Zero To Sixty In Under Four Seconds In An Electric Car

I bet you had to read that headline twice! I know, I couldn't believe it myself. One of the biggest deterrents to buying an electric car for me has always been performance. Now we finally have someone with a vision for revolutionizing the industry that is doing what no one else has done to date, introduce an electric car that performs like a sports car.

The development of this cutting edge vehicle by Martin Eberhard is being bankrolled by high profile internet billionaires like the founders of Google and Paypal. This should tell you right away that this car is serious business.

The new batter powered car will be one of the quickest production cars available on the planet holding its own with the likes of Ferraris and Lamborghinis that cost five times what the new roadster will sell for. The name of the company is Tesla Motors, named for the Serbian inventor of the first AC powered motor.

The Tesla roadster gets its power from nearly 7,000 lithium-ion batteries, rechargeable of course. There is nothing special about the batteries either, they are the exact same batteries we use in our laptops. Besides going from 0 to sixty in under 4 seconds the vehicle has a top speed of over 130 mph and a range before recharging of 250 miles. The first model to be built will be a two seater roadster but they already have plans for a sedan as well. So what does it cost to run this car? You won't believe it, less than two cents a mile! Say goodbye to high gas prices because this car uses ZERO gas.

Eberhard's electrical engineering background is what has given him the knowledge used to build the first performance electric car. He says he got his inspiration to create the car from reading about other revolutionaries in the automotive industry, John DeLorean and Preston Tucker.

Instead of trying to invent a new battery source he decided to use the lithium-ion batteries because he was involved in the computer industry and he knows that the large computer companies will keep working to make lighter and longer lasting batteries that he can get from the computer industry and use for powering his cars.

Tesla Motors has gone from a concept to a car that will be built in less than three years. The first cars are being built in a factory in England and will be available by summer of 2007. The price of the first cars is expected to be around $80,000. Considering the price of gas, that may soon be considered a bargain.

About the Author:
Gregg Hall is an author and internet marketing consultant living in Navarre Florida. Find more articles about cars and car care products at http://www.5starshine.com

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/automotive-articles/zero-to-sixty-in-under-four-seconds-in-an-electric-car-43383.html

Author: Gregg Hall

Top 10 Hybrids as Released by Cars.com

Are you in the market for a hybrid vehicle? For those who are looking for a hybrid to purchase, one of the dilemmas that they encounter is how to exactly choose which of the tons of hybrids in the market are they going to single out. It would take you months to go through the tons of reviews and specifications on the vehicles.





Good thing, there is the 2008 Hybrid Buying Guide which has been recently released by Cars.com. In the 2008 Hybrid Buying Guide, one would be able to find the top ten hybrids available in the market today. The site disclosed that they have created the guide to help consumers find the right hybrid for them. The guide offers an organized list of hybrids according to body style. There are also comparisons between hybrids and non-hybrids. Other pieces of information you would find in the 2008 Hybrid Buying Guide include fuel efficiency of the vehicles, price differences, and specifications.





Joe Wiesenfelder is the senior editor for Cars.com and he mentioned, “Hybrid rankings have often been simplistic. Most are little more than lists of the highest-mileage models on the market. Here, we ranked hybrids based on how much fuel savings they get when compared to their non-hybrid version, as well as how much all that saved gas is going to cost you, since hybrid models always command a premium price.”





Included in the top ten hybrids for 2008 is the Toyota Prius which has an MSRP of $21,100. It has a roomy interior and cargo area. The Prius clocks in 48 miles per gallon for city driving and 45 for highway.





Second on the list is the Saturn Vue Green Line which you can own for $24,170. The vehicle has 25 miles per gallon as its city mileage and 32 for highway drives. This vehicle is not offered though with an all wheel drive.





Making it to the third place is the Honda Civic Hybrid with 40 and 45 mpg as mileage for city and highway respectively. For $22,600, you can own one of these vehicles. This vehicle is quite fuel efficient and performs well too especially when equipped with a quality AC condenser.





Fourth on the list is the Toyota Camry Hybrid which you can take home for $25,200. The base model comes with a four cylinder engine. The vehicle has a mileage of 33 and 34 for city and highway travails respectively.





Other vehicles that complete the list are the Lexus RX 400h, Toyota Highlander Hybrid, Ford Escape Hybrid, Chevrolet Tahoe 2 Mode Hybrid, Saturn Aura Green Line, and the Lexus GS 450h.

About the Author:

Anthony Fontanelle is a 35-year-old automotive buff who grew up in the Windy City. He does freelance work for an automotive magazine when he is not busy customizing cars in his shop.

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/automotive-articles/top-10-hybrids-as-released-by-carscom-379058.html

Author: Anthony Fontanelle

The Importance of Test Driving Before You Buy a Used Car

Now days high quality cars are available to the dealers at the end of their lease terms. This results in the availability of a used car that is good in condition. Still you should not trust on anyone while dealing. You must ensure its well working by taking a test drive.

You may have a drive on rough roads, winding curves. It helps you to check the car on terms of its resistance power. The time duration of your test drive should last at least 30 minutes.

You may ensure the position of the steering wheel to examine if it is straight. If the steering wheel vibrates at higher speed then you may need new tires, tie rods, or control arms. Brakes also serve the most important part in smooth running of the vehicle. Your car should not pull to one side on a straight road while applying the brakes. In case it does so, then you may need a front end alignment with new brake calipers.

You may doubt the smooth working of the car if you feel a vibration in the brake pedal when you are lightly applying the brakes. If you are taking someone with you on the test drive then he /she should not talk in between. It can disturb your driving. Similarly you should turn off the stereo too. In case you come across any difficulty while operating the functions or have any doubts then do not feel shy or afraid in asking them.

While test driving, first try with A/C turned on and later with A/c turned off. It helps you to test the power drain and also to properly listen to the car. Drive freely on the road that has thin traffic. Start out slowly to get used to the operators. Move the car smoothly from side to side. If you can listen to the clunks then that means the car is suffering from the suspension problems. To listen to the suspension problems clearly, you may accelerate hard while listening to vehicle’s drive transmission. The most necessary thing is that a modern accelerator should lift quietly and efficiently. You may tap on the accelerator at a modest speed so that it enables you to listen to clunks and thuds. Distorting buzzing hints loose and faulty drive lines.

Sometimes too much noise comes with the opening of windows and sunroof. You may check for these faults with the windows and sunroofs both opened and closed. The brakes should be capable enough to control the vehicle in fast speed too. You may verify the brakes on this concept. Try to brake hard from at least 50 mph. In this way, you will be satisfied on vehicle’s emergency behavior. On applying the brakes, the vehicle should stop in a straight line without the help of antilock brakes (ABS). It should do this with minimal wheel lock up. In case your vehicle has antilock brakes, then you will hear buzzing and vibrations. Do not panic. This means that your system is at work. You may accelerate again first with turning on the AC and then turning off the AC. It will help you to understand the power drain that is associated with its operation.

After returning from your road test, you may leave the motor running followed by cautiously removing the oil filler cap. This step will help you to check the engine. In case white smoke is coming out of the hole, then do not opt for the same vehicle because it indicates that the engine has some problem. Now comes the turn of filler cap. Carefully look at the underside of the filler cap. Sometimes it is rusted and has water on it. These symptoms indicate leakage of head gasket, a cracked head and a cracked engine block and ultimately to the ill health of a car.
If you buy such a car then you are under the repairing costs that might exceed from $750 head job to $4500 for an engine replacement.

Pen down your thoughts

One can not remember all good points as well as bad points about the car he has have taken to a test drive. To escape this possibility its better to note down your impressions. Do not allow the sales person to tempt you or to persuade you to buy the vehicle. You may thank the sales person to spend time with you and tell them that you yourself will contact them. If you have decided on other vehicle then be frank with the sales person to let him know about your decision. Just have their visiting card as well as offer them yours.

There are varieties of car available at a dealer’s shop. Taking the cars to test drive will help you to go for the best car and will also help you to have the best deal.

About the Author:

Dave Clark is a experienced article writer and has been in the industry for many years, he has written many books and is very knowledgeable in various fields, Dave also works for Cushy Sofa a supplier of Memory Foam Sofas, Memory Foam Mattresses, Memory Foam Pillows, Divans and Memory Foam Toppers

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/cars-articles/the-importance-of-test-driving-before-you-buy-a-used-car-505220.html

Author: daveclark

Three Things To Know About Using A DC-AC Power Inverter

The first thing you will need to know is what you are planning on running in this time of emergency. The fewer the items or the smaller the amperage, the smaller or least costly inverter will be needed. I will give a simple formula that will give you an idea of the size of inverter you will need.

If the appliance you are planning on using is listed in watts, just go ahead and use that number. If it is listed in amps you just need to use this simple formula: volts (120) X amps (listed on device) = watts. This will give you the amount of watts the appliance will be using. So if you had a 3 amp appliance, and you wanted to find the watts, the formula would be: 120 (volts) X 3 (amps) = 360 watts.



You would then total all of the watts that you will be using and come up with a number. Lets say your total watts usage is 500 watts. If that's the case it would be a good idea to get a 750 watt inverter. Always get a larger size than what you think you will need, it may come in handy.



Your next step will be to determine where your power supply is going to come from. If it is for emergency purposes there is a very good chance that it will be coming from a battery hooked up to your vehicle, or you may be a little better prepared and have a bank of batteries hooked up in a parallel fashion. Since most people reading this are probably unfamiliar with creating a battery bank I will just cover running the inverter from the vehicle. The main thing to know is what type of battery you will be using. It is suggested that you have a deep cycle battery or those that are used for trolling motors or golf carts and that you get as many amp hours as your budget allows. A few years back I was able to go 11 days using a 750w inverter and a 120amp hour deep cycle battery attached to my car. I had to run the car for 10 minutes every 2 hours to run everything that I had hooked up which was a laptop, 13" color tv, direct tv receiver, modem for the laptop, 40w light, and a small box fan. That doesn't sound like much, but I thought I was staying at the Ritz Carlton compared to most of my neighbors.



The last thing you need to know is how long will your power supply (battery) last before it needs recharging. First you will need to know the wattage of all the appliances. Lets say we have 480 total watts of power being used, and we are running our inverter off of a 12 volt battery attached to the car. Next we have to convert this number so that we know how many amps are being used. We do this by taking the watts (480) and dividing it by 12 (volts of the battery) and come up with 40 amps. The formula is: watts / volts = amps. If we have a 120 amp hour battery we would divide 120 (amp hours) by 40 (amps) and get 3 hours before the battery is dead. It is recommended not to drain a battery below 50% of its capacity so you may want to divide the 3 hour in half giving you 1 1/2 hour before starting the car up to recharge the battery.



I hope this helped you determine what you will need in case of an emergency where you will lose power for an extended period.

About the Author:
New Page 1 The author has been using power inverters for the last 15 years for emergency power outages. For more information please visit http://inverterssavegas.com

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/home-improvement-articles/three-things-to-know-about-using-a-dcac-power-inverter-509211.html

Author: Dan H

Some Basic Mercedes Ac Components

Driving a Mercedes Benz has given its owners unbridled pride and satisfaction of being part of the three-pointed star automotive tradition. This tradition has built a bridge from the tentative beginnings of motorization in the last century up to the modern automotive technologies characterizing style, power and comfort. Today, automobile comfort provided by Mercedes Benz has, more than ever, increased its vehicles' comfort levels that rivals the cosiness experienced at home and at work. With just a push of a button or the slide of a lever, seamless transition from heating to cooling and back again is now possible without ever wondering how this change occurs.

Like the brand name of Mercedes Benz, which has over a century of rich history and colorful tradition, the automotive air conditioning system underwent extensive changes since its advent in the 1940's. Improvements, such as computerized automatic temperature control (which allow the car owner to set the desired temperature and have the system adjusted automatically) and improvements to overall durability, have added complexity to today's modern air conditioning system. To add to the complications, tough environmental regulations have been created, governing the very simplest of tasks, such as recharging the system with refrigerant R12 commonly referred to as Freon® (Freon being the trade name for the refrigerant R-12 manufactured by DuPont). Freon is known to be an atmospheric hazard.





However, the key to the comfort provided by Mercedes air conditioning systems all goes back to its single basic components. One of the most common components, and perhaps the most important one which make up these automotive cabin cooling systems is the Mercedes Benz AC compressor. Commonly referred to as the heart of the Mercedes' air conditioning system, the Mercedes Benz AC compressor is a belt-driven pump that is locked to the engine. Its primary role is to compress and transfer refrigerant gas. The AC system is split into two sides, a high pressure side and a low pressure side, defined as discharge and suction. Since the Mercedes AC compressor is basically a pump, it must have an intake and a discharge side. The intake, or suction side, draws in refrigerant gas from the outlet of an evaporator or, at times, an accumulator.





Accumulators are used on systems that accommodate an orifice tube to meter refrigerants into the evaporator. It is connected directly to the evaporator outlet and stores excess liquid refrigerant. Introduction of liquid refrigerant into a compressor can do serious damage. Compressors are designed to compress gas, not liquid. The chief role of the accumulator is to isolate the Mercedes Benz AC Compressor from any damaging liquid refrigerant. Accumulators, like receiver-driers, also remove debris and moisture from a Mercedes air conditioning system.





Once the refrigerant is drawn into the suction side, it is compressed and sent to the condenser, where it can then transfer the heat that is absorbed from the inside of the vehicle. This is the area in which heat dissipation occurs. The condenser is designed to radiate heat. Its location is usually in front of the radiator, but in some cases, due to aerodynamic improvements to the body of a vehicle, like that of Mercedes, its location may differ. Condensers must have good air flow anytime the system is in operation. On rear wheel drive vehicles, this is usually accomplished by taking advantage of an existing engine's cooling fan. On front wheel drive vehicles, condenser air flow is supplemented with one or more electric cooling fans. As hot compressed gases are introduced into the top of the condenser, they are cooled off. As the gas cools, it condenses and exits the bottom of the condenser as a high pressure liquid. Air conditioning systems may be complex and diverse in designs, but the comfort they provide relies heavily on these basic components.

About the Author:

I'm a high school educator in the school near my place. But beside from being educator I enjoy writing about things that I like and love.

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/automotive-articles/some-basic-mercedes-ac-components-178629.html

Author: Kimberly Baker

Top Tips For Spark Plug Repair

Top Tips For Spark Plug Repair In the previous post, we covered the problems with the automotive spark plugs. Now that you know these problems and what causes them, it would be great if you also know how to repair your car's spark plugs. Probably, you would be able to save some money on auto repair. Spark Plugs form a part of the automobile ignition system, hence we would also have a glance on D-I-Y tips for repairing of ignition of the vehicle. Follow these auto parts repair instructions coming weekend, if you have been successful in diagnosing spark plug problems.

Do-It-Yourself (DIY) Tips

The first tip always for any auto part repair is to go through the carmaker's manual. Read it carefully to avoid any kind of confusion at the time of repair. Every manufacturer specifies the time for changing of the car's spark plugs. If its time, do not delay in replacing the auto part.

It is essential to ensure that the other auto parts connected or related in the functioning of spark plugs are in proper condition. If the ignition wires have burned, they need to be changed too.

For checking the wires - Have a look at the the ignition system at night. Its easier to notice the shorting of wires at that time.

Try checking the spark plug wires by pulling each and every wire manually. First switch off your engine and let it cool for some time, else you might harm yourself. Once you pull out one wire, check it for burns, cracks or any kind of discoloration. If found O.K. fix the wire back into its position. Follow the same step to check all the wires. Any damaged wire should be immediately replaced.

Remember : Do not pull out all the wires at the same time, rather pull them one by one. Otherwise, you might get confused while fixing them in right terminals, causing more auto repair loss.

Change the Spark Plugs - the first step is to clean the debris accumulated on the well of this auto part. Avoid any dirt or dust to fall into the combustion chamber. You may also blow air into the well or brush off the debris so as to clean it properly.

Now remove the spark plug wire. The next step follows is to keep the plug socket over the plug & then unscrew it.

Its time to pick up the new plug. Now just start threading it. Only thing that you need to remember is to not cross- thread it.

Now take the plug & socket and them try lowering it into the plug well. Then screw the plug with a socket extension.

Once you get the feel that the thread have matched, you need to use a ratchet for tightening the plug in its place.

That's it friends, you have successfully replaced your car's spark plugs.

Tools Required During Spark Plug Change Procedure

A Half-inch Ratchet Drive

A Spark-plug Socket with Rubber Retainer A Flexible Drive Coupling

Socket Extensions

Needle Nose Pliers

Other Things That Might Be Needed

Small Stepladder

A Cloth Shield

A Protective Eyewear

A Narrow Paint Brush

Fred has been in journalism for past eight years and over the years he has covered different news related to automotive industry. Cars, auto parts and anything related to this industry has fascinated him since childhood. He expresses his views and shares himself on his blog at: Automobile Hotspot

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Fred_Clay

By Fred Clay

My Car Won't Start and Makes a Clicking Noise

Nothing is more aggravating than walking out to your car Monday morning and finding it won't start. Instead, all you hear is a click noise when turn the ignition key. What's the problem?

If you are unfamiliar with how a car works, you might immediately assume the clicking noise means the engine is dead. It is obvious that power is being turned on, so the lack of even a vibration or jerk would indicate the engine is frozen up, right? Fortunately, the answer is no. Instead, you have an equally aggravating problem somewhere in your starter assembly, but the good news is it will cost a lot less to fix.

There could be a myriad of problems when you hear a clicking noise when starting a car. The first step is to start with the easy things. Check to see if your battery has a charge. Next, check the battery cables to make sure the hookups are not corroded. Corrosion can put a damper of the flow of electrical current and can be the entire problem.

If everything looks okay, the problem may be the solenoid. The what?! The solenoid is essentially a switch that turns the starter on and off. When your car is just sitting off in the driveway, the solenoid is receiving a current from the battery, but it does not pass it on to the starter. When you flip the ignition, a small current signals the solenoid to let the current through to the starter. The starter then turns over. When you have a solenoid that is going bad, the switch can get tweaked and not let the current through correctly. Since the electrical current isn't enough to fire up the starter, the engine doesn't fire. In some cars, it just makes a clicking noise.

Assuming your solenoid is okay, the problem is most likely going to be your starter. The starter takes a lot of strain when it turns over the car. Sooner or later, it is going to have problems. The starter is usually very sensitive to human emotions. If it senses you need to get somewhere in a hurry, it will usually choose that moment to go bad!

Is there some easy way to tell what the problem is? Well, easy is a relative term, but you can do a bypass test. The idea is to bypass the solenoid with the electrical current from the battery. If the starter terms normally, the solenoid is the problem. If it doesn't, the starter is the problem.

You'll notice I didn't mention anything about testing the ignition switch. It is very rare for them to go bad. If you hear clicking when you turn the ignition on, the problem is not the ignition for the very reason that you are hearing something!

A car that won't start is a pain in the derriere. That being said, fixing it is usually not expensive, so things could definitely be worse.

Dirk Gibson writes for DCJAutoParts.com - your DIY resource for car parts that won't cost an arm and a leg

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Dirk_Gibson

By Dirk Gibson