Tag: begins

Toyota begins testing Segway-like Winglet in Japan [w/video]

Filed under: EV/Plug-in, Transportation Alternatives, Toyota, On Two Wheels, Japan

Toyota has just now started testing a two-wheeled Segway-like vehicle that it first trumpeted almost five years ago, but when the vehicle in question tops out at less then four miles per hour, these things do take time. Toyota’s Winglet, which the Japanese automaker first announced to the world in August 2008, has started public trials on the streets of Tsukuba, Japan, as the company looks to get more information on the stand-up vehicles safety and maneuverability.

The Winglet, Toyota says, is an illustration of the “development of a society where mobility is safe, freely accessible, and fun.” Tsukuba, which is 40 miles northeast of Tokyo (or, theoretically, about 12 hours by Winglet), is apropos because of its position as an “environmental model city.” The vehicle, which is said to have a single-charge range of about six miles and can be recharged in about an hour, is being tested on public sidewalks. So watch out, brave citizens of Tsukuba.

Meanwhile, read Toyota’s press release and check out footage of them in full flight by scrolling below.

Continue reading Toyota begins testing Segway-like Winglet in Japan [w/video]

Toyota begins testing Segway-like Winglet in Japan [w/video] originally appeared on Autoblog Green on Fri, 26 Jul 2013 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Tesla Model S begins first phase of road testing [w/video]

Filed under: Sedan, Videos, Tesla, Electric

Tesla Model S
Tesla Model S road testing – Click above to watch the video after the break

The last time Tesla Motors released a video about the Model S, it was a lot of talking from the company’s vice president and chief engineer for vehicle engineering, Peter Rawlinson, about engineering the vehicle. Today, new video shows just the opposite. No talking, just pretty pictures.

Almost eerily silent, the video shows the first Alpha build Model S (tons of details on the car here) cruising down rural roads, and it’s a beautiful sight. The car looks like it handles well and makes us the need to get behind the wheel yesterday. Tesla’s Vehicle Dynamicist (we’re guessing thats fancy talk for test driver?) Graham Sutherland said in a statement that:

The first Alpha is amazingly agile for a car of its size. It has great handling balance and poised ride with communicative steering. Just goes to show what combining a low center of gravity with a very stiff body structure can achieve.

Sounds – and looks – good. Let’s hope it gets better. Watch the video after the jump.

[Source: Tesla]

Continue reading Tesla Model S begins first phase of road testing [w/video]

Tesla Model S begins first phase of road testing [w/video] originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 18 Jan 2011 18:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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2012 Ford Focus production begins

Filed under: Budget, Sedan, Wagon, Europe, Plants/Manufacturing, Hatchback, Ford

2012 Ford Focus

2012 Ford Focus production begins in Germany – Click above for high-res image gallery

The 2012 Ford Focus isn’t just an all-new model for the Blue Oval team – it represents the first example of the automaker’s “One Ford” global product strategy. Ford is now engineering cars that will be exactly the same in all markets, and for the first time in many years, we Americans will finally be able to buy the same Focus as the rest of the world.

Ford will start selling the 2012 Focus early next year, and thus, production of the new global C-car has officially started at the automaker’s Saarlouis Assembly Plant in Germany. This facility is capable of manufacturing up to 1,850 vehicles a day over the course of three shifts, and all three Focus bodystyles (sedan, hatchback and wagon) will be produced here. The high-performance Focus ST will be added to this line in early 2012, as well.

In addition to the Saarlouis plant, Ford has begun early production of the North American-spec Focus at the automaker’s Michigan Assembly Plant just outside of Detroit. This plant has been completely overhauled over the past year, as it was formerly used to produce the Expedition and Lincoln Navigator.

Ford plans to further expand Focus production in mid-2011 by adding manufacturing lines to its plant in St. Petersburg, Russia. What’s more, production in the Asia Pacific region will come on-line in 2012 at new facilities in Chongquig, China and Rayong, Thailand. Follow the jump to read the Blue Oval’s official press release.

Gallery: 2012 Ford Focus production

[Source: Ford]

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2012 Ford Focus production begins originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 06 Dec 2010 14:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Chevrolet Volt production officially begins today, GM auctioning first one for charity [w/video]

Filed under: Hybrid, Videos, Chevrolet, GM, Electric

chevy volt charity auction

First Chevrolet Volt gets built – Click above to watch the time-lapse video

Want to be like Lance Armstrong and get the first available production model of one of the most eagerly-awaited vehicles of the decade? You can, if you’re willing to bid some money to help the Detroit Public Schools – more specifically the Detroit Public Schools Foundation, which supports math and science education.

The “first Chevrolet Volt available for retail sale” will be auctioned on Bidonthevolt.com through 6 p.m. (EST?) December 14, with the winner announced on December 16. The actual first retail Volt will be kept by General Motors, so the Viridian Joule auction car will have a vehicle identification number ending in BU100002. The car includes the Light Neutral interior with dark accents, has the Premium Trim Package, Rear Camera and Park Assist Package and polished wheels. The auction starts at $50,000 and comes with a 240-volt charging station installed in the winner’s home. No word on whether of not winning the auction still qualifies you for the $7,500 federal tax credit.

As you might expect, GM is highlighting the connection between all of the advanced technology in the Volt and the math and science needed to create it. General Motors North America president Mark Reuss said in a statement that, “By encouraging Detroit-area students to pursue these topics, we hope to cultivate the next generation of engineers who will build upon the Volt’s innovative technologies.” To this end, GM will also hire 1,000 engineers and researchers in Michigan within the next two years. You can read about these jobs on AutoblogGreen, but before you go anywhere, check out an official time-lapse build video of the first Chevy Volt after the jump.

[Source: Chevrolet]

Continue reading Chevrolet Volt production officially begins today, GM auctioning first one for charity [w/video]

Chevrolet Volt production officially begins today, GM auctioning first one for charity [w/video] originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 30 Nov 2010 17:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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2010 Korean Grand Prix: Yeongam begins its Rain of Terror [Spoilers]

Filed under: Motorsports, South Korea

2010 Korean Grand Prix

2010 Korean Grand Prix – Click above for high-res image gallery

The cars aren’t the only thing that move fast in Formula One; everything’s on an accelerated scale, even the calendar. It seems every new season in the modern era of F1 demands a new race. In 2004, Bahrain and Shanghai were added. Turkey joined the calendar in 2005. Things went backward in 2006 and 2007 with the elimination of Belgium (temporarily) followed by San Marino and Hockenheim, respectively. Singapore was added in 2008, followed by Abu Dhabi in 2009. India is set to join next year, the United States the year after and Russia by 2014. This year, however, the new slot belonged to Korea.

Ambitious plans were laid down by ubiquitous track architect Hermann Tilke, who’s firm is responsible for every one of the aforementioned new circuits and then some. But as recently as a couple of weeks ago, there were serious doubts over whether the site would be ready for this weekend’s inaugural grand prix. Fortunately, the hosts managed to get it all together in the end, putting on a race that would enter the books as one of the most exciting christenings in motor sport history. Follow the jump to see how it went down.

Gallery: 2010 Korean Grand Prix

[Images: Mark Thompson, Paul Gilham, Clive Mason/Getty | Andy Wong, Mark Baker, Greg Baker/AP]

Continue reading 2010 Korean Grand Prix: Yeongam begins its Rain of Terror [Spoilers]

2010 Korean Grand Prix: Yeongam begins its Rain of Terror [Spoilers] originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 24 Oct 2010 09:51:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Official: Chevrolet Volt production begins November 11

Filed under: Hybrid, Sedan, Plants/Manufacturing, Chevrolet, Electric

General Motors confirmed this morning that November 11, 2010 has been set as the official Job 1 date for the Chevrolet Volt. The news initially reported by Translogic was verified to AutoblogGreen by GM spokesman Rob Peterson. November 2010 has always been the targeted production launch timing for the Volt, but a specific day couldn’t be set until other development milestones were met.

Now that development and testing is virtually complete and certification testing is underway, production and customer deliveries will soon start unless there are any showstopping issues. Generally, dealer deliveries start about three to four weeks after Job 1, so those early models should be rolling off trucks and onto dealer lots in early December.

However, with California being one of the launch markets for the Volt, we would be surprised if GM doesn’t hold some kind of event to deliver the first customer car in conjunction with the press days for the Los Angeles Auto Show on November 17-18. Between now and November, the Detroit-Hamtramck assembly plant will continue building the pre-production units that are going into GM’s captured test fleet for use by employees for real-world evaluation.

[Sources: Translogic, General Motors]

Official: Chevrolet Volt production begins November 11 originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 01 Sep 2010 12:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Cash for Clunkers fraud investigation begins

Filed under: Car Buying, Government/Legal

Where there’s money, there’s fraud, and that appears to have been true with last year’s Cash for Clunkers program. According to a report from USA Today, the federal government is investigating around 20 dealers that may have violated the terms of the car-swapping scheme. So far, a total of nine dealerships have paid $71,500 in fines as a result of the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration’s findings.

In some cases, NHTSA suspects that vehicles meant for the scrap heap were actually shipped overseas and resold. Unsubstantiated reports claim that around 24 vehicles slipped out of the country in this fashion. Meanwhile, some junkyards have still yet to provide proof that other vehicles were in fact destroyed – a key piece of the process.

USA Today says that of all of the Cash for Clunkers claims, around 3.3 percent of the group have some sort of problem with their paperwork that may impact around $94 million in rebates. Even so, NHTSA says that there is no widespread fraud issue with the Cash for Clunkers program, and that the issues it has turned up are due to a few bad dealerships trying to work the system.

[Source: USA Today | Image: Justin Sullivan/Getty]

Cash for Clunkers fraud investigation begins originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 24 Aug 2010 16:25:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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2011 Ford Edge begins shipping to dealers as model hits 400,000 units

Filed under: Car Buying, Crossover, Ford

2011 Ford Edge Sport – Click above for high-res image gallery

It goes without saying, but we’re going to go ahead and say it anyway: Crossovers are so hot right now. According to data compiled by Ford, the CUV industry has expanded 220 percent since 2006, which is the year the Blue Oval introduced the world to the Edge, its main player in the hotly contested market.

Ford also contends that the over 400,000 Edge CUVs have sold since late 2006, making it the best-selling mid-size crossover over that period of time. Don’t expect that growth to slow down any time soon, either, as Ford projects the CUV segment will increase another few percentage points in 2011. In fact, the market for CUVs will grow to be as large as that of full-size pickup trucks.

In order to meet the increased demand it expects for CUVs, Ford has sharpened its Edge (sorry, couldn’t resist) for the 2011 model year. Of special note are the two new drivetrain choices that join the standard 3.5-liter V6 engine, a 2.0-liter EcoBoost with 285 horsepower and a 3.5-horsepower 3.7 Ti-VCT V6 in the newly beefed-up Edge Sport.

The House that Henry Built is also quick to point out that its next-gen Edge will come with a full suite of technology options, including Sync and MyFord Touch. So, will all of this added goodness equal a worthwhile improvement to the hot-selling previous-generation Edge? Stay tuned for a First Ride report, and feel free to click past the break for Ford’s official press release.

Gallery: 2011 Ford Edge Sport

[Source: Ford]

Continue reading 2011 Ford Edge begins shipping to dealers as model hits 400,000 units

2011 Ford Edge begins shipping to dealers as model hits 400,000 units originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 17 Aug 2010 18:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Automotive X-Prize: Finals Stage begins, Edison2 remains only team that can win mainstream class, $5 million

Filed under: Concept Cars, Specialty

Edison2’s Very Light Car – Click above for high-res image gallery

This week, the Finals Stage of the Automotive X-Prize finally begins and, as we found our recently, only one team has any hope of driving away with the $5 million mainstream prize. That team is Edison2, which has two cars still competing in the category, both versions of the Very Light Car we first met at the Detroit Auto Show earlier this year. There are also 13 vehicles competing in the alternative classes. The AXP sent out a release today describing what is planned for the Finals Stage:

During this stage, teams will compete in emissions, efficiency, and range events conducted by the competition organizers. In addition, teams must successfully complete various dynamic safety events, including a 0-60 mph acceleration, 60-0 mph braking, and a double lane change avoidance maneuver, conducted and evaluated by automotive engineers from Consumer Reports. The top finalists in each class will be announced July 27 prior to the start of a “coast down” exercise that will allow competition organizers to gain key performance information about the aerodynamics and rolling resistance of each vehicle to properly prepare them for the Validation Stage to be held at Argonne National Labs in August. Winners will be announced in September in Washington, D.C.

As we can see in this PDF, the two cars that Edison2 has left in the mainstream class were tested at 67.3 and 80.3 miles per gallon equivalent (mpge). Those numbers were good enough to pass the Knockout Stage (where 66 mpge was the important number), but there’s a long way to go from there to 100 mpge, one of the benchmarks needed to win the X-Prize. One of the cars did manage to reach 101.4 mpge during the Knockout Stage, but took an eight lap penalty for “working on the car” during the highway test cycle and “for failure to meet minimum lap time requirements.” We’ll get more information on what this means when we visit the Michigan International Speedway in Brooklyn, MI later this week.

We’ll also investigate the other important questions here: What are the Very Light Car’s chances to win this thing? If Edison2 doesn’t make it, then what happens? Will there be a second Automotive X-Prize to award the $5 million mainstream award? We’ll ask soon. Until then, you can read Edison2’s words about these cars here. Also, there’s a video of how Consumer Reports is testing the cars after the jump.

Gallery: Automotive X-Prize: Edison2 Very Light Car

Photos by Sebastian Blanco / Copyright (C)2010 Weblogs, Inc.
[Source: Edison2, Automotive X-Prize, Damien Somerset]

Continue reading Automotive X-Prize: Finals Stage begins, Edison2 remains only team that can win mainstream class, $5 million

Automotive X-Prize: Finals Stage begins, Edison2 remains only team that can win mainstream class, $5 million originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 20 Jul 2010 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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