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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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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Electric Vehicles: The Future of Volkswagen

If you had a goal of becoming the best of the best by 2018, then you would probably be pulling out all of your technological tricks as well.  Nope, we aren't talking about Acura Burke, but we are talking about German made Volkswagen.  The newest vehicle class to take the world by storm are the electric vehicles.  While hybrids are still a great alternative to traditional gasoline vehicles, even American made Bethesda Chevrolet knew there was money to be made in the electric vehicle business.  There is no sense ignoring our future!  Volkswagen hopes to have their new concept car, Golf blue-e-motion, in production by 2013; this gives Arlington Hyundai some time to upgrade their current vehicle line up. 

Volkswagen has announced their global plan to start producing their own electric powertrains, and the Golf will be the first guinea pig model.  The Golf is already one of Volkswagen's most popular models so it makes perfect sense to be the introductory platform for electric vehicle technology.  Consumers are still a little unsure about the entire concept of electric vehicles, but by 2013 when we actually see the Golf blue-e-motion sitting at dealerships, perhaps Americans will be more accepting of the eco-friendly idea. 

Drivers of the Golf blue-e-motion will enjoy all the perks of having a completely electric vehicle free of polluting emissions.  They will get 115 horsepower and 200 pound feet of torque, which is plenty for a compact car.  Volkswagen is estimating that you can get up to 94 miles range per charge, and like all vehicles and mileage estimates, those numbers will vary with your specific driving habits.  The Golf blue-e-motion uses a 26.5 kilowatt-hour lithium ion battery.  It is always exciting when a concept car makes it into the world of production reality, and VW hopes to have about 500 produced by next year for testing purposes. 

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Volvo's Body Panel Battery Research

The future holds great things and it is even more exciting to watch as ideas come into fruition.  Currently, Volvo is working on a project to help turn the car body panels into energy storage devices so that there would not be a need for gasoline or heavy lithium ion battery packs.  This technology is still a few years away from mass production, so in the mean time you might want to check out bad credit auto loan Arlington to help get yourself into a new vehicle.  But if things go well over in the European Union where all the research is taking place, we will see the new cars arriving on St. Lucie Freightliner trucks sooner rather than later.

This new technology wouldn’t only be for Volvo cars and we would likely even see it on Orlando freightliner sprinter van as well as cell phones and lap tops.  The composite material is composed of carbon fibers and polymer resin.  When all is said and done, the material is far lighter than the steel used on body panels these days and it will be strong enough to protect the passengers inside.  It almost sounds too good to be true!

The new material is part of a three year study by the Imperial College in London, and there are nine different agencies working closely together.  Volvo is the only auto group involved, but this composite material will be used for several purposes.  The composite material has the ability to store energy and it will also charger faster than our traditional batteries currently in use.  As of right now, test trials have been done and they are able to replace the metal surrounding the spare tire with the composite material.  The vehicle is now able to turn on and off from the energy stored in the new battery material. 

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2011 Kia Sorento.

If you are in the market for a new SUV, there are plenty of options available right now.  The CR-V from Honda Alexandria is incredibly popular and recently underwent a redesign.  The Equinox from Chevrolet Lakewood offers great features and impressive fuel economy, and if you need more space the Traverse is pretty much its bigger sister.  One affordable option is the new and improved 2011 Kia Sorento.  There are tons of features and upgrades you can choose from, and the new exterior design is gaining popularity by the day.

Kia redid some of the body design of the Sorento so while it does weigh less now, there is no way it is as quiet as the cars from Lexus Washington DC.  The firmer suspension may make for a smoother ride, but there is a lot more road noise that drivers are already complaining about.  This is partially because Kia abandoned their original body-on-frame construction in favor of the newly popular unibody crossover design.  Front wheel drive is now standard rather than rear wheel drive, and because it is no longer based on a truck design the Sorento can't tow as much cargo as it used to.  However, the crossover body design made room for an optional third row so the 2011 Sorento can carry seven passengers where it used to only be able to carry five. 

Inside the Sorento you will find an attractive interior.  Of course there are different trim levels and you can choose from plenty of options to customize your SUV.  All models will come nicely equipped with Bluetooth, Sirius satellite radio, USB ports, and auxiliary jack.  The iPod cable is only $35 more!  It is nice that Bluetooth is now standard because it gives drivers the ability to control the radio and their cell phones all while keeping their hands safely on the steering wheel.  The Limited package will upgrade you to in-dash navigation, leather, and a better audio system. 

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Ford Work Solutions!

People who buy a truck from Honda Louisville might be disappointed in their selection after they learn about the cool new features that Ford Motor Company is offering on their truck and van line up.  You have to admit that people who buy these large trucks from places like Ford Boise are likely going to use them for construction business trades.  These people need their trucks and vans to function well as off-road vehicles as well as portable office solutions.  There are four services from Ford that come as options on the F-150, Super Duty, E-Series, and Transit Connect vehicles.

The best feature is an In-Dash Computer that even folks who drive cars from Kia CT will be envious of.  Featuring a 6.5" screen, wireless keyboard, and 4 GB worth of Microsoft technology allow users full office capabilities.  You can upload documents from a USB drive or SD memory card via the built-in ports.  Also, you can access your office computers remotely from the truck and print documents via a Bluetooth powered printer.  Internet service is available through Sprint.

Ford teamed up with DeWalt to create Tool Link.  After you tag all of your gear with radio frequency tags, the antennas will scan your vehicle to make sure everything is present and accounted for.  Plus, you can create specialized lists to make sure you have all the appropriate tools when you leave your house to complete the day's tasks. 

Another new technology from Ford is Crew Chief.  This program is best suited for people who manage a fleet of vehicles.  With this feature, you can keep maintenance logs for each vehicle, locate your entire fleet via GPS, and communicate with the drivers at any moment.  The last feature is Cable Lock.  This is only available on the F-150 and Super Duty models.  Drivers no longer have to worry about their tools and gear in the back of the truck once they have secured it with a 10 foot long braided steel cable. 

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Soul and Gadgets!

When you go furniture shopping, one of the key points the sales people always make is how many hours per day you spend using that furniture.  Think of how many hours of your life are spent in your bed or on the couch?  When you look at it that way, you want to make sure you make a solid investment on something that will last and be comfortable.  The same kind of thing goes for cars.  You want to spend your money wisely on a vehicle, perhaps from New York Dodge Dealers, that will last you more than a few years.  But, as the technology inside the cars at Worcester Nissan Dealers and other auto brands continues to increase, cars are becoming quickly outdated. 

The goal of the car game now is to stay ahead of the competition so that way your product will last longer than others.  Cars are changing technologically as fast as cell phones, but cars cost a lot more!  Sure, you could get the versatile Honda Fit from New Orleans Honda Dealers, but is it going to meet all of your technology needs?  Well, you could always go with the funky cool Kia Soul!  This boxy little car can't decide if it is a hatchback or a crossover compact SUV.  Like your mother always said, don't judge a book by its cover and it really is what is on the inside that counts!

The Kia Soul comes stocked with loads of gadgets that other cars just don't have.  There are pulsating lights on the speakers that correlate with the current song you are listening to.  All the models come Bluetooth ready, so your cell phone will be welcomed by the new car.  There is an auxiliary jack as well as integration for the iPod so you can control your iPod from the car's audio controls.  That makes it far safer than scrolling through music while you are driving. 

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Prius: Too Quiet!

For shoppers, it might be a great idea to take advantage of the current Volkswagen Deals going on right now.  But if you want the best selling hybrid to be parked in your drive way, then you still need to check out the Prius from your local Toyota dealership.  Plus, Toyota just announced that the models sold in Japan will feature an optional noise making system under the hood!  Just imagine, all the years that car makers spent trying to get their cars quiet and now it is announced that the hybrid models are too quiet and are causing pedestrian accidents.  Some sources estimate that hybrid vehicles are twice as likely to be involved in an accident with a pedestrian as a regular gasoline engine vehicle.  Toyota isn't the only one working on this issue, and places like Greensboro Chevy Dealer have thought of ways to increase the noise on the new Chevy Volt.  Other cars that will likely have the same issue are just about every hybrid car as well as the new Nissan Leaf electric car. 

The hybrid trucks are a bit noisier than the cars, so the Chevy Silverado Hybrid shouldn't need to have noise emitting speakers installed under the hood.  And with the hemi engine popularity at Dodge Reading, none of their line up should be too quiet!  Beginning at the end of this month, consumers in Japan can spend $148 and have speakers installed under the hood of their car so that their eco-friendly Prius will make the same amount of noise as regular cars.  The success and popularity of the system in Japan will likely determine whether or not the system is made available in the United States. 

So why is the Prius too quiet?  Well, because engineers have advanced the technology so much that the car is usually running on just the electric engine, people outside the car can't even hear that the vehicle is turned on, it is that quiet!  Good luck to the hybrid engineers to make the car louder and still retain those precious miles per gallon!

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Infotainment: Made to Last

When you go and take advantage of current Ford Incentives, chances are you plan on driving that vehicle for at least three years if not longer.  How long do you own your cell phone before upgrading it?  Most cell phone contracts are only two years, and many consumers are in the mindset that they have to have the best thing available, meaning they might change their phone every 6 months or so.  Well, consumers are not able to go out and buy a brand new vehicle every six months; it just doesn't make sense!  But auto makers are realizing that no one wants to have the technology in their new car from VW Peoria suddenly outdated and over priced.  We bet the people who first purchased Sync as an option on their new Focus from Saginaw Ford Lincoln Mercury dealer are frustrated because not only is Sync far more capable than it used to be but it also comes standard on the entire line up; no optional fee!

Ford is now offering MyFord Touch in their vehicles, which allows users to download applications similar to those you have on your smartphone.  Stitcher is one of the applications that will first be available, and it allows its users to manage a collection of talk-radio programs.  Currently, Ford is working with TeleNav Inc., a company that makes GPS systems for cell phones.  TeleNav is hoping to have their navigation system be used with Ford's Sync system.  San Francisco and Silicon Valley are going to become increasingly popular areas as it won't just be cell phone executives visiting the software firms, but now corporations like Ford, Chrysler, and Toyota are in the infotainment race and want to create partnerships with these smart firms like Pandora Media Inc.  Some people worry that all the technology available in the cars will increase driver distractions, but many auto brands have disabled several features while the car is in motion.  You have to program everything while the car is in park and Sync is fully voice activated.

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MyFord Touch Review

Kia has UVO, GM and Cincinnati Chevy has OnStar, the vehicles at VW Peoria Dealer come with Bluetooth hands free, and yet the reign of the kingdom still belongs to Ford and their Sync system.  Only now, it is going under a redesign and the new and improved model is known as MyTouch.  Currently, the Sync system is available on the entire line up of Ford, Lincoln, and Mercury vehicles.  This great hands free voice activated system comes standard, while other auto brands will charge you a pretty penny for the upgrade.  It comes as no surprise that Los Angeles BMW vehicles have an equivalent of sorts, called iDrive, that connects drivers to their phones, music, and navigation simply by plugging their smartphones into the adapter provided. 

MyFord Touch will be available first on the 2011 Ford Edge, 2011 Ford Focus, and the 2011 Lincoln MKX.  Similar to the Sync controls, drivers will be able to access their smartphones via voice commands or there are the controls on the steering wheels if you prefer.  The controls on the steering wheel resemble that of the thumb controls many iPod users are familiar with.  With a goal of having 80% of the Ford Motor Company vehicle line up equipped with MyFord Touch by 2015, Ford is banking on the fact that the technology will be a success in the three guinea pig models. 

MyFord Touch will allow drivers to have access to the internet and keep you connected to your social networking media platforms.  The applications that users will first have access to include Pandora internet radio, Stitcher news, and social networking giant Twitter.  When the car is in park, the drivers can use the touch screen to access the internet.  Otherwise, passengers can simply convert their vehicle into a WiFi hotspot by using an air card in the appropriate USB port.  Plus, Ford is busy collaborating with several third-party developers so that the applications you download on your smartphones will be accessible from the MyFord Touch voice activated system!

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Improve Your Vehicle's Performance...Be Cold!

Have you ever wondered what you can do to make your cute little car from Peoria VW run a bit better?  Or what about if you recently purchased an older model Silverado from Sarasota Chevy Dealer and you want to get a few more horsepower out of your truck?  Well, just like disc brakes are better than drum brakes by a great deal because of their ability to get rid of heat quicker and a cooler braking system improves your stopping power, colder air being directed at your engine will improve its performance.  Simply installing a cold-air intake system on your new F-150 you picked up from a Ford Dealer Chicago will improve your horsepower at a relatively low cost.

Make sure that doing this slight improvement will not void your manufacturer's warranty.  A lot of people do install an aftermarket cold air intake system on their vehicles, but just check before you do how stringent your warranty is.  Engine modification systems can void your warranty when you need a repair down the road. 

So how does all this really work?  Well, on turbocharged vehicles, like some of the sporty Volkswagens available for purchase, they have intercoolers to bring in outside air to help cool the engine.  Plus, colder air is more dense, so when it combusts in the engine, you get an even greater boost of power.  That extra density provides you with extra horsepower.  This great idea does not mean that you need to move to Alaska where there is plenty of cold air available to help direct even colder and more dense air into your engine; although not a bad idea, it also is not practical nor necessary!  Simply making sure that your air intake is set up so that the cooler air flows directly into your engine's intake system will give you the best result.

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Top Technology Features of the Top Convertibles of 2010;

The latest convertibles feature some of the top technology and features available. Pre-owned convertible models can be browsed at a KSMO used cars dealership. A popular convertible model year in and year out is the Mazda MX-5 Miata. Mazda is a partner with Ford whose models can be purchased at a Ford Lancaster dealership. Vehix released a report that detailed the top convertible models and their latest features.

VW produces the Audi A5/S5 Cabriolet which made the list of the top 10 best convertibles of 2010. The model features a turbocharged 211 horsepower four cylinder engine that gets 23 miles per gallon in the city and 30 on the highway. Not bad for a 211 horsepower engine. There is also an Audi S5 Cabriolet that has an even more powerful supercharged 333 horsepower 3.0 liter V-6 engine which is Audi's performance oriented option.

There are several other models that made the list such as the 2010 BMW 3-Series convertible. The 3-series is one of the best selling luxury models in 2010. It has several of the top suspension, performance, handling, steering, and braking features. It also features the latest safety technology. There are three powertrain choices for this model: the 328iC has a 230 horsepower 3.0 liter V-6 engine and the 335iC has a 300 horsepower twin turbo 3.0 liter 6 cylinder engine. The engines feature 17 miles per gallon in the city and 26 on the highway. And there is always the option of the 400 horsepower 4.0 liter V8 that is found on the M3 convertible.

The 2010 Infiniti G37 convertible is another great choice that is manufactured by Nissan. This model has a 328 horsepower 3.7 liter V6 engine with 16 miles per gallon in the city and 25 on the highway. The cabin and interior are decorated with some of the finest leather and materials available and the body is one of the most attractive out of all the convertible models.