One of the many double-edged new features in vehicles is the modern start/stop system. Designed to save a few teaspoonfuls of fuel by shutting down a cars engine under certain conditions while its at rest, this invention amuses and annoys in equal measure.On one hand, it is saving fuel; on the other, it can kill power steering on some cars, and roar back to life with a rude judder in others.GM thinks it may have a way around some of these annoyances. At present, a start/stop system looks for a number of criteria before shutting down an engine, including road speed and accessory load. According to a new patent filed by The General, the addition of a camera and slick AI programming could make the systems that much more bearable. Using the cars onboard GPS to help determine location and situation, GMs patent will allow a start/stop system to recognize the difference between being in a parking lot or on the 401 during rush hour. Combined with machine learning, it would theoretically be able to deactivate the start/stop during parking lot maneuvers, or when pulling into a driveway.Few things in this life are more irritating than a car shutting off the instant one stops outside their home only for it to fire again when the driver moves their foot off the brake. If the driver is not quick enough to clue into whats going on raises hand theres a good chance theyll stab a finger at the ignition button to turn off the car but, because the system has already turned the car off, such action results in the engine re-firing for no reason. It can be infuriating.Technically, the system could also read traffic data from the cloud in an attempt to prepare itself for start/stop duty when it might not otherwise be needed. If ones commute is generally light on traffic, such knowledge harvested from the cloud would allow the car to recognize upcoming congestion and permit the start/stop system to operate once thrust into that environment. Since the car is monitoring its whereabouts, Luddites will surely carp about privacy.Its an intriguing solution to a wholly self-created problem. Well keep our ears to the ground for more
Origin: General Motors patents a slightly less annoying start-stop system
motors
Electric ‘crate motors’ make turning your gas car into an EV easy
Not one, but two companies this month unveiled something electric car enthusiasts have been asking for for a long time electric crate motors that can be pretty easily swapped into whatever gasoline-powered vehicle theyll physically fit into. Batteries not included.According to Autoblog, upstart Electric GT (EGT), led by Eric Hutchison, plans to soon offer both a single- and dual-motor EV conversion kit.Both can be bolted onto manual transmissions, and many motor mounts and plate adapters for various gearboxes have already been developed; the company can custom-design adapters, too.The company first gained popularity (or notoriety) for swapping an electric drivetrain into a Ferrari 308, swapping out the cars old 2.9-litre V8 which made 280 horsepower and 181 lb.-ft. of torque for three AC51 HPEVS electric motors making a total 465 hp and 330 lb.-ft. View this post on Instagram Perfectioneering. 44 Drop in Crate Motor revisions for the Toyota Land Cruiser FJ 40. well and a few other cool 44’s. Bark if you like it and Share it if you ❤️ it! . . . . #bronco #fj #fj40 #efj #electric4x4 #rivian #toyotaFJ #fjcruiser #ev4x4 #classic4x4 #motorswap #offroadev #offroading #lsswap #montereycarweek #thequail electeicswap #goodidea #goodservice #thequail #montereycarweek #plugplayev #electriccratemotor A post shared by Electric GT (@electricgte) on Aug 22, 2019 at 8:33pm PDTThe new e-crate motor is shaped like a classic V8 motor, except its about 5 inches longer than most classic Chevy or Ford small-blocks. The single-motor kit makes 140 hp and 240 lb.-ft.; while dual-motors make 240 hp and 340 lb.-ft.Swindon Powertrain in the U.K. is also throwing its hat into the e-crate ring, and will offer a smaller, more European-style motor.Swindons motor is a more conventional transverse design for front-wheel-drive cars or small mid-engine cars. It weighs a more Chapman-esque 70 kg and makes a respectable 110 horsepower. Dimensions are 600 mm wide by 440 mm deep by as little as 280 mm tall, meaning it will fit almost anywhere, including under the hood of a Mini.Its worth noting if you convert your classic car to electric power, though, FIVA (Fédération Internationale des Véhicules Anciens), the global organization dedicated to preserving older vehicles, recently announced it will consider your car or any vintage EV-converted car desecrated.The group regularly lobbies governments around the world for classic car owners rights; but in their eyes, your EV-converted antique aint a classic car any more, so youll be on your
Origin: Electric ‘crate motors’ make turning your gas car into an EV easy
General Motors could revive Hummer as electric SUV brand
American automotive giant General Motors (GM) is considering a revival of the Hummer brand for a new line of premium electric SUVs and pick-up trucks, according to Reuters. The company is reportedly aiming to put a new range of large luxury EVs, codenamed BT1, into production at its Detroit-Hammtramck factory by the end of 2021. The first BT1 model, currently known as Project O, is said to be a pick-up for an as-yet-undetermined brand, with internal sources suggesting use of the Hummer name is “under consideration”. It will be followed by a hardcore performance version in 2022. Claimed to also be in development are an electric pick-up for GMC and an electric SUV for Cadillac. Both are set to arrive in 2023. GM is investing $7.7 billion (£5.9bn) into preparing its US factories for the shift to electrification over the next four years, with the Detroit-Hammtramck facility being upgraded at a cost of $3bn (£2.3bn) to produce electric trucks and vans. The large EVs will sit stop a new skateboard-style chassis, similar to that of start-up company Rivian, which combines motors and batteries for cheaper production costs. Around 80,000 units per year are expected to be produced. Regarding GM’s choice to develop premium EVs before more affordable models, Auto Forecast Solutions’ Sam Fiorani told Reuters: “It makes perfect sense to hit the high end of the market in order to generate some revenue that might actually turn a profit.” Such a move, he noted, has proved lucrative for Tesla, which launched with the low-volume Roadster before going on to rival BMW and Mercedes-Benz with the Model S. GM recently ended production of the Chevrolet Volt plug-in hybrid, citing a decline in demand for saloon models. Its replacement, the Bolt, is an electric hatchback that’s expected to cost its maker between $8000-$9000 per unit as a result of the augmented cost of EV production compared to that of conventionally powered cars. Production of the iconic Hummer H2 and smaller H3 ended in 2009, as GM eyed a return to profit following a high-profile bankruptcy announcement. The BT1 electric pick-up is likely to be priced to compete with the Rivian RS1 and could beat Tesla’s long-awaited truck to
Origin: General Motors could revive Hummer as electric SUV brand
Mitsubishi’s Tokyo show star is roofless SUV with four electric motors
Mitsubishi will reveal a new compact SUV concept with a range-extending EV tech at next month’s Tokyo motor show. The MI-Tech Concept, first confirmed last month, is previewed again in another image released by the firm. It shows the model is a two-seater, lacking doors and a roof, so it’s unlikely to preview a close-to-production model. However, its intent is to preview a new generation of plug-in hybrid powertrains to be used on SUV models smaller than the Outlander. Instead of the traditional combustion engine, Mitsubishi has deployed a gas turbine engine-generator, allowing use of pure EV and series hybrid drive modes. The hybrid technology will be smaller and lighter than Mitsubishi’s current plug-in hybrid system, which it pioneered first on the Outlander PHEV. It will be four-wheel drive, with two electric motors on each axle for for greater off-road control and precise handling, the brand claims. It’s also claimed to offer both improved efficiency in urban environments. Mitsubishi has not released any further technical details of the new hybrid system, which will join the larger one it already has in its range on the Outlander. That current plug-in hybrid tech mixes a 2.4-litre petrol engine with a 13.8kWh battery and twin electric motors. A replacement for the Outlander was previewed at the Geneva motor show in March with a concept called Engelberg Tourer that continued with a 2.4-litre petrol engine but now mated to a larger 20kWh battery. The concept car’s downsized plug-in hybrid technology could therefore be intended for the Eclipse Cross, either in this generation or the next. Mitsubishi sources confirmed to Autocar earlier this year that the Eclipse Cross would be offered with plug-in hybrid technology in the future. Mitsubishi sources also confirmed to Autocar that it would look to move its three SUV models – ASX, Eclipse Cross and Outlander – further apart in size. The ASX is set to be offered with an all-electric drivetrain in its next generation, rather than hybrid technology. The 2019 Tokyo concept will follow a 2017 concept at the same show, called e-Evolution. The model offered visual clues to the next ASX, but more pertinently was an early indication of what the famous Evo could turn into – a high-performance electric compact SUV – should Mitsubishi decide to revive it early in the next decade as has long been
Origin: Mitsubishi’s Tokyo show star is roofless SUV with four electric motors
All about car 