2012 Koenigsegg Sports Cars Agera R

At the 2011 Geneva Motor Show Koenigsegg is presenting the brand new Koenigsegg Agera R - Quicker than lightning! The name Agera set the tone for the new project. Agera means "to take action" in Swedish. It is also short for the ancient Greek word Ageratos which means "ageless". These two are very suitable meanings, for the car building the future of Koenigsegg.

The 2012 Koenigsegg Agera is designed with the minimalistic "less is more" philosophy in mind. This philosophy means that the shape of the car has to be purely functional with no added features except those purely needed to meet regulation, added safety, ergonomics, practicality and aerodynamics. Koenigsegg believes that if this philosophy is followed, the car will also be beautiful as it is purely purposeful.

All in all the production version of the Koenigsegg Agera is created to take the Koenigsegg experience to the next level both on the road and the track, still maintaining the largest luggage space in the industry in combination with the unique Koenigsegg door system and detachable/stow-able hardtop. There are several differences between the pre-production car previously shown and the production versions. For example, the engine and gearbox configurations are different and some revolutionary interior, chassis and aerodynamic features adorn the production version of the Agera that has never been shown before.
The new car design 2012 Koenigsegg Sports Cars Agera R super speed racer car displayed in Geneva Motor Show 2011 is a very special customer, set to be delivered to its owner’s new Norwegian straight after the show closes. It is equipped with a special section with a Thule roof integrated carbon fiber ski-box containing two pairs of skis Koenigsegg.

At the 2011 Geneva Motor show, Koenigsegg presents the Koenigsegg winter package – the first lifestyle packages offered from Koenigsegg. The main element of this package is the exceptional Lightning Roof Box System. The Lightning Roof Box is developed together with the Swedish rack and roof box manufacturer Thule. The high performance lightweight box is made completely from carbon fibre and has been through several iterations of CFD simulation to ensure it is safe up to 300 km/h, making it the fastest roof box in the world.

The supercar 2012 Koenigsegg Sports Cars Agera R is built with a monocoque carbon to provide maximum rigidity and light weight; It is so structurally sound that does not require an annex roof, allowing the roof as a removable Panel which can be stored away. Koenigsegg hasn’t published performance numbers for R Agera yet, but from tires rated at 260 km/h and horse-like body structure and range as the poison Hennessey, its 0-60 mph time to be approximately 2.5 seconds and a top speed around 250 km/h on a double clutch 7.

2012 Koenigsegg Sports Cars Agera R is powered by 5.0L twin-turbo V8 making a neck snapping 1,115-hp and a maximum torque of 885 lb-ft on E85 fuel. Koenigsegg has its own engine lab, with simulation programs, rapid prototyping machines, engine and chassis dynamometers, and a 1.7 km test track adjacent the factory enabling Koenigsegg to take the cars to 0-320-0 km/h at any time. Furthermore, a 25 minute drive away from the Koenigsegg Factory there is Knutstorp Racetrack, which is described by many as a miniature Nordschleife.

The engine 2012 Koenigsegg Sports Cars Agera R are mated to a 7-speed dual-clutch gear case and we’re pretty aye that cuts the 0 to 62 miles per hour time belt down to something that’s very impressive. Here Koenigsegg can put the engine and car through serious testing and make sure they work in perfect harmony. This gives Koenigsegg unique possibilities to develop technologies normally exclusive to much larger companies.

These are extraordinary numbers considering the size and reliability of the engine without forsaking drivability or flexibility. This is truly downsizing, without drawbacks. These characteristics make it one of the most flexible and easy to use hypercar engines in the world.
The 2012 Koenigsegg Sports Cars Agera R is proportionate, compact and muscular. Its timeless, efficient and distinctive shape is truly a testament to time. The original shape and concept of the Koenigsegg CC, created 15 years ago, is still valid, fresh and highly competitive today. The Agera manage to stay true to the original philosophy, shape and size of the original CC. At the same time, it looks, feels and performs like something belonging to the future.

The price of the optional 'R' package, on top of a normal $1,400,000 Agera, is $211,000 at current exchange rates, but that looks like something of a bargain compared to the $270,000 Koenigsegg charges for creating a bare carbon car.

California Low Carbon Fuel Standard Could Effectively Ban Corn Ethanol

By a 9-1 vote the California Air Resources Board has voted in support of the Low Carbon Fuel Standard. What's more, the standard includes a penalty for the carbon emissions caused by indirect land use changes associated with the production of biofuels. When the regulations take effect in 2011 this is what will be mandated:

The goal of all this is to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from California's transportation fuels by 10% by 2020—a reduction of about 16 million tonnes.

Under the regulation, fuels used in California will have to meet an average declining carbon intensity, based on the entire supply chain of the fuel (including greenhouse gas emissions caused by deforestation and farmland conversion). The baseline is set at 96 grams of carbon for megajoule of energy, declining by 10% by 2020. 

Land Use Change Emissions Push Corn Ethanol Past Baseline

It's the inclusion of a penalty for these indirect land use changes into the overall carbon intensity of a particular fuel that has caused controversy: Corn ethanol is already above the baseline at 97 grams of carbon per megajoule, due to a 30 gram penalty assessed for land use changes. 

The biofuel industry in general is predictably displeased with the inclusion of the land-use change penalty. Ethanol producers in particular believe that the science behind the assessment of land-use change impacts was not thoroughly reviewed enough, and that other biofuels were not adequately scrutinized for similar land-use change emissions. 

It was similar concerns regarding the science behind assessment of land-use change penalties that caused dissent on the Board. Dr John Telles said that he could not ignore the comments of 125 scientists who called the model used to assess indirect land-use change emissions "not good enough."

Prior to implementation of the standard, CARB staff will report back to the board on the indirect impacts of other fuels. 

25 More Biofuel Refineries Needed + 3,000 Jobs Created

CARB touts the fact that in order to produce the 1.5 billion gallons of biofuels needed in the state, an additional 25 biofuel production facilities will be required, creating more than 3,000 new jobs, mostly in rural areas. 

What is Ethanol?

Ethanol (ethyl alcohol) is the same type of alcohol found in alcoholic beverages. As a fuel, ethanol can be used in more than 30 flex fuel vehicle models that have been designed to run on alcohol, gasoline, or any combination of the two fuels from the same tank. Most ethanol today is produced from corn or sugar cane, although this will change as cheaper cellulosic ethanol made from fast growing woody grasses and other biomass becomes a reality.

What are Hybrids?

Hybrids combine two or more different propulsion systems, typically a gasoline engine and one or more electric drive motors. Most hybrids on the road today compliment their gas engines by charging a battery when breaking. Engines running on diesel or other alternative fuels can also be used in hybrids. A hybrid drive is fully scalable, which means the drive can be used to power everything from small commuter cars to large buses and even locomotives. Hybrids get more MPG or miles per gallon than most non-hybrids, and usually have very low tailpipe emissions.

Top 5 green saloons

Saloon cars make an ideal solution for many people, from growing families to business executives. Many offer space and pace, but this need not be at the expense of eco-credentials. outlines the Top 5 Green Saloons currently available on the market:

Toyota Prius T3 Hybrid 1.8 VVT-i 5dr with 89g/km CO2 and 72.4mpg
combined.

Lexus CT200h with 94g/km CO2 and 68.9mpg combined.

Honda Insight 1.3 IMA SE 5dr CVT with a mere 101g/km of CO2 and 64.2mpg
on a combined cycle.

Audi A1 1.6 TDi with 105g/km CO2 and 70.6mpg combined.

Ford Focus 1.6 TDCi with 109g/km of CO2 and 67.3mpg combined.

Nissan LEAF reservations Begin April 20

In response to strong consumer demand, Nissan North America, Inc. (NNA) will begin taking reservations for the Nissan LEAF zero-emission, all-electric vehicle on April 20. The reservation process is a first step in securing a place on the list to purchase or lease a Nissan LEAF. The Nissan LEAF begins rolling out to select markets in December, and will be widely available in 2011.

April 20 also marks the date for the debut of a new website on NissanUSA.com to support the launch of the Nissan LEAF. The website will continue to serve as a resource about the most up-to-date information for the Nissan LEAF, including upcoming special events.

In North America, Nissan’s operations include automotive design, engineering, consumer and corporate financing, sales and marketing, distribution and manufacturing. Nissan is dedicated to improving the environment under the Nissan Green Program 2010, whose key priorities are reducing CO2 emissions, cutting other emissions and increasing recycling. More information on the Nissan LEAF and zero emissions can be found at www.nissanusa.com.

MSRP excludes applicable tax, title and license fees. Dealer sets actual price. Prices and specs are subject to change without notice.

Toyota Industries develops solar charging station for PHVs, EVs

Toyota Industries Corp developed a solar charging station for plug-in hybrid vehicles (PHVs) and electric vehicles (EVs).The municipal government of Toyota City in Aichi Prefecture, Japan, adopted it, planning to build 21 stations at 11 places such as the municipal office, its branch offices, train stations, etc. The city will start the operation of those charging stations with 20 units of the Prius Plug-in Hybrid in April 2010.The output of the solar panel is 1.9kW, and the capacity of the storage battery is 8.4kWh. The maximum output of the power converter is 3.2kW (AC202V) in grid-connected operation and 1.5kVA (AC101V) in self-sustained operation.The charging station has a solar photovoltaic system and a power storage system and is connected to the grid. The electricity generated from solar power is stored in the power storage system, and vehicles are charged with photovoltaic electricity and electricity from the storage system. When the stored electricity runs out, the grid electricity is used so that vehicles can be stably charged regardless of weather or time of day.On the other hand, when there is extra electricity stored in the power storage system, it is used for the facilities in the station or sold to a utility company. When a disaster occurs, the station can provide photovoltaic electricity and stored electricity to electrical equipment that uses AC100V power.