tagged w/ SUVs
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Well, it's not often that we hear about products being ahead of schedule. Telsa CEO Elon Musk presented some forward-looking statements during his company's quarterly earnings call this week, revealing a mid-December time frame for the unveiling of its Model X prototype, which could hit streets as soon as 2014.
There hasn't been any hint as to pricing for the all-electric SUV, but we wouldn't be surprised to see Tesla's X priced comparably to BMW's identically named X model hybrid SUV -- think sub-$100,000, not "affordable." With plans to produce only 15,000 per year beginning in 2013, a high price tag won't be the only thing keeping Tesla from fulfilling the dream of having an electric car in every driveway.
Range has been another obstacle for electric car makers, but with new charging stations popping up on a regular basis, we may be able to make the 165-mile drive from New York City to Albany with slightly less anxiety by the time mid-decade rolls around.
http://www.engadget.com/2011/08/05/tesla-model-x-suv-to-launch-in-december-will-be-gliding-quietly/Well, it's not often that we hear about products being ahead of schedule. Telsa... more
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SUVs -- high-riding and gas-guzzling -- are safer to drive, according to the latest Insurance Institute for Highway Safety report. People in 2009 cars are twice as likely to die in a rollover accident as people in 2009 SUVs. The reason for the declining SUV death rate is that electronic stability control -- a "computer-based system that helps drivers maintain control during abrupt maneuvers and on slippery roads," says CNN -- is now widely available on SUVs; the new technology has reduced the "tendency of SUVs to skid and flip over."
The report also notes that "sheer size is still a big factor in auto safety." According to the report, small cars have the highest death rates, while mid-sized or larger ones have lower scores. Also, the not-so-popular minivans rates as safer than an SUV.
The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety is a private group financed by auto insurers.
NBC Los Angeles also says specifies which models are safest, according to the report. The Ford Edge, Nissan Armada, Land Rover Range Rover Sport, Land Rover LR3 and Honda CR-V have the lowest such rates; among luxury car models, the Audi A6 and Mercedes E-Class are noted.
Full Story: http://www.nbclosangeles.com/the-scene/cars/SUV-Rollover-vehicle-safety-report-123575354.htmlSUVs -- high-riding and gas-guzzling -- are safer to drive, according to the latest... more
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Structural safety and crash protection Explorer features a unibody configuration body structure with nearly half of the stiff shell comprised of high-strength steels, such as boron.Structural safety and crash protection Explorer features a unibody configuration body... more
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Unveiled and caught on tape at the NY Auto Show. AMP's Plug-in Electric Chevy Equinox does 0-60 MPH in under eight seconds, with a driving range of 150 miles, with plenty of room and all the creature comforts. Is this the greenest SUV on the planet?
http://www.mpgomatic.com/2010/04/02/plug-in-electric-chevy-equinox/Unveiled and caught on tape at the NY Auto Show. AMP's Plug-in Electric Chevy... more
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Electric vehicles got a powerful boost today as the EPA and U.S. Department of Transportation announced their new rules for fuel efficiency and vehicle emissions standards, but it won’t last forever.
The key phrase is “zero emissions.”
Counting only tailpipe emissions, EVs clock in at zero emissions. That’s great news for automakers, who under the new rules will have to meet a fleetwide average greenhouse gas standard of 250 grams per mile by 2016 (roughly equivalent to 35.5 miles per gallon).
But that’s not the whole story, as EPA Administrator Lisa Jackson explained:
Electric vehicles are frequently advertised as zero emissions, but “we all know that that’s not entirely true, because when you plug in, there’s some emissions from the source." Currently in the U.S., that source is often burning coal, and that means greenhouse gas emissions.
The EPA suggested in the new rule that it intends to eventually take power source emissions into account when calculating electric vehicles’ greenhouse gas emissions.
It isn't a number that can be easily ignored. According to the EPA’s calculations, for a midsize car, electricity’s upstream emissions are about three times higher than gasoline’s upstream emissions. ...
http://solveclimate.com/blog/20100401/electric-vehicles-losing-their-zero-emissions-claim-u-sElectric vehicles got a powerful boost today as the EPA and U.S. Department of... more
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We had once a story about a Russian guy who has turned the military vehicle into a passenger car. This one is another of that kind, but way bigger, though lacks in the interior beauty. Still they have there now:
1. The mechanical gear stick was replaced with electronic joystick which is connected to electro driven gear box. Now they can switch the gears as easy as on a video game, before one had to have a huge muscle power to switch the gear on that Russian tough thing
2. Disassembled old army seats and put new ones, from the Chrysler minivan.
3. Improved the noise insulation.
4. Changed all the windows to the new ones, more thick, more nice.
5. Installed a rear-view camera and the monitor.
6. Put in a multimedia station, with hi-fi audio, video and wireless headphones for passengers.
Now they can take a ride more safely on Russian roads, and would find their way at any condition, that’s for sure, even on Russian federal highway “Lena”.We had once a story about a Russian guy who has turned the military vehicle into a... more
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MISSION VIEJO – More than 800 pounds of marijuana was found by U.S. border patrol agents inside an SUV.
The load of marijuana was enough weight to affect the way the vehicle was handling and drew the attention of agents, a Border Patrol spokesman said.
When agents stopped the vehicle along the 5 freeway Wednesday, they saw several bundles of marijuana inside the vehicle plain sight. In all, authorities seized 30 bundles of marijuana with an estimated street value of $503,712, authorities said.
The driver, a 25-year-old male Mexican national, was taken into custody, said spokesman Jerry Conlin. The man's name was not released.
Agents first spotted the 2002 Toyota Sequoia driving north on the 5 freeway at about 2 p.m., and followed the vehicle for about 20 minutes, Conlin said.
The SUV, carrying 839 pounds of marijuana inside, was handling oddly, catching the attention of agents.
"We have to develop a reasonable suspicion to stop the vehicle," he said.
The suspected smuggler has been turned over to the Drug Enforcement Administration.MISSION VIEJO – More than 800 pounds of marijuana was found by U.S. border... more
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Firefighters in The Colony, Texas, are seen here cleaning up fuel that drained into the alley when the fuel tank on an SUV ruptured. They are aided in their cleanup by a biodegradable antimicrobial agent that neutralizes the fuel by breaking up the hydrocarbon's molecular chain, before it can enter the city's drainage system. This prevents the toxic fuel from seeping into the groundwater.
Footage taken on August 9, 2008, Olympus FE230.Firefighters in The Colony, Texas, are seen here cleaning up fuel that drained into... more
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"...automobiles made overseas are stacking up at ports and parking lots around the United States as supplies far outstrip demand amid the nation's worst auto market in more than 25 years.""...automobiles made overseas are stacking up at ports and parking lots around... more
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With sport-utility vehicles at the altar and auto workers in the pews, one of Detroit's largest churches on Sunday offered up prayers for Congress to bail out the struggling auto industry.
"We have never seen as midnight an hour as we face this week," the Rev. Charles Ellis told several thousand congregants at a rousing service at Detroit's Greater Grace Temple. "This week, lives are hanging above an abyss of uncertainty as both houses of Congress decide whether to extend a helping hand."
Local car dealerships donated three hybrid SUVs to be displayed during the service, one from each of the Big Three. A Ford Escape, Chevy Tahoe from GM and a Chrysler Aspen were parked just in front of the choir and behind the pulpit.
Ellis said he and other Detroit ministers would pray and fast until Congress voted on a bailout for Detroit's embattled automakers. He urged his congregation to do the same.
Other Detroit-area religious leaders -- including Christian, Muslim and Jewish leaders convened by Cardinal Adam Maida -- have urged Congress to approve an auto aid package.
Amen, now start your engines...With sport-utility vehicles at the altar and auto workers in the pews, one of... more
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You would think they would make security vehicles less flashy so they wouldn't be noticed ... They should make an armored Corolla instead, it would draw less attention.You would think they would make security vehicles less flashy so they wouldn't be... more
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A well made, informational and funny web site for the 'DUMMER'. Drive a HUMMER? This site is for you.
It's worth a quick look. Some people have uploaded pics of their huge car which now says, DUMMER, rather than HUMMER.
Definitely have not seen many of these driving around lately. A well made, informational and funny web site for the 'DUMMER'. Drive a... more
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Moopak
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added this
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4 years ago
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With gas swelling above 4 dollars a gallon, many auto shoppers are opting for smaller cars, and it's not styling or horsepower making the sale.With gas swelling above 4 dollars a gallon, many auto shoppers are opting for smaller... more
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Further proof - if you needed it - that 4x4s (SUVs) are the most dangerous form of transport on the roads today - a man managed to kill a pedestrian by reversing over her.
Businessman Michael Crofts escaped jail as he was able to prove that he was unable to see his 61-yr old victim Janet Austin when reversing.
Astonishingly, the police have issued a warning to all other 4x4 drivers warning them of the dangers of reversing.
Wouldn't an enforced drastic redesign of all these ridiculous vehicles be a much more sensible way of saving people's lives?Further proof - if you needed it - that 4x4s (SUVs) are the most dangerous form of... more
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Chrysler has announced plans to cut its production of minivans in the US as rising fuel costs have pushed consumers to switch to smaller vehicles.
One plant in St Louis will close and another will go from two shifts to one, affecting 2,400 jobs.
Rivals Ford and General Motors have also announced plans to make fewer larger vehicles.
Sales of Chrysler vehicles in the US were down 25% in May. Earlier this month, Ford said it expected to make a loss this year and revealed plans to cut the production of trucks and large SUVs in favor of more fuel efficient models.
Higher running costs have caused sales of minivans, trucks and sports utility vehicles to fall significantly.Chrysler has announced plans to cut its production of minivans in the US as rising... more
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Car giant Ford has said it will cut its production of large trucks and large sports utility vehicles (SUVs) in favor of more fuel efficient models.
It will also delay the introduction of its new pick-up truck by two months.
The US economic slowdown has reduced sales and soaring fuel prices have put consumers off buying bigger vehicles.
Ford said it will make a loss this year and predicted that the worsening US economic situation would make it difficult for it to break even in 2009. Car giant Ford has said it will cut its production of large trucks and large sports... more
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It looks like the time has come for the SUV to be towed off to that great junkyard in the sky. At Car Dealerships Everywhere, Americans Look for More Fuel-Efficient VehiclesRising gas prices -- and a greater understanding that fuel will probably never be cheap again -- appears to be killing off the gas-guzzling SUV.
Sales of the vehicles are plummeting, and those drivers who already have them are finding it increasingly difficult to sell or trade-in their old SUVs.
Jack Nerad, executive market analyst for Kelley Blue Book and kbb.com, has been asked for years about the future of the SUV. All cars start to lose value the second you drive them off the lot. But recently, the prices of used SUVs have dropped faster than all other types of vehicles, according to several industry watchers.It looks like the time has come for the SUV to be towed off to that great junkyard in... more
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yai
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added this
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4 years ago
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General Motors is expected to announce that it will stop production at four truck plants in North America.
GM Chief Executive Rick Wagoner is set to meet with reporters for an update on the automaker's restructuring plans before the company's annual meeting.
The plants slated for closure are in Janesville, Wisconsin; Moraine, Ohio; Silao, Mexico; and Oshawa, Ontario, according to the Canadian Auto Workers union official, who asked not to be named.
The expected plant closures come as GM tries to shore up a restructuring plan that has been overrun by a steep decline in U.S. sales of pickup trucks and SUVs in the face of record gas prices and tighter credit
It was unclear whether the planned shutdowns would be permanent or whether GM would use some portion of the plants for production of more fuel-efficient cars or crossover vehicles in response to the shifting U.S. market.
General Motors is expected to announce that it will stop production at four truck... more
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At a time when gas prices are at an all-time high, Americans have curtailed their driving at a historic rate.
The Department of Transportation said figures from March show the steepest decrease in driving ever recorded.
Compared with March a year earlier, Americans drove an estimated 4.3 percent less -- that's 11 billion fewer miles, the DOT's Federal Highway Administration said Monday, calling it "the sharpest yearly drop for any month in FHWA history." Records have been kept since 1942.
According to AAA, for the first time since 2002, Americans said they were planning to drive less over the Memorial Day weekend than they did the year before. At a time when gas prices are at an all-time high, Americans have curtailed their... more
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Jorge Fernandez strolls across the used-car parking lot littered with dozens upon dozens of sport utility vehicles the size of small tugboats.
SUVs like these are having a tough time selling with gas prices at all-time highs.
With gas at $4 a gallon, many have sat there since last summer.
"The cars are literally just sitting, and it doesn't matter how much you sell them for," Fernandez says of the SUVs and trucks nobody wants anymore.
"It's amazing. I've never seen it this bad -- ever."
Fernandez, a wholesale auto dealer who has been in the business for more than 20 years, says SUV owners are hit especially hard. The really large ones with V-8 engines that can get as little as 12 miles per gallon in the city -- like the Cadillac Escalade, Ford Expedition and Chevy Suburban -- are dropping in value by the thousands. Video Watch the sinking value of guzzlers »
The No. 1 reason for the sales slump is soaring gas prices, says Peter Brown, the executive director of Automotive News, the trade newspaper for the North American car industry.
For the first four months of this year, truck and SUV sales are down a collective 24.8 percent. SUV sales plummeted 32.8 percent while pickups dipped 19.9 percent, he says.
"If gas prices stay where they are at or continue to rise, the body-on frame SUV is an endangered species and the pickup truck as a personal car is an endangered species," Brown says.
How do owners react when they're told their once-$40,000-plus vehicles are now worth less than half that?
"When they find out what you think their truck is worth, they think you're trying to rip them off or something," says Fernandez. "Small cars are gone within a week; SUVs are sitting here since last summer."
David Lavi, the owner of a Toyota Tacoma pickup, is feeling that pinch. He put his truck on the market several weeks ago in hopes of downsizing. He bought it brand new in 2006 when gas prices were much lower.
"Once I do sell it, I'm going to get a smaller car -- maybe a Nissan Maxima or something smaller," he says.
He's hoping to get $23,000 for the fully loaded truck, which is higher than the estimated Kelley Blue Book value of $15,000 to $19,000 depending on how many amenities it has.
"No one has offered what I want," he says.
Automakers have noticed this trend to downsize.
Ford announced Thursday it was shifting production away from its longtime hallmark of pickups and SUVs in favor of smaller cars.
In making the decision, Ford said it believes gas prices will remain in the range of $3.75 to $4.25 a gallon through the end of 2009.
"We saw a real change in the industry demand in pickups and SUVs in the first two weeks of May," Ford chief executive Alan Mulally said Thursday. "It seems to us we reached a tipping point."
Brown of Automotive News said he wouldn't be surprised if General Motors and other automakers follow suit.
According to AAA, gas prices reached another all-time high Friday, with the national average price for a gallon of regular unleaded gasoline at $3.87. Seven states are now over $4 a gallon, AAA says. How much do you need to work to pay for your gas? »
Stories of owners ditching larger vehicles for smaller ones have started to become widespread. Owners say they're tired of spending as much as 80 to 100 bucks to fill up their tanks.
Some CNN.com users recently shared their stories of buying used Geo Metros -- the oft-maligned, snail-sized car from the 1990s that gets gas mileage similar to a hybrid of today for a fraction of the sticker price.
"I used to be a car snob, and I used to be too vain to drive anything that doesn't shine," said Marci Solomon, an electrician who has a 100-mile commute to and from work. "But now it's about, do I want to eat, or do I want to make it to work? I want to do both."
Jorge Fernandez strolls across the used-car parking lot littered with dozens upon... more
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