Honda recently delivered 2013 Fit EV battery-electric vehicles to Google Inc. and Stanford University as a part of the Honda Electric Vehicle Demonstration Program. Along with the city of Torrance, Calif., each participant is now conducting general testing as well as providing specific feedback related to the future introduction of electric vehicles. The Honda Electric Vehicle Demonstration Program participants are the first recipients of the 2013 Fit EV in the United States.

The goal of the Honda Electric Vehicle Demonstration Program is to better understand the challenges and opportunities associated with the advancement in battery-electric technology,” said Steve Center, vice president of the Environmental Business Development Office at American Honda. “Honda has a long history with electric vehicles beginning with the introduction of our first battery-electric car, the EV Plus, nearly 15 years ago. Honda ’s experience and the unique feedback that Google, Stanford University and the city of Torrance will provide will be valuable to the future introduction of battery-electric technology.

Honda debuted the 2013 Fit EV at the 2011 Los Angeles Auto Show and announced plans to begin leasing the 123 city-mile per charge (76 mile range combined adjusted city/highway)1 battery-electric commuter vehicle to customers in select California and Oregon markets during the summer of 2012 with a rollout to east coast markets planned for Spring 2013. Equipped with a 20-kWh lithium-ion battery and 92- kW coaxial electric motor, the Fit EV battery can be fully recharged in as little as 3 hours when connected to a 240-volt circuit.

Over the past year, Honda has collaborated Stanford University professors, researchers and students from several departments including Mechanical Engineering and Psychology through various seminars and classes. The year-long collaboration resulted in a research direction on how to study the psychological and physical reactions of using battery-electric vehicles and how these reactions differ when driving a traditional gasoline-powered vehicle.

Source: http://www.honda.com/newsandviews/article.aspx?id=6495-en

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Following up on its blockbuster appearance at this year’s Detroit auto show, Acura unveiled production versions of two new vehicles at the Chicago Auto Show. A completely redesigned 2013 Acura RDX crossover sport utility vehicle and the all-new 2013 Acura ILX luxury compact sedan were shown. Both new Acura models are scheduled for launch in the Spring.

We are excited to be launching these two new luxury models as the gateway of Acura’s revitalized product lineup,” said Jeff Conrad, vice president and general manager of Acura. “As we embark on our second 25 years as a premium luxury-performance automobile brand, we are excited about the role these two vehicles will play in welcoming a new generation of luxury car buyers to the Acura brand.

The 2013 Acura ILX compact sedan is an all-new model that is positioned as the gateway into the Acura brand. The primary target customers for the new ILX are Generation Y– successful 20 and 30-somethings moving into the luxury car ranks but looking for high-value propositions in their purchases.

First-time luxury buyers tend to place a high value on exterior styling, affordability and environmental issues, and that’s what we have created with the new Acura ILX,” said Jon Ikeda, head of the Acura Design Studio. “The strategy behind this new model is to position ILX as the first opportunity for many young buyers to enter the luxury market.

Sleek and sporty, the ILX combines luxury, performance and efficiency. While maintaining a strong emphasis on stylish and aerodynamically efficient exterior design, the ILX features a large and airy greenhouse that provides excellent outward visibility. As a five-passenger luxury sedan, the ILX combines compact proportions with a spacious passenger interior and ample cargo space– perfect attributes for young professionals on the go.

Source: http://www.honda.com/newsandviews/article.aspx?id=6497-en

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Hiroshima, Japan — Mazda Motor Corporation has developed, jointly with Japan Polypropylene Corporation, resin material for vehicle parts that maintains the same rigidity as parts made with conventional materials while achieving significant weight reduction. Using this material, the parts manufactured are thinner than those using conventional resin, resulting in a significant reduction in the resin required to manufacture parts.

When the material is used for both front and rear bumpers, it contributes to weight reduction of approximately 20%. In the bumper production process, this reduced thickness allows for a shorter cooling period for molding, and by using computer-aided engineering (CAE) technology, the fluidity of the resin material has also been optimized. As a result, bumper molding time, previously 60 seconds, has been halved to 30 seconds, leading to major reductions in the amount of energy consumed in the production process.

Bumpers are positioned at the very front and rear end of a vehicle and their weight has a major impact on fuel economy and driving performance. On the other hand, bumpers are multi-functional, requiring both rigidity to absorb impact, and molding and painting properties suitable for excellent exterior design.

Mazda blended two components found in polypropylene and rubber, the constituents of resin, that have different properties, and succeeded in distributing them in a double-layer structure in line with the required function for the surface and the inside of the base bumper material. As a result of this achievement, the surface has excellent paint film adhesion and the inner section retains high rigidity and impact absorption, with reduced thickness.

Moving forward, Mazda remains committed to reducing vehicle weight and improving dynamic performance in order to provide all its customers with driving pleasure and outstanding environmental and safety performance.

Source: http://www.mazda.com/publicity/release/2012/201202/120209a.html

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Toyota Australia announced it will offer Australian customers a versatile new member of the Prius family – the seven-seat Prius v.The new Prius v will be the first Toyota production vehicle in Australia fitted with a lithium-ion battery – placed under the centre console between the driver and front passenger.

Toyota’s lithium-ion battery is smaller and lighter than the nickel-metal hydride battery in Prius, but has similar storage capacity. Prius v, due on sale in May this year, will join an expanding Prius family that includes the standard Prius hatch and the Prius c city car.

Toyota Australia’s executive director sales and marketing Matthew Callachor said the seven-seat Prius v will broaden the appeal of Toyota’s hybrid technology and environmental credentials.The Prius v is all about versatility – it is larger and roomier to meet the needs of growing families while retaining the Prius DNA of environmental performance and fuel economy,” Mr Callachor said.

Due to the placement of the lithium-ion battery pack between the front seats, there is minimal compromise to the MPV-style seven-seat passenger accommodation or the load space,” he said.Families will have the flexibility of using all seven seats or folding down the third-row seats to convert the car into a five-seater with extra luggage space.

Customers can also fold down the second-row seats to accommodate more cargo than many SUVs and wagons on the market. Prius v has been newly designed from the ground up – an evolution of Prius, not merely an elongated version. All exterior body panels are new.

Source: http://news.toyota.com.au/toyota-brings-seven-seat-addition-to-prius-family

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Cologne, Germany – The Ford Focus powered by the 1.0-liter EcoBoost engine began rolling off the assembly line this week in Saarlouis, Germany, setting a new benchmark as Ford’s most fuel efficient petrol-powered vehicle ever.

The Focus 1.0-liter EcoBoost 100PS offers class-leading economy of 4.8l/100km (58.9mpg) alongside CO2 emissions of 109g/km. The turbocharged, direct injection engine also is available on the Focus in a 125PS version that returns 5l/100km (56.5mpg) with CO2 of 114g/km.

Production of the first Focus 1.0-liter EcoBoost is an important milestone for Ford,” said Ford of Europe Chairman and CEO Stephen Odell. “Developing an engine this small and fuel efficient that still delivers good power and driving fun in a Focus-sized car would have seemed impossible just a few years ago.

The new 1.0-liter EcoBoost engine is produced at Ford’s engine plant in Cologne, Germany. . Ford invested €134 million ($200 million) to develop a special high-tech line at the Cologne Engine Plant to build the engine. Later this year, production of the engine also will begin in Craiova, Romania. European production capacity could eventually reach 700,000 engines per year.

The 1.0-liter EcoBoost illustrates just how much Ford and the entire auto industry have been able to continually improve the internal combustion engine, a technology that has been around well over a century.For example, the 2.9-liter engine that powered the iconic Model T delivered fuel economy 11.3l/100km, while cranking out 20PS – numbers that were impressive in their time.

The first generation Ford Fiesta’s 957cc engine from 1976 was roughly the same displacement as the 1.0-liter EcoBoost. The EcoBoost, however, delivers 64 percent more power and 38 percent lower fuel consumption.The 1.0-liter EcoBoost engine was developed by Ford experts across Europe, including engineers at Ford’s European Research and Advanced Engineering Centre in Aachen, Germany, and the Dunton Technical Centre, UK.

Source: http://corporate.ford.com/news-center/press-releases-detail/pr-ford-launches-production-of-focus-35921

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