Continental Develops Fuel-Saving Electrical System

Continental Develops Fuel-Saving Electrical System
McLaren P1 GTR to Bow in Geneva
2016 Honda HR-V Gets 35 MPG Highway
Testing an Almost Self-Driving BMW i3
Jeep Cherokee Fire Prompts NHTSA Investigation
Mercedes-Maybach S600 Priced at $190,275

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Modern vehicles feature electrical systems that operate on 12 volts. This has pretty much been the industry standard since about the mid-1950s. But engineers at Continental are working to really step things up.

The German firm has developed a 48-volt electrical system that promises a laundry list of benefits, all without breaking the bank. They're the first big automotive supplier to make investments in this technology.

The system is designed to bridge the gap between traditional 12-volt architectures with start-stop capability and full-blown hybrids. The former provides a modest boost in efficiency at minimal cost while the latter delivers greatly improved economy with a correspondingly larger price tag.

Continental's 48-Volt Eco Drive system is should offer automakers the best of both worlds. It's designed to be easily integrated into existing vehicles and provide many of the same benefits of hybrids, all while being dramatically more affordable.

Jose Avila, member of the executive board for Continental's powertrain division said, "We are going to [continue] work on the internal combustion engine. There is a lot of life left in it," but he acknowledged that vehicle electrification is the future.

"Global warming, it is a real issue. We have to act," said Avila. Every driver may not care about climate change but most are concerned about cost. "They still have a conscience about efficiency … the customer still goes after efficiency," he said, especially when it saves them money. And 48-volt electrical systems can make a real difference in fuel savings.

In addition to start-stop capability they can provide "e-boosting" for greater acceleration, regenerative braking capability and even allow the combustion engine to be turned off during light-load driving, a situation referred to as sailing. But this is just the tip of the proverbial iceberg.

Higher-voltage systems have other benefits as well. They can enable things like electric water pumps, e-turbos and electrically assisted catalysts, items that can further improve vehicle efficiency and performance while simultaneously reducing harmful emissions.

Of course to achieve hybrid-like features and fuel economy you need more than just higher voltage. Conti's system contains a few other elements including an electric motor with an integrated inverter, a lithium-ion battery pack and a voltage converter, to name a few.

Thanks to lithium-ion's greater energy-storage capacity vehicles equipped with 48-volt electrics can spend almost a third of the time switched off, something that dramatically improves efficiency. This is especially true if various accessories are running.

A vehicle with a 12-volt system and start-stop may not be able to keep the headlights, stereo and air conditioning simultaneously running for very long when stuck in traffic; the combustion engine would have to be restarted to keep the electrical system charged.

In real-world testing the firm's 48-volt system resulted in a 21-percent fuel savings. On the New European Driving Cycle (NEDC) fuel consumption drops by a claimed 13 percent compared to a conventional vehicle fitted with start-stop technology.

As for availability, this 48-volt system is scheduled to enter production with some European manufacturers in 2016. Accordingly, Dr. Bernd Mahr, head of Continental's hybrid electric vehicle business unit said, "We will continue to increase efficiency and reduce the cost of the technology." And over the next five years he stated, "I believe we will have a steep ramp up, a tremendous ramp up."

It's estimated that by the year 2025 approximately 20 percent of new vehicles will feature electrified drivetrains. Continental estimates that about half of those will be 48-volt systems.

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McLaren P1 GTR to Bow in Geneva

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McLaren's new track-only model will make its official debut at the upcoming Geneva Motor Show.

Although we have seen the car before, the company says that Geneva will host the debut for the "production-intent" version.

Thanks to weight savings and some tweaks to the hybrid powertrain, the P1 GTR is said to have improved its power-to-weight ratio by 10 percent compared to the road-going model. Normally the P1 makes 890 hp, but the company re-tuned it in this case to makes 986 hp (or 1000 PS), using the same plug-in hybrid powertrain and 3.8-liter turbocharged V8 as the road car.

Buying a P1 GTR will set you back about $3.3 million in North America. For that insane price, you get access to a tailored driver training program, access to a McLaren racing simulator and a number of dates with your car at some of the world's most iconic race tracks. McLaren takes care of transporting the P1 GTR and storing it, you just show up and drive.

The company says that testing over the next few months will continue to make sure that performance, aerodynamics, driving dynamics and handling are tuned just right.

Along with the announcement of its debut in Geneva, McLaren has released a new set of photos and video showing off the stunning P1 GTR.

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2016 Honda HR-V Gets 35 MPG Highway

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Fuel economy ratings have been released for Honda's new compact crossover.

The 2016 HR-V is officially rated at 28 mpg in the city and 35 mpg on the highway when equipped with a CVT and front-wheel drive. Adding all-wheel drive to the mix drops the numbers to 27 city and 32 highway, while the six-speed manual transmission sits at 25 around town and 34 on the highway.

SEE ALSO: Honda HR-V Details – Video

Power in the HR-V comes from a 1.8-liter four-cylinder engine that makes 138 hp and 127 lb-ft of torque.

Those numbers put the HR-V ahead of it main competition, the Nissan Juke and Chevy Trax. With automatic transmissions, the Juke is rated at 28mpg city and 32 highway while the Trax comes in even lower at 26 city and 34 highway.

Discuss this story at our Honda HR-V forum

Testing an Almost Self-Driving BMW i3

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In the not-so-distant future, your car will be able to park itself and avoid costly or embarrassing fender benders. At the 2015 Consumer Electronics Show, BMW brought two prototype vehicles that were equipped to perform those tasks.

Scoping out the Environment

This semi-autonomous i3 is dressed up with LIDAR sensors, much like what you'd find on fully autonomous cars. It also had the usual standard sensors you'd find on production cars today like cameras and radar. On other cars, LIDAR sensors are easily spotted; they look like cylinders sitting on top of the car. The i3 doesn't have those popping out of its roof. Instead, it has four sensors that are integrated into the body. They're about the size of your smart-phone, but BMW wants to make them even smaller before they reach the mass market. These sensors provide the car with an overview of its surroundings. They scope out the area around the car and determine how big certain obstacles are.

2015 Consumer Electronics Show Coverage

To demo the technology, the folks at BMW set up two large Styrofoam boxes in a small open parking lot. They look like planters and are about the width and depth of a pillar you'd find in a parking lot complex. As this is a research vehicle, there are a few extra screens and controls in the car. The screens provide a visual representation of what the car was seeing around it and sure enough it could detect those Styrofoam planters and pedestrians around it.

**Starting Slow Then Trying to Crash**

With a BMW representative sitting in the passenger seat, I stepped on the accelerator and cautiously set off toward the planter. At low speeds of around 5 MPH, the car eased to a stop. It was smooth and feels just as natural as if you or I were braking. We did the same thing backwards and drove towards another planter placed behind the vehicle. The BMW automatically started braking far later than I would have done personally, which made me a little nervous. Of course, it has a LIDAR sensor back on its rear bumper, so its view of the slowly approaching obstacle is much clearer than mine.

Then we decided to turn up the heat. With the front planter still in sight, I stepped on the accelerator and took off much faster than before at just under 20 MPH. Maybe it was the electric torque that made it feel like we were blasting towards the wall, but in full disclosure, a true sense of fear came over me as I drove towards the barrier and I squinted and almost covered my eyes and face instead of driving.

But then the car applied the brakes and overrode my full-throttle application. It stopped with about six inches to spare between its front bumper and the barrier. Looking down at the pedals and the accelerator is still pegged to the ground.

SEE ALSO: 2014 BMW i3 Review

Then the BMW rep showed off this car's other parlor trick. Not only does it prevent you from crashing while driving forwards or backwards, but it will also stop you from turning into something. The scenario is if you're in a tight parking garage and cut your turn too early, risking a scrape or dent into the side of your new BMW. Like before, the car applied full braking power and brought the car to a stop, like you have a force-field around the car. The system even compensated for the cars mirrors. Fold them in and the car can inch a bit closer to the barrier.

Another Semi-Autonomous Treat

This BMW technology could help drivers avoid at-fault accidents like rear-end collisions or problems in parking lots. But there was one more special treat that BMW showed off at CES: a self-parking i3 that drive itself to and from parking spaces without anyone inside.

The company demonstrated this technology on unsuspecting show goers who just wanted to get a test drive in a BMW i3. Instead, they were surprised with a car that autonomously drove from its parking spot to a lineup of patiently waiting test-drivers. When it arrived, it changed gears into park and unlocked its doors, allowing entry and marked the beginning of the test drive.

The route the car took to get from its parking spot to the test driver featured a slight bend. Four laser scanners monitor the surrounding environment and compare that information to a digital blueprint of the area. While all this just takes place in a parking lot, BMW said the system could also let the car park itself in a garage after letting its passengers out.

Jeep Cherokee Fire Prompts NHTSA Investigation

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The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) is opening an investigation into 50,000 Jeep Cherokee crossovers for fire risks.

This comes after the safety agency received a report that claims a 2015 Cherokee "was engulfed in flames approximately 20 feet high within seconds of parking the vehicle." The fire occurred in the engine bay and started right after the vehicle was shut off.

NHTSA also says it has field report data submitted as part of the early warning reporting system that somehow relates to the alleged fire risk. This investigation is an example of NHTSA's new strict attitude towards safety as the agency opened the investigation the same day it received the report.

SEE ALSO: Jeep Cherokee Limited Review

The Cherokee in question was purchased on January 2 from Perry Chrysler Jeep in National City, Calif., and it had been driven less than 100 miles when the fire occurred. The driver complained of an oil smell right before the fire occurred.

A Chrysler spokesman says that the company is currently investigating the incident and is fully cooperating with NHTSA.

[Source: Detroit News]

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Mercedes-Maybach S600 Priced at $190,275

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Mercedes-Maybach has announced pricing for its first ultra-luxury vehicle.

The Maybach S600 will carry a base price tag of $190,275 including destination charges. Mercedes is positioning this car to compete with with Rolls-Royce and Bentley.

Over the standard S-Class, the Maybach packs an extra 8-inches of overall length and a ton of exclusive details especially for the backseat passengers who tend to be the owners of these vehicles. Two silver champagne flutes greet the rear passenger while the second row seats can recline and offer calf support. Everything is wrapped in expensive "Designo" leather and small airplane-like tray tables fold out of the center armrest for the passengers to use.

What would an opulent interior be without a powerful engine to match and the Maybach S600 packs a punch. Under the hood is a bi-turbo V12 that makes 523 hp and 612 lb-ft of torque.

Technology features are abundant on this car as well, which comes standard with Mercedes's intelligent drive system, magic body control, night view assist, a warmth and comfort package with a heated windshield, head-up display, LED lighting system, a 3D surround sound system, the executive rear seat package, rear entertainment system and an air purification setup.