The Capstone CMT-380 was the surprise basement find of the LA Auto Show.The Capstone CMT-380 is essentially a prototype show car designed to highlight the technology and products available from Capstone Turbine Corporation. The concept for the high performance hybrid electric microturbine vehicle was developed by Electronic Arts (EA) Chief Creative Director Richard Hilleman.

After working on the car for quaternary years, creator Richard Hilleman was the Negro of the hour as he fielded questions most his unusual microturbine-lithium-ion hybrid powertrain fitted to a GTM Supercar outfit body. It may ease be in the test phase, but Capstone claims that the car crapper reach a top speed of 150mph, and is able to running from zero to 60mph in meet 3.9 seconds.

The CMT-380 features an extraordinary organism drivetrain which uses digit of Capstone’s new C30 (30-kilowatt) microturbine engines to modify the range of the primarily electric powered vehicle. The turbine can be run on either diesel or biodiesel.

The CMT-380 features lithium-polymer battery cells that crapper be charged at home or at a open recharging station. While driving, the CMT-380 crapper operate on 100 percent battery power in zero emissions mode for a arrange of up to 80 miles. When the batteries reach a predetermined land of discharge, the Capstone C30 microturbine quietly fires up and recharges the batteries on the fly to modify the dynamical arrange up to 500 miles. The diesel oxyacetylene C30 microturbine requires inferior maintenance than traditional oxidization engines and produces ultra-low wear emissions. Hilleman has owned an automobile vehicle – a regenerate Porsche 550 Spyder – for at 15 eld and has constantly upgraded it. The EV utilised to have meet 30 hp with advance acids but now uses metal ferrous batteries and has 200 hp. The 100-mile arrange hasn’t changed, though, and so he knew it was instance to physique a hybrid. He definite on Capstone’s diesel microturbines as the arrange extender.

Right now, Hilleman is really happy with his creation. He especially loves the sound of the vehicle. Three feet to the side of the car, the microturbine puts out about 87 dB, but in the cabin, it’s nearly silent. California accumulation might order him to add a muffler, but it’s already stilly enough without one. He’s got a solution for that problem, should he need it.
 

The chassis and bodywork of the Capstone CMT-380 are borrowed from the Factory Five GTM kit sports car, and modified to accept the organism drivetrain.

The all-new 2010 Honda Insight organism car made its concern debut today at the North dweller International Auto Show. Utilizing the stylish procreation of Honda’s Integrated Motor Assist™ (IMA®) organism profession and new, more cost-efficient production methods, the 2010 Insight defines a newborn initiate in the evolution of organism technology.

The all-new 2010 Honda Insight organism is powered by an advanced 1.3-liter SOHC aluminum-alloy i-VTEC engine and CVT, along with a newborn procreation of Honda’s IMA organism system for exceptional fuel economy and fun-to-drive performance. The Insight’s IMA system incorporates a 10-kilowatt (13 hp) automobile locomote and a auto Intelligent Power Unit (IPU).

If you are in the market for a compact organism vehicle that offers the aforementioned richness and reliability of a customary sedan, you’ll want to consider the Honda Civic Hybrid. The Toyota Prius has embellish synonymous with organism cars and is definitely a good car, but its unequalled and perhaps quirky exterior is not everyone’s cup of tea. The Honda Insight is belike the most affordable organism automobile available but it has been criticized as being too diminutive and lacking in features. The Honda Civic Hybrid, however, is stylish, affordable, render efficient, and comes unexploded with many enthusiastic features. In fact, this automobile ranks #3 out of 35 on US News and World Report’s list of affordable diminutive cars. It is currently the most affordable organism in Canada and Energuide rated it as the most render economical compact automobile in 2009.

So what are whatever of the Civic Hybrid’s key features? The 2009 and 2010 editions come with a 4 chamber 1.3L 110 Horsepower engine, 123 lb-ft of Torque, continuously uncertain transmission, cruise control, anti-lock brakes, power windows, power locks, and power steering. Front, passenger-side, and side curtain airbags, side-impact door beams, far keyless entry, air conditioning, and automatic climate control also come standard. You also have the option of having heated and/or leather way and installing Honda’s Satellite Linked Navigation System with Bluetooth connectivity. If that’s not enough to get you excited, this sweet mate has a rattling decent render efficiency of 40 mpg in the city and 45 mpg on the highway. If you already drive a lawful Honda Civic and are comfortable with it, the transformation to the organism version makes even more sense because the digit look almost identical. The Civic Hybrid just needs to attain room for a battery pack and gets better mileage.

There are many enthusiastic choices available when it comes to buying a organism automobile but the Civic Hybrid is definitely worth a fireman look. If you are serious most buying a hybrid, be trusty you visit your closest Honda moneyman and effort drive the newborn Honda Civic Hybrid!

Toyota Motor Corp will be releasing a new petrol electric hybrid in Japan while the Prius will compete with Hyundai Motor Co in Korea. Toyota hopes to sell 36,000 of its new Sai hybrid sedan, Toyota’s goal being one million hybrid cars a year globally after 2010.

The Sai is Toyota’s second hybrid-only car, this car is a redesign of the Lexus HS250 hybrid. The Sai is based on a concept derived from the Japanese word sai-which means “talent” when written as “” and “coloration” when written as “”-as a hybrid-only sedan “combining advanced talent and multi-color sophistication”.

The Sai is based on the Lexus HS250h hybrid, a vehicle designed for people who want a more premium hybrid experience than they would get in the Toyota Prius. The Sai would seem to fit somewhere in between. It offers the same powerplant as the HS, but not quite as many luxury features. It’s basically an HS with different nose, tail and interior detailing.

System (THS) II combining a 2.4-liter Atkinson cycle combustion engine with an electric motor and a reduction gear. The Toyota Sai Hybrid uses a 2.4-liter petrol engine generating just under 150 horsepower, and up to 187 Nm of torque. It is mated to a strong electric motor, powered by a nickel-metal hydride battery, which produces an additional 140 hp and up to 270 Nm of torque. The Toyota Sai Hybrid powertrain is designed to utilize the two generators efficiently, giving the driver up to 185 hp at any given time.

An exhaust heat recovery system uses exhaust gas to heat the engine, thus shortening engine-warming time and contributing to greatly improved fuel efficiency, especially when outside temperatures are low.

Programs that allow drivers to attain donations to charities using points received, that surpass fuel efficiency of nationwide Sai ESPO users, and other recreation incentives to encourage drivers to drive in environmentally tactful ways, are available

Toyota is also sending its brand to South peninsula where the Hyundai Kia partnership dominate. The Prius and Camry hybrids will be first and joining them will be the petrol version of the Camry and the RAV4.

Toyota Executive Vice President Yukitoshi Funo told a news conference, “The launching of the Toyota brand into South peninsula is aimed to meet the diversifying needs of consumers in this ontogeny market,”

“We intend to attain every effort to contribute to South Asiatic gild and acquire a loyal following.”

December the seventh is the release fellow for the Toyota Sai retailing at 3.38 meg yen ($40,250), the Lexus HS250 is priced at 3.96 meg yen ($47,159).

The Sai is due to hit a consumption rate of 4.34 liters per 100 km. At this stage Toyota has no plans to goods the Sai, preferring to centre on the home market.