Ford is working with Smith Electric Vehicles to make the US release of the electric car series possible by next year. In the UK, on the other hand, the Ford collaboration is with Tanfield.

Presently, the conventional Ford Transit Connect is built for small business entrepreneurs and owners. First released n Europe in 2003, Transit Connect is a front-wheel-drive commercial vehicle that has a spacious cargo. Ford recently powered up its engine to a 2.0-liter DOHC four-cylinder gasoline. The vehicle also has an automatic four-speed transaxle.

Since its introduction six years ago, the Transit Connect has been sold to at least 600,000 costumers in 58 countries around the globe. It’s initial sticker price begins at $21,475.

What’s in the Battery-electric Transit Connect?

The battery-electric Transit Connect is pegged to set forth new generations of hybrid-electric and plug-in electric vehicles in 2010. The prices of the battery-electric Ford Transit Connect vehicles are projected to be more affordable with more developments in the coming four years.

A new small electric car by Ford will be introduced in 2011, while the hybrid vehicles and the plug in vehicles will be commercial available in North America in 2012 and 2013 respectively. This was announce in Ford’s electric vehicle plan last January.

This mode of personal transportation involves a short-term arrangement of renting a car. It is an urban car rental service wherein the customer who is a registered member can make reservations for a rental car for a period of time, as short as one hour. The customer can pick up the car at the designated place in their vicinity, and can return that car there.

This trend is now slowly increasing in popularity in Japan, specifically in the urban areas, though it is not as widespread as in North America and Europe.

Mazda Car Rental Corp. has been lengthening its horizons on car sharing industry throughout Japan starting July 2006.

Ishikawa Prefecture of Kanazawa City is the first full-blown car sharing system in the provincial operation and was launched last 2006 of November with the partnership of Hokuriku Railway Co., Hokusei Industry CO., the city management and the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport. In here, pre-registered customers can receive points that could be utilized as fares in the bus. Renting environmentally-friendly cars is preferred, for sure!

The largest group in the car sharing industry, the Ornix Auto Corp., began a novel service last 2007. They focused on car sharing service for dwellers in the condominium. They opened their services at five condominium residence structure and plans to offer it to seven buildings by the end of 2009.

Dual-Clutch technology comprises of two parallel manual transmissions, each one with an independent clutch mechanism. The first one has the irregular gears of 1, 3, and 5, while the other one carries the even gears of 2, 4, and 6. These two mechanisms synchronize with each other for flawless gear shifts and torque delivery.

The PowerShift can successfully reduce the consumption of fuel by 9% when compared to conventional automatic four-speed transmissions. Wet clutch plates are flooded in oil, therefore, this dry clutch technology does away with slightly heavier torque converters and oil pumps, while still providing maximum mechanical performance. It also eliminates hydraulic fluids, and cooling lines. The PowerShift eradicates the external cooler that traditional wet clutch mechanism carries. Therefore, the dry clutch derivative is 30 pounds less than the four-speed automatic transmission packed in the latest Ford Focus.

“A dry clutch is a real sweet spot for lighter vehicle applications,” says Piero Aversa, Manager for Ford Automatic Transmission Engineering. “PowerShift is more efficient, it saves weight, is more durable, more efficient and the unit is sealed for life, requiring no regular maintenance.”

Expected to be a hit in fuel-efficient cars of today, the Dry Clutch version of the PowerShift provides a new technology for Ford to produce vehicles that will be the best in category and especially among the green or fuel efficient automobiles of today.

For more fuel efficiency tips, the web is your friend!

Most major auto dealers, including Honda are researching and trying to come out with cars that run successfully on alternative fuels. Honda had unveiled its FCX clarity, a car that is powered by a hydrogen fuel cell at the Los Angeles auto show. Those who are familiar with this show know that the latest alternative fuel ideas are often unveiled over there. The Honda FCX clarity is fashioned on a concept vehicle that had been launched by the company in 2005.

Initially a limited number of these cars will be leased out to some privileged drivers of South California. It will be offered for a lease period of three years at $600 per month. This will make it the first fuel cell driven car that will be available to the general public.

How to Change the Oil and Filter on a 2001 Beetle TDI Using an Oil Extractor

from wikiHow – The How to Manual That You Can Edit

This article shows an oil extractor being used to change the oil and filter on a VW 2001 Beetle TDI. Using this method, the do-it-yourself person can change the oil from the top of the engine without crawling under the car.

Steps

1. Run the engine until the engine oil is at a normal operating temperature.
2. Park the Beetle TDI on level ground and turn the ignition switch to the “OFF” position.
3. Raise the hood with the hood release lever inside the passenger compartment.
4. Remove the three nuts that secure the top engine cover and oil dip stick, using a 10mm nut driver.
5. Remove the vacuum hose attached to the bracket on back of engine cover and remove engine cover.
6. Connect the main suction tube of the oil extractor into the engine dip stick tube.
7. Extract the oil from the crankcase by pumping the extractor pump lever several pumps to create a vacuum.
8. Continue the pumping action until all of the old oil has been removed from the sump of the Beetle. When all of the oil has been removed, the suction tube will be clear and no bubbles in the tube.
9. Remove the oil filter cover with a wrench that is designed for the VW ALH diesel engine. A strap wrench can also be used to remove the filter cover. Remove by turning counterclockwise.
10. Using the fingers, remove the oil filter (it’s full of oil) from the oil filter housing. Discard the removed filter.
11. Remove the two (2) O-rings from the oil filter stem, using a hook pick of other suitable tool. Discard the removed O-rings.
12. Install the new O-rings in the filter stem with the fingers only.
13. Place the suction tube in the oil filter housing, using the oil extractor that was used previously.
14. Pump the lever on the oil extractor several pumps to remove the old oil from all crevices in filter housing.
15. Remove the oil extractor suction tube from the oil filter housing.
16. Fill the oil filter housing with one (1) gallon of 5W-40 synthetic motor oil, using a funnel.
17. Place a new oil filter on the filter stem. Place the filter in the filter housing.
18. Screw on the oil filter cover and tighten until snug. A torque wrench was used to tighten the filter cover. The torque specification is 18-ftlb.
19. Finish up by removing all tools from the work area.
20. Start the Beetle and run the engine for two (2) minutes.
21. Shut the engine off and check for oil leaks.
22. Install the top engine cover that was removed and install vacuum hose in bracket that was previously removed. Install dip stick in dip stick tube.
23. Close the engine hood.
24. Test drive the Beetle TDI.

Tips

• A lifting device is not needed for this repair.
• A filter cover wrench designed to fit the VW ALH diesel engine can be purchased at most auto supply stores and Internet auto parts store fronts. Also, a filter strap wrench can be purchased at most home improvement and auto supply stores.
• A hook pick or other sharp instrument should not be used to install new O-rings in the filter stem. Chafed or torn O-rings would result in an oil leak.
• Oil in Step 14 cannot be removed using the conventional method of changing oil from the bottom of the engine.
• Shell Rotella T synthetic motor oil meets the VW factory specification requirements. It can be purchased for less than $20.00 per gallon.
• A new Fram oil filter that meets VW factory specification requirements can be purchased at auto supply stores for less than $10.00.

Warnings

• In most cities it is against the law to dispose of old engine oil improperly; namely, pouring down city drains, private property, private and city owned streets and alleys. Most auto supply store chains take oil for recycling. No fee is charged for this service.

Things You’ll Need

• 10mm nutdriver
• Oil extractor
• Oil filter wrench for ALH diesel engine
• Strap wrench
• Hook pick
• Oil funnel
• 1-gallon Shell Rotella T 5W-40 synthetic motor oil
• 1- Oil filter for ALH diesel engine

Related wikiHows

• How to Change the Oil in Your Car
• How to Change the Oil in Your Car from the Top of the Engine
• How to Change the Oil and Oil Filter on a Motorcycle
• How to Switch to Synthetic Motor Oil

Sources and Citations

• vwtdirepair.com – Original source of the material in this article, shared by original creator.

Article provided by wikiHow, a collaborative writing project to build the world’s largest, highest quality how-to manual. Please edit this article and find author credits at the original wikiHow article on How to Change the Oil and Filter on a 2001 Beetle TDI Using an Oil Extractor. All content on wikiHow can be shared under a Creative Commons license.

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+ Mazda Rotary Engine – The Future Has Come

The plan is to convert wood biomass into biodiesel. This business opportunity is actually being studied by Norske Skog for two years now. And now, they are ready to make the plan happen. Norske Skog formed a subsidiary, the Xynergo to handle the company’s biodiesel division. Norske Skog owns 70% of that company while forest owners hold the remainder. The goal is to create biodiesel out of the woody biomass currently used as a feedstock. The production of Norske Skog is slated to start in April of the next year.

Norway is one of the world market leaders when it comes to pulp and paper production. Now, they are maximizing the use of their natural resources to further help the nation. This time, they are into producing fuel for vehicles out of the same materials used in making paper. Soon enough, they would be less dependent on imported oil just like other countries that have jumpstarted the production and integration of biodiesel in local fuel stations.

Scheduled to kick-off on September 26 in Fairmont, this nationwide biennial event will grace the Technology Park Research Center this time around. The venue will be streaming with information, latest technologies, and formal education about non-gasoline options for your car. The event will also feature products and items that are currently available in the market right now, including the ones that are yet to be released. 

Products that will be on display are alternative fuels like compressed natural gas and biodiesel, among many others. There will be many companies and organizations that will participate in the event. There will also be a showroom of vehicles that can run on plug-in electric outlets.

The previous Alternative Fuel Odyssey was held in 2006 and it had attracted more than 40,000 attendees. That event was participated by 60 sites and 3 countries. Set to be a week-long occasion, the event will feature a total of 85 simultaneous events all across the US and Canada. 

To make this happen, there’s a need to install two containers that will hold the water to be processed. Expect bubbles and vapor inside the container, as you look at it under the hood of your car. Technically, the devices’ job is to make the water evaporate. To install such devices and make use of the HHO gas technology, it would cost a car owner something around $400 to $900. But your car’s mileage would increase from 3 to 5 mpg so it should be worth it.

However, this new technology is still under the scrutiny of the EPA. Whether it should be considered merely as a gasoline additive or an entirely new engine technology is the big question. But interested car owners can try it now though, if they go to some private garage with mechanics well-versed about the technology.

Another thing so good about biodiesel is the fact that it can be manufactured easily inside your garage. With this new technology, you can make your own fuel. Now, you won’t have to depend on the rising prices of petrol in the world market.

This is made possible with the biodiesel kits and processors especially made for home use. Prices of such kits start at $3,000. Considering today’s economic situation, that is a good enough investment for people who want to experience freedom from the uncertainties of fuel costs in the market.

Biodiesel is primarily made from vegetable oil mixed with methanol and lye. This fresh new petrol can power up your biodiesel car with less emissions than regular diesel. Biodiesel is the more economical option primarily because vegetable oil is tax-free and imported fuel isn’t. Waste vegetable oil can be obtained from restaurants. And with the home biodiesel kit, you can recycle that to make a powerful fuel for your biodiesel car.

With today’s rising gas prices, more and more individuals are looking for most cost effective ways to manage their fuel costs. One way in which they are going about this is through the use of manufacturing their own biodiesel. Biodiesel has readily become one of the fastest growing types of fuel in recent years. Not only is it becoming a more cost efficient way to operate any type of machinery, but it has also proven itself to be a lot more environmental safe than traditional gas or fuel.

Biodiesel is made from animal fat and vegetable oil. It is a non petroleum based fuel. Because of this, it is more environmentally friendly than other fuel. It can either be used on it’s own or it can be blended with other products as well. By blending all these products together, the manufacture of the biodiesel can insure that their fuel is environmentally friendly and safe.

With enough supplies and materials anyone can manufacture their own biodiesel. But with any product this type of fuel has it’s good points and it’s bad points. The good points would be the lower cost for you in running this type of fuel and the fact that this type of fuel is easier on the environment than rational gas and fuel. The downside to operating this type of fuel is that sometimes it can create additional wear and tear to ones vehicle.

But aside from this small disadvantage, biodiesel is becoming one of the fastest growing types of fuel in this county. With it’s cost efficiency and it’s overall safeness, many more car owners are shifting towards this type of fuel. And it’s popularity will no doubt continue to grow as gas prices continue to soar.