Autoblog http://www.autoblog.com Autoblog http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/www.autoblog.com/media/feedlogo.gif Autoblog http://www.autoblog.com en-us Copyright 2013 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/<![CDATA[Audi Urban Concept Sportback ready for wireless charging in the city]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2011/09/14/audi-urban-concept-sportback-wireless-charging-frankfurt-2011/http://www.autoblog.com/2011/09/14/audi-urban-concept-sportback-wireless-charging-frankfurt-2011/http://www.autoblog.com/2011/09/14/audi-urban-concept-sportback-wireless-charging-frankfurt-2011/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Audi Urban Concept Sportback

Not as easily spotted as its Spyder relative, the Audi Urban Concept Sportback more closely matches the renderings we saw before the start of the Frankfurt Motor Show. That's not to say we were totally prepared for the quirkiness of either version, but at least the Sportback's carbon fiber reinforced plastic body was somewhat known to us.

Under the CFRP, the Sportback and Spyder share the same all-electric powertrain. That means two electric motors with a combined output of 15 kW (20 PS) of continuous power and 47 Nm (34.67 lb-ft) of torque as well as a li-ion battery that has 7.1 kWh of usable energy (total size unknown) and offers a range of 45 miles. Getting from zero to 62 mph (the concept's top speed) takes a gentle 16.9 seconds, which would be fine if Audi ever releases this vehicle for sale in its intended environment: the city.

Perhaps even more appropriate for a city getabout, the battery pack can recharge in just an hour from a standard (in Europe) 230-volt household current. If you have access to a 400-volt, three-phase current fast charger, that drops to approximately 20 minutes. Both concept vehicles are also ready with Audi Wireless Charging (AWC) technology, which uses contactless induction from a 3.6kW primary coil installed into a parking spot, say, to automatically start refilling the battery pack when you pull the car into place. Audi didn't say how long this wireless charging takes, just that it "is comparable to that of other charging technologies."

Get more details on Audi's new 1+1 seater in the press release after the jump and check out detailed pictures in the gallery above.

Continue reading Audi Urban Concept Sportback ready for wireless charging in the city

Audi Urban Concept Sportback ready for wireless charging in the city originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 14 Sep 2011 19:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>2011 frankfurtaudi evaudi urban conceptaudi urban concept sportbackcarbon fiber reinforced plasticscfrpfrankfurtfrankfurt motor showWed, 14 Sep 2011 19:40:00 EST http://www.autoblog.com/feed/20042456/article-comments.xml http://www.autoblog.com/feed/2011/09/14/audi-urban-concept-sportback-wireless-charging-frankfurt-2011/20042456/article-detail.xml 20042456 http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2011/09/audi-urban-concept-sportback-frankfurt_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2011/09/audi-urban-concept-sportback-frankfurt.jpg <![CDATA[Audi, Voith enter new carbon fiber partnership]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2011/02/17/audi-voith-enter-new-carbon-fiber-partnership/http://www.autoblog.com/2011/02/17/audi-voith-enter-new-carbon-fiber-partnership/http://www.autoblog.com/2011/02/17/audi-voith-enter-new-carbon-fiber-partnership/#commentsFiled under: ,

Audi Aluminum A5 Coupe Prototype
Audi Aluminum A5 Coupe Prototype - Click above for high-res image

Audi has put carbon fiber to good use in concept vehicles like the e-tron show cars and a special lightweight A5, which has a carbon fiber hood and rear deck, and in some parts of the R8 and RS 3. The high-tech (and currently expensive) material could make the jump from fancy accoutrement to integral part of future lightweight production cars thanks to the announcement that Audi and Voith GmbH have formed a development partnership to bring "fiber-reinforced materials" to market by "developing a highly automated process chain for high-volume automotive production."

Voith has many years of experience with carbon fiber-reinforced polymer (CFRP), a material that BMW will use in the Megacity EV and other vehicles. Mercedes, too, is interested in carbon fiber, and this is one party that can't have too many guests. Feel free to read the complete press release after the break.

[Source: Audi]

Continue reading Audi, Voith enter new carbon fiber partnership

Audi, Voith enter new carbon fiber partnership originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 17 Feb 2011 07:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>audiaudi voithcarbon fibercarbon fiber reinforced plasticscfrpvoithThu, 17 Feb 2011 07:59:00 EST http://www.autoblog.com/feed/19846757/article-comments.xml http://www.autoblog.com/feed/2011/02/17/audi-voith-enter-new-carbon-fiber-partnership/19846757/article-detail.xml 19846757 http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2009/09/300909aud-620op_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2009/09/300909aud-620op.jpg <![CDATA[BMW leaks first-gen X5 made of carbon fiber]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2010/07/06/bmw-leaks-first-gen-x5-made-of-carbon-fiber/http://www.autoblog.com/2010/07/06/bmw-leaks-first-gen-x5-made-of-carbon-fiber/http://www.autoblog.com/2010/07/06/bmw-leaks-first-gen-x5-made-of-carbon-fiber/#commentsFiled under: , , ,



BMW has been making some headlines over the past few months with its commitment to carbon fiber construction, opening a joint-venture production facility in Washington State and teasing the upcoming Megacity EV as the first mass-produced carbon fiber vehicle. But there's always a back story to the headlines.

As you might have guessed, BMW has been toying around with the lightweight construction material for some time, seeing just how far it could push the envelop and what practical applications it could have. In this case, it turns out that, back around 2003, the Bavarian automaker re-constructed a first-gen X5 sport-ute with a carbon fiber reinforced plastic (CFRP) unibody. Every panel on the X5 was replaced with CFRP, save the doors which retained their conventional steel construction. The result was a weight savings of 440 pounds, without - according to BMW - sacrificing structural rigidity and crash-worthiness.

Of course the carbon X5 was never put into production, but it reportedly underwent some 40,000 kilometers (25,000 miles) of testing, and the knowledge gleaned will surely find its way into BMW's production vehicles in the future.

[Source: BMW Blog]

BMW leaks first-gen X5 made of carbon fiber originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 06 Jul 2010 13:27:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>bmwbmw x5BmwX5carboncarbon fibercarbon fiber reinforced plasticcarbon fiber reinforced plasticscarbon fibrecarbon reinforced plasticcarbon-fibercarbon-fibreCarbonFiberCarbonFiberReinforcedPlasticCarbonFiberReinforcedPlasticsCarbonFibreCarbonReinforcedPlasticcfcfrpx5Tue, 06 Jul 2010 13:27:00 EST http://www.autoblog.com/feed/19542966/article-comments.xml http://www.autoblog.com/feed/2010/07/06/bmw-leaks-first-gen-x5-made-of-carbon-fiber/19542966/article-detail.xml 19542966 http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2010/07/bmw-x5-carbon_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2010/07/bmw-x5-carbon.jpg <![CDATA[Following BMW, Daimler announces carbon fiber future ahead for Mercedes]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2010/04/29/following-bmw-daimler-announces-carbon-fiber-future-ahead-for-m/http://www.autoblog.com/2010/04/29/following-bmw-daimler-announces-carbon-fiber-future-ahead-for-m/http://www.autoblog.com/2010/04/29/following-bmw-daimler-announces-carbon-fiber-future-ahead-for-m/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

2011 Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG - Click above for high-res image gallery

It seem like just a few days ago BMW came forth stating that its use of carbon fiber on upcoming vehicles would become a high-volume deal. Now Green Car Advisor reports that Daimler, never willing to be a step behind, has also announced plans to increase its investment in the material. Daimler has enlisted the help of Toray Industries, a Japanese textile company, to help make carbon fiber body parts for Mercedes-Benz vehicles beginning in 2012. The parts will reduce vehicle weight and help the company meet upcoming CAFE regulations. The first Mercedes product to be adorned with carbon fiber will be the SL-Class.

Daimler choose Toray Industries due to its expertise in carbon fiber. Though not a common name to many, Toray is actually the dominant force in the industry, controlling 34 percent of the global market. This will be Toray's first venture into making car parts out of carbon fiber. The company's current automotive-related experiences with the material has been limited to supplying carbon fiber yarns to Ferrari and various aftermarket companies. Daimler and Toray will work together on development of the carbon fiber reinforced plastic body parts and production will be carried out at a Toray facility in France.

Gallery: First Drive: 2010 Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG

Photos copyright (C)2009 Chris Paukert / Weblogs, Inc.
[Source: Green Car Advisor]

Following BMW, Daimler announces carbon fiber future ahead for Mercedes originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 29 Apr 2010 16:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>benzcarboncarbon fibercarbon fiber carscarbon fiber reinforced plasticscarbon fibrecarbon-fiberCarbonFiberCarbonFiberCarsCarbonFiberReinforcedPlasticsCarbonFibredailmlerdaimler agdaimler carbondaimler carbon fiberDaimlerAgDaimlerCarbonDaimlerCarbonFiberLightweightlightweight carLightweightCarLightWeightCarsmercedesmercedes carbon fibermercedes-benzmercedes-benz carbon fiberMercedes-benzCarbonFiberMercedesCarbonFiberThu, 29 Apr 2010 16:28:00 EST http://www.autoblog.com/feed/19458159/article-comments.xml http://www.autoblog.com/feed/2010/04/29/following-bmw-daimler-announces-carbon-fiber-future-ahead-for-m/19458159/article-detail.xml 19458159 http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2009/11/01_mbsls63amgfd_opt_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2009/11/01_mbsls63amgfd_opt.jpg <![CDATA[BMW, SGL announce new carbon fiber plant in Moses Lake, WA]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2010/04/16/bmw-sgl-announce-new-carbon-fiber-plant-in-moses-lake-wa/http://www.autoblog.com/2010/04/16/bmw-sgl-announce-new-carbon-fiber-plant-in-moses-lake-wa/http://www.autoblog.com/2010/04/16/bmw-sgl-announce-new-carbon-fiber-plant-in-moses-lake-wa/#commentsFiled under: , ,



BMW has just announced that the company will join forces with Seattle-based SGL Automotive Carbon Fibers LLC to build a new manufacturing facility in Moses Lake, Washington. Don't get too excited just yet. The plant won't be cranking out CF bits for your 3 Series so that you can have a roof that looks like the one on your neighbor's M3 (shown above). Instead, BMW says the $100 million facility will be creating carbon-fiber reinforced plastics for the upcoming Megacity vehicle. At the same time, SGL and BMW will be creating 80 jobs in the Moses Lake area.

The Megacity vehicle is slated for launch in 2015, and will get stitched together at BMW's plant in Lepzig, Germany. Since that's the case, you may be asking yourself why the Bavarian automaker would bother investing in a facility nestled half way around the globe in the sticks of Washington State. Turns out the answer is that the location has plenty of things going for it, including clean hydro electric power, a capable work force and a government that was willing to work with both SGL and BMW.

Both companies have made a point of saying that this is a big step for the democratization of carbon fiber in auto manufacturing. Let's hope they're right.

[Source: BMW]

Continue reading BMW, SGL announce new carbon fiber plant in Moses Lake, WA

BMW, SGL announce new carbon fiber plant in Moses Lake, WA originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 16 Apr 2010 14:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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