of CO2 that might otherwise be emitted into the air in a year, GM claimed.
Filed under Articles by on Sep 1st, 2009. Comment. 
September 2, 2009
The quest to develop an automobile which will reduce and possibly eliminate the dependence of the entire human race on petroleum fuel for automotive fuel has led to a partnership between companies. These working partnerships allow companies to have bigger funding and share expertise.
One such partnership is that between ZAP and Lotus Engineering. The partnership is aiming to develop the most advanced electric car in history. Currently, ZAP is already offering electric cars for American car buyers. These vehicles run on electricity and needs only to be plugged into a common household socket to be recharged and store up some juice.
While these electric vehicles are of great advantage to the environment and fuel cost, their range is not enough to make extended trips. This is one issue that the partnership will be looking into in their quest to produce the most advanced electric car in the entire history of the automotive industry.
Recently, both parties have been having talks at the headquarters of ZAP located in Santa Rosa, California. Lotus Engineering personalities who attended these talks includes the company’s chief executive officer Albert Lam. Project Manager Steven Woolley and West Coast Operations Manager Rexford Park are also part of the dialogues between ZAP and Lotus. The talks between ZAP and Lotus is expected to bring to light more developments in the development and production of electric cars. These developments are expected to be announced by ZAP Chief Executive Officer Steve Schneider.
For the present, Schneider has this to say: “This was an important meeting because ZAP and Lotus Engineering are working to bring new technologies to bear that could change the auto industry forever. With Lotus Engineering’s capabilities, and ZAP’s vision and entrepreneurship, we are building a world-class team to tackle this important endeavor.”
Currently, ZAP’s offering includes the electric vehicle Xebra. It was first introduced to the market in May of 2006. The three-wheeled vehicle is classified as a motorcycle but it has both a sedan and a pickup configuration. While it uses a battery pack and an electric motor, it does not use the regenerative braking system used commonly by hybrid electric cars. The said feature captures the energy produced during braking.
While the Xebra does not posses the said feature, its battery pack can power the vehicle for approximately forty miles on low speed driving. The same battery pack can also give the Xebra a top speed of 40 miles per hour. While these attributes already standout, the partnership between Lotus and ZAP aims to develop an electric car that is far more advanced than the Xebra.
On the other hand, Lotus has been known for designing and developing some of the most notable cars in history. This collaboration with ZAP is seen by Lotus as a step for them to become one of the frontrunners in the development of green cars. Chief Executive Officer Albert Lam has this to say: “The venture with ZAP is a dream come true because we are creating the most advanced electric vehicles in history. Lotus Engineering is very happy to be associated with ZAP in bringing this vehicle to market. The technology is ready for electric vehicles so they don’t have to be slow, they can have a long range, and they can be exciting to look at.”
Aside from developing high performance vehicles, Lotus is also known for creating aesthetically pleasing cars. With the company’s expertise, one can expect an environment friendly and good-looking car to come out of this partnership. If the partnership comes up with the most advanced electric car in history it is, of course, safe to say that it will be far more environment friendly than vehicles equipped with flowmaster exhaust components.
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.
Filed under Articles by on Sep 2nd, 2009. Comment.
September 4, 2009
The world is now full of advancements. And as man’s mechanism to adapt to these advancements, several individuals and groups support different funded projects to further make the present technologies even more sophisticated. Whether these technologies give advantages or disadvantages, what is important is that they are built with the aim of helping mankind.
Among other things, countries are in competition with regard to advanced technology. When one country has invented a system, expect that another country will release a new invention. And so others do the same. And this pattern goes on and on.
On this issue, the state performs an important role in supporting its constituents to produce more and more advanced technologies.
Five next generation vehicle research projects were chosen by the United States Department of Energy to receive a maximum of $19 million from the DOE fund in order to further develop plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs), hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs), and fuel cell vehicles (FCVs). A total of $33.8 million projects chosen for negotiation of awards were mixed with the industry’s cost share.
The five chosen projects support advanced power electronics and electric motor technologies so that they would be able to help introduce advanced PHEV, HEV, and FCV applications to the market. This was in support of President George Bush’s Twenty in Ten plans. These seek to minimize by twenty percent the country’s gas consumption within the decade through maximizing the use of alternative and renewable sources of energy and advancing the current Corporate Average Fuel Efficiency (CAFE) standards.
While also increasing vehicle efficiency, the projects will emphasize the reduction of cost, weight, and size of electric drive and power conversion devices. High-temperature three-phase inverters, high-speed motors, integrated traction drive systems, and bi-directional DC/DC converters are the four areas in which the chosen projects will focus on.
Selected projects are the Delphi Automotive Systems in Troy, Michigan, the Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University of Blacksburg, Virginia, the General Electric Global Research of Niskayuna, New York, the General Motors Corporation in Torrance, California, and the U.S. Hybrid Corporation of Torrance, California.
For negotiation of an award reaching to $4.9 million intended for high-temperature three-phase inverter research, the Delphi Automotive Systems in Troy, Michigan has been chosen. The agility of electric motors are controlled and regulated by three-phase inverters. The Dow Corning, GE Global Research, GeneSiC, Argonne National Laboratory, and Oak Ridge National Laboratory are the other team members for the project.
For negotiation of an award of up to $1.7 million, the DOE has chosen Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University of Blacksburg, Virginia. The project will focus on developing an advanced soft switching inverter in order to minimize switching and power losses. The Azure Dynamics, Powerex, and the National Institute of Standards and Technology are the other team members for the project.
To work on developing high-speed electric motors, the General Electric Global Research of Niskayuna, New York, has been chosen for negotiation of an award of up to $3.4 million. With team members GE Motors and the University of Wisconsin at Madison, the project will be focusing on increasing the traction motor drive power density and efficiency at minimized costs for PHEVs, HEVs and FCVs. This will be done by building an electric motor of at least 55kW peak power and that has the capability to operate on a high speed. The project’s goal is to have at least 14,000 revolutions per minute (RPM).
Maker of quality GMC suspension bushing, General Motors Corporation in Torrance, California, has been chosen for negotiation of an award costing a maximum of $7.9 million. The work is to develop a combined traction motor and power electronic inverter for PHEV, HEV, and FCV. To lower the cost, weight, and package volume, and increase efficiency is the goal of the project. Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Ames National Laboratory, Arnold Magnetics, Encap Technologies, Isothermal Systems Research, and AVX are GMC’s team members.
To work on a vehicle system research on order to determine the optimum operating battery and DC-link voltages, allowing for higher efficiency and less costs, the U.S. Hybrid Corporation of Torrance, California has been selected. This was for an award of up to $1.3 million for a bi-directional DC/DC converter for PHEVs. The project will include University of Illinois, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, and SiCED as the company’s teammates.
As an essential part of DOE’s Vehicle Technologies Program, advancing vehicle technologies aims to develop and improve vehicle technologies and alternative fuels that could tremendously reduce the need for petroleum, lessen emissions of air pollutants and greenhouse gases, and enable the U.S. transportation industry to maintain a strong, competitive position in the domestic and international markets.
Iver Penn is a Mass Communications graduate who hails from Wyoming. She is at present an associate editor of a publishing company in Colorado.
Filed under Articles by on Sep 4th, 2009. Comment.
September 5, 2009
With more and more vehicles roaming and zooming through the streets and roads, it is not very likely that one day we will find ourselves waking up to a foggy environment. Smog would surely fill the air and children would no longer remember what it was like to live in a place where the breeze was fresh and air was very clean.
This has been one of the great concerns of the auto industry. Despite being the culprit behind creating vehicles that would bring about dirt and smoke to the environment, auto manufacturers are now concerned about the welfare of the environment as well as of the people. That is most certainly they have created the Zero Air Pollution which they believe would be one of the best ways to reduce pollution.
Now ZAP, the world leader when it comes to electric cars, have set out to Europe to bring about the good news that would surely reduce the number of smoke belching machines on the streets. Steven Schneider, ZAP’s chief executive officer also came with the batch of vehicles to Europe so as to be able to further discuss the benefits of having electric cars. Though electric cars may not have easy to find replacement parts like Ford parts, these cars do provide a lot of benefit to both man and environment.
“With large car and gas dependent automakers closing plants, gas prices soaring and growing public awareness of the need to switch to alternative energy, ZAP’s global market position is stronger than ever. We hope to forge partnerships with some of the automotive industry’s most respected companies,” says Schneider.
During ZAP and Schneider’s stay in Europe, they would be presenting the various aspects of building electric cars as well as the advantages and disadvantages that this type of vehicle has. Important people in the European continent and from the auto industry would be enjoying the information that would be shared with them.
Ricardo Machado is the president of a Brazilian auto making company and he states, “In Brazil, we recently won the support of the Rio de Janeiro government that will help ensure we break sales records. We expect to create four thousand new jobs and boost Brazil’s economic infrastructure. We hope to parlay this great business plan by bringing on European partners as well.”
Joe Ratzkin is an avid fan of anything automotive. This 34-year old bachelor wanted to be a mechanic when he was a kid but changed his mind and became a freelance writer and researcher instead. He is currently based in Chicago, Illinois.
Filed under Articles by on Sep 5th, 2009. Comment.
September 6, 2009
Is your business ready to handle the effects of a power outage? Winter months are the most common for power failures due to extreme weather and ice build-up. Whether a power outage is short or prolonged, your business and employees need to be prepared. So before winter hits, review your blackout plan:
Conduct a Trial Run
Go through the motions of a blackout situation. What systems will be impacted? Will your equipment be safe? How will your business handle a one-hour, half-day, or day-long power outage?
Protect your Assets
Ensure that machinery and equipment have surge protectors and can be shut down safely in the event of an outage. Establish a process to remove power sources during the outage so that reconnection once power is restored can be done in a controlled, phased manner.
Have an Action Plan
Know what needs to be done in the event of a power failure and assign tasks to specific employees to ensure it happens. Once the plan is in place, communicate it to every staff member and have periodic reminders and drills to keep everyone prepared.
Know the Right People
Distribute a list of the names and contact numbers for everyone that may be needed during an outage, such as customers, off-site maintenance staff, and of course Dial One Wolfedale Electric’s 24 Hour Emergency Service Line at (905) 564-8999 or 1-800-303-7568.
When a sudden power outage occurs, knowing what to do is critical. Download our Quick Reference Power Outage Checklist to ensure you and your team take the right steps when the power goes out. For more ways to be prepared for a power outage, information on electrical safety or emergency electrical services, or for quick and efficient service, contact Dial One Wolfedale Electric today!
WARMING TREND!
Introducing New Smart Power Receptacle Technology
Cold weather can seriously impact energy costs, especially for businesses that have to ensure that their trucks are ready to go, despite sub-zero temperatures. Using block heaters to secure engine starts is common practice to guarantee operational vehicles. Unfortunately, block heaters used for large fleets require significant energy to power them and that impacts both your bottom line and the environment.
The good news for commercial electrical services is, innovative new energy-efficient electrical solutions now on the market may be able to help reduce your block heater-related energy costs by up to 65%, depending on usage. Smart power receptacle technology is one of the options for managing and reducing block heater energy consumption. These ’smart’ power receptacles replace existing power outlets in parking areas and regulate the optimum power flow to ensure peak performance of vehicles, while minimizing wasted electricity.
Equipped with a microprocessor that tracks temperatures and wind chill levels, the device is easily mounted as a retrofit for a wide range of outlet box configurations. On-board sensors are programmed to regulate power and ensure that the block heater is only operational when conditions demand it. For example, power is cut for the first two hours after a block heater connection is detected, recognizing the length of time it takes for a hot engine to return to a cool enough temperature to require block heater support.
There are a number of great reasons to consider this technology:
- Each kilowatt-hour of power you save reduces CO2 emissions by a full kilogram. So, if you maintain just one, or hundreds, of vehicles, you could make a significant contribution to reducing CO2 levels!
- Because the electrical installations are individual and programmed per stall, each device can deliver power according to the requirements of the particular vehicle and the temperature in that area. This delivers maximum efficiency, rather than uniform power delivery that treats all vehicles to the same service.
- Individual electrical installation allows for a phased conversion to the technology as opposed to centralized systems that are more complex and costly to implement.
- The devices also offer a quick and easy monitoring system to detect malfunctions with an outlet or block heater.
Wolfedale is committed to working toward environmentally sound, and cost-effective, energy solutions that also make your business more efficient. For more information about how smart power receptacle technology can help your business reduce energy costs, or for assistance with your electrical equipment installation, call us today
Dial One Wolfedale Electric is one of Ontario’s leading commercial and industrial electrical contractors. With over thirty years of comprehensive electrical service experience and over 100 qualified electricians and registered apprentices, Dial One Wolfedale Electric is one of the largest union-free electrical contractors in the province, with offices in Mississauga and London.
For more information about Dial One Wolfedale Electric, please visit our website at http://www.dialonewolfedale.com.
Filed under Articles by on Sep 6th, 2009. Comment.