Electric Car - Tesla Sedan

The Model S opens a new chapter in automotive history. Tesla Motors is the Silicon Valley start-up that jump-started the electric car industry with its 2 seat superfast electric Roadster that began selling in 2008.

The Model S is a 4-door sedan that has beautiful austere styling with European influence. It is highly refined and highly sleek delivering an incredible CD of 0.26, on an aluminum chassis with a total curb weight of 4000 pounds.

Tesla points out that both the drivetrain and battery are floor-mounted. This creates two special opportunities. It allows the hood to function as a second trunk and the battery pack the capability of being quickly swapped out, should charging infrastructure go in that direction.

There are also three on-board charging options, 120V, 240V, and 440V with the latter allowing a charge within 45 minutes. Tesla states that this rapid charge feature could conceivably allow a driver to go across country if they could find rapid charging stations along the way, and charge up in as little time it takes to have a meal.

Three battery options will be available. The standard carries 160 miles of charge, and there are 230, and 300 mile versions.

The interior of the car is spacious too. It has seating for 7, and when the rear seats fold down, the car could carry both a 50 inch flat screen TV and a surfboard simultaneously. There is also a radical 17 inch pure LCD touchscreen instead of a console. This eliminates the use of buttons and since it is 3G enabled, allows the use of Google Maps, Internet radio and what is certain to be a myriad of other web-vehicle technologies. Drivers will be able to communicate with the car remotely via iPod too to check their state of charge.

The car is rear wheel drive and can do 0 to 60 in under 6 seconds with an electronically limited top speed of 130 mph. A sports edition will deliver performance well under 5 seconds, and the single gear transmission offers responsive handling. An all-wheel drive version is under development.

Pricing of the car is set at $57,400, which after government tax credit of $7500 brings the functional price down to $49,900.

Tesla is now taking orders online, and hopes to build 20,000 per year beginning in third quarter 2011. Production depends on $350 million in Department of Energy loans that the company expects to receive, which it requires to build the factory.

One can also order the car at Tesla's dealerships now in California and Chicago. Additional locations are expected in New York, Miami, Seattle, Washington DC, London, and Munich in 2009 and 2010.

Toyota Prius - A Fun Drive Hybrid.......

The Prius has been the mpg leader—a title it has earned yet again with its 2010 model. A low (0.25) coefficient of drag is where the efficiency starts, but the real secret is in the refinements to Toyota’s hybrid system. The 1.5-liter engine has been replaced with a torque-rich 1.8-liter unit that still operates with the late-intake-valveclosing Atkinson cycle. More low-end torque means the engine doesn’t have to work as hard. The hybrid system uses the same planetary continuously variable transmission (CVT) as before, but with a new twist. The main electric motor drive was downsized and produces less torque (153 lb-ft versus 295). But a reduction gearset that connects it to the gearbox allows that motor to spin faster. Consequently, it makes 80 peak hp, 13 more than before.

The nickel-metal-hydride battery pack has a more effective cooling system too, which allows peak output to rise from 25 kilowatts to 27. And now, finally, Prius owners can hit an EV button and cruise for about a mile locked in electric drive. On a recent test, the car delivered a thrifty 52 mpg in the city—even better than the EPA’s 51-mpg rating.

Toyota’s hybrid system remains the benchmark. But the tech extends beyond the drivetrain with optional solar ventilation, radar-based cruise control and intelligent parking. Yet it’s the driving dynamics that make the Toyota appealing to a wider audience. This is the first Prius that’s actually fun to drive.

New Luxury Car - Hyundai Equus....

Recently Hyundai announced that in 2010 it will begin to sell the high-end Equus luxury sedan stateside. In 2008, the Hyundai Genesis debuted, a luxury sedan that costs thousands less than its competitors. That car was so good, it was named the 2009 North American Car of the Year. Now comes the Equus, which will slot above the Genesis in price, size and performance. Details are slim at this point, but based on its past strategy, we expect Hyundai to offer features and accommodations similar to the Lexus LS460, but at a price well below that car's $64,000 sticker.


The Specs
Styling is always subjective, but many of the lines on the Equus mimic the handsome Azera sedan. Its size and prominent, flowing, body side crease lend the car a presence that looks good in the metal.

The rear-drive Genesis chassis was stretched 4.3 inches to enlarge the rear -seat legroom. Overall length is up by 7.2 inches to 203.1 inches. Width and height are up less than an inch. Like the Genesis, control arms connect the body to the front wheels, a multilink system does the job in the rear. The Equus, however, has adjustable air springs and shocks at all four corners.

Behind the sloping, toothy grill resides the 4.6-liter V8 from the Genesis. In the Genesis, the double-overhead cam engine makes 375 hp and 333 lb-ft of torque when run on premium fuel. It's likely that the Equus will have a bit more power, and we've also heard that a 5.0-liter version of this engine will be available with somewhere near 420 hp. Backed by a six-speed automatic transmission, the over-two-ton Equus should run to 60 mph in under 6 seconds.

Like the Genesis, a full compliment of luxury features and new tech will be part of the deal. Expect heated and cooled seats front and rear, auto door closers, a high-end stereo, navigation, Blueooth connectivity. Electronic driver aids include adaptive headlights, lane-departure assist (when the car drifts out of the lane, the seat belt tugs the driver), stability control, radar-based cruise control, and likely a parking-assist system too. In other words, the full monte. We also wouldn't be surprised if the car offers massaging front seats like those in the BMW 7 Series or Mercedes S-Class.

The Drive
From the driver's seat, the Equus feels a lot like the Genesis, which is no real surprise since they share an architecture. The suspension and steering tuning is quite a bit different, however. In the Equus, the steering effort stays relatively light no matter how fast the car is going, while the feedback from Genesis wheel gets heavier with speed. With either setup, the feel is quite good, but considering the comfortable cruising mission of the Equus, we actually prefer its steering feel. The 4.6-liter V8 has plenty of power. It's smooth, and nearly transparent in most of its operations.