Skoda Electric SUV Concept Coming To Shanghai Auto Show

Skoda is not on America’s radar screen. It’s just another one of those weird European brands like Peugeot, SEAT, and Citroen that aren’t sold here. But Skoda is part of the Volkswagen Group, which means it has access to all the same technology that Audi and Porsche do. Volkswagen is basing its future on electric cars and it appears that it intends to use the Skoda brand to sell cars in China. Next month, it says it will unveil a new Skoda-badged electric SUV at the Shanghai Auto Show.

The car, known as the Vision E, is said to have a range of 310 miles, as measured by the generous NETC cycle. Subtract about 25% to get an idea of the EPA equivalent — 230 miles or so. A 300 horsepower electric motor is rumored (remember when 300 horsepower was a lot?). It will be capable of Level 3 autonomous driving, which means it can drive itself on the highway and in city traffic and find an open parking space when the need arises. Skoda says it will have 5 all-electric cars in its lineup by 2025.

The Vision E is the fourth electric vehicle concept from Volkswagen Group. The German firm has already shown three concepts for its new I.D. electric car division — the I.D. sedan, the I.D. Buzz van, and the Sedric transportation pod.

Automakers are rolling out dozens of new so-called SUVs that really aren’t. They are more like hatchback sedans. In fact, the companies refer to them as SUV coupes, which is just a contradiction in terms. Buyers say they want an SUV because that means they are not driving a minivan, a wagon, or a truck. But, in reality, they want a car that looks like a five door hatchback but you can’t say that because hatchbacks aren’t cool.

The Skoda Vision E is attractively styled, but what is SUV-like about it is rather a mystery. The BMW X6 and the Mercedes GLC Coupe fall into the class of vehicles that are trying way too hard to be something they are not. The Honda Crosstour went the same route. The upcoming Tesla Model Y seems likely to fall victim to the same muddled thinking.

To American shoppers, the Skoda Vision E may seem irrelevant, but it offers clues to what Volkswagen is planning as it tries to dig itself out of its diesel emissions cheating hole by bringing a flotilla of electric vehicles to market globally.

Citroen C3 Hybrid Air Concept: 2013 Geneva Motor Show

French automaker Citroen has long been a pioneer of automotive technology, from headlights that turn as you steer on the Citroen DS, to hydropneumatic suspension so smooth it was licensed by Rolls-Royce.

Its latest development, "Hybrid Air" technology, is possibly the most intriguing innovation yet, and its first Hybrid Air prototype will be on display at the Geneva Motor Show in March.

User benefits

The benefits of hybrid-air are easy to understand.

Rather than relying on batteries to supplement the gasoline engine's power, the Citroen C3 Hybrid Air prototype uses compressed air. This minimizes the environmental impact associated with batteries, is lighter, less expensive, and doesn't impact on cabin space.

That's particularly important in the Citroen C3 on which the prototype is based, a subcompact car similar in size to the Toyota Yaris.

The efficiency benefits are also clear. The compressed air hybrid system is matched with an 82-horsepower, 1.2-liter four-cylinder gasoline engine.

Normally, this achieves a combined fuel economy figure of 52 mpg on the European cycle. As part of the Hybrid Air system, that rises to 80 mpg, with corresponding low CO2 and other emissions.

How it works

The main components of the Hybrid Air system are the 1.2-liter gasoline engine, a compressed air storage unit, a hydraulic pump/motor unit and an epicyclic automatic transmission.

It works almost identically to a typical full hybrid system--just with air replacing the job of batteries. Air Mode works like a regular hybrid's EV mode, and can power the vehicle up to 43 mph for short distances around town. Braking or decelerating compresses air back into the system, just as doing so on a normal hybrid would top up the battery.

Gasoline Mode uses only the engine, and the same regenerative benefits are available when braking or lifting off the gas, while Combined Mode uses both energy sources for quicker acceleration.

Further benefits

Citroen lists various technological benefits of Hybrid Air.

Low pricing has already been mentioned. There's no degredation of efficiency unlike you'll experience with batteries in cold or very hot conditions. It's easily adaptable between vehicles, put particularly appropriate for small, light cars and commercial vehicles, and as an essentially mechanical system it's simple and inexpensive to service--with few issues at the end of life recycling stage.

We're eager to see how it works in practice, but it could make a real difference to small vehicles, making fuel-saving hybrid technology much more accessible even at the bargain-basement end of the market.

The Hybrid Air C3 will debut at the Geneva Motor Show on March 5.

Source: Green Car Reports

Citroën cuts fuel consumption on models with 1.6L HDi, optimizes DS5 Hybrid4

Citroën has cut fuel consumption and greenhouse gas emissions of several of its models including models using the 1.6 liter HDi engine, which now emits around 5g less CO₂ per km. At the same time, Citroën has optimized the DS5 Hybrid4. This model, which accounts for 22.5% of sales of the DS5 range, now emits 91g of CO₂per km.

1.6L HDi. With the changes to the 1.6L HDi, the combined-cycle consumption of the C3 and the DS3 e-HDi 90 with a manual gearbox has dropped to 3.5 l/100 km (67.2 mpg US) with just 91 g/km of CO₂ emissions, and the C4 Picasso e-HDi 110 with a clutchless gearbox and 16" wheels now consumes 4.6 l/100 km (51.1 mpg US) and emits 120 g of CO₂ per km.

These engines, which are produced on the Trémery site in France, were improved by making a number of changes, including:

• A new-generation oil pump with a variable flow that limits the loads on the engine to the strict necessary.
• New low-viscosity engine and gearbox oils that reduce mechanical losses due to friction.
• New gaskets for the crankshaft which cut tightening loads and, therefore, friction.
• A new alternator belt pulley, which allows for a slacker belt, thereby reducing the driving force.
• A new low-friction vacuum pump that limits losses of energy. In the months to come, other models in the range will benefit from these developments.

Optimized DS5 Hybrid4. The DS5 Hybrid4 now features a new management strategy of the hybrid-diesel system. The main enhancements include the optimization of energy recovery when decelerating and braking and a new battery management system.

With these improvements, the DS5 Hybrid4 now consumes 3.5 l/100 km (67.2 mpg US) (17" wheels) or 3.9 l/100 km (60.3 mpg US) (18" and 19" wheels) in a combined cycle. These fuel consumption figures correspond to CO₂ emissions of 91 and 102 g/km respectively.

Citroen Numero 9 - VIDEO

Citroen Numero 9:


Vidéo Citroën Numéro 9 by rtl-fr

Pics Aplenty: Citroën to roll out sexy Numero 9 plug-in concept

PRESS RELEASE

Marketed alongside Citroën's main range, the DS line explores new automotive territory. Based on more radical choices, it opens new perspectives in premium vehicle design. Inspired by ninety years of history and automotive excellence, the DS line illustrates the best of Citroën expertise in terms of creativity and technology. Two years after its launch, the DS line – comprising the Citroën DS3, DS4 and DS5 – has already notched up more than 200,000 sales.

Pursuing its career, the DS will be launched this year in China. To mark the event, Citroën has designed a new concept car, Numéro 9, to be unveiled at the Beijing Motor Show. This concept heralds the future of the DS line and signals the styling cues of the next three models in the line: a C-segment premium sedan, an SUV and a D-segment executive saloon.

Concept car Numéro 9 sublimates the DNA of models in the DS line. It expresses radical choices in design with immediately recognisable styling that is both inspired and emotional. Sophistication is allied with a high-quality finish for original driving sensations and features that are truly useful every day. Its charismatic body styling revisits the shooting brake, while the new front end is designed for plug-in full-hybrid technology. This concept car boasts remarkable levels of performance (50 km range, 295 bhp, boost function, 39 g/km of CO2). High standards, bold design, creativity and the best of technology.

New EV range record, 621 miles, set by modified Citroen Berlingo

There's an old adage that in racing, how fast you can go is directly correlated to the depth of your pockets. A similar truth applies to electric vehicle range, as the new world record holder can attest. BEA-tricks, a German company that specializes in EV conversions, recently packed a Citroen Berlingo with 10 (!) lithium-ion battery packs, the kind typically found in the Smart ED. With a whopping 180-kWh (!) of cells on hand, the Berlingo was able to scratch out 621 miles of travel in 17 hours (!) on a single charge. Even more impressive is the fact that the company says that the battery array still had plenty of power left over, and that the vehicle could have conceivably covered an additional 100 miles.

We're guessing the stop had more to do with the fact that BEA-tricks couldn't find anyone who could possibly stand being crammed into a Berlingo for 19 hours straight. There were other downsides, too. For starters, the vehicle's entire cargo area is consumed by the battery packs, and BEA-tricks isn't saying how much a conversion of this magnitude would cost. Our educated estimate puts the final figure somewhere between "a lot" and "a whole lot."



Source: Autoblog Green

The Citroen C-Zero Electric Car - With Video

The Citroen C-Zero







PSA and Mitsubishi teamed up to make an electric car based on the iMiEV. The result will be the Citroen C-Zero which is scheduled to hit the showrooms late 2010.

Here are some specifics:

Drivers will be able to fully charge the car in six hours via a regular outlet, allowing a range of 80 miles. Alternatively, an 80 per cent charge takes just half an hour using a 400V supply. Citroen claims a 0-62mph time of 15 seconds, and accelerate from 37-56mph (50-70km/h) in six seconds. Top speed is pegged at 80mph.

The C-Zero will ship with power steering, ABS, traction control, ESP, electric windows, six airbags and air conditioning as standard.

Citroen has told reporters that the C-Zero will be commercially available at the end of 2010 and, although no prices have been confirmed yet, insiders expect that it will cost around £10,000 ($16,500).