Wednesday, December 15, 2010

Electric Vehicle Mechanics 101


There is so much press surrounding the entire electric vehicle scene that many consumers might seem overwhelmed by the entire concept and process.  Here it is we thought that the hybrid cars from CA Toyota were going to be the best technology ever released, but now there is something better on the market.  One question that many consumers wonder is who will fix their electric car when it does not start one morning?  If your little compact from Ford Dealer MN has some issues, you can easily seek repairs at the dealership or even take your vehicle to a number of mechanics.  That is because a traditional combustion engine in one car works the same as it does in another car.  Owners of electric vehicles will have to go to Boulder Toyota Dealership or wherever it is that they purchased their electric vehicle from for repairs.

Many auto engineers and experts have already made the great point that electric vehicles should not require near as much maintenance or repair as traditional gasoline engines.  That could be because there is no oil or transmission or belts or filters or anything that we are used to seeing under our automobile’s hoods.  An electric car pretty much just has a giant battery under its hood, and those should be completely maintenance free for the first five years.  It is estimated that the electric car batteries should run for 100,000 before starting to not hold an adequate charge.

Just like the battery in your cell phone or your laptop, eventually your electric car battery will not stay charged for as long as it did back when it was new.  When you look at a car like the Nissan Leaf you should recognize its simplicity and the fact that it truly is an entry level car.  However, the price hovers around $40,000 before all the tax credits.  You could look at it then that your car costs around $15,000 while the battery makes up the remaining $25,000.  The EPA has a goal of lowering the cost of electric car batteries by 2014, but who knows for certain if that will actually come true!



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Wednesday, December 8, 2010

Smart and Safe From Mercedes-Benz BlueTec!


You might find get deals at Sprinter Pricing Miami, but how smart and safe are those vehicles?  Next to the new and improved Mercedes-Benz E-350 BlueTec, most cars will seem prehistoric.  The cars from New Jersey Hyundai are getting amazing safety crash test ratings, but the technology that some of the luxury brands have incorporated into their vehicles is truly mind boggling.  It is true that the E350 BlueTec will learn about its driver and even realize if the driver is driving under the influence or is drowsy.  Until the cars at Hyundai North Carolina can do that, they might have some pretty steep competition from the luxury line.  Other car makers like Ford and Cadillac have installed self-parking sensors in their vehicles so that drivers just push a button and the car parallel parks itself!

According to the NHTSA (National Highway Traffic Safety Administration), there are more than 30% of American drivers who actually admit to dozing off while driving.  It is likely that those numbers are much higher, and driving drowsy is a terrifying thing that can cause severe accidents.  The BlueTec from Mercedes-Benz will create a driving profile based on how the driver brakes, accelerates, and even takes the road conditions into consideration.  If the driver deviates from that profile, the car will signal warnings to alert the driver. 

Other high tech features of the Mercedes-Benz E350 include headlights that will adjust their brightness based on the curve of the road.  The tire pressure is monitored and the driver will be alerted if the tire pressure is not at safe or ideal levels.  Plus, you get an ultra smooth ride from the suspension so you really have a hard time judging the condition of the road from inside the car.  For a starting price of $50,900, we would hope that the Mercedes-Benz E350 BlueTec would come with more than a few tricks up its sleeve!




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Monday, December 6, 2010

The 2011 Dodge Caliber.

The 2011 Dodge Caliber is now more edgy and stylish than the previous model. Not only is the exterior new, but the interior is now also up to date with a very luxurious feel and design. Also for the Caliber, there are some great safety features. These features include driver and front passenger multi stage airbags that include front passenger occupant sensor, supplemental front and rear side curtain airbags, active head restraints, a tire pressure monitoring warning light, child protection rear door locks and a single low note horn. You can find some of these features in the Suzuki Forenza at Suzuki PA.

As for the interior features of the Caliber, it includes features like, air conditioning with chill zone storage, premium cloth front bucket seats, driver seat height adjuster, front passenger fold flat seats and rear 60/40 split recline seat with rear fold flat seats. Also for the interior Dodge incorporated sliding arm rest, full length floor consoles, floor carpeting, luxury front and rear floor mats, tilt steering column and tip start. Some other great features include, outside temperature display, power accessory delay, power windows with driver one touch control, speed sensitive power door locks, key less entry and speed control. For more features you might want installed into your Caliber, you can check out Service Dealer Richmond.

As for the exterior of the Dodge Caliber, it comes with multiple features to keep this Caliber looking edgy. Some of these features include 17 inch by 6.5 inch aluminum wheels, all season touring BSW tires, compact spare tire and bright grille. Also on the Caliber, there is a rear spoiler, halogen head lights, fog lights, power heated mirrors, solar control glass, variable intermittent windshield wipers and rear window wiper with washer. Along with all of that, the Caliber has a lift gate door with fixed glass, body color lift gate applique and body color door handles.

When it comes to the engine, the Caliber has a 2.0 liter DOHC dual VVT 16 valve 14 engine, a continuously variable trans axle 2, 525 CCA maintenance free battery, 120 amp alternator and power rack and pinion steering. The base model of the Caliber is estimated at 18,085. You can check out West Brook Financing if this price isn't in your budget.