Daily Archives: April 22, 2017
Testing of Hydrogen Fuel Cell Toyota Cars in China Will Start in October
Toyota Motor Corp said during the 2017 Shanghai Auto Show that it will begin testing its hydrogen fuel cell cars in China by October. The move is for the company evaluate the feasibility of bringing the Mirai in the giant Asian country’s market.
According to Reuters, Hirohi Onishi, Toyota’s head of business in China, revealed that the automaker is planning to construct a hydrogen fuel station in Changshu City in the eastern part of Jiangsu province during the testing phase. He stated that promotional activities will be made in line with the arrival of their product in the country to gauge how receptive are the Chinese consumers to the vehicle.
The Japanese brand finds putting the hydrogen fuel cell-powered Toyota cars in China challenging though. Automotive News reported that there are only five hydrogen stations in the country. The facilities are centered around the cities of Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou. The Toyota station would be the first in Changshu.
Presently, the Toyota Mirai is sold in Japan, United States of America and Europe. From the said regions, the company has sold 3,000 units of the car. Australia, United Arab Emirates and Canada will also be the location of the other testing areas for the hydrogen fuel cell Toyota cars.
Lately, the Chinese government has implemented strict measures to curb the alarming pollution in the country. As a result, more automakers are investing into bringing their electric cars in that location. Recognizing the strong demand for EVs, even luxury car makers like Mercedes-Benz and Audi are taking their game into the electric car segment of the Chinese market.
With such a stiff competition looming in the electric car business, it remains to be seen how the Mirai will be received by China’s consumers. Everything will be made clear once it arrives in the Chinese roads for testing.
4 Stuff You Should Know About the BMW 5-Series Li
The BMW 5-Series is in it is seventh generation for the 2017 model year. At this year’s Shanghai Auto Show, a new model of the car was just unveiled called the BMW 5-Series Li.
Here are 4 stuff you should know about the BMW 5 Series Li, which was manufactured under the Brilliance-BMW alliance:
1. Exterior
In a nutshell, the BMW 5-Series Li is the long wheelbase model of the 5-Series. It follows all the design cues of the car where it is based.
The 5-Series Li’s wheelbase is five inches longer than its standard version though. The extra space gives its rear passengers more legroom.
The target market of the series are the wealthy people who prefer to be chauffeured to their destinations. Thus, the extra room in its rear seats.
2. Interior
The long wheelbase car follows the interior elements of the 5-Series. It is adorned with Nappa leather and dark wood trims on the side panels.
However, its rear seats feature added soundproofing, electronically adjustable seats, two 10.5-inch touchscreens and Sky Lounge Panorama glass roof. In between the rear passenger seats of the luxury vehicle is another touchscreen display integrated with the center armrest.
3. Engine
The powertrains of the BMW 5-Series Li follows that of its standard version. Buyers of the long wheelbase models can choose among the two gasoline-fed 2.0-liter turbo inline-four engines and 3.0-liter turbo inline-6 engine versions of the luxury vehicle. The respective outputs of the units are 224 hp, 252 hp and 340 hp.
Sources in China claimed that there is also a BMW 5-Series Li M Sports. But do not get your hopes up too much on that one because it only offers a new set of bumpers and wheels.
4. Exclusivity
Unfortunately for most fans of BMW, the 5-Series Li will only be available in the Chinese market. As of writing this article, there is no official confirmation yet about the market release of the long wheelbase car.
Top 3 Features of the Audi E-Tron Unveiled at 2017 Shanghai Auto Show
Not to be outdone by its major German rivals like Mercedes-Benz and BMW, Audi just unveiled its own electric-powered concept car at the 2017 Shanghai Auto Show. The vehicle is called the e-tron Sportback concept.
The new concept car gives everyone a preview of what to expect from the future crossover coupe models of Audi. It embodies their next evolution in styling, technology and power.
Here are the top 3 features of the Audi e-tron Sportback concept based on its maker’s official website:
1. Exterior
The e-tron offers sporty lines and muscular body in its exterior. Then it is fitted with 23-inch six-spoke 3-D wheels. The measurements of the auto is similar to the Audi A7.
The concept car is further highlighted by futuristic-looking headlamps and taillamps. Even the logo of the auto in its nose is illuminated by LED lights. The lighting system of the vehicle is capable of projecting images in the road to communicate with drivers and pedestrians. Examples of those are a braking indicator or zebra crossing projection. It uses digital animation to do those.
2. Interior
The interior of the concept vehicle is highlighted by Audi’s signature luxurious leather treatment. It is also adorned by high-resolution touchscreens providing information on navigation and other functions of the auto.
3. Power Unit
The e-tron is powered by a 95 kWh Lithium-ion battery pack and three electric motors. The output of the car totals 320 kW, or even up to 370, according to Audi. That allows the vehicle to sprint from zero to 100 km/h in just 4.5 seconds.
The battery of the concept car is capable of covering a distance of 500 km at full charge. Its maker claimed that it can get an 80% charge in just 30 minutes using a fast DC charger.
Photos
Check out the official photos of the Audi e-tron Sportback concept in the gallery below:
Video
Here is a video of the Audi e-tron Sportback concept during its introduction: