LOS ANGELES AUTO SHOW 2014
AUTO SHOWS are good fun, whether they’re overflowing with live-action glitz or merely new-car curious tire-kickers. Here are some tidbits from our local show of international status, the Los Angeles … Continue reading
THREE BUCKS A GALLON??
ACCORDING TO the American Automobile Association, the average price of gasoline around the U.S. has dropped to $2.995/gal. Shouldn’t the wackos be calling for a Congressional investigation or something? Who’s … Continue reading
WELL-TO-WHEEL STUDIES
THE CALIFORNIA Fuel Cell Partnership has issued informative updates of fuel cell vehicles and how they might benefit transportation. Given that a Hyundai Tucson Fuel Cell SUV has already gone … Continue reading
TOOT A LOO, AMBY
HINDUSTAN MOTORS Ltd has shut down production of the Ambassador, as reported in a series of BBC News reports, August 27, 2014. It’s an event celebrated in India with mixed … Continue reading
ENERGY STORAGE IN WEC LMP1-H
HYBRIDS ARE the in thing in this year’s World Endurance Championship LMP1-H; in other words, Le Mans Prototype 1 Hybrid. And a basic requirement of hybrid propulsion—energy storage—is part of … Continue reading
MAKE BIG AUTO BUCKS WITHOUT SELLING CARS
GOVERNMENT SCHEMES can give rise to curious marketing anomalies. For instance, it’s possible within the auto industry to make big bucks without selling cars. This reminds me of an adage … Continue reading
ARE HYBRIDS PASSÉ?
HYBRIDS OFFER fuel economy better than 40 mpg, but apparently only a few buyers care. “Have hybrid cars hit their peak?” asks Automotive News correspondent Mark Rechtin in the June … Continue reading
KEI CARS VERSUS JAPAN’S ECONOMIC MANEUVERING
IN AN odd bit of regulational maneuvering, the Japanese government—possibly abetted by its larger automakers—is discouraging sales of its most economical automobiles, the kei class. The kei car, 軽自動車, literally … Continue reading
CARBON FIBER TIDBITS
CARBON FIBER’S time has come. This is not only in aerospace and high-end sports like Formula 1, but in automotive uses where material costs are typically figured in pennies rather … Continue reading
THE SANDS OF TIME—AND OF CARGO
EUROPE AND the U.S. have different standards for measuring cargo capacity of cars and trucks. Ram (what old-timers think of as Dodge Truck) recently corrected overly optimistic claims in the … Continue reading
Simanaitis Says 