Mazda will be among the many car manufacturers at the 41st Tokyo Motor Show on October 24. For their part, Mazda is expected to debut the Mazda Kiyora Concept Car although that is not the only thing they will be unveiling. They will also unveil their next-generation engine and automatic transmissions lineup. This includes the Mazda SKY-G direct injection gasoline engine Mazda SKY-D clean diesel engine and the Mazda SKY Drive high-efficiency automatic transmission.

These new technological advancements are expected to help in the improvement of fuel-efficiency as well as some eco-friendly enhancements and optimized combustion systems. But a lot of the focus is sure to be on the Mazda Kiyora Concept car which highlights the next-generation Mazda SKY concept powertrain technologies and comprehensive advancements in weight reduction for better fuel economy at 32 kilometers per liter.

(Source) Auto Racing

Tags: auto racing, automatic transmission, automatic transmissions, car manufacturers, combustion systems, concept car, diesel engine, fuel economy, fuel efficiency, gasoline engine, generation engine, high efficiency, kilometers, Mazda, new technological advancements, october 24, powertrain, sky drive, tokyo motor show, weight reduction

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It looks like it is all systems go as far as the PHEV is concerned. Green Star Products announced that the final phase of the testing protocols for the Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicle were successfully completed, perhaps shooting down all doubts with regards to the reliability of this concept car.

Test result highlights:

• The PHEV easily completed the scheduled 100 mile range test in simulated intra-city driving.
• The vehicle consumed 0.70 gallons of gasoline during its test, which equates to 143 miles per gallon (143 mpg).
• The vehicle also consumed about 75 cents worth of electricity that was used to charge the battery pack the previous night.
• At the end of the run, the battery pack still contained approximately 35% of its original charge. This was further confirmed by several high speed laps around the track at the end of the test. One of the final laps clocked its speed within 4.5 seconds off the track record, which not only confirms its power but also its handling ability on the race track.
• The most impressive statistic of this demonstration was the fact that the backup engine and generator were only a 1.6 kW unit. In fact, for those people who are not acquainted with electric power, this energy equates to the consumption of the average hand-held bathroom hair dryer. In effect, the backup generator can be visualized as equivalent to a bathroom hair dryer. This unique high-efficiency mini hybrid system is part of a patent pending complete package.

Mr. Joseph LaStella, President of Green Star, stated that a 5-page, in-depth article was published on June 4, 2009, by the Times Tribune in Kentucky, where the writer of the article illustrated her personal feelings about her test drive of the electric vehicle.

(Source) Press

Tags: backup generator, battery pack, car test, depth article, final laps, final phase, final test, high efficiency, hybrid electric vehicle, hybrid system, impressive statistic, lastella, miles per gallon, patent pending, personal feelings, phev, star products, test one, test result, test series

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Maxwell Technologies closed a big deal recently, a purchase order that would amount to $13.5 million worth of BOOSTCAP ultracapacitor modules to support braking energy recuperation and torque assist functions in diesel-electric hybrid transit buses.

David Schramm, Maxwell’s president and chief executive officer, said that deliveries of the company’s 48-volt BMOD0165 P048 modules, which are assembled by one of its contract manufacturers in China, already have begun and will continue through the balance of the year.

Maxwell’s sales and applications engineering teams have been working with heavy vehicle OEMs in China for the past two years. The company estimates that more than 150 hybrid buses with BOOSTCAP ultracapacitor-based energy storage systems already are in service, and that number is now expected to grow to nearly 1,000 by year-end.

“Ultracapacitors’ efficiency in recapturing energy from braking and their low maintenance requirements and long operational life make them an ideal energy storage solution for the demanding duty cycles of electric and hybrid transit vehicles,” Schramm said. “BOOSTCAP modules have demonstrated reliable performance and high efficiency in the first wave of vehicles that have gone into service, and the ability to connect these modules in series to meet various voltage requirements allows for easy integration into virtually any type or size of heavy vehicle.

BMOD0165 P048 modules are encased in a rugged, splash-proof, aluminum chassis. They weigh 14.2kg and are 12.6 liters in volume (416.2mm x 190.1mm x 156.7mm). These durable “smart boxes” include temperature and voltage monitoring and internal cell voltage management that give designers “plug and play” solutions and makes them versatile building blocks for systems with higher voltage requirements.

(Source) Press

Tags: aluminum chassis, applications engineering, cell voltage, contract manufacturers, duty cycles, energy storage systems, heavy vehicle, high efficiency, hybrid buses, maxwell technologies, smart boxes, splash proof, storage solution, transit vehicles, voltage requirements

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