August 19, 2009
Goodyear Assurance Fuel Max Tires Help Couple Shatter Fuel Efficiency Guinness World Record
Photo: Helen & John Taylor (of Melbourne, Australia), holders of more than 80 fuel economy and driving world records, finish the Goodyear Fuel Max Challenge journey through the United States by crossing the ceremonial finish line at Virginia Tire & Auto in Ashburn, VA. After a three week, 9,505 mile drive touching all 48 contiguous U.S. states, the Taylors arrived Tuesday, August 18, having set a new Fuel Efficiency Guinness World Record of 67.9 mpg, shattering the 58.8 mpg they set last year.
In a display of fuel economy, two drivers from Australia have broken the "48 Contiguous U.S. States Fuel Economy Guinness World Record," driving a car equipped with Goodyear Assurance Fuel Max tires. This three-week, 9,000+ mile drive through all 48 contiguous states in the U.S., showcased the potential fuel savings from the breakthrough fuel-efficient tread compound found in the new tires.
The couple refueled the car at Shell-branded stations along the way. Shell, a global leader in diesel technology, was the fuel sponsor of the Taylor's 2009 Guinness World Record attempt. In the U.S., Shell is the best-selling fuel brand and has the widest availability of diesel.
"While our own testing shows just how fuel-efficient these new tires are, we wanted to provide a real-world example of the difference Fuel Max Technology can make," said Mark Cherveny, Goodyear brand manager, passenger tires. "Helen and John Taylor broke their own world record set last year, using the same car, the same fuel, and traveling the same route. We believe the difference this year is the set of Assurance Fuel Max tires."
Photo: The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company Blimp. The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company has been recognized as America's most respected automotive company by the Reputation Institute (RI) and Forbes magazine. RI's Global Pulse consumer opinion survey measures the overall respect, trust, esteem, admiration and good feelings consumers hold toward the world's largest companies.
Goodyear is one of the world's largest tire companies. It employs approximately 71,000 people and manufactures its products in more than 60 facilities in 25 countries around the world.
|GlobalGiants.Com|
Edited & Posted by Editor | 9:01 AM | Link to this Post
August 14, 2009
FORD INCREASES CAR PRODUCTION, DEMAND FOR ITS FUEL-EFFICIENT VEHICLES GROWS
Photo: Chicago Assembly Plant Celebrates New 2010 Ford Taurus Aug. 4, 2009; (left to right) Jan Allman, Chicago Assembly plant manager, Bob King, UAW vice president, Joe Hinrichs, group vice president, global manufacturing and labor affairs, Ford Motor Company, Pat Quinn, Governor, State of Illinois and Mark Fields, president of the Americas, Ford Motor Company at Chicago Assembly Plant during the 2010 Ford Taurus celebration. Photo by: Sam VarnHagen/Ford Motor Co.
• Ford is increasing North American production by another 10,000 units to 495,000 units in the third quarter as it builds more fuel-efficient vehicles to meet "Cash for Clunkers" demand. Ford's planned third quarter production now exceeds year-ago production levels by 18 percent.
• Ford, the UAW and suppliers are working together to ramp up production of the Escape small utility vehicle at Kansas City (Mo.) Assembly Plant and the Focus compact car at Wayne (Mich.) Assembly Plant through additional production shifts and increased overtime.
• Ford plans to produce 570,000 vehicles in the fourth quarter, a 33 percent increase versus year-ago levels and 15 percent above planned third quarter 2009 levels. The increase represents higher production across a range of cars, crossovers and trucks.
• After gaining U.S. market share in nine of the past 10 months and posting a year-over-year sales increase in July, Ford is off to a fast start in August due to continued strong demand for popular new products and the extended "Cash for Clunkers" program.
Photo: The 2010 Ford Fusion Hybrid 1,000 Mile Challenge car in Alexandria, VA. 27, April, 2009. Photo by: Sam VarnHagen, Ford Motor Co.
At its Dearborn Michigan headquarters, Ford Motor Company announced on Aug. 13, 2009 that it is increasing North American production in the third and fourth quarters to respond to growing demand for new Ford products and to ensure dealers are well stocked with fuel-efficient vehicles eligible for the "Cash for Clunkers" program.
Ford is increasing third quarter production by another 10,000 units to 495,000 units primarily to build additional Escape small utility vehicles and Focus small cars, the two most popular Ford vehicles under the federal government's "Cash for Clunkers" program. Ford's planned third quarter production is now 18 percent above third quarter 2008 production levels.
Ford also announced plans to produce 570,000 vehicles in the fourth quarter, 33 percent higher than year-ago levels and 15 percent above the third quarter production plan. The increase represents higher production across a range of cars, crossovers and trucks.
Photo: Ford Focus
"Under the 'Cash for Clunkers' program, the Ford Escape and Focus are flying off dealer lots, and we're doing all we can to ensure our dealers are well stocked with the fuel-efficient vehicles that customers really want [and need]," said Mark Fields, Ford's president of The Americas. "We also are planning a significant increase in fourth quarter production compared with last year, continuing to match production to the real demand. We'll need this additional production as even more people are drawn to our high-quality, fuel-efficient lineup, including our newest entries such as the Ford Taurus and Lincoln MKT."
Ford is working closely with the UAW and its suppliers to ramp up production of the Escape and Focus. At the Kansas City (Mo.) Assembly Plant, for example, employees agreed to work Friday and Saturday, Aug. 21-22, during what was a planned shutdown week. In August and September, Ford will build approximately 3,500 additional Escapes.
Photo: 2009 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, Sonoma, California , USA, June 20, 2009. Bobby Labonte's Ford Fusion glides through turn 10. ©2009, autostock, USA.
At Wayne (Mich.) Assembly Plant, Ford is increasing Focus production by more than 6,000 units in the third quarter through increased overtime Monday through Friday and adding Saturday production shifts.
"This is a team effort with the UAW and our suppliers to meet the demand for fuel-efficient vehicles," said Joe Hinrichs, Ford group vice president, Global Manufacturing and Labor Affairs. "We asked our union partners to pull out all the stops - overtime, Saturday shifts, working during the shutdown - and they have delivered."
Photo: 2010 Ford Escape Hybrid: For 2010, Ford Escape Hybrid adds five new features that improve safety, reduce driver distractions and aid drivers. Integrated Blind Spot Mirrors, MyKey™, a Rear View Camera System and Active Park Assist are all now available to Escape Hybrid owners, and Escape Hybrid is one of the first Ford vehicles to feature the latest-generation hands-free SYNC system - now with Traffic, Directions & Information - helping reducedistractions while accessing important route and safety information.
The effort to meet "Cash for Clunkers" demand has required close coordination among Ford's sales and marketing, purchasing, manufacturing and material planning and logistics divisions. While increasing production, Ford also is "reprioritizing" vehicle shipments to ensure that vehicles in high demand, such as the Focus, Escape and Fusion, arrive at dealerships quickly.
Photo: Chicago Assembly Plant Celebrates New 2010 Ford Taurus August 4, 2009. Photo by: Sam VarnHagen/Ford Motor Co.
"Our carriers have been instructed to load Focus, Escapes and Fusions first," said Ken Czubay, Ford's vice president of U.S. Marketing, Sales and Service. "We want to ensure that dealers have an uninterrupted flow of product, because in many cases, they are selling them as soon as they arrive on the lot."
The fourth quarter production plan represents an increase of 75,000 vehicles versus the third quarter. The increase, which includes several Ford cars, crossovers and trucks, will help Ford rebuild inventories of key products.
"As we gain momentum with strong new products - with top fuel economy, quality, technology and safety - we are in a position to increase our production and deliver profitable growth over time," Fields said.
Source: Ford Motor Company
|GlobalGiants.com|
Edited & Posted by Editor | 9:34 AM | Link to this Post
August 12, 2009
Sargent and The Sea Opens at Corcoran Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.
• September 12, 2009 - January 3, 2010
Photo: Beginning September 12, the Corcoran Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C. will feature more than 80 paintings, watercolors, and drawings depicting seascapes and coastal scenes from the early career of the pre-eminent late 19th century American expatriate painter John Singer Sargent (1856-1925). Photo Credit: John Singer Sargent, En Route pour la peche (Setting Out to Fish), 1878, oil on canvas. Corcoran Gallery of Art, Washington, DC.
The exhibition will place the sea on center-stage and highlight the impact it had on Sargent's career, the development of his style, and his artistic preferences.
Organized by the Corcoran Gallery of Art, Sargent and the Sea brings together the artist's early beach scenes and will be the first to examine, in great depth, the little explored marine paintings and drawings produced during the first five years of the artist's career. A focal point of the exhibition is the Corcoran's masterwork En Route pour la peche (Setting Out to Fish), 1878, which will be accompanied by other works produced during, and inspired by, Sargent's summer journeys from his home in Paris to Brittany, Normandy, and Capri, as well as two transatlantic voyages.
While Sargent is best known for his society portraits, Sargent and the Sea will focus on his personal passion for the sea and his knowledge of seafaring. Sargent's two paintings depicting fisherfolk at Cancale (1878, Corcoran Gallery of Art and Museum of Fine Arts, Boston) are central works in the canon of the artist's early career. However, recent discoveries of three important seascapes, and the location of other pictures previously untraced, have cast a new spotlight on Sargent's activity as a maritime painter.
With the exception of the two well-known Cancale oils, Sargent's seascapes have not been widely studied or reproduced, proving that even for a renowned, frequently published artist there is yet new material to be mined.
Sargent and the Sea will feature works produced by the artist drawn from both public and private collections within the United States as well as Europe. By presenting Sargent's artistic career in conjunction with his personal fascination with the sea, this exhibition will reconcile these two paths of the artist's life.
Sargent and the Sea is organized by the Corcoran Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C., and made possible by the support of the Terra Foundation for American Art, Christie's, The Mr. & Mrs. Raymond J. Horowitz Foundation for the Arts, Inc., and Altria Group, Inc. Additional support for the exhibition is provided by the American Masterpieces initiative of the National Endowment for the Arts and The Joseph F. McCrindle Foundation.
Source: Corcoran Gallery of Art
|GlobalGiants.com|
"The aim of art is to represent not the outward appearance of things, but their inward significance."
-- Aristotle
Edited & Posted by Editor | 10:23 AM | Link to this Post
July 28, 2009
Around the Americas Ocean Conservation Expedition
Funded by Rockefeller Family and Tiffany Foundation, Around the Americas project demonstrates global warming and climate change impacts on the environments and ecosystems, its Ocean Watch crew departs Barrow, hopes for a safe journey through the ice encrusted Amundsen Gulf.
Photo: 64-foot Ocean Watch makes its way into the Northwest Passage on the first part of a 25,000 mile ocean conservation expedition around North and South America.
After eight weeks at sea following its departure on May 31 from Seattle, the crew of Ocean Watch - the 64-foot steel-hulled sailboat - representing the 13 month- long Around the Americas expedition has turned east into the ice-filled Northwest Passage after traveling a predominantly northerly course.
The expedition is focused on the realities of global warming and climate change. Captain Mark Schrader describes in the latest Captain's Log what the boat and crew face as they enter the Northwest Passage.
"(Sunday) at 0745 the anchor was up and Ocean Watch headed to Point Barrow, approximately 8nm to the north. At Point Barrow we make a sharp turn east, exit the Chukchi Sea, enter the Beaufort Sea and finally point our bow into the Northwest Passage. With Cambridge Bay roughly 1050nm (nautical miles) due east and still blocked by ice in Amundsen Gulf. We'll make several stops along the way while waiting for the forecast mid-August breakup.
"The next community with a sheltered harbor, fuel and services with enough depth for OW [Ocean Watch] is Tuktoyaktuk (Tuk), 490nm down the line. All of our ice reports indicate the passage from here to Tuk is currently open. The predicted winds for the next few days should keep the ice away from the shore and leave plenty of room for us. If the conditions change we have some options; Thetis Island, Stockton Island, Kaktovik and Herschel Island can all afford some protection from wind and ice. Herschel Island with its long and rich whaling and over-wintering-for-stranded-sailors-history is on our 'must visit' list."
Photo: Captain Mark Schrader, leader of the 25,000 mile ocean conservation project Around the Americas, gives steering directions through the ice in the Northwest Passage.
Ocean Watch is carrying the message of the Around the Americas expedition that the oceans surrounding North and South America are very fragile and we need to be aware of the problems and make changes in our lives to help correct them. Led by Captain Mark Schrader, the first American to solo circumnavigate the earth via the five southern capes, the 25,000-mile voyage will be one of only about 100 boats to have travelled through the Northwest Passage in the past 100 years.
Schrader continues in the Log, "Writing this was just interrupted by a whale sighting off the bow, then a Polar Bear sighting on the beach. The beach is a little less than 1/3 nm away, the bear appears to be sleeping. The helmsperson also just announced we're finally turning east. Ocean Watch hasn't sailed an easterly course since leaving Seattle, some 3,400nm and 8-weeks ago. This is a significant waypoint for us - we're now truly going 'over the top' and into the Passage."
With a permanent crew of four experienced sailors, a scientist and educator on board, Ocean Watch will traverse the treacherous frozen waters of the Northwest Passage for the next four to six weeks making scientific observations and collecting information.
Around the Americas is a 25,000-mile clockwise-circumnavigation of the North and South American continents, never before undertaken in continuous fashion. The sailboat, equipped with some of the latest technology, along with scientists and educators who join during various legs of the voyage, is making 31 stopovers in 13 months to draw attention to the changing condition of the oceans. With major funding support from Tiffany & Co. Foundation, a non-profit consortium has been formed to make the public more aware of the plight of the oceans.
Source: Around the Americas
|GlobalGiants.com|
Edited & Posted by Editor | 10:46 AM | Link to this Post
July 27, 2009
Canada's Tallest Hotel Tower
Hilton Hotel & Suites Niagara Falls Fallsview Opens its Doors on Major Expansion.
Photo: The Hilton Hotel & Suites Niagara Falls-Fallsview has changed the skyline in Niagara Falls, Canada. As Canada's tallest hotel tower, the Hilton Hotel & Suites rises 500 meters (more than 5 football fields) over the thundering Falls.
After months of construction and anticipation, Canada's tallest hotel tower has opened its doors and forever changed the skyline in Niagara Falls, Canada. With the best views, the new Hilton Hotel & Suites Niagara Falls - Fallsview rises 500 meters (more than 5 football fields) over the thundering Falls.
The Hilton Hotel & Suites began its transformation to become the tallest hotel tower in Canada in January 2007. Now the largest resort in Niagara Falls, it boasts over 1,000 hotel rooms and suites, including two spectacular Presidential Suites on the 52nd Floor. Each elegantly appointed 2-bedroom suite features a sitting room with a fireplace, magnificent city or falls views and wireless technology.
Source: Hilton Hotel & Suites Niagara Falls Fallsview
|GlobalGiants.com|
Edited & Posted by Editor | 10:06 AM | Link to this Post
July 9, 2009
G8 Summit Opens in Italy
The 2009 G8 Summit is being held in L'Aquila, Italy, from 8 to 10 July. The main issues on the Italian Presidency's agenda are the economic crisis and a boost to growth, relaunching international trade, welfare policies, climate changes, development in the poor countries and in Africa, food security and safety, access to water, health, and the resolution of regional crises.
Photos: July 8, 2009, first day of the G8 Summit in L'Aquila. Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi and US President Barack Obama while visiting the historical center of L'Aquila destroyed by the earthquake of 6 April. Ansa photos: Maurizio Brambatti
Photo: Japanese Prime Minister Taro Aso, signs the G8 logo plaque on the first day of the G8 Summit in L'Aquila. ANSA Photo: Ettore Ferrari
Photo: The President of the Russian Federation , Dmitry Medvedev, signs the G8 logo plaque on the first day of the G8 Summit in L'Aquila. ANSA Photo: Ettore Ferrari
Photo: Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi, signs the G8 logo plaque on the first day of the G8 Summit in L'Aquila. ANSA Photo: Ettore Ferrari
Photo: German Chancellor, Angela Merkel , signs the G8 logo plaque on the first day of the G8 Summit in L'Aquila. ANSA Photo: Ettore Ferrari
Photo: Swedish Prime Minister, Fredrik Reinfeldt, signs the G8 logo plaque on the first day of the G8 Summit in L'Aquila. ANSA Photo: Ettore Ferrari
Photo: British Prime Minister Gordon Brown, signs the G8 logo plaque on the first day of the G8 Summit in L'Aquila. ANSA Photo: Ettore Ferrari
Photo: The EU Commission President, Manuel Barroso, signs the G8 logo plaque on the first day of the G8 Summit in L'Aquila. ANSA Photo: Ettore Ferrari
Photo: French President, Nicolas Sarkozy, signs the G8 logo plaque on the first day of the G8 Summit in L'Aquila. ANSA Photo: Ettore Ferrari
Photo: The President of United State, Barack Obama, signs the G8 logo plaque on the first day of the G8 Summit in L'Aquila. ANSA Photo: Ettore Ferrari
Photo: The G8 logo plaque with all the leaders' signatures, on the first day of the G8 Summit in L'Aquila. ANSA Photo: Ettore Ferrari
Photo: The interior of the Main Conference hall, where the Summit meetings are to be carried out in the premises of the Coppito Guardia di Finanza campus. Photo taken on 7 July 2009, the eve of the G8 Summit. ANSA Photo: Ettore Ferrari
|GlobalGiants.com|
Edited & Posted by Editor | 10:19 AM | Link to this Post
June 17, 2009
A Comfortable Office Climate: Siemens Sensors for Buildings
• Sensors are to become the sensory organs of buildings.
• Siemens scientists are working to unite as many detection and measuring functions as possible on a single chip.
Photo: Siemens Corporate Technology is working on sensors which can monitor the climate in buildings and make it comfortable. The scientists develop sensors not only for measuring light and temperature but also for detecting odors and measuring different gases, such as CO2. (© Siemens AG)
The goal of the Siemens researchers is to develop sensors which act as the sensory organs of buildings and pass on their information to a building management system. These tiny watchmen make the management system know, for example, where aggressive substances have leaked or simply where the lights are to be switched off or the windows opened due to too high a CO2 level in the air.
Today, room climate sensors, air quality sensors and presence sensors can already control the air and light conditions in offices in relation to the number of persons present. And, using optimized control technology, they thus save up to 30 percent more of the energy consumption for heating, ventilation and air conditioning than that is done by any conventional control and regulating technology.
Photo: A lab technician of Siemens Central Research measuring the acidification, impedance and respiration rate of the cell sensors. (© Siemens AG)
In addition to sensors for measuring light and temperature as well as for the detection of different gases, the scientists are currently developing cell sensors which are to be used as an early warning system for contaminated water or bad air. The cells of these "living" sensors react to deviations by changing their metabolism which can be measured. They live in a nutrient on a silicon chip. The chip evaluates the data and sends them to a master process control system. The advantage over chemical sensors: Living cells react to all toxins.
Photo: CAR KEY -- Just how flexibly the tiny measuring instruments can be used is demonstrated by an alcohol sensor in an Automobile Key developed by Siemens. After the driver has blown into the sensor, it measures the level of alcohol in his breath by means of a conductive metal oxide which reacts to the gases. If the value exceeds the limit of 0.5 per thousand, for example, the key switches off and the engine will not start. (© Siemens AG)
This patented electronics system of the Siemens researchers is currently being tested in the field by a vehicle manufacturer.
Source: Siemens AG, Munich, Germany.
|GlobalGiants.com|
• GlobalGiants.Com is Member of the Boxxet Network Mixxed Green (Green and Sustainability)
Edited & Posted by Editor | 12:22 PM | Link to this Post
April 23, 2009
Volvo Ocean Race 2008-09 - Leg 6 - Rio de Janeiro to Boston
The Volvo Ocean Race 2008-09 is the 10th running of this ocean marathon. Starting from Alicante in Spain, on 4 October 2008, it is, for the first time, taking in Cochin, India, Singapore and Qingdao, China before finishing in St Petersburg, Russia for the first time in the history of the race. Spanning some 37,000 nautical miles, visiting 11 ports over nine months, the Volvo Ocean Race is a leading global ocean yacht race for professional racing crews.
Photo: Battling for position, at the start of Leg 6 of the Volvo Ocean Race, from Rio de Janeiro to Boston. The fleet heads out in light winds but a huge swell. (Dave Kneale/Volvo Ocean Race)
Photo: The start of Leg 6 of the Volvo Ocean Race, from Rio de Janeiro to Boston. The fleet heads out in light winds. (Rick Tomlinson/Volvo Ocean Race)
Photo: Ericsson 3, skippered by Magnus Olsson (SWE) at the start of leg 6 of the Volvo Ocean Race, from Rio de Janeiro to Boston. (Rick Tomlinson/Volvo Ocean Race)
Photo: PUMA Ocean Racing, skippered by Ken Read (USA) at the start of leg 6 of the Volvo Ocean Race, from Rio de Janeiro to Boston. (Dave Kneale/Volvo Ocean Race)
Photo: Telefonica Blue, skippered by Bouwe Bekking (NED) at the start of leg 6 of the Volvo Ocean Race, from Rio de Janeiro to Boston. (Dave Kneale/Volvo Ocean Race)
|GlobalGiants.com|
Edited & Posted by Editor | 11:19 AM | Link to this Post
September 5, 2008
Paris International Auto Show: Honda to Reveal Honda Insight Concept Hybrid Vehicle
Photo: Honda will reveal a concept version of its new small hybrid vehicle, to be named Insight, at the 2008 Paris International Auto Show, October 2, the company announced.
Honda has announced that it will reveal a concept version of its new small hybrid vehicle, to be named Insight, at the 2008 Paris International Auto Show on October 2.
Honda further said that "Insight" would go on sale in the U.S. next spring and the all-new purpose-built Insight will come to market at a price significantly below hybrids available today. And from this unique position in the marketplace, the Insight will advance the affordability and accessibility of hybrid technology to a new generation of buyers. The new Insight Concept shares styling cues with the Honda FCX Clarity fuel cell vehicle, Honda explains.
"The original Honda Insight pioneered hybrid technology in the U.S. and remains a symbol of Honda's commitment to innovative technology and fuel efficiency," said Takeo Fukui, Honda Motor Co., Ltd. CEO. "This new Insight will break new ground as an affordable hybrid within the reach of customers who want great fuel economy and great value."
The production Insight will be offered as a five-door, five-passenger hatchback. Along with the Civic Hybrid, the new vehicle will be produced at an expanded hybrid vehicle production line at the Suzuka factory in Japan.
Photo: Honda FCX Clarity
Honda claims, "The Insight Concept is a small, fuel efficient hybrid car that delivers big style and functionality with a healthy dose of fun." "The Insight Concept defines a new stage in the evolution of hybrid technology resulting in a new level of affordability for hybrid customers worldwide. Evoking the innovative styling cues first seen in the FCX Clarity, the Insight Concept is designed with a low center of gravity and a generous five-passenger cabin. While the Insight Concept's aerodynamic design identifies its fuel efficient purpose, its five-door access and folding rear seats speak to functionality that is designed to meet the needs of customers with an active lifestyle," the company adds.
Photo: Honda CR-Z Concept
According to Honda, the Insight is expected to have annual global sales of 200,000 units per year -- approximately 100,000 in North America. Following the launch of the new Insight, Honda also plans to introduce another sporty hybrid vehicle based on the CR-Z. "All together, Honda's global sales of hybrids should increase to approximately 500,000 units a year, or more than 10 percent of its total worldwide annual automobile sales," says Honda.
Source: Honda
"Honda's expectation to have annual global sales of 200,000 units of "Insight" per year (approximately 100,000 in North America), and its global sales of hybrids increasing to 500, 000 units a year, is no ordinary news. It deserves to be analyzed by other car makers -- Toyota, GM, Ford, Suzuki, Daimler, Nissan, Hyundai,..." - GlobalGiants.Com
|GlobalGiants.com|
Edited & Posted by Editor | 9:08 AM | Link to this Post
August 5, 2008
Second Honda FCX Clarity Zero-Emissions Fuel Cell Vehicle Now on the Road
Honda Delivers FCX Clarity Hydrogen-powered Fuel Cell Vehicle to Jamie Lee Curtis.
Photo: Honda FCX Clarity
Photo: Honda FCX Clarity interior
American Honda Motor Co., Inc., today announced that its second FCX Clarity customer, Jamie Lee Curtis, took delivery of the vehicle on July 31, 2008. Curtis and husband Christopher Guest are the second of approximately 200 customers who will begin leasing the vehicle in the United States and Japan over the next three years.
Photo: Jamie Lee Curtis, second customer of Honda's FCX Clarity hydrogen fuel cell-powered vehicle at a hydrogen filling station in West Los Angeles. Curtis is the second of approximately 200 customers who will lease the vehicle in the United States and Japan, with the vast majority of vehicles being leased in Southern California. (Photo Credit: American Honda Motor Co., Inc., Alex Berliner(C)Berliner Studio/BEImages)
"I really wasn't expecting it to be so luxurious," said Curtis. "It's luxurious, luxurious, luxurious! I love the interior layout, design and access to controls. It is user-friendly and very modern."
Actress and children's book author Curtis and her husband, filmmaker Guest, live in Santa Monica. They have owned other alternative fuel and hybrid vehicles and continue to seek out ways to live and advocate a greener lifestyle.
Ron Yerxa and Annette Ballester, Santa Monica residents, took delivery of the first FCX Clarity on July 25, 2008.
Photo: Actress Q'Orianka Kilcher, who played Pocahontas in the film "The New World", poses for a photo after she drove the new Honda FCX Clarity hydrogen fuel cell car, Thursday, Nov. 15, 2007 at the LA Auto Show. (Photo Credit: American Honda Motor Co. Inc., Susan Goldman)
"The FCX Clarity is a next-generation, hydrogen-powered fuel cell vehicle. Propelled by an electric motor that runs on electricity generated in the fuel cell, the vehicle's only by-products are heat and water, and its fuel efficiency is three times that of a modern gasoline-powered automobile."
Source: American Honda Motor Co., Inc.
|GlobalGiants.com|
Edited & Posted by Editor | 1:09 PM | Link to this Post
July 16, 2008
US Automobile Buyers Want Advancements in Alternative Powertrain Technology: J.D. Power and Associates
Small Cars and Hybrids Lead the Automotive Environmental Index Top 30.
Photo: Smart Fortwo
According to the J.D. Power and Associates 2008 Alternative Powertrain Study released today, while most automotive manufacturers have shifted production to focus on smaller vehicles, nearly 70 percent of consumers say they want manufacturers to invest more in existing and emerging powertrain technologies.
Photo: Lexus RX Hybrid
Now in its third year, the Alternative Powertrain Study examines the reasons why consumers consider or avoid alternative powertrain vehicles, such as hybrid, flex fuel and clean diesel fuel models. The study includes the Automotive Environmental Index, which combines U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) publicly available information related to fuel economy, air pollution and greenhouse gases for 2008 model-year vehicles and J.D. Power and Associates' voice of the customer data related to stated fuel economy. Feedback from verified vehicle owners is also used to help determine the relative importance of these environmental factors.
Photo: 2008 Nissan Sentra
The study finds that more than 80 percent of consumers believe that the United States is currently faced with an energy crisis. Only 18 percent of these consumers believe this issue can be addressed by focusing on small vehicle production with better fuel economy. Approximately 30 percent of consumers believe that auto manufacturers should continue to produce a comparable vehicle lineup with a focus on hybrid-electric, clean diesel and flexible fuel vehicles, while an additional 39 percent believe manufacturers should focus on developing emerging technologies not currently available in the market, such as fuel cell and electric vehicles.
Photo: 2009 Honda Fit Sport
Photo: 2009 Ford Focus RS
"Nearly 80 percent of consumers believe that gas prices will continue to rise, which will have a significant effect on the vehicles they will consider," said Mike Marshall, director of automotive emerging technologies at J.D. Power and Associates. "However, some consumers still want more than small cars to choose from in the auto market. They still want their SUVs and pickup trucks, except with better fuel economy and more environmentally friendly."
The study also finds that the percentage of consumers who are considering a hybrid-electric vehicle is up from 50 percent in 2007 to 62 percent in 2008. Consideration for flexible fuel (E85) capable vehicles -- which are designed to run on gasoline or a blend of up to 85 percent ethanol -- has decreased slightly from 2007 (47% vs. 43% in 2008), while consideration for clean diesel demonstrated the most notable decline from 23 percent in 2007 to only 16 percent in 2008. The drop in consideration for diesel technology may be attributed to the substantial increase in the relative price of diesel since 2007.
Photo: 2009 Saturn Astra XR 3-door
Photo: 2009 Pontiac G5 GT
Among the top 30 models in the Automotive Environmental Index, Toyota has the highest number of vehicles (6), followed by Chevrolet, Honda and Nissan with three models each. Additionally, eight models in the Automotive Environmental Index top 30 are hybrid-electric vehicles. They are:
Ford Escape Hybrid
Nissan Altima Hybrid
Honda Civic Hybrid
Toyota Camry Hybrid
Lexus RX 400h
Toyota Highlander Hybrid
Mercury Mariner Hybrid
Toyota Prius
Photo: 2008 Chevrolet Cobalt SS Coupe
Photo: 2008 Chevrolet Aveo LT
The remaining models in the Top 30 Automotive Environmental Index are:
Chevrolet Aveo
Hyundai Accent
Nissan Sentra
Smart Fortwo Coupe
Chevrolet Aveo5
Hyundai Elantra
Nissan Versa
Toyota Corolla
Chevrolet Cobalt
Kia Rio
Pontiac G5
Toyota Matrix
Ford Focus
Kia Spectra
Pontiac Vibe
Toyota Yaris
Honda Civic
MINI Cooper
Saturn Astra
Honda Fit
MINI Cooper S
Smart Fortwo Convertible
The 2008 Alternative Powertrain Study includes responses from more than 4,000 consumers who plan to purchase a new vehicle within the next two years. The web-based study was fielded in May and June 2008. The voice of the customer components of the Automotive Environmental Index are derived from the 2008 Alternative Powertrain Study and the J.D. Power and Associates 2008 Initial Quality Study.
Source: J.D. Power and Associates
|GlobalGiants.com|
Edited & Posted by Editor | 10:06 AM | Link to this Post
March 23, 2008
Volvo's Development of Plug-in Hybrid Car: Volvo ReCharge Concept
Plug-in hybrid with battery-only range of 60 miles - and a combustion diesel engine for backup power.
The Volvo ReCharge Concept is a plug-in hybrid with individual electric wheel motors and batteries that can be recharged via a regular electrical outlet for maximum environmental benefit.
Recharging allows the car to be driven about 60 miles (100 km) on battery power alone before the car's four-cylinder diesel engine is needed to power the car and recharge the battery.
The ReCharge Concept has been developed at the Volvo Monitoring and Concept Center (VMCC), the Volvo Car Corporation's think-tank in Camarillo, California.
"This is a ground-breaking innovation for sustainable transportation. A person driving less than 60 miles a day will rarely need to visit a filling station. In the USA, this may apply to almost 80 percent of drivers," says Magnus Jonsson, Senior Vice President Research and Development at Volvo Cars. According to him, this plug-in hybrid car, when used as intended, should have about 66 percent lower emissions of carbon dioxide compared with the best hybrid cars available on the market today.
See Volvo Recharge Concept Movie
An electric motor at each wheel -- the Volvo ReCharge Concept shown combines a number of the latest technological innovations into a so-called "series hybrid" where there is no mechanical connection between the engine and the wheels.The battery pack integrated into the luggage compartment uses lithium-polymer battery technology. The batteries are intended to have a useful life beyond that of the car itself. Four electric motors, one at each wheel, provide independent traction power. Four-cylinder 1.6-litre turbo diesel engine (109 hp) drives an advanced generator that efficiently powers the wheel motors when the battery is depleted.
Electric car with a combustion engine as backup -- in principle, the Volvo ReCharge Concept is a battery electric car with an efficient generator, an Auxiliary Power Unit (APU), that steps in when battery charge becomes insufficient for adequate driving performance.
The driver can choose the power source -- the combustion engine starts up automatically when 70 percent of the battery power has been used up. However, the driver also has the option of controlling the four-cylinder diesel engine manually via a button in the instrument panel. This allows the driver to start the engine earlier in order to maximize battery charge, for instance when out on the highway in order to save battery capacity for driving through the next town.
Photo: Ichiro Sugioka, project manager for the Volvo ReCharge Concept, in front of the ReCharge Concept car.
"There is a considerable difference between our plug-in hybrid and today's hybrids. Today's hybrids use the battery only for short periods to assist the combustion engine. Our solution is designed for most people to run on electric power all the time, while providing the extra security that comes with having a combustion engine as a secondary source of electrical power," says Ichiro Sugioka, project manager for the Volvo ReCharge Concept. He adds: "What is more, our C30 with plug-in hybrid technology retains its lively and sporty driving properties. Acceleration from 0-60 mph takes 9 seconds and top speed is 100 mph."
The Volvo ReCharge Concept is best suited to car drivers who cover moderate distances every day. For example, a commuter who has less than 60 miles to drive between home and workplace can cover the entire round trip on electric power alone, making the car a Zero Emission Vehicle (ZEV) for most everyday driving.
Meanwhile, Volvo Car Corporation has just launched a unique cooperation for the development of plug-in hybrid cars in Sweden. Together with electricity provider Vattenfall, Saab Automobile, ETC and the Swedish state, Volvo Car Corporation is launching a joint broad-based research venture to develop spearhead technology in the area of plug-in hybrid cars. Sweden will be the arena for the field tests.
The aim of the project, which is being carried out jointly by Volvo Car Corporation, Saab Automobile, Vattenfall (electric supplier) and ETC (battery provider), is to develop and demonstrate the next-generation hybrid cars. A fleet of 10 plug-in hybrids will be produced that can be recharged directly from the mains wall socket.
|GlobalGiants.com|
Edited & Posted by Editor | 6:55 AM | Link to this Post
March 17, 2008
New York International Auto Show: Saab 9-X BioHybrid Makes American Debut
NEW YORK -- Following its world premiere at the Geneva auto show earlier this month, Saab 9-X BioHybrid premium compact concept is scheduled to make its American debut at the New York International Auto Show media days, beginning March 19.
GM explains that the 9-X BioHybrid is a vivid vision of what a future compact car from Saab could look like. It is designed to reflect the priorities of youthful customers who seek progressive looks, responsible performance and high-tech communications, all in a sporty, fun-to-drive package. The interior showcases an entirely new expression of Saab's driver-focused cockpit design, together with innovative, seamless connectivity for personal nomadic devices and a rear cargo deck with a "low-friction" loading system.
Anthony Lo, director of Advanced Design at General Motors Europe led the 9-X BioHybrid design team in cooperation with the Saab Brand Center in Sweden. According to him, this car is all about efficiency in design and performance
With its turbine-style wheels placed at all four corners, minimal bodywork overhangs and an extended roof line, the proportions of the three-door Saab 9-X BioHybrid bring a dynamic, new dimension to conventional compact hatchback looks.
Echoing Saab's roots in aircraft design, the 9-X BioHybrid also explores the potential for using active aerodynamics to reduce drag - and fuel consumption - at cruising speeds.
The four-seat cabin introduces an entirely new execution of Saab's driver-focused cockpit design. The central, floor-mounted console, with its angled controls and displays, is now eliminated. Instead, the driver-focused layout incorporates a main instrument panel that sweeps out from the top of the door molding, arching across the driver. The embedded 3-D graphics appear to be "frozen" in ice, continuing a Scandinavian design theme first seen in the Aero X.
Reflecting the needs of youthful customers, who expect easy access to multi-media both inside and outside the car, Saab has cooperated with Sony Ericsson to provide seamless, in-car connectivity for a range of nomadic devices. The result is a wireless interface for streaming data, entertainment and satellite navigation functions for display and use. The interface also allows the simultaneous use of multiple devices when passengers are in the car.
Saab is a division of General Motors Corp. Saab Automobile USA is the importer and/or distributor of Saab 9-3, 9-5 and 9-7X automobiles for Saab Automobile AB, Sweden. |GlobalGiants.com|
Source: General Motors
Edited & Posted by Editor | 12:55 PM | Link to this Post
March 8, 2008
Actress Martina Gedeck to Perform German Narration of DOLPHINS AND WHALES 3D Slated for Release on March 13th in Germany
European premiere to take place this Monday at the Cinestar IMAX 3D Kino im Potsdamer Platz in Berlin in the presence of Martina Gedeck, film ambassador Jean-Michel Cousteau and filmmakers the Mantello Brothers.
Photo: Actress Martina Gedeck recording the German narration for DOLPHINS AND WHALES 3D in Berlin. Presented by Jean-Michel Cousteau, the film will invite audiences on a journey of discovery with these tribes of the ocean. Its European premiere will be held at the Cinestar IMAX 3D Kino in Potsdamer Platz (Sony Center) in Berlin on March 10 and will then roll out at select IMAX (R) 3D Theatres and Digital 3D cinemas across Germany as of March 13. (3D Entertainment Distribution Ltd.)
Jean-Michel Cousteau's DOLPHINS AND WHALES 3D immerses viewers in the daily lives of small and giant cetaceans as they interact socially, play, communicate, feed, breed, migrate and fight for their survival. It also delivers a powerful message in favor of the protection of these tribes while they are facing the greatest challenge of all: to survive the destruction of their habitat and depletion of food resources. The film marks the first time that humpback whales, belugas, orcas, bottlenose dolphins and manatees have been filmed in 3D for the world's biggest screens.
Three years in the making, the film required no fewer than 12 international expeditions and 600 hours spent underwater at some of the remotest locations on Earth, including off the Pacific Ocean atolls of Moorea and Rurutu (French Polynesia), Vava'u Island (Kingdom of Tonga), Pico Island (Azores) and the Valdez Peninsula (Argentina). Unlike other IMAX(R)-type films, it was shot entirely in the wild and consists solely of underwater footage, with no humans on screen.
The film is produced and released by 3D Entertainment and its distribution unit in collaboration with the United Nations Environment Programme, Ocean Futures Society, the Convention on Migratory Species (CMS), PADI's Project Aware and Reef Check. |GlobalGiants.com|
Edited & Posted by Editor | 6:38 AM | Link to this Post
January 19, 2008
Green Car Summit: Auto Industry Rising to the Challenge
Leading Automakers and Industry Organizations to Discuss Advanced Technologies and Forward-Looking Strategies During Washington Auto Show's International Media Day
WASHINGTON -- Answers to some of the most serious challenges facing the auto industry will be explored January 22 at the Green Car Summit during The Washington Auto Show's International Media Day. Presented by the auto enthusiast magazine, Green Car Journal, the Summit will convene at 2:00 p.m. at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center.
Leading auto industry executives will discuss such challenges as petroleum displacement, fuel efficiency and greenhouse gas reductions and probe the range of responses.
Photo: CHRYSLER ECOVOYAGER
Moderated by Ron Cogan, the editor and publisher of Green Car Journal and GreenCar.com, the auto industry panel will include Sue Cischke, senior vice president of Sustainability, Environment, and Safety Engineering at Ford; Gregory Cesiel, Fuel Cell Vehicles program director at General Motors; Reg Modlin, Director of Environmental and Energy Planning at Chrysler; Tom Strickland, director of Technical and Regulatory Affairs, Environment at Toyota; and David Geanacopoulos, director of Industry-Government Relations at Volkswagen of America.
Kicking off the Summit, a Green Car Parade featuring a lineup of eco-friendly cars will conclude at the convention center's L Street entrance at 1:45 p.m.
The Washington Auto Show, scheduled from Jan. 23 to Jan. 27, connects the auto industry with the public policy process by uniting Washington's political elite with auto industry leaders. |GlobalGiants.com|
Edited & Posted by Editor | 9:34 AM | Link to this Post
November 14, 2007
Quantum's Fisker Automotive Joint Venture Releases First Images of Plug-In Hybrid Four-Door Premium Sports Sedan
Quantum Fuel Systems Technologies Worldwide, Inc. (NASDAQ:QTWW) and Fisker Coachbuild, LLC have released a preview of the first production vehicle to be launched from Fisker Automotive, Inc. -- the green American premium car company. Fisker Automotive, Inc. is a joint venture between Quantum and Fisker, and will offer a range of environmentally friendly premium cars. The plug-in hybrid four-door premium sports sedan will make its debut at the North American International Auto Show (NAIAS) in Detroit in January 2008. Initial deliveries are anticipated to commence in the 4th quarter of 2009, with annual production projected to reach 15,000 units.
Quantum will supply its proprietary high-performance plug-in-hybrid electric vehicle architecture, known as "Quantum Hybrid," integrated into a unique chassis developed by Quantum that will enable optimizing the performance and vehicle dynamics for all Fisker Automotive models. Benefits of the Quantum Hybrid drive system include optimized fuel efficiency and superior performance, unchanged gas station infrastructure, and home-based battery recharging with any 110-volt outlet. |GlobalGiants.com|
Edited & Posted by Editor | 8:54 AM | Link to this Post
November 13, 2007
SHELL OIL COMPANY RACE WINNERS
Photo: In this photo released from Shell Oil Company, a student from Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology in Terre Haute, IN drives a combustion engine vehicle in the 2007 Shell Eco-marathon Americaschallenge. The 2008 event will take place April 10-13 at the California Speedway in Fontana, Calif. and will challenge student teams and their prototype vehicles to travel the farthest distance using the least amount of fuel. |GlobalGiants.com|
Edited & Posted by Editor | 11:27 AM | Link to this Post
October 30, 2007
Siemens technology supplies ships in port with environmentally friendly electricity from the public network
An innovative solution to counter "harbor smog".
Siemens Power Transmission and Distribution (PTD) has developed a solution called "Siharbor" based on its DC transmission system Siplink, with which ships berthed in port can be connected to the medium voltage network of the local power supply company and supplied with electricity. The advantage is that ships can shut down their diesel generating sets which would otherwise be needed, and which not only produce electricity but exhaust gases, soot, fine dust and noise. |GlobalGiants.com|
Edited & Posted by Editor | 4:16 AM | Link to this Post
October 29, 2007
Los Angeles Auto Show: Five Finalists Compete for 2008 Green Car of the Year Award
Photo: Chevy Malibu Hybrid -- The Chevrolet Malibu Hybrid is a 4-door, 5-passenger family sedan with an EPA rating of 24-mpg city and 32-mpg highway.
LOS ANGELES · October 29, 2007 -- The winner of the 2008 Green Car of the Year award has been narrowed to five nominees, according to an announcement by Green Car Journal, the leading automotive environmental magazine. The winner will be announced on Nov. 15 during Press Days at the Los Angeles Auto Show.
Photo: Chevrolet Tahoe Hybrid -- The Chevrolet Tahoe Two-Mode Hybrid not only offers functionality but also surprising efficiency for a full-size SUV.
This mainstreaming of hybrid technology is reflected in the five nominees for the 2008 Green Car of the Year award: The 2008 Chevrolet Malibu Hybrid, Chevrolet Tahoe Hybrid, Mazda Tribute Hybrid, Nissan Altima Hybrid, and Saturn Aura Hybrid.
Photo: Mazda Tribute Hybrid -- The Mazda Tribute Hybrid, a compact SUV, is Mazda's first hybrid vehicle.
Each of the nominees achieves "firsts" in specific ways. All, of course, feature fuel efficiency gains and offer extremely low emissions with advanced technologies used to further increase their environmental performance. The Chevrolet Tahoe, a popular larger SUV, is now much more fuel efficient through the use of an all-new two-mode hybrid technology. Mazda's Tribute Hybrid is this auto maker's first-ever gasoline-electric hybrid model and exemplifies the continuing evolution of fuel efficient hybrid technology shared with related brands. The Chevrolet Malibu and Saturn Aura hybrids showcase affordable hybrid technology available in mass-market sedans. Nissan's Altima Hybrid represents this brand's first-ever use of hybrid technology to blend higher efficiencies and performance in its popular sport sedan.
Photo: Nissan Altima Hybrid -- The Nissan Altima Hybrid features a full hybrid powerplant that offers higher fuel economy and spirited driving.
Jurors include leaders of America's top environmental organizations, including Carl Pope, executive director of the Sierra Club; Christopher Flavin, president of Worldwatch Institute; Jean-Michel Cousteau, president of Ocean Futures Society; and Jonathan Lash, President of the World Resources Institute. Also, Jay Leno noted auto enthusiast and host of the "Tonight Show" as well as automotive icon Carroll Shelby join four Green Car Journal editors to round out the 2008 jury.
Photo: Saturn Aura Hybrid -- The mid-size Aura Green Line Hybrid is Saturn's first hybrid sedan.
The Green Car of the Year award is an important part of Green Car Journal's mission to showcase environmental progress in the auto industry. Since 1992, Green Car Journal has focused on the intersection of automobiles, energy, and environment, first with an industry newsletter and then with an award-winning auto enthusiast magazine. Today, the magazine is considered the premier source of information on high fuel efficiency, low emission, advanced technology, and alternative fuel vehicles.
LA Auto Show opens for media only Nov. 14 and 15. Public days run from Nov. 16-25 including Thanksgiving Day. |GlobalGiants.com|
Edited & Posted by Editor | 7:05 AM | Link to this Post
October 28, 2007
Energy-saving bulbs from Osram
Over its lifetime (15,000 operating hours), every energy-saving bulb from Osram saves several hundred dollars and around half a ton of CO2. A 30% switch to energy-saving products alone could reduce global CO2 emissions by 270 million tons per year. In February 2007, Osram was the first lighting manufacturer to receive approval from the United Nations for a so-called Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) - the replacement of incandescent light bulbs with energy-saving light bulbs in developing and emerging countries. |GlobalGiants.com|
Edited & Posted by Editor | 7:57 AM | Link to this Post
