Urbee 2 A Prototype 3D Printed Car

A California manufacturer wants to make his small hybrid vehicle 2 Urbee the first of its kind: realized with a 3D printer. A fundraising campaign is launched to complete the project in 2015.

3D printing is going to interfere with great speed in our lives and it is now possible to recreate at home small objects but also weapons, tools and soon, perhaps clothing, cakes, human organs or even replacement parts for a faulty or defective device. In the automotive field, it is still in its infancy but the U.S. company KOR EcoLogic will perhaps make things happen fast.

She has just unveiled the second prototype, named Urbee 2, its proposed small hybrid vehicle Urbee (for Urban Electric). Its particularity? numerous body parts, the cockpit and dashboard were made with a 3D printer. The final model, scheduled for 2015, is projected to be almost entirely created by this process, via the help of specialized companies like Red Eye on demand and Stratsys.

1 liter per 100 km

KOR EcoLogic has launched a fundraising campaign by crowd-funding in order to realize the promotion of Urbee 2 via a crossing of the United States from West to East in 2015: two men and a dog on board for, in two days rally San Francisco to New York (4677 km) consuming only 10 gallons (about 38 liters) of biofuel. This represents less than 1 liter per 100 km, with a hybrid engine incorporating electric motors, a small engine for generator,   a supercapacitor and a system of regenerative braking.

Mercedes Concept GLA ​​official photos!

The face of the GLA Concept is finally known! A few days before the opening of the Shanghai Motor Show, Mercedes has decided to reveal her small SUV through a first image.

After the launch of the new B-Class, Class A and derived sedan car CLA, it is the turn of the GLA, or at least his concept car precursor, to make its input. The compact crossover will be officially revealed in three days on the Shanghai auto show, but already the first drawing of the model was published.

specifications

With a length of 4.38 m, the newcomer is barely bigger than the sedan, which it shares a wheelbase of 2.69 m. It offers unsurprisingly similar to the BMW X1 gauge (4.45 m), Audi Q3 (4.39 m) and Range Rover Evoque (4.36 m).

The German receives the attributes of any good crossover: skid plates front and rear, roof bars and raised ground clearance. On board, we discover a console central through, which separates the space into four dedicated area for each occupant.

The interior

Wraparound leather seats are the most beautiful effect, while technically the manufacturer would take the concept to the 2.0-liter turbo A250 height of 211 horses.

full transmission 4MATIC and box 7G-DCT dual clutch will logically program.

Smartphones to replace car keys in 2015

Smartphones can potentially replace anything that can hang at the bottom of your pocket, this is what we want to believe the handset manufacturers, but it is also the opinion of Hyundai hopes to avoid having to provide car key with 2015.

The manufacturer Hyundai is seriously considering replacing the keys of his car by an NFC tag that simply activate with a smartphone. The Hyundai i30 is currently a showcase of this technology and offers a smartphone-controlled central locking, but also an engine start and access to the dashboard via the NFC standard. According to the Korean manufacturer, it suffices for the user to approach his smartphone has a chip on one of the windows of the car to unlock access, then place it on the center console to start the vehicle while induction charger recharges the device during travel time.

The system MirrorLink is advertised as capable of recognizing several smartphones, and therefore offer various customizable settings depending on the smartphone used to start the vehicle. Position of the steering wheel, mirrors, seat height, background music, temperature of the air ... everything can be customized using the smartphone. The contacts in the phonebook of the smartphone are imported directly into the center console of the vehicle and displayed on the screen 7 inch, allowing calls directly in Bluetooth audio system in the cockpit, but also involve contact details to onboard GPS for easy navigation.

If one avoids the question of the safety of this type of application, the risk of theft is transferable to normal keys and other smart cards, it nevertheless raises the question of the situation in which the user no longer has the battery in a smartphone, or that the association of the vehicle and smartphones (will there be the conduct itself, do we need to pay to add a device? Quid then change the smartphone). Technology MirrorLink should consider rather as a complement than a real replacement keys.

Toyota wireless charging replaces the cigarette lighter

Toyota has announced that the 2013 vintage of its model Avalon is the first car in the world to benefit from wireless charging IQ. 

The automaker thus putting technology wireless charging by induction and should propose charging bases with his IQ technology option package. The Avalon is a sedan widely distributed in North America Should thus enable charging of smartphones and tablets equipped with this future technology. This is a small victory for the standard IQ found here support an automaker renowned.

Support of the manufacturer should be a real boost to the standard, Toyota announced that since smartphones are not equipped with IQ chips will also benefit from wireless charging. To do this, the boxes (acting as adapters) will be proposed, like the one pictured to recharge the Apple iPhone. Toyota has not announced the port of this option for a wider range of cars for the moment. The Qi wireless charging should be installed in a number of devices in the coming years and expand the range currently restricted to Nokia Lumia 920, Nexus 4 and HTC 8X.

The Next Mercedes S Class Will Be A Benchmark For Safety

Planned for next year, the new Mercedes S Class wants to play the role of a pioneer in road safety and offer a 360-degree surveillance of all that is happening around the vehicle. Mercedes intends to network all safety systems (active and passive), to better protect occupants and also to prevent other users. The Mercedes S Class will also be the difference in his driving aids, including functions related to lighting.

Of course, the flagship Mercedes will build on systems already proven, as Distronic Plus (which keeps the distances and slows the vehicle in a downturn) BAS Plus (which according to the survey Gidas "German In-Depth Accident Study" could prevent or reduce the severity of 27% of all accidents at intersections involving injury. This equates to approximately 20,000 accidents per year in Germany alone.) with Brake Assist (which takes into account the traffic at intersections) and Pre Safe system, triggering of the occupant protection measures, such as by retracting belts before impact. This device has been enhanced to operate the automatic braking in case of pedestrian detection up to 50 km / h. The Pre Safe Plus can also detect an imminent collision from behind and goes to activate the brakes, when the vehicle is actually hit (which prevents secondary accidents).

 

With 6 radar, 5 cameras (including stereo mode) and 12 ultrasonic sensors, the Mercedes S Class will also incorporate several support systems to conduct:

- Attention Assist detects signs of fatigue and warn the driver in time when it is time to pause,
- Active Lane Keeping Assist, which takes into account the oncoming traffic and prevents the vehicle from unintentionally leaving the lane by applying the brakes on one side when the path is not clear,
- The recognition of the panels to take account of the speed and the areas where passing is not allowed,
- The beam Assist PLUS adaptive to better illuminate the night without glare (the beam being hidden when you cross in front of vehicles detected by the camera)
- Rear lights of varying intensity (which prevent users behind when hard braking) ...

Among the innovations in lighting, (In addition, the Mercedes S Class is the first car with a 100% LED lighting. The company has planned to star no less than 190 light-emitting diodes to illuminate the road, the vehicle's interior and trunk.) there is the system Night View Assist Plus can now detect in the dark animals (at a distance of 100 m) in addition to pedestrians (visible at 160 m) and show a potential hazard on the dashboard screen. As derived from a function related to the projector to direct a portion of the luminous flux toward the obstacle.

 

Finally,  Mercedes S Class will also offer rear inflatable seat belts.

The energy savings and the electrical Featured at Detroit

To have already a few shows in Detroit, and for discussion with the American journalist B.Diem , it has never been much question of "fuel economy". Even in America, we hear about eco driving and saving energy. The test now is the MPGe (Miles Per Gallon Equivalent) in other words consumption ... Even if the power is never far away. Anyway, even if it is above all a business case is a huge step forward. The best example is provided by Ford, including the new Fusion (the Mondeo in Europe) is the only model to be launched with three energies at the same time (thermal, hybrid and plug-in hybrid).


But apart from this case very symbolic, it is rather the foreign manufacturers that have hosted the show. I propose to talk about the different energies starting with the hybrid.

Mercedes was the event with two new versions based on E-Class: E 300 Bluetec Hybrid a diesel (204 hp, 4.2 L/100 km) and E 400 hybrid gasoline (306 hp, 10.5 L/100 km). The first is for Europe, the second for the American market.
BMW was not left with the Active Hybrid 3, which contains the same ingredients as its big sister of the 5 Series. Ie: the six-cylinder engine Power Twin Turbo 306 HP (the 335i), an electric motor of 55 horsepower and a bonus of 8-speed automatic transmission. Series 3 Hybrid will be equipped with the ECO PRO mode allows the driver to choose between running sports + sports, comfort or economy. It features the recovery of braking energy, the gearshift indicator and many other features to minimize fuel consumption. As Active Hybrid 5, the derivative of the 3 Series will roll over short distances in all-electric mode up to 60 km / h.

In addition, we have seen also the Volkswagen Jetta hybrid, and - best of all - a concept that marks the return of the NSX in Acura (Honda) with a direct-injection V6 coupled to an electric motor.

The Detroit show also marks the arrival of the first plug-in hybrids among "major manufacturers" (Fisker has been the rule)


I have already mentioned the case of the Fusion / Mondeo which uses the technology of the C-Max energy we see in Europe in 2013. But this is not the only example.
Volvo introduced the XC60 example plug-in, which is well suited to the United States. This concept combines a 2 L 4-cylinder turbocharged 280 hp - coupled with a new 8-speed automatic gearbox - with an electric motor of 70 hp (and 200 Nm of torque). The latter is positioned on the rear axle, which can benefit the 4-wheel drive. It is powered by a lithium-ion battery of 12 kWh. With a total output of 350 bhp, the XC60 Hybrid competes easily with the V8 petrol. This explains the reference to T8 on his body.
As his cousin, the V60 D6 (which is a hybrid diesel), this concept offers three driving modes:
- In Pure: an electric mode with a range of 45 km (the EU test cycle)
- Hybrid: when the electric motor assists the gasoline engine, consumption drops to 2.3 L/100 km to 53 g of CO2 per km (again according to the NEDC)
- Power: the XC60 delivers maximum power with 380 Nm of torque and amazing perfs (0 to 100 km / h in 6.1 s)
In addition, this concept introduces a new method of charging the battery (SAVE) in stock. Just press a button to recover enough to make up to 20 km in urban areas.
Toyota, for its part, will launch the plug-in Prius in the course of the year, surprised the world with the concept NS4 prefiguring a new model for 2015. The Japanese automaker wants to reduce consumption by reducing the size and weight of the components of the Hybrid Synergy Drive, while increasing acceleration. The brand also wants to increase the autonomy and power to promote a rapid charge.


In the area of pure electric, the news is dominated by the US launch of the Focus Electric, the imminent release of the Tesla Model S in (the family sedan announced below $ 50 000 and with up to 480 km range) and the commercial deployment of the Chevrolet Volt and Nissan Leaf.




But it is another Japanese who honors the show. The ally of Renault has unveiled a version close to the NV series of 200 electrical future. This van for businesses and families back to the Leaf techno, but offers more space and payload. Note also in the area of electric production version of the Fit EV (electric jazz) Honda for the American market, a concept Hyundai Elantra VE (200 km of autonomy announced) and the surprising E-Bugster of Volkswagen. The German manufacturer has chosen to equip a Beetle with an electric motor developing 85 kW (115 hp) and able to take this two-seater coupe from 0 to 100 km / h in 10 "9 and in silence. At the front and weighing only 80 kg, this engine is powered by a lithium-ion battery located behind the seats, and whose autonomy is 180 km. But do not dream. There is no electric Beetle to the program and the components are those of the e-Golf Blue Motion 2013.