Drivetrain tech

Issues with battery tech aside, electric motors allow for the creation of much simpler vehicles, without the need for exhausts, cooling systems, or complex lubrication schemes. The next logical step for electric vehicles is to move the electric motors into the wheel hubs themselves, replacing driveshafts, transmissions, and differentials with much lighter wires and switches. The primary problem with this configuration is the huge jump in unsprung weight that comes with mounting heavy electric motors inside of the wheels. Michelin Tires thinks it may be a step closer to solving this problem with its Active Wheel technology, unveiled at the … Read more

Even though Mazda is working on an electric vehicle a la Chevy's Volt, if the barrage of e-mails in our inbox is any indicator, its engineers have been hard at work developing other green tech,too. Green tech such as a spin on start-stop engine tech, a new clean diesel, and a new plastic-molding technology that will make the manufacturing of vehicles greener.

First up is Mazda's new Smart Idle Stop System (SISS), which at first seems like the same system everyone else is already using that stops the engine at idle. Looking deeper into Mazda's specs, … Read more

The all-wheel drive (AWD) system of the world's most expensive hybrid, the Lexus LS 600h L, has finally trickled down to the more conventional drive trains of the LS 460 and LS 460 L luxury sedans.

The AWD versions of the LS 460 and LS 460 L will utilize a drive train almost identical to their hybrid counterpart, with the obvious omission of Toyota's hybrid synergy drive. The AWD system features a Torsen Limited-Slip Differential (LSD) that distributes drive torque between the front and rear wheels. In normal driving conditions, the drive train carries a moderate rear-bias, sending … Read more

We haven't been too excited about Ford's Ecoboost tech, simply because it's not really new tech. However, Ford's next evolution of Ecoboost, code-named Bobcat, might be worth getting worked up about.

According to sources at PickupTrucks.com, the Bobcat is essentially a turbocharged engine running at a high compression ratio. Typically, this combination results in disaster, but Ford's system has a trick up its sleeve in the form of ethanol injection.

The Bobcat builds on Ford's Ecoboost engines by including a direct injected ethanol nozzle that adds small amounts of ethanol to the standard … Read more

The handling characteristics of the average car are primarily determined by the tires and the few square inches that are their contact patch. Up until now, tires have been decidedly low tech, at least to the untrained eye. Pirelli is aiming to change this, while giving us more information about what happens where the rubber meets the road, with its upcoming Cyber Tyre technology.

Essentially, the Cyber Tyre is an intelligent tire with an RFID microchip embedded that communicates with the car's electronic systems, such as ABS and traction control, relaying information about the state of the tire. This … Read more

For its upcoming cycle of vehicles, Mazda wants to replace its entire powertrain lineup.

By 2015, Mazda will have given its gasoline engine lineup direct-injection spark ignition and idle-stop technology to improve fuel economy.

But it's more than just engines that Mazda is improving. Each new platform has a weight-reduction target of at least 220 pounds less than the previous vehicle platform. Although Mazda and Ford have worked together on platforms and component sets, Mazda is expected to show more independence from its controlling shareholder in terms of product offerings.

… Read more

Lotus Engineering, the automotive consultancy division of Lotus, is back in the news again, this time with a new engine concept called the Omnivore. Lotus announced that it would be collaborating with Queen's University Belfast and Jaguar Cars to develop the engine, which is said to maximize fuel efficiency when running on renewable fuels. Essentially, the Omnivore is an engine that can run on almost anything, from gasoline to alcohol.

This engine design is expected to significantly increase fuel efficiency for sustainable bio alcohol fuels (such as ethanol or methanol) by using a combination of direct injection and variable … Read more

August means the Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance and Monterey Historics to car nuts all over, and this year a special class will be on display: cars with engines displacing over 20-liters. Engines of this size are few and far between, as your typical V-6 displaces 3.5 liters. Even the 16 cylinder, 1,001 horsepower Bugatti Veyron only displaces 8 liters. The 20 plus-liter class at Pebble Beach is more for exhibition, as there are only four cars that fit the bill, with three historics and one recent invention.

The 1913 "Blitzen" Benz appearing at the show … Read more

Porsche offered details on its four 2009 911 models, which go on sale in September, which include a new navigation system and a double-clutch transmission. The 911 Carrera Coupe, 911 Carrera Cabriolet, 911 Carrera S Coupe, and 911 Carrera S Cabriolet also get their flat six engines fitted with direct injection, resulting in increased efficiency and performance. The cars don't look substantially different on the outside, although they do get LED tail and parking lights, along with an adaptive headlight system.

The 3.6-liter flat six-cylinder engine in the 911 Carrera gets a 20-horsepower increase to 345, while the … Read more