Scientists Test System To Steer Drivers Away From Dangerous Weather

Each of the test cars driving around Detroit contains onboard equipment that collects, stores, and transmits weather data. In the future, such onboard equipment will be much smaller and integrated into the car design instead of taking up trunk space. (Credit: Copyright UCAR, photo by Michael Chapman)

Scientists at the National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR) are testing an innovative technological system in the Detroit area this month that ultimately will help protect drivers from being surprised by black ice, fog, and other hazardous weather conditions.

The prototype system is designed to gather detailed information about weather and road conditions from moving vehicles. Within about a decade, it should enable motor vehicles equipped with wireless technology to transmit automated updates about local conditions to a central database, which will then relay alerts to other drivers in the area.

“The goal is to reduce crashes, injuries, and deaths by getting drivers the information they need about nearby hazards,” says Sheldon Drobot, the NCAR program manager in charge of the project. “The system will tell drivers what they can expect to run into in the next few seconds and minutes, giving them a critical chance to slow down or take other action.”

NCAR’s road weather system is part of IntelliDrive(SM), a national initiative overseen by the Department of Transportation (DOT) to use new technologies to make driving safer and improve mobility. Officials envision that, over the next 10 years or so, motor vehicles will begin to automatically communicate with each other and central databases, alerting drivers to threats that range from adverse road conditions to nearby vehicles that are moving erratically or are running through a red light. The goal of the DOT is to reduce motor vehicle accidents by 90 percent by 2030.

The national program brings together federal and state transportation officials, motor vehicle manufacturers, engineering and planning firms, consumer electronics companies, and others.

An estimated 1.5 million motor vehicle accidents annually are associated with poor weather, resulting in about 7,400 deaths and 690,000 injuries, according to a 2004 National Research Council report, “Where the Weather Meets the Road.” The report called for improving safety by establishing a nationwide observation system to monitor weather conditions along roads and warn drivers about potential hazards.

For the road weather portion of IntelliDrive, vehicles will use sensors to measure atmospheric conditions such as temperature, pressure, and humidity. An onboard digital memory device will record that information, along with indirect signs of road conditions, such as windshield wipers being switched on or activation of the antilock braking system.

The information will be transmitted to a central database, where it will be integrated with other local weather data and traffic observations, as well as details about road material and alignment. The processed data will then be used to update motorists in the area when hazards are present and, when appropriate, suggest alternate routes.

The incoming data would be anonymous. Officials are working on guidelines to allow drivers to opt out of the system for privacy considerations.

In addition to providing motorist warnings, such a system will alert emergency managers to hazardous driving conditions and enable state highway departments to efficiently keep roads clear of snow. It can also help meteorologists refine their forecasts by providing them with continual updates about local weather conditions.

Motor vehicle manufacturers plan to install the onboard equipment in every new vehicle sold in the United States within a few years as part of a voluntary program to improve driving safety.

On the prowl for bad weather

NCAR scientists and engineers are testing the weather piece of the system by collecting information from 11 specially equipped cars in the Detroit area. Test drivers are on the prowl for adverse conditions, especially heavy rain and snow. Engineers will analyze the reliability of the system by comparing data from the cars with other observations from radars and weather satellites. They will also look at whether different models of cars-in this case, Jeep Cherokees, Ford Edges, and a Nissan Altima – produce comparable measurements of weather and road conditions.

The tests, which began early this month and will run for about two weeks, will help the NCAR team refine its software to accurately process data from motor vehicles. In the future, the team also hopes to study which types of weather information will be most useful and how that information can be clearly and safely communicated to drivers, possibly through a visual display or audio alert.

“The results look very encouraging,” Drobot says. “The tests show that cars can indeed communicate critical information about weather conditions and road hazards.”

Processing a deluge of observations

One of the biggest challenges for NCAR is to determine how to process the enormous amounts of data that could be generated by about 300 million motor vehicles. The center has worked with the Department of Defense, the aviation industry, and other organizations to analyze complex weather observations. But the new system incorporates information from far more sources, and those sources are moving.

NCAR engineers are developing mathematical formulas and other techniques to accurately interpret the information and eliminate misleading indicators. If a driver, for example, turns on the windshield wipers in clear weather to clean the windshield, the NCAR data system will identify that action as an outlier rather than issuing a false alert about precipitation.

“It’s not enough to process the information almost instantaneously,” says William Mahoney, who oversees the system’s development for NCAR. “It needs to be cleaned up, sent through a quality control process, blended with traditional weather data, and eventually delivered back to drivers who are counting on the system to accurately guide them through potentially dangerous conditions.”

IntelliDrive is a service mark of the U.S. Department of Transportation.

Source :ScienceDaily (Apr. 11, 2009)

Activists: Car-Free Days Are ‘A Waste’

Environmental activists on Monday urged the Jakarta Administration to temporarily halt its car-free days on selected city roads, saying a re-evaluation was needed because the event had failed to reduce air pollution and loose regulations have resulted in many violations, including those by senior officials.

“Legally, the car-free days cannot be stopped, but the city administration should halt them temporarily and conduct a review of what went wrong. Honestly, it’s been such a waste,” Selamet Daroyni, the executive director of the Jakarta branch of Indonesian Forum for the Environment, or Walhi, told a press conference.

Selamet said car-free days, generally on Sundays, had failed to achieve the short-term objective of minimizing air pollution and also had failed to encourage Jakarta residents to be more environmentally friendly and less dependent on cars.

“If we perceive this issue from the three success indicators, I’d say these events did not help much,” Selamet said.

He said the indicators were public participation, air pollution reduction and public obedience, including by government officials and law enforcers.

Ahmad Safrudin, of the Committee for Phasing Out Leaded Gasoline, said car-free days merely relocated traffic flow from one place to another without reducing air pollutants.

He said that a report by the Jakarta Environmental Management Board, or BPLHD, that air pollution has decreased significantly was unreliable.

“Jakarta has five air quality monitoring systems, but only one of them is working, so I doubt the report,” he said.

Ahmad said the inefficiency of car-free days had been proven by many violations, with some of the violators being government officials and policemen.

Responding to criticism, Rina Suryani, the BPLHD head of natural resources monitoring, said they had scientific measurements to prove that car-free days had in fact contributed significantly to air pollution reduction.

“In some parts of Jakarta, the air quality has gotten better because of this program,” she said.

Rina said the board could not enforce sanctions against violators because the 2005 bylaw enabling car-free days had not stipulated any.

Jakarta’s car-free days began in September 2007 and are held on the last Sunday of each month.

This year BPLHD has scheduled 22 road closure events.

Source : http://www.thejakartaglobe.com

Photo : http://bataviase.files.wordpress.com

February 23, 2009, by Dessy Sagita

Mitsubishi PHK 300 Karyawan

Selasa, 3 Februari 2009 – 11:45 wib, okezone.com

TOKYO – Kini giliran Mitsubishi Motors yang berencana memangkas 300 karyawannya di Amerika Serikat (AS). Keputusan ini akibat melemahnya situasi pasar dan nilai tukar yen yang semakin tinggi.

Seperti diberitakan harian ekonomi Nikkei, perusahaan automotif Jepang ini berencana untuk mengurangi 300 karyawan fulltime-nya disebuah pabrik di negara bagian Illiois, AS.

Langkah ini terpaksa ditempuh Mitsubishi akibat perusahaan telah masuk dalam daftar perusahaan yang mengalami kerugian sekira USD223 juta. Kerugian ini merupakan yang pertama kali dialami Mitsubishi dalam tiga tahun.

Menurut Nikkei, keadaan ini akibat melemahnya permintaan di Jepang, Amerika Utara, dan Rusia. Pihak Mitsubishi sendiri belum mengkonfirmasi perihal kabar tersebut. (ton)

Car sales down 6.9%, bikes 22.9% in India

12 Jan 2009, 1034 hrs IST, PT

NEW DELHI: Domestic passenger car sales declined by 6.9% in December 2008 to 82,105 units, from 88,272 units in the same month previous year.

According to the figures released by the Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers (SIAM), motorcycle sales in the country, during the month, was down by 22.9% at 335,820 units, against 435,925 units in the year-ago period.

Total two-wheeler sales in December also declined by 15.4% at 461,302 units, compared with 545,485 units in the same month previous year.

Commercial vehicle sales during the month increased by 58.2% to 17,920 units, from 42,961 units during the year-ago period, SIAM said.

Source : http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com

Mazda Pangkas Gaji Manajer Hingga 10%

Selasa, 20 Januari 2009 – 07:04 wib

TOKYO – Mazda Motor akan memangkas gaji bulanan para manajer hingga 10 persen dan mengurangi operasional di pabrik-pabrik utama domestik. Hal ini dilakukan sebagai upaya mengatasi krisis keuangan.

Seperti dikutip dari AFP, Selasa (20/1/2009), Mazda juga akan menghentikan operasional dua pabrik domestiknya di Jepang barat pada Jumat di Februari dan Maret.

Langkah ini merupakan serangkaian langkah pengurangan produksi automotif Jepang dan rival mereka di luar negeri akibat melemahnya permintaan mobil di seluruh dunia.

Sebelumnya, Mazda yang merupakan produsen mobil terbesar kelima Jepang, telah mengurangi gaji bulanan untuk para eksekutifnya hingga 20 persen sejak Desember.

Produsen automotif ini, juga mengumumkan pengurangan 1.500 pegawainya dan memangkas target produksi untuk tahun finansial ini. (Susi Susanti/Sindo/ade)

Source : detiknews.com

Toyota PHK 3.000 Karyawan Kontrak

Foto: Ist

Selasa, 20 Januari 2009 – 11:20 wib

TOKYO – Produsen automotif Jepang, Toyota, dikabarkan sedang mempertimbangkan untuk merumahkan 3.000 karyawan domestiknya.

Keinginan ini diungkapkan juru bicara dari Toyota Motor Corp, Yomiuri Shimbun, sebagaimana dikutip dari AFP, Selasa (20/1/2009). Menurutnya, sekitar 3.000 pekerja kontrak dan pekerja paruh waktu akan dirumahkan pada Maret 2009. Pengurangan jumlah pekerja ini akibat kondisi keuangan perusahaan yang belum menunjukkan kearah pemulihan.

“Kami belum bisa memastikan kelangsungan masa depan kontrak para pekerja tersebut, namun jika melihat rencana produksi dan penjualan yang akan dijalankan pada 2009, maka hal tersebut mungkin saja dilakukan. Tetapi perihal jumlahnya, kami belum bisa memastikan,” kata juru bicara itu.

Para pekerja kontrak ini sebenarnya amat membantu dalam meningkatkan jumlah produksi. Tercatat pada pertengahan tahun pertama 2005, Toyota memiliki 11.000 pekerja kontak. Kemudian merosot pada 2008 menjadi 9.000 karyawan. Dan, jika Maret 2009 nanti tidak ada karyawan yang diperpanjang kontaknya, maka dapat dipastikan Toyota kehilangan 3.000 karyawannya lagi. (ton)

Source : okezone.com

The Energy Debates: Hydrogen Vehicles

Diagram of the fuel cell and hydrogen tanks in the Chevy Equinox. Credit: General Motors.

By Charles Q. Choi, Special to LiveScience

The Facts

Imagine a car that had water come out its tailpipe instead of pollutants. That is the promise of vehicles powered by hydrogen fuel cells.

Hydrogen fuel cells react hydrogen with oxygen to generate an electric current that in turn can drive an electric motor. The only tailpipe emission would indeed be water.

There are no hydrogen cars commercially available from any major company, and their cost is currently too high to make them close to entering showrooms. Yet buses powered by hydrogen are now seen in many cities across the United States. A number of automakers are also leasing hydrogen cars to customers for short periods of time to test their performance, said Spencer Quong, senior vehicles analyst for the Union of Concerned Scientists, a science advocacy group.

Pros

The emissions from the hydrogen cars themselves are clean, possessing none of the dirty mix of toxins and carbon dioxide (the major global warming gas) that the burning of gasoline spews forth. The cleanliness of hydrogen is in large part why government and industry support for hydrogen vehicles has reached billions of dollars.

Hydrogen cars, like other cars that run off electric motors, are more efficient than conventional vehicles — roughly twice as efficient as those that rely on gasoline. They are also quieter than regular cars, and their electric motors give full torque when they accelerate, without the delayed revving-up that happens when you step on the gas pedal in a gasoline-engine vehicle.

Hydrogen cars have ranges much like conventional cars. Today’s electric vehicles that rely on batteries, on the other hand, can put in roughly 100 miles before they need recharging.

Cons

Hydrogen cars face a host of challenges. While hydrogen fuel cells only emit water, current methods of large-scale hydrogen production often extract it from natural methane gas, generating substantial amounts of carbon dioxide in the process.

Scientists instead would like to generate hydrogen by using electricity to split water molecules into hydrogen and oxygen. However, currently fossil fuels provide nearly two-thirds of the electricity generated in the United States, according to the Department of Energy, which means a hydrogen economy could still emit toxins and carbon dioxide into the atmosphere.

Eventually, if the electric grid becomes more environmentally friendly by adding on wind, solar and other renewable forms of power, so too would hydrogen vehicles grow even greener. However, if hydrogen vehicles were to completely replace the more than 250 million passenger cars in the United States, a dramatic increase in the nation’s electricity generation would be necessary.

Hydrogen cars would need an infrastructure of refueling stations and fleets of tankers. The fuel tanks of hydrogen cars also need further development. Currently hydrogen is stored at high pressure aboard most prototype cars, and it takes a significant amount of energy and money to pressurize the gas, which detracts from the efficiency of the hydrogen economy. Researchers are striving to engineer ways to store hydrogen aboard vehicles at lower pressures, using materials such as carbon nanotubes or metal hydrides, with the aim of significantly reducing the costs of a hydrogen infrastructure.

Converting the United States to hydrogen “would certainly be a major challenge, but you could imagine it done over time,” Quong said. “What’s done in California is really smart — they focus on setting up fueling stations where they know vehicles are going to be, like in Los Angeles, and then scatter other stations across for longer drives.”

Although hydrogen vehicles might conjure up images of the Hindenburg going down in flames, “hydrogen is no more safe or less safe than a gasoline vehicle, just different,” Quong said. If a hydrogen storage tank ruptures, all the gas goes into the air, as opposed to gasoline, which spills all over the ground. Hydrogen is odorless and invisible, so researchers are working on sensors to detect any leaks and avoid any problems.

What do you think?

Source : livescience.com

Toyota Tarik 120.000 Unit Lebih Crown dan Lexus

Toyota Crown

Jum’at, 26 Desember 2008 – 11:28 wib, okezone.com

BEIJING – Berita mengejutkan datang dari Toyota Motor Corp. Perusahaan automotif Jepang tersebut kabarnya melakukan recall terhadap lebih dari 120.000 unit kendaraannya di China.

Hal tersebut diungkapkan badan pengendali kwalitas China, kemarin. Sebagaimana dikutip situs resmi General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine, Tianjin FAW Toyota Motor Co, sebagai join venture Toyota dan China FAW Group akan menarik 121.930 kendaraan Toyota di China.

Model yang ditarik termasuk Crown dan Reiz, produksi 2005 dan 2006, serta Lexus produksi 2004 dan 2006. Penarikan ini akibat tidak berfungsinya sistem elektrik pada power steering. Dan penarikan akan berlangsung mulai hari ini.

Namun belum jelas apakah model yang sama juga akan ditarik oleh Toyota di negara lain. Pihak Toyota di Jepang belum mau berkomentar mengenai masalah ini. (ton)

Hybride Vehicle Tehnology Overview

by Andrew Avarvarii (from topspeed.com)

In the beginning of the 20th century US vehicle manufacturers where using as power sources gasoline, electricity and steam evenly. Soon they have realized that two or more power means can be combined for increased efficiency. As a proof of that the first hybrid vehicle (using gasoline and electric power) was registered in 1905 by an American engineer. The invention did not receive much attention at that time as regular gasoline engines were cheaper and offered the same performance. Only 70 years later, during the oil crisis the, fuel efficiency matter was resurrected and hybrid car research begun again. Prohibitive costs have delayed the market launch of hybrid cars for another good 30 years. But nowadays vehicles like Toyota Prius or Honda Accord Hybrid are quite common. Is this to be the future of the car?! Let’s have a closer look!

A vehicle is being called a “hybrid” when to it uses for propulsion two or more sources of power in conjunction. Most common hybrid cars that run today combine traditional internal combustion engines (ICE) and electric motors. They run most of the time using the electric part of the system which is powered by batteries. When the car needs more power (as when going uphill or during quick accelerations) the combustion engine is also switched on. Hybrid cars are focused mostly on fuel efficiency rather then performance, That’s is why they tend to be lighter and more aerodynamic (in terms of reduced drag, not increased down-force). One recent development further increased hybrid cars efficiency. The concept is borrowed from electric locomotives and uses the breaking energy (that is usually wasted) to recharge the car’s batteries.

The main reasons for the increased interest in hybrid-cars seem to be those of environmental concern. As we know combustion engine produce carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide and unburned hydro-carbons that represent the most important sources of pollution of our days. Phenomena such as global warming or the so called “El Nino” effect are blamed mostly on the gasoline and diesel fueled engines. Due to the fact that a sudden change in vehicle power source could not be sustained by the infrastructure (we can’t change overnight all the oil platforms or gas stations in hydrogen plants), car manufacturers found a “transition solution” in the hybrid cars.

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Embraced first by “tree hugger” stars and convinced environmentalists due to high prices, the hybrids become more and more popular as their prices dropped due to industrialization. Since the first Toyota Prius where sold in the United States the market has grown over twenty times reaching total sales of over 200,000 units in 2005. This may seem to be impressive, but if we report to the total amount of cars sold last year, that exceeded 17 millions new cars, we see that hybrid cars represent only a bit over 1% of the total sales. The fuel consumption economy of hybrid cars is also diluted due to their poor representation on the streets. If we would assume that every hybrid car would save a gallon of fuel per day, that would make a total economy of 200,000 gallons per day, which represents only 0.05% from the daily fuel consumption. It may not seem much, but it is a start.

The extension of the hybrid power technology will make it cheaper to produce and it is estimated that the hybrid car production will double each year. On an optimistic forecast we could have one million running hybrids in the US by 2007 or 2008. But, we shouldn’t forget that the sales of regular cars will also increase and if there are 200 millions cars now in the US, in less than 20 years there could get to be over 300 millions.

As 2006 models the US market offers 10 different models priced between $19,000 and $53,000. The Honda Civic and Toyota Prius which are considered to be the most popular are available below $30,000. That may not be cheap for a compact sedan, but is not prohibitive either. In the following 5 years the hybrid vehicle offer is expected to reach 50 models that will cover all shapes, sizes and costs.

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Types of hybrid vehicles

In order to understand differences between various hybrid systems we first need to comprehend what they all have in common. The main goal of hybrid cars is to increase fuel efficiency. And there is a lot of improvement to do over the ICE (internal combustion engines) which have an efficiency of about 35%. This means that from all the burned fuel only 35% gets to actually propel the car, while the rest is mostly wasted by being turned into heat. In comparison, electric motors have an efficiency of almost 90%, meaning that 90% of the electricity stored in the batteries gets to actually propel the car. Therefore the major increase in efficiency of the hybrid systems is due to the inclusion of electric motors. You might wonder then, if electric motors are by far more efficient what don’t we get cars with really big electric motors?! Because electric motors get their power from nickel-metal-hybrid batteries which are quite expensive and offer a low range. The best solution seem to be the middle one that mixes the high efficiency of the electric motor with the extended range of the ICE by putting them together in one system.

Another feature that mostly hybrids nowadays share is the regenerative breaking. This feature uses the electric motors for slowing the car down by recovering the kinetic energy the car produces while braking or traveling down a slope. This kinetic energy is converted by the motors (which now act as generators) into electric power and stored in the batteries. The stored energy will be later used when the car will need to accelerate).

The Vacuum Flask ICE Coolant Storage is another smart feature of hybrid cars. This system keeps the liquid ICE coolant warm when the car is stopped and uses it to reduce engine warm-up time at next start-up.

When is the vehicle using the ICE and the electric motors is what brakes this type of cars into to distinct categories: Full Hybrid and Mild Hybrid.

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Full Hybrid vehicles

There are called Full Hybrids those vehicles that get to be propelled at low speeds without using any gasoline at all, as a fully EV (electrical vehicle). In this category there are to be mentioned the Toyota Prius and the Ford Escape. When this type of cars are started they turn on the ICE and keep it running until it reaches the normal operating temperature. After that point they will only keep the ICE on when supplementary power is required. That means that at low speeds the car can run only on electrical power and therefore emission free, state which is also called “stealth mode” (due to silent operation, as noise is mostly produced by the ICE). The priority of a specific engine is decided by the cars on-boar-computer and requires no intervention from the driver. Generally when the car is cruising at low speeds it only uses the electrical motors.

The ICE is turned on when the car has to accelerate quickly, to cruise at high speeds or when the batteries are running out. Among other benefits of this system should be mentioned that as the ICE is turned off at a vehicle stop it doesn’t get to cool down the catalytic converter beneath its operating temperature as normal cars do at idle rpm. Usually a gasoline engines run inefficiently with the throttle half opened. Full Hybrid cars overcome that by always running the ICE at high torque rpm range with throttle fully opened.

In conventional cars frequent start/stops of the ICE will cause a premature wear. This is not the case with full hybrids. In this cars the electric motors are used to power on the combustion engine and this happens smoothly when it reaches the required 1,000 rpm. Full hybrids can run on certain distances as green-cars, with zero emissions and can also achieve the best mileage per gallon. But, they get to be more expensive as their technology is a bit more complicated.

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Mild Hybrid vehicles

In the Mild Hybrid vehicles the ICE is running all the time the car is in motion. It is only turned off when the car is at stop to save some fuel. The electrical motor is used to smoothly start the petrol engine and it can also provide assistance to the ICE in traction. This last option makes the difference between several Mild Hybrid technologies.

The Start/Stop system is the simplest one. It only uses the electrical motor to power on smoothly the ICE. All the propelling power is generated by the gasoline engine and the only fuel economy is achieved by turning it off when it would otherwise be idle. This system is used on General Motors trucks. A cheap Start/Stop system is the BAS (Belt Alternator Starter), that due to low price is about to get very popular. This system replaces the usual belt driven alternator with an electric motor/generator. When the ICE is running the electric motor acts as a generator and recharges a separate 36V battery. When the ICE needs to be started the electric motor powers it up via the belt without the need for a regular starter motor. This system uses a larger motor/generator than the usual starters that can quickly and smoothly rev the ICE and therefore make Start/Stop operation possible.

Another Mild Hybrid system is the ISAD (Integrated Starter Alternator with Damping) which integrates the Start/Stop functionality but also use the electric motor to assist the ICE in propelling the car. As a difference to the Full Hybrids, the ISAD vehicles use the gas engine as the main unit. The ICE is never stopped when the car runs, and therefore this type of vehicles always consume gasoline. Their main advantage is the cheaper production price.

IMA (Integrated Motor Assist) is the last of the Mild Hybrid systems. It is pretty much the same with the ISAD, the only difference being that it uses a larger electric motor than can provide more assistance to the ICE. IMA vehicles also never run “green”, as they keep the petrol engine on all the time they need to maintain propelling.

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Parallel and Series Hybrids

Another distinction in hybrid systems can be made on the manner in which they combine gasoline and electricity usage. This splits hybrids into Parallel and Series. Parallel Hybrids feed the ICE with fuel, while they power electric motor using the batteries. In parallel systems both motors (fueled and electric) propel the car, usually by means of a CVT (Continuous Variation Transmission). This type of transmission smoothly adjust gear ratios for optimum performance and allows torque to be delivered to the wheels from both engines. Series Hybrids use the ICE to drive a generator producing electric power. This electricity can either directly power the electric motor (that gets to transfer torque to the car’s transmission) or charge the batteries. Therefore the petrol engine is only used to produce electricity, it never gets to directly propel the car. All HEV (Hybrid Electric Vehicles) that are nowadays into production are considered to be parallel. There is an argument only concerning Toyota’s Prius that gets to be somewhere in the middle due to its sophisticated system.

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Plug-in hybrids

Hybrid vehicles have been criticized for the lack of a plug-in battery recharge feature. This will allow “clean trips” (powered on electricity only) to be further extended. The cars could be recharged by plug-in means during night-time and used for city short trips in the same day without any gas consumption. If the batteries discharge before reaching home the vehicle will still run using the ICE. The hybrid car manufactures seem to have understood the necessity of this feature and it is rumored to became available on most HEVs soon.

Closing comments

It is hard to tell if using a hybrid vehicle is recommendable of not. There are a lot of pros and cons to them, and all the environmental issue surrounding them makes the decision even more subjective. We think it is a matter of individual choice, and each of one should judge their use on its own. It can be said that you save a lot of money form fuel consumption, as the acquisition price is higher that that of an equivalent traditional car. But it can’t be said that they are highly expensive and to worth the price. If you are willing to drive a slightly slower car in order to keep our planet green for a longer period HEVs a re something you should consider.

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(topspeed.com)

Top Ten Worst Concept Cars of 2008

These are the cars that the executives presenting them couldn’t hide the ‘WTF’ face, and no amount of booth babes could make them attractive. These are the top (bottom) ten worst concept car of 2008.

Most of these cars made this list because they were ugly. So comment away, because beauty is in the eye of the beholder.

A few made this list because they are utterly useless. That’s a tough distinction to make. Many concept cars are not practical, but some stand out as a complete waste of space.

Just like yesterday’s top ten concept cars, these ten bottom-feeders must have been in an auto show or officially recognized by car manufacturer in 2008.

So here is the list (in alphabetical order) of the top ten worst concept cars of 2008:

Bertone BAT 11

Bertone is the styling house for some of the great automotive classics: Lamborghini Miura and Countach, Fiat Dino, Iso Grifo, Citroen XM, and many others. But it hasn’t had a hit in a while. The BAT 11 isn’t one either.

This looks like what would happen if Vespa got to design the Batmobile.

Chrysler ecoVoyager

The idea of removing the B-pillar for an open air experience is great, but it can’t hide the fact you’re still a jellybean.

Dodge Caravan R/T

This is not the way to reclaim your testicles. That’s what the big back seat in the Dodge Challenger is for.

Ford Explorer America

Anyone remember the “Bitter Beer Face”?

Kia Kee

This is the only car that looks good in pastels. It’s hard for this one to look mean, even after running over your grandmother.

Knight KV

Debuting at SEMA, this was Pimp My Ride meets a disputed eastern European country. How paranoid do you have to be before this seems like a good option?

Nissan Nuvu

Yes Nissan it was amazing how fast you could pull off an electric car, but that doesn’t mean you have to design it to look as surprised as we all were.

Renault Ondelios

One big door. Huh? What?

Scion Hako Coupe

McGruff the Crime Dog your vehicle is now ready.

Toyota Yaris Club

Sorry, you’re still not cool , but nice try though.

(Source : http://www.topspeed.com)