Flying Car Cleared for Road Use - To Hit Market by 2012 (PHOTOS)

Tired of getting struck in traffic then better fly with Terrafugia's light sport roadable aircraft, Transition, which can be transformed from a car to a plane in just just 30 seconds. The world's first flying car of the 21st century is ready for the road.

The flying car has been cleared by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) for use on roads and granted it special exemptions as a roadable aircraft.

"Terrafugia’s Transition is the first combined flying-driving vehicle to receive such special consideration from the Department of Transportation since the Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards came into being in the 1970s," the Woburn, Massachusetts-based Terrafugia Inc. said in a statement. In the exemption text, NHTSA states "We further conclude that the granting of an exemption from these requirements would be in the public interest and consistent with the objectives of traffic safety."

The U.S. Department of Transportation has granted a three-year hardship exemption that will allow the manufacturer to enter its planned 2012 production time frame. Previously, the company said deliveries of the Transition are scheduled to begin in late 2011. But, the company, after the approval, said the flying car will start shipping in 2012 and will be priced at around $250,000. Terrafugia has about 100 orders for the Transition with a $10,000 reservation fee.

Terrafugia Inc. said extensive analysis and simulated crash testing are also being employed with industry partners to ensure that the Transition meets all other applicable crash safety standards. The NHTSA's exemptions allowed the roadable aircraft to use lightweight plastic windows and use a different type of tire than that used by other vehicles.

In order to prevent shattering of the windshield in case of a bird-hit, Terrafugia used polycarbonate materials instead of automotive safety glass. The tires are heavier like any other small aircraft to handle landings as well as road driving.

The Transition can fly at 115 mph and reach 65 mph on the road. On the ground, with its wings tucked up and in, it can fill up with auto gas at a normal filling station and it fits in any average-sized garage.

The Transition has a 26 feet wingspan and will retract and expand with only the push of a button. It has a range of nearly 500 miles. "A lot of people said they never thought it would fly. But we have a vehicle right here, right now that drives and flies, and converts between the two in 20 seconds," says Terrafugia CEO Carl Dietrich. The "roadable aircraft" first flew in 2009 and is the first light airplane to incorporate features found in most cars like a rigid carbon fiber occupant safety cage, and passenger and driver airbags.

"This is an aeroplane first and foremost. The idea is you can drive it to and from a regulation airport. Fully fueled, you can fly it for a range of 400 to 450 miles. We have 100 orders so far. There are still some minor changes that need to be made because it has to meet both road and aviation standards," said Richard Gersh, VP Business Development of Terrafugia on February.

It has been cleared by the Federal Aviation Administration for flight as a "light sport aircraft". The NHTSA clearance finally made the flying car both air and road ready. Here is a glimpse of Transition on the road and on air:

Volvo Trucks Awarded for One More Pile Project Success

 Swedish manufacturer Volvo Trucks has been working to optimize timber haulage, as part of its involvement in the One More Pile project, and its efforts have recently paid off.  The company has won the Volvo Group’s internal environmental award for its success in reducing emissions from timber haulage trucks.


The award is presented every year to encourage good examples and initiatives in the environmental field. The jury's judgement was based not only on the team's "enthusiastic and successful work in developing a modular system for energy-efficient vehicle-based transport" but also on its successful cooperation across project boundaries.

By lengthening trucks and thus increasing the amount of timber that each vehicle can carry, the "One More Pile" project succeeded in reducing emissions of carbon dioxide by 20 percent. And it did so with retained levels of safety and without increasing wear on the road surfaces.

"One quarter of road haulage in Sweden is accounted for by the transport of timber. If we can make these transport operations more efficient and reduce their carbon emissions, we stand to gain a lot," said Lena Larsson, project manager at Volvo.

The One More Pile rig, an extended combination that has been tested within the framework of the project, is 30 metres long and carries 65 tonnes of timber, as against today's conventional timber haulers that carry 42 tonnes and are 24 metres long. The truck, a Volvo FH16 with a 660 hp engine, has been in operation for two years now, during which it has hauled over 100,000 tonnes of timber.

Hybrid Cars on Display at Paris Motor Show 2010

Hybrid car technology in a variety of combinations and models is currently being displayed at the 2010 Paris Motor Show which began on Saturday and runs til Oct. 17.

While their petrol-driven counterparts still dominate the show, several notable greener designs are being showcased by the some of the big names, with an interesting mix of technologies.

Peugeot-Citroen has its 3008 HYbrid 4 with a 2.0 litre diesel engine supplying 163 hp to the front wheels while the electric motor provides 37 hp to the rear.

The Peugeot crossover is expected to cost around US$10,000 more than the petrol version but product director Vincent Besson believes customers will want the “functionality and fuel efficiency."

"Hybrids have a big future because they're much more versatile than electric cars," he told Bloomberg. Peugeot believes gas-and diesel-electric hybrids will make up 10 percent of all European sales of new cars by 2020.


Meanwhile Nissan-Renault is charging ahead with plans to launch four electric vehicles over the next two years, including a city car, mini-car, and light commercial van. The company says its electric Fluence sedan will cost less to run than its petrol equivalent.

Within the next decade, the company expects rising fuel prices will push up subcompact buyers’ demand for electric cars very significantly.

Toyota has stuck with its gas-electric approach to hybridisation, unveiling the prototype for a small city-car due for release in 2012. Honda's Jazz Hybrid is also on display with plans to sell it in Europe from early 2011.

Other interesting models on show include a Fisker Karma plug-in, Jaguar’s C-X74 with electric motors and gas turbines, and General Motors’ Opel Ampera, a European version of the Chevy Volt.

Honda launches new luxury Honda City model

Automaker Honda Siel Cars India Ltd launched 'City Exclusive,' a luxury edition of the Honda City, aimed at the upper-middle class segment of India.

The new variant comes in two models V MT and V AT priced at 953,000 and 10,25,000 rupees respectively.
The company has added leather seats & leather steering and a leather gear shift knob which is an addition to the car’s luxury feel.
Cheverolet Aveo, Fiat Linea, Maruti SX4 and Hyundai Verna are other models in the same price range. However, the Honda City is at a premium price compared to the cars in the segment, and offers mileage and performance. The company is also far ahead in terms of sales compared to other cars in the segment.
Honda City contributes the maximum to the total sales of Honda, which reported a rise of 33 percent in September sales. Honda City sales rose by 44 percent and it constitutes about 80 percent of the 7728 units sold by the company in September.

“The ‘exclusive’ variant is aimed at further delighting our customers with exclusive luxurious features during this festival period,” Mr. Tatsuya Natsume, Director Marketing of Honda Siel said in a statement.

How to find the right car shipping company

With the latest economic problem of the nation forcing people to find viable employment wherever they can, a lot of people end up accepting jobs in other states besides the one they are currently in. It is not amazing then that people from across the U.S. end up moving to another state because of better opportunities available  in other states. Moving your entire family to a new state, especially one that is far from the one you are in right now, needs a lot of planning and doing. One of the things you need to consider finding when you are planning your big move is a car shipping company or auto transport companies.

Why should you search yourself a car shipping company and why is it  that you find the right one? Some people do not realize that driving certain vehicles to a new location can be very taxing, more so if you own two or more vehicles. Having to move all of these vehicles by driving them from your current state to the one you are moving to can also be very expensive. The solution to this dilemma is to find a car shipping company that will transport your vehicles to your new home. Finding the right car shipping company to trust your vehicles with may entail a bit of research on your part. Since there are a lot of auto transport companies who can easily offer to do the job for you, you might find yourself having a difficult time in choosing which one to go with. There are a few things you need to find out about these companies and what they tell you may very well help you in deciding which auto transport company to go with. One of the things you will need to ask auto transport companies and probably one of the first questions you should get information on right away is how much they charge for the move. The prices these auto transport companies give you will vary and will depend on a few factors. Some of these factors include how far your vehicles will have to be taken, whether or not these companies offer insurance, the kind of service they provide and how many vehicles are to be transported. When choosing a car shipping company, you should know that cheaper does not always mean better. Try to ask around about these companies you are thinking of hiring before you do hire them. Check out the kind of insurance they offer with your vehicle move. If you are still unsure about these companies, ask for references. You should try to make sure that your vehicles are safe and secure when being transported to your new destination. You should also find them in as good a condition as they were when they left their point of origin when you receive them in the new city or state you are moving to. In the end, auto transport companies do save you some money and help relieve you of the hassles and stress that accompany moving a few vehicles from one state to another. All you need to do is to make sure that they do get your cars there safe and sound as well.

Auto Driveaway Expands Relationship with Heavy Material Suppliers

Auto Driveaway expands relationship with heavy material suppliers Kirby-Smith Machinery, Inc. and H&E Equipment Services through a third party logistics company, Plant Site Logistics.

Online PR News – 19-March-2011 –Omaha, NE/US – third party logistics companies provides service to the transportation company according to Manager of Auto Driveaway, Omaha location.

Mel York announces that Auto Driveaway is now contracted with Kirby-Smith Machinery, Inc. and H&E Equipment Services to shift trucks through Plant Site Logistics, a third party logistics service with over 35 years experience in transportation, warehousing, inventory control, operating procedures and system design.

Kirby-Smith Machinery, Inc. is one of the premier new and used heavy architecture equipment and crane dealers in the country serving the construction, earth moving, paving, road building, materials handling (including crawler, industrial, and rough terrain cranes) compaction and demolition markets.

H&E Equipment Services is a leading supplier of new, used and construction rental equipment for earth moving, compaction, paving, heavy equip handling and industrial customers. They offer broad maintenance repair programs with wide-ranging heavy equipment parts selections, mobile service, scheduled maintenance, fleet management, redeveloping for cranes and more.

Auto Driveaway is the largest vehicle delivery provider in the country with 40 offices throughout the United States.

Mel York, Auto Driveaway can be contacted at 3506 Keystone Drive, Omaha, NE 68134, 1.800.497.0454 Office; 402.575.5638 Fax; myork@autodriveaway.com

Auto Club Takes Delivery of Biggest Smart Car Electric Fleet

Twenty smart for two electric drive cars, unveiled today by the Automobile Club of Southern California and smart USA, will be part of a research  by the Auto Club to test the utility and benefits of electric cars in a variety of light duty roadside, insurance and consumer activities. The 20 vehicles are among an overall fleet of 250 smart fortwo electric drive vehicles that will be distributed by smart USA nationwide during 2011.

smart car

The smart for two EVs will be used by the Auto Club's roadside assistance, automative services and insurance claims fleets, the Automotive Research Center, and publications and public affairs groups. Drivers will give feedback through the program regarding their day-to-day experiences. In addition, editors from Westways, the Auto Club's travel and lifestyle member magazine, will use a smart for two EV for day trips. Results will be reported to the Club's six million Southern California members through the magazine.

This year, smart USA is leasing 250 vehicles to early adopters of electric drive technology who are helping to define new alternatives in transportation for the United States and interested in producing a passionate statement on conservation and environmental awareness. Vehicle placement is nationwide, marking a natural evolution of the smart brand and the next logical extension of the for two platform which continues to be a trendsetter in urban mobility and efficiency. Series production, with next generation technology, begins in next year(2012).