Pretty much every maker of fuel-saving hybrid vehicles combines, on paper at least, the power and torque of both the petrol engine and electric motor for overall output. Even Ferrari does. Its hybrid hypercar LaFerrari, it says, generates 708kW – 588kW from its V12 petrol engine and 120kW from an electric motor. Toyota does too. Its premium hybrid Prius delivers 90kW – … [Read more...] about Subaru: no measuring stick for combining petrol-electric power
Jaguar Land Rover seeks $2 billion in British gov’t bailout
Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) says reports that it is seeking a NZ$4 billion bailout from the British Government are “inaccurate and speculative”– but it is in talks for help as it battles a steep fall in global sales as a result of the coronavirus lockdown. “We are in regular discussion with government on a whole range of matters and the content of our private discussions remains … [Read more...] about Jaguar Land Rover seeks $2 billion in British gov’t bailout
Hyundai Santa Cruz ute built around car-like architecture
Spy pictures of Hyundai’s Santa Cruz ute have been floating about for some time, but this first picture of the actual bodyshell shows how the four-door production version has grown from the two-door concept shown below. It is a logical step, seeing as four-door variants make up the lion’s share of ute sales. But Hyundai has steered away from the accepted logic in the … [Read more...] about Hyundai Santa Cruz ute built around car-like architecture
This car can refuel itself – once it’s parked in the sun
Under the skin of this ordinary looking people-mover is what its developers label as extraordinary – 248 solar cells that can fully recharge its lithium-ion battery pack or, in other words, effectively refuel itself. That is as long as it’s parked under the sun. It’s the Sion, a five-seat, 4900mm-long, battery-electric MPV built by German start-up Sono Motors at the former … [Read more...] about This car can refuel itself – once it’s parked in the sun
Diesel dilemma: appeal of LPG Ram truck and Ssangyong petrol ute
A builder in Auckland has run into the same problem owners of diesel vehicles, especially utes, have: exhaust filters so clogged with soot that they can send the vehicle into limp-home mode. So he got out of his 3.0-litre diesel Volkswagen V6 Amarok and into an all-American Ram 1500 – and promptly installed a dual-fuel system to enable the Ram’s 5.7-litre Hemi V8 engine to … [Read more...] about Diesel dilemma: appeal of LPG Ram truck and Ssangyong petrol ute