Monthly Archives: July 2010

A plug-in hybrid from Honda in 2012

Posted on July 22, 2010 by Laurent J. Masson

With 3 hybrids in its line-up, Honda is clearly a strong believer in hybrid technology. But that’s not enough for some people, who think Honda’s system, called IMA (Integrated Motor Assist) is inferior to Toyota’s HSD (Hybrid Synergy Drive). They’re … Continue reading →

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The electric Audi e-tron at Silvretta

Posted on July 21, 2010 by Laurent J. Masson

There’s been an electric car rally in Austria last week. A Tesla roadster was there, and so was the best of Germany. The Mercedes SLS AMG E-Cell, and the latest model of the Audi e-tron, based on the R8.

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A nine-speed automatic from Mercedes?

Posted on July 21, 2010 by Laurent J. Masson

Mercedes is one of the very few luxury manufacturers that builds its own automatic transmissions. He’s making 3 at this time. There’s the small 5-speed that goes with the 4-cylinder engines, there’s another 5-speed to go with the mighty V12 … Continue reading →

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An electric car made in Munich

Posted on July 20, 2010 by Laurent J. Masson

Munich! Bavaria! Some very nice cars are built there. People all over the world love them, but this car doesn’t come from a car manufacturer, it’s coming from a university. The prestigious Technische Universität München. So designed and built by … Continue reading →

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Global warming is very real: new facts

Posted on July 19, 2010 by Laurent J. Masson

I believe in global warming. I used to talk about it with all the people I know, and I’ve been writing about it many times. But it has been difficult those last few months. Winter has been unusually long and … Continue reading →

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The electric scooter from Yamaha gets real

Posted on July 17, 2010 by Laurent J. Masson

At last! There’s already a few electric scooters on the market, but they’re mostly chinese, which is a bit of a surprise. Because even if God rides a Harley, the kings of the motorcycle industry are the japanese. It appears … Continue reading →

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Shanghai-Paris: 8500 electric miles in the Citroen-Venturi

Posted on July 15, 2010 by Laurent J. Masson

It’s not a game, it’s a whole new way to travel: an electric car. Most people think that electric cars are not appropriate for long trips, but Xavier Chevrin et Géraldine Gabin prove just the opposite. They drove from Shanghai, … Continue reading →

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Bill Gates invests in the OPOC engine

Posted on July 15, 2010 by Laurent J. Masson

OPOC stands for Opposed Piston Opposed Cylinder. That sounds original, but it’s hardly new. The idea is more than 100 years old. It’s not the same architecture as in a flat-6 from Porsche, it’s more like having 2 pistons in … Continue reading →

Posted in IC Engines, Technology | Tagged , | 1 Comment

The very promising diesel-hybrid Peugeot 508

Posted on July 13, 2010 by Laurent J. Masson

Here comes Peugeot’s next big sedan. A classic four-door, it’s the same size as a Camry, but it won’t be sold in the United States. The car is made and designed for Europe first. There will also be a chinese … Continue reading →

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The Heuliez Mia electric car gets a brand new start

Posted on July 10, 2010 by Laurent J. Masson

Will it be saved? Will it die? It has been going on for months. Heuliez, a french supplier to the automotive industry was trying to reinvent itself as a manufacturer of small electric cars. A tough challenge when the company … Continue reading →

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