Car Tech Articles

Revolutionary: Mazda's rotary-engine hybrid-hydrogen Premacy

With the barrage of hybrid cars announced at Frankfurt and the focus on electric drive trains, hydrogen has taken a break from the alternative-fuels limelight of late. But Mazda is bringing H2 back into focus with the launch of a new hydrogen model at this month's Tokyo auto show. The Premacy Hydrogen RE (essentially a modified Mazda5) makes use of a transversely mounted hydrogen/gasoline rotary engine similar to that in the automaker's RX8 Hydrogen RE.

Like the BMW Hydrogen 7, the Premacy Hydrogen RE burns its hydrogen in its combustion engine; unlike the BMW, it then converts … Read more

Photos: The road to DARPA's Urban Challenge

Excitement is building in the world of car tech as the 2007 DARPA Urban Challenge approaches. The event, which is the third and most demanding to date in the DARPA Challenge series, requires driverless vehicles to perform mock military supply missions completely autonomously. Over a 60-mile course, the robotic cars will be required to merge into moving traffic, navigate traffic circles, negotiate busy intersections, and avoiding obstacles. Thirty-five teams will compete in the Grand Challenge semifinals taking place between October 26 and 31, with 20 vehicles going on to compete in the final race on November 3. Check out our … Read more

Honda to show off hybrid sports car, fuel cell vehicles

Honda, which has stumbled in hybrids compared with rival Toyota, will try to regain its footing later this month when it shows off a hybrid sports car at the Tokyo Auto Show.

The CR-Z, which stands for Concept Renaissance Zero, is a lightweight sports car based on a hybrid system developed by Honda. The company will also display the Puyo, a fuel cell car designed as an economy car. Economy car and hydrogen are now kind of a misnomer. Hydrogen cars cost about $1 million to make at the moment. Still, in a decade or two, hydrogen proponents say the … Read more

Nissan announces Pivo 2, four other premieres for Tokyo auto show

This odd-looking pod-on-wheels, a concept car from Nissan, will be on display at the 2007 Tokyo auto show. Pivo 2 was designed as an urban car, with excellent maneuverability and an electric drive. The chassis of the car doesn't have a front or back--instead, the pod revolves, letting the driver face whichever direction needs to be front. No more 238-point turns as you try to get out of a cul-de-sac. For parking flexibility, all of the wheels can turn 90 degrees, so the car can parallel park by sliding sideways into a spot. We definitely need one of these … Read more

LA Auto Show to play host to 14 world debuts

With the Frankfurt auto show disappearing in the rearview mirror and the Tokyo show fast approaching, you would think that we would have covered all the new car debuts for this season by the end of this month. Not so, according to the organizers of next month's Los Angeles Auto Show, who say that the event will play host to no fewer than 14 world debuts.

While a press release from the organizers this week stated that "most world debuts remain closely guarded until press days," we will be surprised if we get to the show not … Read more

Suzuki previews its Tokyo auto show lineup

Following on the heels of Mitsubishi, Suzuki published pictures and descriptions of its lineup for the upcoming 2007 Tokyo auto show. The Suzuki lineup shows off some very interesting concepts and some minicars unique to Asian markets. Better yet, about half of its entries are motorcycles, emphasizing that the Tokyo auto show devotes a significant amount of floor space to new motorcycles and concepts.

On October 24, CNET Car Tech will begin reporting on the 2007 Tokyo auto show, on the Car Tech blog.

Click here for photos of Suzuki's Tokyo auto show lineup

Alice takes on DARPA's Urban Challenge

CNET News.com reports on and posts photos of Caltech's entrant for the DARPA Urban Challenge. This Ford E-350 van, named Alice, is rigged with GPS, LIDAR, and other sensors, the data from which is processed by Caltech's custom programming. The goal for Alice is to negotiate an urban course designated by DARPA without a driver. This Urban Challenge is a new twist on DARPA 2005 Grand Challenge, which ran through the desert. In the Urban Challenge, cars will have to follow basic street rules, like staying in their lanes and obeying traffic signs and signals. The race … Read more

Mitsubishi leaves nothing to the imagination

While other automakers only tease us with cryptic press releases and sketches of what they'll display at upcoming auto shows, Mitsubishi went ahead and laid it all on the line for the upcoming 2007 Tokyo auto show. The company, which has been doing some very impressive things in the realm of car technology, sent out a release with full details on its show cars. Amongst its lineup is an electric car, a crossover, and a new sedan.

i MiEV Sport Mitsubishi has been developing electric vehicles for some time--we've seen the company's work with in-wheel motors at … Read more

Video: Volvo ReCharge concept

Better bring a calculator to count up all the ways this concept saves fuel. Keep it plugged in overnight to get about 60 miles of gas- and emissions-free driving. For longer trips, the gas engine fires up to turn a generator, adding electricity to the lithium-polymer battery pack.

See all 2007 Frankfurt auto show coverage.