BMW debuts the most powerful hybrid ever made

This is the most powerful hybrid ever made. Its 400-horsepower gas engine and two electric motors combine to produce 485 horsepower and 575 lb-ft of torque. It can race to 60 mph in 5.4 seconds -- just 0.1 second slower than the X6 xDrive50i on which it's based. It delivers power to all four wheels via a seven-speed automatic transmission. It is, in short, a monster.

Why would BMW choose such a beast to become its first full hybrid? The company says it's because of the high-percentage gain in fuel economy you get from making low-mpg vehicles more efficient. Turn a 12mpg vehicle into a 17mpg vehicle, and you're getting more than 40 percent better mileage.

To get there, the ActiveHybrid X6 uses a two-mode hybrid system developed in conjunction with General Motors and the former DaimlerChrysler; it's the system already found in the Cadillac Escalade Hybrid. An electric continuously variable transmission (ECVT) distributes power through two different drive modes; one is used during stop-and-go driving and the other when driving at higher speeds. The two-mode system allows the X6 to cruise up to 37 mph on electric power alone, only switching to engine power if the driver depresses the throttle more forcefully.

We noticed sluggish response when attempting to accelerate rapidly, as if the system was having trouble coordinating all the components, and the regenerative brakes feel oddly spongy at first, before rapidly firming up. Nevertheless, handling is superb and power output seems inexhaustible when the V-8 is doing the work.

But back to those fuel economy numbers. The ActiveHybrid X6 is rated at 17 mpg city, 19 mpg highway -- up from 12/18 in the xDrive50i. Yes, combining city and highway ratings, that's a 20-percent improvement. But in a pricey, small-batch, decidedly niche vehicle, numbers like that don't inspire much love.

Particularly when you consider the $89,725 starting price. The ActiveHybrid is a supremely comfortable vehicle loaded with all the usual premium gadgets, including head-up display, rear-view camera, gorgeous leather seats and a great audio system. But so is the X6 xDrive50i on which the ActiveHybrid is based -- and the ActiveHybrid is a full $22,000 more expensive. That premium will be hard for all but the most die-hard (and shockingly well-off) greenie to swallow.

There's no reason to doubt that BMW is serious about making efficient vehicles, but the reason for the existence of the ActiveHybrid X6 is unclear. If you want to buy a large crossover and help save the world, look into the 26mpg highway X5 xDrive35d. You'll save nearly $40,000 and gain some headroom in the process.

2010 BMW ActiveHybrid X6
Price: $89,275 (including destination and handling)
Mileage: (city/highway): 17/19
Horsepower: 485
Torque: 575 lb-ft
0-60: 5.4 seconds

BMW debuts the most powerful hybrid ever made

This is the most powerful hybrid ever made. Its 400-horsepower gas engine and two electric motors combine to produce 485 horsepower and 575 lb-ft of torque. It can race to 60 mph in 5.4 seconds -- just 0.1 second slower than the X6 xDrive50i on which it's based. It delivers power to all four wheels via a seven-speed automatic transmission. It is, in short, a monster.

Why would BMW choose such a beast to become its first full hybrid? The company says it's because of the high-percentage gain in fuel economy you get from making low-mpg vehicles more efficient. Turn a 12mpg vehicle into a 17mpg vehicle, and you're getting more than 40 percent better mileage.

To get there, the ActiveHybrid X6 uses a two-mode hybrid system developed in conjunction with General Motors and the former DaimlerChrysler; it's the system already found in the Cadillac Escalade Hybrid. An electric continuously variable transmission (ECVT) distributes power through two different drive modes; one is used during stop-and-go driving and the other when driving at higher speeds. The two-mode system allows the X6 to cruise up to 37 mph on electric power alone, only switching to engine power if the driver depresses the throttle more forcefully.

We noticed sluggish response when attempting to accelerate rapidly, as if the system was having trouble coordinating all the components, and the regenerative brakes feel oddly spongy at first, before rapidly firming up. Nevertheless, handling is superb and power output seems inexhaustible when the V-8 is doing the work.

But back to those fuel economy numbers. The ActiveHybrid X6 is rated at 17 mpg city, 19 mpg highway -- up from 12/18 in the xDrive50i. Yes, combining city and highway ratings, that's a 20-percent improvement. But in a pricey, small-batch, decidedly niche vehicle, numbers like that don't inspire much love.

Particularly when you consider the $89,725 starting price. The ActiveHybrid is a supremely comfortable vehicle loaded with all the usual premium gadgets, including head-up display, rear-view camera, gorgeous leather seats and a great audio system. But so is the X6 xDrive50i on which the ActiveHybrid is based -- and the ActiveHybrid is a full $22,000 more expensive. That premium will be hard for all but the most die-hard (and shockingly well-off) greenie to swallow.

There's no reason to doubt that BMW is serious about making efficient vehicles, but the reason for the existence of the ActiveHybrid X6 is unclear. If you want to buy a large crossover and help save the world, look into the 26mpg highway X5 xDrive35d. You'll save nearly $40,000 and gain some headroom in the process.

2010 BMW ActiveHybrid X6
Price: $89,275 (including destination and handling)
Mileage: (city/highway): 17/19
Horsepower: 485
Torque: 575 lb-ft
0-60: 5.4 seconds

The inflatable seat belts blow up upon impact of a certain force, quickly expanding and providing added restraint and protection for people riding in the back seat of cars. And since the passenger in the back seat is more likely to be a child or elderly person, that extra protection really goes a long way.

Ford plans to introduce the inflatable seat belts in their next version of the Explorer, with the belt presumably included to the rest of their line as time goes on.

To see the belts in action, check out this video:

The inflatable seat belts blow up upon impact of a certain force, quickly expanding and providing added restraint and protection for people riding in the back seat of cars. And since the passenger in the back seat is more likely to be a child or elderly person, that extra protection really goes a long way.

Ford plans to introduce the inflatable seat belts in their next version of the Explorer, with the belt presumably included to the rest of their line as time goes on.

To see the belts in action, check out this video:

Based on a race-ready Sube WRX STI, the car was tweaked by Vermont SportsCar to pack 400 horsepower, competition dampers, a turbocharged, intercooled STI engine and, of course, cat tracks where the tires used to be. Although not shown in the video below, the backcountry badass also can pull a custom fiberglass four-person sleigh that can hold four snow boarders and their gear.

The goal? Delivering boarders to backcountry locales traditional ski lifts–much less traditional automobiles–could never reach. That’s not to mention the fun you can have simply racing around in the snow with rally car speed and handling. But don’t take our word for it, check out Block’s test run in the video below. “0-60” magazine also has more pics and an interview with Block about his high-powered, high-country toy.

[AutoBlog]

Named for French driver Michele Mouton, the first female rally driver to win the Pikes Peak rally in 1985, Shelly’s trunk is loaded with computer gadgetry and a $100,000 GPS system that will help direct the piloting software through the course’s 12.4-mile, 156-turn ascent to more than 14,000 feet above sea level. With the exception of a couple of exterior fixtures on the roof, Shelley looks and acts like a normal Audi TTS, running on gasoline and handling via standard braking and steering systems. But unlike the average roadster, a software package designed by Stanford’s Dynamic Design Lab will execute the actual driving maneuvers, which are designed to closely mimic those of an actual racecar driver.

Other autonomous cars have run the Pikes Peak course before, but those vehicles topped out at around 25 miles per hour; Shelly, whose top speed in the desert is 130 miles per hour, will navigate the course at close to race speeds, a first for a driver-less vehicle.

The students hope Shelley will be the first step toward creating autonomous driving systems that will one day be integrated into all vehicles as a safety measure. "If we can design a car that can autonomously go up Pikes Peak, we can design a car that can take over when a driver falls asleep," Kirstin Talvala, one of the students working on Shelley, told the AFP.

Funded partially by Volkswagen, Shelley will take her first runs to the peak early next year with a driver at the wheel so the software can monitor human reactions to the course, incorporating them into the software. Shelley’s first autonomous race to the peak should follow shortly thereafter.

[PhysOrg]

Named for French driver Michele Mouton, the first female rally driver to win the Pikes Peak rally in 1985, Shelly’s trunk is loaded with computer gadgetry and a $100,000 GPS system that will help direct the piloting software through the course’s 12.4-mile, 156-turn ascent to more than 14,000 feet above sea level. With the exception of a couple of exterior fixtures on the roof, Shelley looks and acts like a normal Audi TTS, running on gasoline and handling via standard braking and steering systems. But unlike the average roadster, a software package designed by Stanford’s Dynamic Design Lab will execute the actual driving maneuvers, which are designed to closely mimic those of an actual racecar driver.

Other autonomous cars have run the Pikes Peak course before, but those vehicles topped out at around 25 miles per hour; Shelly, whose top speed in the desert is 130 miles per hour, will navigate the course at close to race speeds, a first for a driver-less vehicle.

The students hope Shelley will be the first step toward creating autonomous driving systems that will one day be integrated into all vehicles as a safety measure. "If we can design a car that can autonomously go up Pikes Peak, we can design a car that can take over when a driver falls asleep," Kirstin Talvala, one of the students working on Shelley, told the AFP.

Funded partially by Volkswagen, Shelley will take her first runs to the peak early next year with a driver at the wheel so the software can monitor human reactions to the course, incorporating them into the software. Shelley’s first autonomous race to the peak should follow shortly thereafter.

[PhysOrg]

Yamaha's air-shock snowmobile lets adventurers explore more territory

Engineers from Yamaha and Fox Racing Shox developed a rear shock that holds enough air to support a snowmobile’s force yet still fits into the tight quarters near the tracks. They took a skinny air cylinder and tacked on a small external tank, boosting the volume by 30 percent but increasing the shock’s girth at only one end. Users can adjust the pressure inside with a simple bicycle-like pump, injecting more air for heavier riders or a stiffer, faster ride, and releasing air for lighter riders or a cushier ride. The result is more fun for more people, on trails or off.

After nearly four days, 1,860 miles, and lots of baking Australian sun, a team from Japan's Tokai University edged out 31 other competitors to bring home a solar victory in the 2009 Global Green Challenge

The win shut down a four-win streak by Dutch utility Nuon, which as of this writing was still battling the University of Michigan for second place. The Tokai Challenger, which is equipped with six square meters of 1.8 kW compound solar cells developed by Sharp for outer-space applications, placed fourth in qualifying at an average speed of 50.87mph. During the race, the team reportedly took the lead on day one, and stayed there all the way to the finish line.

Thirty-two solar vehicles from 16 countries made the start of the 2009 Global Green Challenge last Sunday. The bi-annual Global Green Challenge has separate categories for hybrid, electric, and other forms of alternative energy vehicles. Tokai's victory is the first by a Japanese team since 1993 when the Honda Dream II took first.

[via Gizmag]

The car manufacturer creates two flower species to help counter CO₂ created by Prius assembly

The new version of the cherry sage plant can absorb harmful greenhouse gases, such as nitrogen oxide, through its leaves. And Toyota's variant of the gardenia acts as a natural humidifier by creating water vapor in the air, to help cool the factory grounds, reducing the energy required for air conditioners.

The Age reports that Toyota has made a broader effort to reduce the Prius manufacturing footprint on the environment, and has managed to reduce CO2 from its Prius plant by 55 percent since 1990.

Even the grass grows more slowly thanks to some Toyota tinkering. The new grass variant only requires mowing once a year, as opposed to the old version that required mowing three times a year.

The Prius plant also boasts reflective solar tubes in the place of many electric lights, motion-sensitive lights in the toilet facilities, and an air-conditioning system used in moderation. We'd wager that these efforts may contribute more to Toyota's greening goal than flower power, but the genetic engineering is still a pretty stunt.

Toyota has recently debuted its plug-in version of the Prius, as a possible counter to GM's plug-in Volt slated for 2010. No word on whether it's seriously looking at any challenge posed by the electric Hummer, otherwise known as the "Prius-Stomping Green Machine."

[The Age via Autoblog Green]