Tag: sharing

EDAG Light Car Sharing Concept previewed ahead of Geneva Motor Show

Filed under: Concept Cars, Geneva Motor Show, Electric

EDAG Light Car Sharing Concept

EDAG Light Car Sharing Concept – Click above for high-res image gallery

EDAG is headed back to the Geneva Motor Show with a new take on car sharing. The company plans to unveil the new Light Car Sharing Concept, a machine that blends lightweight composites, modular pieces and an electric drivetrain to solve many of the woes facing communal autos at the moment. Along with body panels and interior components that can be easily swapped out for new pieces as wear and tear take hold, the concept comes with sophisticated GPS tracking software to allow car sharing companies to know exactly where their vehicles are at all times.

EDAG says that this new technology will help make car sharing more efficient in the future. At the heart of the vehicle is an axle-mounted electric drive system powered by lithium-ion batteries. All told, the gear is good for a range of 62 miles and a top-speed of 62 miles per hour. There are no output or acceleration figures to be had as of this writing, though that might change as we get closer to next week’s show.

Gallery: EDAG Light Car Sharing Concept

[Sources: EDAG, World Car Fans]

EDAG Light Car Sharing Concept previewed ahead of Geneva Motor Show originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 23 Feb 2011 17:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Report: BMW, Mercedes experiment with upscale car-sharing

Filed under: Etc., Europe, BMW, Mercedes-Benz

Daimler Car2Go

If you think that joining in on the car-sharing party means that you’ll be stuck behind the wheel of a low-buck auto, prepare to be amazed. According to AutoWeek, both BMW and Mercedes-Benz are diving into the car-sharing world with programs designed to allow users to experience a slice of luxury without having to foot the hassles associated with car ownership. BMW on Demand will provide drivers with a 1 Series for as little as €16 per hour in Europe (around $21 USD/hr). Those wanting a little more room can opt for a 5 Series for the low price of €23/hr ($30/hr), including servicing and cleaning.

Daimler, meanwhile, is working on a similar program in both Austin, Texas and Ulm, Germany, though that program will serve up products from the company’s Smart line. Users can reserve trim levels and colors on line or by phone, use the vehicle for as long as they like and drop it off in convenient car-sharing parking spaces. The time behind the wheel is automatically calculated and the user’s bank account automatically debited.

Both BMW and Mercedes-Benz are delving into car-sharing to confront a growing lack of interest in ownership from younger generations and increased traffic in urban settings, even though some research has shown that the use of a single shared vehicle can contribute to the loss of as many as nine to 15 personal cars.

[Source: AutoWeek]

Report: BMW, Mercedes experiment with upscale car-sharing originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 29 Dec 2010 18:39:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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More speculation on Bentley and Audi sharing next-gen V8

Filed under: Coupe, Performance, Technology, Bentley, Luxury

2011 Bentley Continental GT

2011 Bentley Continental GT – Click above for high-res image gallery

Bentley hasn’t let much slip about the V8 that will be available in the 2011 Bentley Continental GT. However, each article that appears about Audi’s use of the engine has one more little bit of information on it. According to what has been written we can piece together that it will be a 4.0-liter twin-turbo V8 with 550 horsepower. Bentley, though, hasn’t given any indication of power output yet, though the 550 number was mooted in reference to next year’s RS7 Sportback. If that were true for a V8 Continental GT, it could be uncomfortably close to the base V12 output.

Regardless, the latest news has the V8 will reduce CO2 emissions by 40 percent compared to the W12, listed as 396 g/km. Bentley said during the release of the second-gen Continental that the V8 would have “a class-leading CO2 emissions-to-power ratio,” but even with that in mind, 40 percent is still a huge jump. Unless they’re talking about simply piling on a huge amount of emissions equipment, there figures to be a serious rise in the Conti’s EPA mileage rating, currently at 13 miles per gallon. It still wouldn’t break 20 mpg, but it would be close closer, and not inconsequential.

Gallery: 2011 Bentley Continental GT

[Source: What Car?]

More speculation on Bentley and Audi sharing next-gen V8 originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 07 Oct 2010 17:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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