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G. David Felt Staff Writer Alternative Energy - www.CheersandGears.com Faraday Future and Lucid Motors, Newest EV Automakers in America! Tesla as well as the Detroit, European and Asian auto companies have new competition. Tesla has seen in the last few years, engineers leave that had alternative dreams / plans that conflicted with Musk. As such this fall 2016 we are seeing coming out of the skunk works mode two new EV auto companies based in California is Farady Future who is already big in F1 E-Racing with over 1,400 employees world wide and Lucid Motors. Both companies have broken ground in Arizona for auto production lines. While there is little spec on motors, battery packs, etc. both companies using a rich background of Tesla Engineers clearly seems focused on building new Green auto's compared to waiting for Detroit to figure this out. Faraday has their F1 racer which also uses the same skateboard platform of which their concept driving around California is using. You can check out plenty of pictures online of heavily disguised CUV type EV. Lucid Motors also has their release pictures which includes their own camo covered auto's. For reading interest you can get more details on either of their web sites listed below. Lucid Motors Faraday Future
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Time for a new thread, I think many of us grew up seeing the various auto mags and the crazy Hot Rods that were totally custom rides from vans, to custom corvettes, etc. Post your cool find of Custom Ride. I will start by one that just blew my mind, talk about the perfect Van / Boat Hauler.
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G. David Felt Staff Writer Alternative Energy - www.CheersandGears.com Auto CEO Compensation CNBC with Reuters has posted CEO compensation for GM, FCA, and FORD for 2015 and clearly also points out GM CEO Barra's compensation jumps 72% to $28 Million for 2016. 2015 Compensation GM CEO Barra - $7.3 Million on $152.4 Billion in sales, $10.8 EBIT earnings. FCA CEO Marchionne - $73.6 million FORD CEO Field $18.6 million Course stock does make up a large percentage of the pay package, but it is interesting to see what they are paid. CNBC-Reuters story
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G. David Felt Staff Writer Alternative Energy - www.CheersandGears.com Apple Car Boom or Bust? So the question has to be asked of forum members, is this iCar a boom or bust for Apple and is this what the millennial crowd wants? Being that Apples biggest market is the millennial crowd I am wondering if this brick of a self driving electric auto is what they really want. Steve Jobs originally stated that Apple would work on an iCar and we ended up with this released drawing: Motor Trend had an exclusive first look at the iCar and this is what they ended up building: MT 13 Cool Features Story MT Industry Insiders Opine on Apple Car MT Apple Car Lie Down Till it Passes - Why they should NOT enter the auto industry. MT Apple Car Exclusive - Game Changer? MT Apple Car - But will you Love it? MT Tech Design experts Talk Apple What are your thoughts? Boom or Bust?
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Saw the story of this stop by police, the woman was heavily drunk in Roselle, Ill. Damn, I say the Lincoln Wins, Love to see a Euro or Asian Auto do this. Check out the Video on CNN http://www.cnn.com/2016/03/07/us/tree-car-driver-arrested-illinois/index.html Can anyone top this? Figure we could go for a good auto versus nature thread!
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G. David Felt Staff Writer Alternative Energy - www.CheersandGears.com EV Car Owners Allowed To Use Bus Lanes in UK Cities UK DOT has given the top 8 cities funds to install electric chargers, preferred parking spots and advertise in a bid to encourage citizens to turn in their petrol auto and move to EVs. The biggest benefit is EVs are now allowed to use the dedicated Bus Lanes all over even if they are a single driver. According to "the guardian" the UK sees this as their solution to meeting the carbon budget and cut the illegal levels of nitrogen dioxide pollution that chokes British cities. England's government give £5,000 to buyers of Electric autos. To quote the guardian, "Milton Keynes and Derby will copy similar measures in Norway and allow the cars to drive in miles of bus lanes, while owners in Hackney will be able to plug in at street lights. York drivers will be able to recharge their batteries at a solar-powered park-and-ride and electric car owners in Bristol and Milton Keynes will be allowed to park for free." The full Story is found here. So what do you think, is allowing EVs to use dedicated Bus lanes a smart move? what about some of the other perks various cities mentioned above have done to encourage EV purchases and use? Could this be the start of a push to rid Diesels from the streets and get auto's to alternative fuels? Sound off on what you think about this!
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G. David Felt Staff Writer Alternative Energy - www.CheersandGears.com Toyota converting auto transportation fleet to CNG. Nov 23rd 2015 Toyota Corporation released a media announcement that they would start with their first CNG auto hauler as they moved to be greener in transporting their green fleet of auto's to the dealers. CNG Auto Hauler Toyota worked with Peterbilt and Cottrell to build the first of many to come. This is a Peterbilt 365 day cab tractor with an 11.9L ISX 12 G Engine by Cummins modified for CNG operation. This is a 9 car hauler with 90 gallon capacity of CNG, two type IV carbon fiber 45 gallon tanks, one on each side of the truck. Toyota states that this hauler does what every other hauler out there does but with 85% less particulate matter and 10% less carbon dioxide. Toyota is deploying this hauler out of Long Beach California where it will deliver auto's while racking up between 7000-8000 miles per month.
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CNBC just posted this story that looks at facts gathered from quality studies and came to the conclusion that while Japan is not getting worse parse, they have fallen behind the competition in consumer surveys. Seems Toyota, Honda, Mitsubishi and Subaru are not keeping pace with the industry and Korea has surpased them. According to the report, the average world wide is a 3% improvement in product quality. Japan has had a zero improvement rate for the last few years where as Korea had an 11% product quality improvement over last year leading the over all industry. Interesting is that Ford and Lincoln are mentioned for cutting the number of problems only and GM and Buick not only cut problems further but placed vehicles in the top 11 brands and for the past year showed fewer than 100 problems per 100 auto's built leading the industry. The story goes on to say this will have many ask if Japan has lost the considered GOLD standard of auto reliability. The final comment is that Japan is struggling in dealing with infotainment systems and voice recognition as 16 of the bottom 20 models are all from Japan and have their core problems rooted in the Infotainment / nav / voice recognition systems. Yahoo Posting of CNBC story
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G. David Felt Alternative Fuels & Propulsion writer www.CheersandGears.com Duke Engines – Time for a NEW FORMAT? A 5-cylinder Axial engine at 1,000cc size begs the question: Is this the future of motorcycle and auto engines or just a wild idea like the Mazda Rotary? Duke Engines has been playing with outside the box engine design for some time. They play in the markets of Marine with inboard and outboard engines to aircraft and AC generators. They recently are using their Axial engine design to play in the Range Extender market for hybrid auto’s with a thought of the VOLT style car, electric driven auto with a generator to produce electricity for long range drives as well as the motorcycle market. So what does a Duke Engine offer over traditional 60 degree, 90 degree v engines or straight 4/6 cylinder engines? Duke says that their Axial engine offer No Vibration, High Power that leads to considerable reduced size and weight. Performance lovers will love the high power to weight ratio or density that the Duke Engine brings. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cTpPBiReaZk The base engine at 1,000cc gives you 125hp and 20% more torque than the same size conventional engine with much fewer moving parts according to their web site. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c19kn3drdFU These compact Axial engine design is akin to the shape of current electric motors. Their current 3.0L prototype engine has been tested up to 4500rpm putting out 215hp and 250lb of torque. Duke Engine put together this FAQ page. Frequently Asked Questions So with this truly unique design on engines, is this the future for GAS, Diesel, CNG engines / generators? Does this make sense to use this in the next generation of Volt Type hybrid auto’s? Would you drive a motorcycle with an Axial engine? Leave your thoughts on what you think of this new engine design? Could this be the new Small Block V8 pushrod replacement that the world is looking for?
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G. David Felt Alternative Fuels & Propulsion writer www.CheersandGears.com 15 New Car Auto's to Avoid Forbes published their 2015 list of 15 cars to Avoid. #15 - Smart ForTwo - due to premium fuel, under powered and lack of space #14 - Scion iQ - oddly aligned seeting for 3, lack of room, poor quality, etc. #13 - Nissan Titan - Outclassed in every way by US trucks and worst values. #12 - Nissan Armada - Poor reliability, ownership cost, fuel economy and quality #11 - Mitsubishi Mirage - Sluggish engine, performance, quality, value #10 - Mitsubishi iMiEV - Rock bottom residual value, lowest performance score for EV's #9 - Lincoln MKT - Below average quality, reliability and depreciation #8 - Lincoln MKS - Below average performance, quality, value and residual value #7 - Jeep Wrangler - Poor passenger comfort, harsh ride and handling, noise, value & quality #6 - Jeep Patriot - poor performance, reliability and below average residual value #5 - Jeep Compass - poor performance, reliability and below average residual value #4 - Fiat 500L - poor quality, performance, reliability and below average resale value #3 - Dodge Journey - poor quality, performance, reliability short and long term. #2 - Cadillac XTS - Poor Value, Quality, performance and resale value #1 - BMW 7 Series - Poor Handling, Highest Operating cost, worst value and below average performance Forbes compiled this list based on ratings from consumers reports and JD power. They looked at these models compared to like models in the same segment in coming up with these top 15 versions to avoid. An interesting observation is that all of these auto's are also known to have electronic issues according to their research making them more expensive than normal to fix once out of warranty. Now that you have Forbes top 15 autos's to avoid for the 2015 model year, what are your top 15 cars to avoid in the coming new year?
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Have you gone out and shopped for new vehicle recently? Are you overwhelmed by the variety of vehicles on offer? For example, if you decide to get a Porsche 911, you have the choice of 22 models. No, that isn't a misprint. Meanwhile other automakers have an array of models that carve out new niches and and mix existing body styles. Consider this, Audi sells 50 different variants around the world, a five-fold increase from the 90's when the German luxury automaker only sold 10 different variants. There has to be a point where automakers reach the point of too much and begin cutting back on their lineups, right? PwC, a consulting firm tells Bloomberg that by 2018, some automakers will begin to level off their lineups. The reason for automakers leveling off their is increased costs in development and production, and better differentiate their offerings to consumers. How bad is a large lineup for automakers? Detlef Kuhlmey, sales manager at Autohaus Kramm in Berlin tells Bloomberg that not many consumers get to see the full lineup because of how many choices there are. “Carmakers look for something special to present,” Kuhlmey said. “To most customers it doesn’t really matter.” Also trying to explain the small differences between the models adds a level confusion for dealers. A case of automaker shrinking their lineup is PSA Peugeot Citroen. Europe's second-largest automaker is planning to cut back their global lineup from 45 to 26 vehicles by 2024 in a effort to return to profitability. Others are going the opposite way. Mercedes-Benz is planning to add 11 new models by 2020. “All these options reduce the likelihood that people will choose any, and reduce satisfaction when people do choose,” Lots of choices are helpful when people know what they’re looking for, but “in general, people don’t know exactly what they want,” said Barry Schwartz, the Swarthmore College social theory professor who wrote “The Paradox of Choice.” Source: Bloomberg William Maley is a staff writer for Cheers & Gears. He can be reached at [email protected] or you can follow him on twitter at @realmudmonster. -
Have you gone out and shopped for new vehicle recently? Are you overwhelmed by the variety of vehicles on offer? For example, if you decide to get a Porsche 911, you have the choice of 22 models. No, that isn't a misprint. Meanwhile other automakers have an array of models that carve out new niches and and mix existing body styles. Consider this, Audi sells 50 different variants around the world, a five-fold increase from the 90's when the German luxury automaker only sold 10 different variants. There has to be a point where automakers reach the point of too much and begin cutting back on their lineups, right? PwC, a consulting firm tells Bloomberg that by 2018, some automakers will begin to level off their lineups. The reason for automakers leveling off their is increased costs in development and production, and better differentiate their offerings to consumers. How bad is a large lineup for automakers? Detlef Kuhlmey, sales manager at Autohaus Kramm in Berlin tells Bloomberg that not many consumers get to see the full lineup because of how many choices there are. “Carmakers look for something special to present,” Kuhlmey said. “To most customers it doesn’t really matter.” Also trying to explain the small differences between the models adds a level confusion for dealers. A case of automaker shrinking their lineup is PSA Peugeot Citroen. Europe's second-largest automaker is planning to cut back their global lineup from 45 to 26 vehicles by 2024 in a effort to return to profitability. Others are going the opposite way. Mercedes-Benz is planning to add 11 new models by 2020. “All these options reduce the likelihood that people will choose any, and reduce satisfaction when people do choose,” Lots of choices are helpful when people know what they’re looking for, but “in general, people don’t know exactly what they want,” said Barry Schwartz, the Swarthmore College social theory professor who wrote “The Paradox of Choice.” Source: Bloomberg William Maley is a staff writer for Cheers & Gears. He can be reached at [email protected] or you can follow him on twitter at @realmudmonster. View full article -
G. David Felt Alternative Fuels & Propulsion writer www.CheersandGears.com Top 10 Most Stolen Autos Some might consider it an honor, others a sad statement of the times. No matter how you look at it, it is amazing that in a short 12 months from the last report from the National Insurance Crime Bureau (NICB) that we have gone from a top 10 list of most common stolen cars to SUVs. REPORT HERE Top 10 List of stolen autos #1 Ford Escape #2 Ford Edge #3 Ford Explorer #4 Jeep Grand Cherokee #5 Kia Sorrento #6 Chevrolet Traverse #7 Nissan Rogue #8 Honda CR-V #9 Toyota RAV4 #10 Chevrolet Equinox Compact SUVs were stolen twice as often as full-size SUVs according to the study finds. The most popular state for SUV thefts was California, followed by Florida, Michigan, Texas and New York. So are the thefts driven by what is popular to buyers or is there another reason behind this change in stealing tastes? In years past ease of breaking into an auto and hot wiring it was sited as the reason for the auto's being stolen. With today's technology, this has changed and forced thief's to become more tech savvy. Interesting enough is that the most popular unrecovered SUV is the Jeep wrangler. Five states actually had all stolen autos recovered. Seems the south is far more popular than the north for stealing. If you are interested in more details than just the basic report on the link above, you can get the following information from these links. Thefts by State report here Data Analytic report here Insurance Loss Information from the National Institute for Highway Safety Top 10 Most Stolen Luxury Autos #1 Mercedes Benz C Class #2 BMW 3 series #3 Infiniti G series #4 Mercedes Benz E Class #5 Cadillac CTS #6 BMW 5 series #7 Lincoln MKZ #8 Acura TSX #9 Lexus IS #10 Mercedes Benz S Class Data Analytics report here Top three states were New York, California and Florida for having these autos stolen. The Infiniti G Series is the most unrecovered auto.
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Here is the first challange, give the year and model of this concept? Here is the second one for you to identify, what year and what was this called?
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Anyone identify what this truck is? Can you Identify this car? Can you Identify this car? How about this weird little number?
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