Archive for category Auto Show
New York International Auto Show to Host Ford Concept Cars
Motor shows have always been one of the foremost gatherings that auto makers take advantage of so as to showcase the advances they have made in the design and performance of their vehicles. More often than not, a motor show is characterized by an influx of concept vehicles.
This type of vehicles is designed using cutting edge design concepts, advanced engine technology and would also come loaded with futuristic features. These vehicles are only used to showcase the technologies developed by car manufacturers.
The features shown on these vehicles will only be used on production vehicles after some time. The reason for this is that the features on concept vehicles are significantly expensive to produce. This means that further development is needed to bring down the cost of production of features used on concept vehicles for them to be made available for mass produced vehicles. Read the rest of this entry »
Electric Avenue and the Detroit International Auto Show
For some people, it’s the moment they have been waiting for all year, for others, it’s a passing fantasy and then it’s back to reality. But if you are one of the thousands of individuals shopping for a new car this year, or interested in the latest new auto gadgets and technology, the opening of the largest auto show in the US is a big deal. This year’s North American International Auto Show, which opened on January 11th in Detroit Michigan and runs through January 24th, includes a 37,000 square foot Electric Avenue, showcasing the latest in electric vehicles and battery technology. While some of these electric cars are still just prototypes, many of the electric cars showcased this year will be in dealer showrooms as early as this spring. Why are there so many electric vehicles this year?
In the USA, sales of hybrids were brisk when gasoline was over $4.00 a gallon, but since the summer of 2008 sales have been sluggish at best. Why the push then by automakers to introduce electric hybrids and pure electric models to their fleets? New found concerned for the environment? Maybe, but these are mostly bottom line companies, in many cases, companies trying to climb out of the “red.” So it is still likely that the bottom line is more important to them than carbon emissions. What is most likely driving many of these companies is the need to meet new US “fleet” requirements for miles per gallon which were introduced in 2009. The new requirements call for cars to average 39 miles per gallon by 2016, and for trucks, 30 mpg. By comparison, in 2009, the average mpg for cars in the USA was 27.5 and for trucks 23.1 mpg. Cars and trucks in the mix that use little if any gasoline help bring up the fleet average, and in order to get to the 2016 requirements automakers need to start now! Read the rest of this entry »