Vehicles - Tech Blog
Terex, Russian Machines form equipment-manufacturing JV
Terex Corp. and Russian Machines have completed the formation of a joint venture company for the manufacture of construction and road-building equipment in Russia. Under the agreement, the JV will manufacture, market, and sell certain Terex products and all Russian Machines construction and road-building products in Russia, as well as distribute certain products manufactured by Terex and exported into Russia. The companies first announced their intention to form a JV in the second quarter of 2011. “The Russian and CIS remain long-term attractive markets and the demand for fundamental infrastructure upgrade across the region is clear. This joint venture allows us to be closer to the customer and provide localized products to an increasingly important customer base,” said Ronald M. DeFeo, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Terex Corp., a Westport, CT-based global manufacturer in the segments Aerial Work Platforms, Construction, Cranes, Material Handling & Port Solutions, and Materials Processing. Russian Machines is a major Russian diversified corporation, a part of Basic Element Co., comprising industrial and engineering assets in automotive, rail, aircraft, military vehicles, and road-construction machinery.
EU adopts two regulations on truck safety
The European Union in April adopted two regulations designed to enhance the safety of trucks with a gross vehicle weight exceeding 3500 kg and buses with more than eight passenger seats, according to InterRegs, an online resource for global vehicle safety and emissions regulations. One specifies the technical requirements and test procedures for advanced emergency braking systems (AEBS) that detect the possibility of a collision with a preceding vehicle; warn the driver by a combination of optical, acoustic, or haptic signals; and if the driver takes no action, automatically apply the vehicle’s brakes. The regulation also specifies two levels of performance to be achieved by AEBS. Fitment of AEBS meeting the "level 1" performance requirements becomes mandatory from Nov. 1, 2013 for new types of vehicles and from Nov. 1, 2015 for all new vehicles. The compliance dates for "level 2" are Nov. 1, 2016 for new types of vehicles and Nov. 1, 2018 for all new vehicles. The other regulation specifies the technical requirements and test procedures for lane departure warning systems (LDWS) that detect unintentional drift of the vehicle out of its travel lane and warn the driver by a combination of optical, acoustic, or haptic signals. Fitment LDWS becomes mandatory from Nov. 15, 2013 for new types of vehicles and from Nov. 1, 2015 for all new vehicles. Both regulations contain a list of specific vehicle types, such as urban buses and off-road vehicles, that are exempt. "New types of vehicles" are models being launched for the first time, and "new vehicles" are new vehicles being registered for the first time.
NHTSA proposes ESC for trucks and buses
NHTSA (U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration) on May 16 proposed a rule to require that new large commercial truck tractors and buses be equipped with an electronic stability control (ESC) system. If and when the proposed rule is adopted, the mandate would take effect two years later for all new typical 6 x 4 truck tractors and four years for severe-service tractors and tractors with four or more axles. In justifying the lead times, NHTSA noted that there are only two suppliers of ESC systems for truck tractors and large buses: Bendix and WABCO. It said the current rate of ESC installation on new truck tractors is 18%.
Ford opens new plant in Thailand (video)
Ford on May 3 celebrated the opening of Ford Thailand Manufacturing (FTM), a new $450 million state-of-the-art passenger-vehicle manufacturing plant in Rayong. The first product out of FTM will be the Focus. The highly flexible plant, one of two Ford operations in the country, will serve as the foundation for its plan to introduce eight all-new global One Ford vehicles to the ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) region by mid-decade. Initial capacity at the 200,000-m² (2.2 million-ft²) plant is 150,000 units per year. The production line at FTM is designed for maximum flexibility, enabling it to produce six different types of vehicles simultaneously. Ford claims the plant employs one of the world's fastest stamping presses. (See video of some of the plant's equipment and operations here.)
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Ford plans to purchase up to $800 million worth of local components annually through Thailand’s local supplier network.
It's winter year-round at new test center
Test World Oy is building what it claims is the world's first year-round indoor winter test center, just where one would expect it—within the Arctic Circle. The facility “will remove one of the biggest bottlenecks in the development of vehicles: winter test dependence on the season and prevailing weather,” Harri Eskelinen, President and CEO of the Finland-based company, said in a news release. “We will be able to provide all the test conditions the automotive industry requires year-round.” The 30,000-m² (320,000-ft²) roofed facility will be constructed within the company’s existing Mellatracks outdoor proving ground in Ivalo, located at a latitude of about 69° north in Finnish Lapland, roughly 300 km (200 mi) to the cold side of the Arctic Circle. Vehicle and tire testing will be accommodated in the climate-controlled facility, the first phase of which is to be operational by the end of 2012.
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Construction on what the company calls Test World Indoor was scheduled to begin this month, with the first phase of 3000 m² (30,000 ft²) slated to be operational by the end of 2012.
EU approves test to prevent grid problems from vehicle charging
The United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UN ECE) recently approved a measure designed to ensure proper electromagnetic compatibility between the electricity grid and vehicles (battery-electric and plug-in hybrid-electric types) that are being recharged via a plug, according to InterRegs, an online resource for global vehicle safety and emissions regulations. Compliance with these new requirements (in the form of the 04 series of amendments to Regulation No. 10) becomes mandatory from Oct. 28, 2014, for new types of vehicle and from Oct. 28, 2016, for all new vehicles.
BMW introduces an open-top i8 concept
BMW is now showing an exciting sister vehicle to its upcoming i8 coupe, the i8 Concept Spyder, an open-top version of the two-seater. Both cars employ a plug-in-hybrid powertrain system, in keeping with the i brand's focus on vehicles purpose-designed for electrified powertrains; the third model in the i lineup will be the all-electric i3. The i8 Concept Spyder employs a 96-kW electric motor on the front axle and a turbocharged 164-kW (220-hp) three-cylinder gasoline engine driving the rear wheels—both developed in-house. Combined output is 260 kW (349 hp) and peak torque is 550 N·m (406 lb·ft). Acceleration from 0-100 km/h (62 mph) is in 5 s.
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A roadster, the i8 Concept Spyder (shown) has a slightly shorter wheelbase and overall length than its i8 coupe sister.
Azure Dynamics seeks future beyond bankruptcy (video)
Azure Dynamics, a developer and integrator of hybrid-electric and electric components and powertrain systems for commercial vehicles, has filed for bankruptcy. It plans to stay in business and reorganize. "We're really optimistic that we'll come out of this," said company spokesman Mike Elwood. All work at its global branches, including Oak Park, MI, has been "migrated" back to the company's home base in Burnaby, British Columbia, he said. Azure supplies the electric drive system for several commercial vehicles, including the Ford Transit Connect Electric. Elwood told AEI on March 29 that the company is in talks with its customers and hopes to have things "sorted out in a few days" in terms of whether it can restart production for the Transit Connect Electric and other products. (Video shows how Azure's electric drivetrain and related components are fitted to the vehicle)
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The Ford Transit Connect Electric is equipped with Azure Dynamics' patented Force Drive battery-electric drivertrain technology.
GM-SAIC JV breathes life into climate wind tunnel in Shanghai
A climate wind tunnel that opened March 27 in Shanghai is notable for several reasons, according to the joint venture behind it, PATAC. According to PATAC (Pan Asia Technical Automotive Center) JV partners General Motors and SAIC (Shanghai Automotive Industry Corp.), it is the first climate wind tunnel in China that can provide rain and snow simulations. Among others that are operating in China, PATAC's is the only one that has a wind-speed deviation of less than 1% and a maximum wind speed of 250 km/h (155 mph). In addition, it has the widest temperature simulation range of -40 to +60°C (-40 to +140°F) and the largest humidity simulation range (5 to 95%). The JV claims that it can replace about 80% of climate road tests.
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PATAC engineers conduct wet weather testing on a Buick LaCrosse at the climate wind tunnel in Shanghai.
First EV rolls off line at CODA
The first fully assembled CODA EV to be sold to a consumer rolled off the final assembly line at CODA Automotive's plant in Benicia, CA, March 12. The MY2012 five-passenger CODA midsize sedan is equipped with a 31-kW·h lithium-iron-phosphate battery pack that comes with a 10-year, 100,000-mi warranty. The EV has a range of 88 mi (142 km) per charge, but depending on driving habits can reach 125 mi (201 km), according to the company. A 6.6-kW onboard charger provides a full charge in about 6 h at 240 V. The MSRP is $37,250, but with state and federal tax breaks the net price can be as low as $27,250.
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The MY2012 five-passenger CODA midsize sedan is equipped with a 31-kW·h lithium-iron-phosphate battery pack that comes with a 10-year, 100,000-mi warranty.
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