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The Saab Automobile is taking its first step towards developing an all-electric vehicle with the Saab 9-3 ePower. Making its public debut at the 2010 Paris Motor Show, the Saab 9-3 ePower is the prototype for a test fleet of 70 vehicles which will participate in extensive field trials in Sweden in early 2010.

The performance of the cars will be evaluated under a variety of real world driving conditions as part of the development process for a purpose-built, electric Saab vehicle. Targets to be verified include a projected driving range of approximately 200 kilometers through the use of high density energy storage in lithium-ion battery cells.

The Saab ePower is the first electric vehicle from Saab and is a result of a co-operation between Saab Automobile, Boston Power (batteries), Electroengine in Sweden AB (electric power trains), Innovatum (project management) and Power Circle (Swedens electric power industry trade organization).

Mid-sized sports combi with zero emissions
The Saab 9-3 ePower is the first all-electric car to offer its occupants the comfort and size of a wagon bodystyle. Saab engineers have integrated an electrical architecture within the shape and dimensions of a conventional Saab 9-3 SportCombi.

Under the hood is a 135 kW/184 hp electric motor driving the front wheels through a single-speed transmission. Instant torque enables zero to 100 km/h acceleration is just 8.5 seconds, together with a top speed of 150 km/h.
The compact yet powerful 35.5 kWh lithium-ion battery pack is accommodated in a modified floor-pan, mainly in space within the cars wheelbase previously occupied by the exhaust system and fuel tank. This enables an optimum weight distribution and excellent driving dynamics similar to those of a standard SportCombi.

Inside the cabin, a conventional, automatic-style gearshift lever provides selection of drive, neutral, park and reverse. The rev-counter, fuel and turbo boost displays in the main instrument cluster are replaced by read-outs for battery status, power consumption and driving range, all illuminated in green. To optimize space, an electric park brake is fitted.

Electro-hydraulic power steering is used and the cabin is equipped with full air conditioning, via a compressor powered by the battery pack. A separate 12-volt battery, for the lights and cabin ancillaries, is also charged from the battery pack via a current transformer
The operation of the vehicles powertrain is controlled by a version of Saabs own in-house Trionic 8 engine management system, with new software written for an electric vehicle application.

Long driving range with excellent durability
The Saab 9-3 ePowers projected driving range of approximately 200 kilometers pushes out the boundaries for current EV performance. Key to its long range are battery cells which have an energy storage density substantially greater than the best currently used in EV applications. High energy density also contributes to a lower battery weight.

The battery pack has a capacity of 35.5 kW/h and is designed to operate with full power in ambient temperatures as low as -30ºC, at least 10ºC below the operating level of other battery packs on the market today. Another key benefit is the use of air, instead of liquid, cooling which contributes to lower cost and further weight-saving in the packs design.

The pack is intended to support re-charge cycles equivalent to about ten years average use. It can be fully recharged from a domestic mains supply in about three to six hours, depending on depletion status. Charging times can be greatly reduced if the voltage of the electrical feed is raised, as there is no limitation on the batterys input capacity.

Test driving experience is expected to validate the performance of this advanced battery pack, which is designed to operate reliably within a full depletion buffer set at only 12 percent of total capacity, a much lower operating margin than used in the management of other packs.
Its lithium-ion battery cells are also the first to receive a Nordic Ecolabel accreditation for their environmental safety and sustainability, which includes manufacturing processes.

The Saab 9-3 ePower meets the high crash worthiness standards that Saab applies to all its vehicles. The cars power pack is located outside the occupant compartment in non-deformable structural zones, well protected and encapsulated. The battery management and monitoring system supports safe performance during normal driving and in crash conditions.

Extensive user trials
Hundreds of drivers and their families be enlisted by Saab and its development partners during a extensive test driving and evaluation program involving a 70-strong fleet of Saab 9-3 ePowers in central, west and eastern Sweden during 2011-12.

The Saab ePower project team in Trollhättan monitor the performance of the cars across a wide variety of usage patterns and driving conditions. To log essential component data, all vehicles will be equipped with aircraft-style, black box recorders.

Audi 2010 A4

Audi has presented a new A4 for the 2010 model year that is a significant improvement over its predecessor. The premium sedan features a two liter turbo-charged engine that produces two hundred and eleven horsepower.

The four cylinder turbo is responsive; the quick acceleration is delivered in a controlled manner through a six-speed manual transmission. The engine features four valves per cylinder, with a direct injection fuel system and dual overhead cam shafts. The sedan is also available with the "quattro" all wheel drive system that Audi has been perfecting since the 1980s. In addition to the aforementioned two hundred and eleven horsepower that the engine delivers at six thousand revolutions per minute, the engine also delivers two hundred fifty-eight pounds of torque at four thousand two hundred revolutions per minute.

The Environmental Protection Agency has rated the engine as returning twenty-two miles per gallon in city driving, and thirty miles per gallon on the highway. In comparison, the BMW 3 series base engine (three liter, six cylinder) returns only nineteen miles per gallon in city driving and only twenty-eight miles per gallon in highway driving. It should also be noted that the Audi A4 returns these mileage figures with the all wheel drive system; clearly Audi has succeeded in producing a sedan with excellent performance and great fuel economy. And speaking of performance, the Audi is definitely no slouch in that arena. The two liter turbo-charged engine propels the A4 from zero to sixy miles per hour in seven and three-tenths seconds, and covers a quarter mile in fifteen and one-half seconds. Whether it is in performance, fuel economy, or technical features, Audi has given the A4 the ability to compete with any car in its class.

 Gordon Murray T 25 Concept, 2010

Specifications:

Lenght : 2.4 m
Width : 1.3 m
Height : 1.6 m
Weight : 575 kg
Tuning Circle : 6 m
Fuel Capacity : 30 litres
Engine : = 3 cylinder-low friction - all aluminium
              = 4 valve variable valve timing - 660 cc capacity

Power : 51 Hp @ 7000 rpm
Torque : 57 Nm @ 4000 rpm
Transmission : Semi-auto sequential 5 speed
Chassis : Tubular steel with cared composite structural floor
Body : Upcycled plastic panels
Active safety : ABS - ESP - Traction Control
Passive safety : Air bag - front  and rear crash zones, accupant safety cell - anti sideintrusian system
Suspension :
          front : Strurt and wishbone and anti-roll bar, Independent
          rear  : Sturt and V Arm-link, Independent
Anti-pitch : Control systems on both axles
Steering : Unassisted rack and pinion
Luggage : 160 litres-720 litres

Performance
Top speed 156 kph - restricted to 145 kph
0-62 mph : 16.2 secs
Economy : 74 mpg combined - 3.83 ltr/100 km
CO2 : 86 gms/km