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Arnold Schwarzenegger unveils all-electric Hummer

Arnold Schwarzenegger, the famous hollywood actor and former governator of the state of California, has collaborated with Kreisel Electric to develop an EV Hummer. Based on the original H1, the all-electric prototype was unveiled by Schwarzenegger himself to hoards of fans and members of the media.

The civilian version of the US military Humvee, the EV H1 forgoes its gas guzzling V8 in favour of two electric motors, one for each axle. Juice is supplied via a 100 kWh battery pack that enables this behemoth to reach a top speed of 120km/h and cover a distance of 300km.

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Video taken from königstein performance Youtube Channel

Weighing 3300kg, this isn’t even in the same ballpark as your average Prius. It retains the entire shell of the original vehicle and as such, still has the macho and go anywhere appeal of the original that made it a staple of the US military.

As daunting a task as it maybe to convert the H1 into an all-electric vehicle, it took Kreisel a mere two months to complete the project. This labour intensive effort may have been well worth the cost because it shows the general public that any car can be an EV.

That said, this project isn’t the first time that the governator and Kreisel has collaborated on creating a new vehicle. He previously worked with the company to develop an EV Mercedes-Benz G-Wagon that is capable of holding its won against the legendary vehicle that it is based on.

Unlike the unruly nature of the standard V8 powered G-Wagon, Kreisel’s version operates quietly yet is able to match the capabilities of the world famous vehicle that it is based on.

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Kreisel Electric is a mobility company who believes that the electric motor is the most efficient method of propulsion. They have developed their own battery solutions for high performance applications.

The company’s founders Philipp, Johann and Markus have been involved in the electronics sector for the past 35 years. Philipp is the mechanical engineer, Johann the electronic specialist while Markus concentrates on the commercial aspects of the business.

Their company website provides an in-depth knowledge of the inner workings at Kreisel Electric and the amazing work that they are doing. This goes to show that you don’t need to be a fortune 500 company to do amazing things in the automotive industry.

Source: Road & Track, Kreisel Electric

Breitling chronograph timepiece pays tribute to Continental GT

Bentley Motors has teamed up with Breitling to create a watch that pays homage to the new Continental GT that was launched at IAA 2017 in Frankfurt. Called the Bentley GT Dark Sapphire Edition chronograph watch, the timepiece has been released to celebrate the launch of Bentley’s new sports car.

Despite sporting similar styling as its predecessor, the Continental GT has been reworked to have more elegant contours, better luxury materials and powered by the third generation 6.0-litre W12 TSI engine that develops 635bhp and 900Nm of torque, but I digress.

This new chronograph features an ultra-light, ultra-strong case made of Breitlight®. its a proprietary new advanced material that mirrors the innovative, authentic new luxury materials inside the Bentley Continental GT.

It is supposed to be resistant to scratches and corrosion, which should alleviate the concerns of owners who enjoy an active lifestyle. Apart from that, It does not contain magnetic or allergenic properties and has a subtle black, streaked effect.

The 48mm diameter watch face encompasses a movement that is developed in the Swiss brand’s Chronométrie workshops and is distinguished by the unique 30-second chronograph system, which is protected by cambered sapphire crystal and glare-proofed on both sides.

It is a Breitling Calibre B06 movement that is self-winding, high-frequency (28,800 vibrations per hour), 47 jewels. Power resever is rated at over 70 hours and the timepiece itself is officially chronometer-certified by the COSC.

A carbon fibre-like weave that adorns the outer part of the watch face provides depth to the dark gunmetal appearance of the watch body. The blue and white contrasting markings also add to the appeal of this chronograph timepiece.

A central hand completes a full sweep of the dial in 30 seconds, and features a A blue ‘30-second chronograph’ inscription on that particular dial. This is a noteworthy feature for those who will use this luxury timepiece as a stopwatch.

Breitling has given the watch a unique rubber strap bearing the same design as the Continental GT’s dial that is secured in place with a push piece-operated folding clasp. This should keep the watch firmly placed on the wearer’s hand yet offer a comfortable fit.

According to the watchmaker, only 500 such timepieces will ever be made, which is a nod to the level of exclusivity enjoyed by the car that it pays tribute to. Check out the pictures and let us know what you think of this elegant, hand-made Bentley timepiece.

12-year-old boy gets drift car as birthday present

Many of us car enthusiasts were bitten by the automotive bug at an early age. Some of us had pinup pictures of Ferrari F40s and Lamborghini Diablos on our bedroom walls with aspirations of one day owning one of them.

In the case of 12-year-old Nikolass Bertanss, adolescence should prove to be a lot more interesting. He has his very own E36 BMW M3 that he uses for drifting. As absurd as that may sound, it gets better, the car was given to him as a gift for his birthday.

It’s been fully modified with a lot more power, better suspension, a roll cage and a ton of other upgrades to make it a competitive drift car. Unlike the standard M3, this one has had its original engine swapped out for a powerful V8 that sounds amazing.

Despite what many might think, Bertanss has some crazy skills when it comes to drifting. A skilled drifter, he is fully capable of handling his car around drift tracks with great aplomb. And will probably get even better as he matures.

The car’s cockpit has been reworked to accommodate his smaller size. It’s pedals can be adjusted according to his liking, which in the long run, can be pushed further back to accommodate his growing stature. This will allow Bertanns to grow into the car as he gets older and is of legal age to participate in competitive drifting.

Check out the videos by Youtube Channel robyworks and see for yourself how getting children interested in cars at an early age can save them from any other types of addictions.

Ford uses virtual technology to design future vehicles

The future of vehicle design is here and Ford, is one of the first automakers to have accepted it with open arms. This type of hologram technology enables designers and engineers to collaborate on design and construction efforts for any given project.

Relatively unchanged since the early days of the automobile, designers have had to resort to building clay models of new vehicles in order to truly assess their practicality. And in recent years, 3D modelling has helped somewhat in terms of lowering production time.

That said, the benefits of both, pail in comparison to the relative efficiency, ease of use and time saving measures that come with hologram technology. Ford has incorporated it for use on its vehicles through the use of Microsoft’s HoloLens system.

It’s an augmented reality setup that enables users/viewers to add virtual overlays to the physical world. Unlike the virtual reality fad, where a user is immersed in an enclosed virtual world, augmented reality enhances the physical one with its various systems and functions.

In order to use HoloLens, Ford designers will need to put on a special wireless headset that will overlay the virtual objects on the physical ones. It’s information is received from a PC running Microsoft’s Windows operating system.

Through this method, what used to take days, weeks or even months of communication between engineers, designers and the ‘decision makers’, efforts that involve grille designs, body panels and other elements can be created, altered and approved within hours.

This will significantly lower the cost of R&D work and its labour intensive nature, and enable automakers to shorten the time frame needed for producing a single vehicle. Many brands already employ 3D modelling to help visualise and simulate stresses on components,which have helped with crash testing.

Speaking of the HoloLens tech, Jim Holland, Ford vice president, vehicle component and systems engineering, said, “It’s amazing we can combine the old and the new – clay models and holograms – in a way that both saves time and allows designers to experiment and iterate quickly to dream up even more stylish, clever vehicles.”

“Microsoft HoloLens is a powerful tool for designers as we continue to re imagine vehicles and mobility experiences in fast-changing times,” he later added.

Ford has been using the tech for the past year in it’s Dearbon design facility in Michigan. Doing so has enabled the automaker’s legion of employees to work in a more cohesive manner and review designs or their changes more efficiently and in a manner that was inconceivable just a few years ago.

We hope that such tech is adopted across the board and that automakers are able to benefit greatly from it. This could result in better designed vehicles that are offered at a significantly cheaper price.

Nissan produces 150 millionth car, gears up for launch of new Leaf

Nissan has achieved a major milestone this week by producing its 150 millionth vehicle. It’s a feat that has taken the Japanese automaker 84 years to accomplish, which it attributes to the conitnued support from all of its stakeholders worldwide, legion of employees, dealers, suppliers and loyal customers.

The automaker managed to produce its 100 millionth vehicle in 2006 and at the time, 76.5% of the total vehicles that Nissan made, came from Japan. In the following years, it opted to localise production based on their respective markets, which helped bolster yearly sales figures even further.

That, Nissan said, was the catalyst that allowed it to build another 50 million vehicles in the span of just 11 years. And now, 76.5% that bear the Nissan name, are made outside of Japan with 13% of them being produced in Europe.

It has been producing vehicles in Spain and the UK for the past 30 years. And since its St. Petersburg plant in Russia opened 10 years ago, Nissan has been making full use of these facilities to feed the demands of the continent.

Currently, Nissan is gearing up to introduced its second generation Leaf, a name that is remembered by many as the first mass-produced family sized electric car in the world. Introduced in 2010, the car received a lukewarm welcome, thanks to a less than stellar range and worldwide infrastructure that wasn’t ready for the EV revolution.

This new car however, will feature some of the latest safety tech and offer an improved range over the first generation Leaf. This, coupled with new infrastruce to support electric vehicles, will help increase demand for the new Leaf.

If proven true, Nissan will be on track to have an excellent year. And it wont be long before the Japanese automaker announces that its 200 millionth vehicle rolled off the production line somewhere in the world.

Mitsubishi e-Evolution to be revealed at Tokyo Motorshow

Mitsubishi Motors has picked the 2017 Tokyo Motorshow as the venue that it will use to reveal its new concept vehicle and future plans. The vehicle in question is the e-Evolution and will incorporte the best technology that the automaker has to offer.

It will replace the venerable Lancer Evolution, the Japanese tuner vehicle that has amassed a cult following since the mid-90s. Built as a rally car for the road, the Evolution, with each new iteration, became faster, more agile and technologically advanced than its respective predecessor.

The last model that was introduced was the Evolution IX, a spitting image of the humble Lancer safe for the aero upgrades. The car was the most advanced Evo in the company’s history. And if this has you excited about what Mitsubishi will reveal in Tokyo, don’t be.

The coveted formula that defined every Evo since the original, has been done away with. Instead, in its place will be a fully-electric vehicle that will resemble a coupe-like SUV. Mitsubishi says that will be fitted with a 4WD electric drivetrain and advanced ‘Artificial Intelligence’ technology.

Though it retains some of the current car’s angular styling, the e-Evolution may not have the same bonkers performance as the original car. That said, it’s all speculation at this point because Mitsubishi has chosen to keep mum about the exact details till the designated date.

All will be revealed at the 45th Tokyo Motor Show 2017, which takes place on October 25th at the Tokyo Big Sight Exhibition Center. As such, we hope that the automaker will resurrect the Evolution nameplate for the right reasons.