GREEN MACHINES

LOSE THE IMAGE YOU HAVE IN YOUR HEAD OF ELECTRIC AND HYBRID VEHICLES. THIS IS A CATEGORY THAT’S BEING REDEFINED AS WE SPEAK. TYREL RODRICKS SHOWCASES SOME ELECTRIC AND HYBRID VEHICLES ALREADY IN PRODUCTION, OR IN THE PIPELINE, THAT WILL CHANGE THE WAY YOU PERCEIVE ECO-FRIENDLY CARS




























Imagine if you will, a Roadster capable of going from 0-100 km/h in four seconds flat, with a top speed of 201 km/h. It’s no big deal, considering the fastest production car has gone from 0-100 km/h in 2.4 seconds—that’s a Bugatti Veyron 16.4 Grand Sport for you, with a top speed of 408 km/h. The big deal about this Roadster, capable of going from 0-100 km/h in four seconds flat, is that it’s an electric car. And the reason you should be in awe of this is because it’s an electric roadster that’s in production and is available to anyone who can afford it. The Tesla Roadster is being hailed as the future of electric cars, and for good reason. The innovations that led to the Tesla Roadster, and the success of the car itself, have pushed other automakers to experiment with new technologies themselves.

Current ‘green’ cars in production are mostly hybrids, either mild or full hybrids. Mild hybrids use electric motors to complement their gasoline engines, and full hybrids can switch between the two, using any one fuel source at a time. Automakers have made great strides in lowering emissions, but the true zero emission car remains the electric vehicle.

The most popular hybrid today is probably the Toyota Prius. This hybrid from the Japanese automaker is an economical, low-emission, mid-segment car. In the luxury car segment, however, few have reached the high standards of the luxury buyer. This is an introduction to three such green machines, two of which are already in production.

TESLA ROADSTER






















While many automakers have tried and tested each of their versions of the electric car, none have got it as right as Tesla Motors. In development for the better part of this century, the Tesla Roadster is the brainchild of CEO and Product Architect Elon Musk. Licensing technology from AC Propulsion that greatly reduced the mass, complexity and cost, Tesla Motors developed its own electronics, motor and drivetrain components to complement that licensed technology. In addition, British sports car manufacturer Lotus helped Tesla develop the chassis of the Roadster.

Several prototypes were created and tested from 2004 to 2007; 26 validation prototypes were created of the selected model and delivered for user testing. Further changes were then made to the car before production began in early 2008. By September 15, 2009, 700 Roadsters had already been delivered.

The big question when it comes to electric cars is range, and Tesla has broken every expectation in this regard. The EPA combined range, accounting for a mix of city and highway driving, measured in February 2008 on early Roadsters, was 375 km, which was increased to 393 km after the new Powertrain 1.5 was added in August 2008.

At the heart of the Roadster is the Energy Storage System (ESS), which comprises several thousand consumer-grade lithium-ion cells. The Vehicle Management System (VMS) precisely monitors the condition, performance and energy levels of the ESS. The Tesla motor weighs less than 115 pounds, and its lightweight aluminium chassis and outer carbon-fibre body allows for one of the lightest and fastest roadsters, regardless of fuel source.

Despite having devoted itself to performance and fuel conservation, the Tesla is hardly a barebones vehicle. A look at the interiors provides enough promise that the electric car is a comfortable ride, and has been designed keeping in mind the discerning driver.


LEXUS RX 450H

The RX 450h from Lexus is the successor to the RX 400h, which was touted as the first luxury hybrid. It was one of the few SUVs to make the JD Power and Associates Automotive Environmental Index of the top-30 most environmentally friendly vehicles from 2006-08. The RX 450h will aim to continue that tradition.

The SUV is a full hybrid, not a mild one, in that it can run solely on either gasoline or an electric motor. The RX 450h features the advanced 3.5-litre V6 24-valve Atkinson cycle petrol engine. It also uses innovative cooled Exhaust Gas Recirculation to significantly improve combustion efficiency, which, in turn, reduces fuel consumption and lowers emissions.

A key element of the RX 450h is power generation. At optimal speeds, the power split device in the SUV makes sure that while the engine drives the front wheels, it also directs power to the generator. The electric generator converts this power into electric energy and further directs it to the advanced battery or uses it to power the highperformance electric motors.

This luxury hybrid comes with the works and is designed to provide a comfortable eco-friendly drive. The eight-way adjustable seats are fitted with leather upholstery, heated front seats and slideable and foldable rear seats. The steering column is electrically adjustable, with built-in audio, telephone and multi-function switches.

This is just the tip of the iceberg. There are a number of luxury automakers getting into the ‘green’ game. Audi’s got the eTron—although they insist that it is just a concept, we think it might be more than that. German automaker RUF turned the Porsche 911 into the eRUF Model A, which is a completely electric version of the famed speedster. Not too happy with that, Porsche is rumoured to be looking at the Tesla Roadster to build an official version of the electric 911. All in all, it looks like the race to build the perfect electric car has finally begun.


MERCEDES-BENZ SLS AMG EDRIVE
















Mercedes-Benz is no stranger in the fight to conserve fuel and reduce emissions, but the German automaker has never truly explored the electric car market until now. The Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG eDrive will be based on the new SLS AMG—the successor to the acclaimed Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren.

Engineers at the Daimler AG-owned automaker discovered that the sports car was perfect to adapt into their first mass-production electric roadster. “With the SLS AMG, with electric drive, we wanted to redefine the super sports car. For us, it’s not just about responsibility. We attach just as much importance to excitement and classic AMG performance,” says Volker Mornhinweg, CEO, Mercedes-AMG GmbH.

The SLS AMG eDrive will be powered by four electric motors, one for each of the car’s wheels. This intelligent AWD system will provide a combined peak output of 392 KW and a maximum torque of 880 Nm. After initial tests, Mercedes has revealed that the SLS AMG will be capable of going from 0- 100 km/h in less than four seconds.

Integrating the theme of aviation engineering, the SLS AMG’s interiors resemble that of a cockpit—using the cooling vents, central console and dashboard to display that theme. “The visible influence of aviation engineering, the high-grade materials and the practicality, typical of a sports car, will make the hearts of sports car enthusiasts beat faster,” says Gordon Wagener, Head of Design at Mercedes-Benz.

These interiors will be replicated in the SLS AMG eDrive, which will continue the automaker’s tradition of authentic motor sports practicality, outstanding passive safety, superior ergonomics and a high-degree of long-distance comfort. The SLS AMG eDrive is part of AMG’s mission to reduce fleetaverage CO2 emissions by 2012.


CELEBRITIES GO GREEN

TOYOTA PRIUS

CAMERON DIAZ WAS ONE OF THE EARLIEST ADOPTERS OF THE TOYOTA PRIUS, ONE OF THE LARGEST SELLING HYBRIDS IN THE US. LEONARDO DICAPRIO ALSO DRIVES A PRIUS, AND WAS SO IMPRESSED WITH IT THAT HE BOUGHT ONE EACH FOR HIS MOTHER, FATHER AND STEPMOTHER.


LEXUS RX 400H

COMEDIAN BILL MAHER WAS A PRIUS OWNER BEFORE HE TURNED IT IN FOR ONE OF THESE SUVS.


TESLA ROADSTER

GEORGE CLOONEY WAS ONE OF THE EARLIEST ADOPTERS OF THE TESLA ROADSTER, AS WAS FORMER HOST OF THE TONIGHT SHOW, JAY LENO. FORMER THE OC STAR RACHEL BILSON ALSO PREFERS THE LEXUS RX 400H.