Honda

Emerging Technologies, BMW

BMW has won an ÖkoGlobe award for the second straight year. The award was presented to the Bavarian automaker for its work on a thermoelectric generator. Um, what’s that? Basically, using a process known as the Seebeck effect, electricity can be generated by a difference in temperatures. All right, fine… who cares? Under the hood of every car ever sold that has an internal combustion engine, a huge amount of heat is generated while the engine creates power to drive the vehicle. In fact, only about a quarter of all the energy released by the fuel’s combustion is utilized in even the most efficient engines.

(Read the full post about ‘BMW wins ÖkoGlobe 2008 award for thermoelectric generator’…)

Hybrid, Mercedes Benz

A week after Mercedes-Benz announced details of its first hybrid, battery supplier Continental Automotive has launched production of the battery packs. Mercedes will be the first manufacturer to mass produce a hybrid vehicles with lithium ion batteries. Continental spent €3 million to build the battery manufacturing facility in Nuremberg. The first batteries that being produced weigh 55 lbs and have a volume of just under 0.5 cu. ft. When the Mercedes S400 BlueHybrid launches in mid-2009 with this 120V battery pack it will be installed in the engine compartment in place of the standard 12V lead acid battery.

(Read the full post about ‘Continental starts production of lithium ion batteries’…)

Manufacturing/Plants, Chevrolet, GM

2011 Chevy Cruze and its new 1.4L Turbo engine

At an event in Flint MI today, GM CEO Rick Wagoner and Michigan governor Jennifer Granholm were on hand to officially announce that GM will be building its new 1.4L direct injected four cylinder engine in the city in new facilities on the campus of the Flint South Powertrain plant. GM will be spending $370 million dollars erect a 552,000 sq ft plant and tool it up. The company will start building the new factory immediately and full scale production is set to start in early 2010 in preparation for the North American launch of the Chevy Cruze.

(Read the full post about ‘GM officially announces Flint MI production for Volt/Cruze engines’…)

Manufacturing/Plants, Chevrolet, GM

General Motors made its case to a Detroit City Council committee on Wednesday in a bid to get some property tax brakes for its Hamtramck assembly plant. The Poletown plant is where General Motor is planning to build the Chevrolet Volt beginning in late 2010 and GM told the council that the new production vehicles there would add 550 jobs to the facility. In return for creating those jobs in the city, GM is seeking $136 million in property tax relief on the improvements over the next 25 years. The plant already employs 1,944 people who build the Buick Lucerne and Cadillac DTS. GM is planning on spending $336 million on the plant over the next two years in order to swtich over to the new, smaller ER-EV Volt.

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Etc., Chevrolet, GM, Honda, Toyota

Click above for high-res gallery of the 2011 Chevy Volt

Bloggers love environmentally friendly cars. Or so it seems, according to research performed by J.D. Power and Associates. The most commonly referenced brands in blog posts over the last six months are Toyota, Honda and General Motors. This shouldn’t come as shocking news, considering that the Toyota Prius, Honda Insight and Chevy Volt are all hot topics right now and are all expected to be thoroughly redesigned or first introduced within the next few years. Naturally, then, these are the brands that are getting the most publicity and are likely the ones that you are most interested in hearing about.

(Read the full post about ‘Toyota, Honda and GM most blogged’…)

Corporate

2010 Acura TL to Offer All-New Manual Transmission

New 6-Speed Manual Will Be Available Next Fall on TL SH-AWD Model Text Only 2010_TL_6MT_release.doc 09/26/2008 - TORRANCE, Calif. -

By adding an available manual transmission to the TL SH-AWD® model, Acura will further up its game for performance minded TL drivers who prefer the winding route over the direct route, Acura announced today. Available next fall for the 2010 model year, will be a TL SH-AWD® with 6-speed manual transmission and numerous modifications to enhance vehicle dynamics.

(Read the full post about ‘2010 Acura TL to Offer All-New Manual Transmission’…)

Corporate

2009 Honda Pilot Earns Highest Possible Safety Ratings

All-New 2009 Honda Pilot Earns Top Safety Ratings for Both IIHS and NHTSA Crash Tests Text Only 09_Pilot_Top_Safety_Rating.doc 09/25/2008 - TORRANCE, Calif. -

The all-new 2009 Honda Pilot has earned the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) TOP SAFETY PICK and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s (NHTSA’s) best-possible crash safety rating¹ of 5 stars for both frontal and side impact performance, American Honda Motor Co., Inc., announced today.

(Read the full post about ‘2009 Honda Pilot Earns Highest Possible Safety Ratings’…)

Corporate

Honda Civic GX Provides Gasoline Alternative with Natural Gas

Available home refueling appliance adds convenience Text Only 09Civic_GX_PR.doc 09/24/2008 - TORRANCE, Calif. -

Based on the Honda Civic LX Sedan, the Civic GX runs on inherently-clean natural gas and produces near zero emissions, earning it the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy’s (ACEEE) “greenest vehicle” title for five consecutive years.

For 2009, the Civic GX has a new look with exterior styling that includes a new front bumper cover, grille design, rear chrome garnish and a new “Natural Gas Vehicle” decal on each rear door.

(Read the full post about ‘Honda Civic GX Provides Gasoline Alternative with Natural Gas’…)

Hybrid, Kia, European Union, UK, Paris Motor Show Kia is said to be set to show off a hybrid version of its cee’d hatchback, which is available in many countries that are not named the United States. This isn’t the first hybrid that the Korean automaker has developed; the hybrid Rio gets that honor. In the past, Kia officials have indicated that it will unveil a hybrid Elantra for its home market sometime in 2009. Following a year later will be a hybrid version of its Sonata mid-sizer, which we are expected to see at the upcoming L.A. Auto Show later this year. So far, we don’t have many details on the cee’d hybrid, though some are saying it will be a production model for Europe by 2010 after being shown at the Paris Motor Show next month. (Read the full post about ‘Kia cee’d hybrid to be shown at Paris Motor Show’…)

Ford, Mazda, European Union, UK, USA Click above for a high-res image of the new Mazda2 We aren’t automotive executives, we just play them on the internet. If we were the real thing, one of our first decisions would be to get all the great small cars that are offered overseas into American showrooms. One of those small cars would undoubtedly be the Mazda2. Sales numbers in Europe indicate that buyers love the new little machine, and those figures stand only to climb as the automaker continues to roll out a new three-door model and diesel engines. So, if it’s such a solid car, why isn’t it sold in the U.S. market? (Read the full post about ‘Mazda2 could impact Mazda3 sales. And?’…)