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This was revealed after Toyota has lowered production costs up to 90 percent. With this, in turn, Toyota could sell hydrogen-fueled sedan at a price of $50 000. Compared to five years ago, that price has fallen by half. It is narrated by Yoshihiko Masuda, managing director of Toyota for a sophisticated car.

Earlier, the world’s number one producer only managed to lose tenth of the cost of hydrogen car production reaching 1 million U.S. dollars. When mass produced, the price can be lowered again to half, as predicted now.

“Our target is that we do not want to lose when introducing a new car,” said Masuda in Torrence, Calif., Toyota’s sales center for the United States. “The production costs must be covered by the price of the vehicle,” he added.

With the increasingly affordable prices, it will accelerate development of hydrogen cars when the technology is still far behind compared to electric cars. Some manufacturers, like Toyota, the General Motors, Honda, Daimler AG, and Hyundai Motor, say that they are ready to sell cell fuel cars to the public in 2015.

Found out how
To make the price of cell fuel car affordable, what Toyota does is reducing the amount of platinum used. In addition, Toyota also has found a way to more easily produce a thin layer (film) on fuel cell and hydrogen tanks made from carbon fiber.

The advantage of hydrogen cars is that its only emission is vapor. It can run further than recharging the battery (electric cars). The down fall is that the charging stations are still scarce and it needs expensive infrastructure.

“Hydrogen is an abundant element in the universe, we can use it forever,” said California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger when he opened a conference on hydrogen cars are maintained by the National Hydrogen Association in Long Beach the day before yesterday. “We need to wake up the federal government,” added the star of Terminator.

Following the Civic Hybrid, and Insight, Honda is offering a hybrid product that once was given the name Honda CR-Z. Carrying the hybrid engine combined with elements of sports cars, Honda claims the CR-Z hybrid sports coupe and began to be marketed in Japan in February. That said, the CR-Z is the result of a combination of the Honda REMIX and Honda Small Hybrid Sports, two concept cars that had been exhibited earlier.

CR-Z itself was first introduced as a concept car in Tokyo Auto Show event in 2007. This version had also been exhibited in North American International Auto Show in 2008 while the revised version of events had brought to the Tokyo Motor Show in 2009. Broadly speaking, not many changes happened between the two versions until the production version.

Physically, the CR-Z has similarities with the CR-X and seeing the name used, it is possible that CR-Z is a continuation of the CR-X. But in reality, the actual CR-Z is an improved version of the Honda Insight was released as a hybrid car. Honda himself never gave a confirmation of this and prefers to call this as the CR-Z stands for Compact Renaissance Zero.

Overall, the Honda CR-Z design is really sporty and compact. From the side, it was designed as if the car body is higher in the back with two lines scratched in a strong accent on the right and left hand doors. As a result, although in a state of silence, the CR-Z is giving the impression as if it was speeding. Grille is designed very large grin like Mazda.

In runway, Honda put a combination of SOHC i-VTEC engine, four-cylinder capacity of the combustion chamber with Integrated Motor Assist 1.500cc. This combination is capable of generating power at 122 horsepower at point 6.000rpm with torque at 128 lb-ft. in the range up to 1.500rpm 1.000rpm. The combination of this engine also makes it possible for the CR-Z to achieve efficiency point of 36 to 38 miles per gallon.

The standard version was released featuring six speakers, AM / FM / CD / USB sound systems, remote keyless entry, and cruise control while the version above it (the CR-Z EX) Honda added a Bluetooth links and 360-watt subwoofer and the satellite- linked navigation system with voice recognition that is given only as an option. About the safety features, six airbags and antilock brakes are clearly mandatory.

Latest technology to help improve driving safety recently has been released by Toyota. They introduced a system which was first created in the world, the mating system of mapping satellite (GPS; Global Positioning System) with a mechanical braking system on the car.

Together with Aisin AW Co. Ltd. (Manufacturing system on a car mechanics), ZENRIN Co. Ltd. (Navigation software manufacturers), and Toyota Mapmaster Incorporated, Toyota believes this technology will reduce accidents at intersections. Next, it will be applied on every Toyota’s domestic lineup in the future. For information, research results of U.S. – Japan Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) found that 58% of accidents are caused by the condition of the crossing and 30% accidents are caused by the unavailability of or do not observe traffic signs.

The way this technology works is quite simple. A navigation system will monitor the car’s position (based at the front and back of the car), which is located in the main lane (lane four lines), and the lane marked STOP. This system also maps the accident-prone intersections based on reports from Toyota Motor Corporation’s Integrated Safety Management Concept. Read the rest of this entry »

Fantastic! That remark made Polytech’Nantes Polyjule team, a new French record at Shell Eco-marathon event held in Luazitz Europe, Germany. On the first day of the competition, a hydrogen car prototypes made by team Polyjule Polytech’Nantes, created a fantastic new record for a quart can use the distance 4414 km / liter. According to Shell which organizes this event, that is a new record which breaking the old record which had lasted since 2005.

Previously, the record was made by ETHG team from Zurich, Switzerland with the 3836 km to a liter of fuel (also using hydrogen).

Pauline Tranchard, the team leader of ETHG commenting on this new record by saying “Believe it or not, this vehicle had a problem yesterday on the fifth “run”. Because of that we’re very excited. Not only designing cars, we also can beat a record.”

The secrets of team success, is the perfection. The team this year focuses on the development of electronic vehicle monitoring system to minimize energy loss. This is the key to the large contribution that creates a new record.

Ford created a technology Curve Control System (CCS) for the motorist. This tool could prevent an accident due to carelessness of drivers to maneuver around the corner quickly, so that the car loses stability.

In the United States, 50 000 accidents recorded each year because of mistakes that turned very fast (high speed). Now, with this feature, Ford hopes to be useful, particularly for the highway. The advantages of this branch controller technology, the four wheels can be broken with the smooth. Then, when a car drove by outside speed limit, engine torque can be reduced to lower the speed to 15 km / h per second. That way, cars could go back on track. Ford explained that CCS works on rough surfaces, when wet or dry conditions. So, if the car does not veer as desired driver, the technology can restore the driveway into a safe position. These technologies open up a breakthrough. Because of the stability control system on the car was introduced in 1987 under the name of Electronic Stability Control (ESC). Only, the function to detect and minimize wheel skid occurs. So, when ESC successfully detect the occurrence of loss of control, ESC automatically help put the brakes to help the driver’s steering wheel can be controlled. Read the rest of this entry »