Dowco Black Magic Series Tool Pouch on 2040-parts.com

Design Essay: BMW i – Setting the industry agenda for the next decade

Many have already dismissed BMW i as a radical experiment too far ahead of its time, but looking beyond the glossy carbon fiber facade reveals three ways it will change the automotive landscape during the next decade: 1. Re-define the EV category Despite Tesla, Nissan, GM, Renault and Toyota all operating in the EV space, global sales in 2012 totaled just 54,000. Many put this down to high-cost and range anxiety, but another key factor is nearly always overlooked.

Video: Chevrolet engineer Oppenheiser talks 2012 Camaro ZL1

What we have here is a little teaser video of the 2012 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 featuring chief engineer Al Oppenheiser. It was filmed at the Camaro Homecoming Event in Oshawa, Ontario, Canada, in June. Oppenheiser gives us a look at the 6.2-liter supercharged Camaro, explaining how airflow will enter the front grille and be drawn away from the engine with the hood vents.

BYD E6 – Next Gen Electric Car battery technology

Chinese car maker BYD are using revolutionary battery technology in the BYD E6 The biggest problem with electric cars (or one of them, at least) is that the battery technology is not really up to the ambitions of car makers. Chevrolet’s Volt (aka Opel Ampera) is a good case in point. Tellingly, a Toyota tecchy referred to the science behind the Chevvy Volt as ‘Vaporware’, and the whole project is founded on the expectation that the technolgy will develop quickly enough to make the car a reality.