04.25.07
Posted in Uncategorized at 9:52 am by admin
Toyota has outsold General Motors (GM) in the first quarter of this year, which puts it firmly on track to become the world’s largest car manufacturer.
GM has held the position of the top-selling global manufacturer for 76 years, but it looks likely to lose it later this year.
Toyota says its global sales (which includes its other brands such as Lexus and Daihatsu) rose by 9% to 2.35 million cars in the quarter, while GM rose only 3% to 2.26 million units. GM owns brands such as Chevrolet, Cadillac, Saab and Vauxhall/Opel.
Toyota’s sales success has been built upon a reputation of building affordable, durable, fuel-efficient and reliable cars, while GM has, in the main, gone for high-profit, less fuel-efficient cars.
There’s doubt, though, about the quality control at Toyota during the manufacturer’s push for growth - last year, Toyota recalled 75,529 cars in the UK last year, a substantial increase on the year before. It also recalled over one million cars in Japan and over three-quarters of a million in the US.
Toyota expects it will make a profit of £6.5bn for the last business year, while GM lost £1.49bn last year.
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04.21.07
Posted in Fuel at 5:53 am by admin
Turning a greenhouse gas into a clean energy fuel is the Holy Grail of energy research. UC San Diego chemists have a prototype they think is an important milestone.
Their device captures energy from the sun, converts it to electrical energy and “splits” carbon dioxide into carbon monoxide (CO) and oxygen.
Obviously carbon monoxide in and of itself is not great either but millions of pounds of it are used each year to manufacture chemicals including detergents and plastics. It can also be converted into liquid fuel.
“The technology to convert carbon monoxide into liquid fuel has been around a long time,” said Kubiak. “It was invented in Germany in the 1920s. The U.S. was very interested in the technology during the 1970s energy crisis, but when the energy crisis ended people lost interest. Now things have come full circle because rising fuel prices make it economically competitive to convert CO into fuel.”
The device designed by Kubiak and Sathrum to split carbon dioxide utilizes a semiconductor and two thin layers of catalysts. It splits carbon dioxide to generate carbon monoxide and oxygen in a three-step process. The first step is the capture of solar energy photons by the semiconductor. The second step is the conversion of optical energy into electrical energy by the semiconductor. The third step is the deployment of electrical energy to the catalysts. The catalysts convert carbon dioxide to carbon monoxide on one side of the device and to oxygen on the other side.
Because electrons are passed around in these reactions, a special type of catalyst that can convert electrical energy to chemical energy is required Researchers in Kubiak’s laboratory have created a large molecule with three nickel atoms at its heart that has proven to be an effective catalyst for this process.
Choosing the right semiconductor is also critical to making carbon dioxide splitting practical say the researchers. Semiconductors have bands of energy to which electrons are confined. Sunlight causes the electrons to leap from one band to the next creating an electrical energy potential The energy difference between the bands—the band gap—determines how much solar energy will be absorbed and how much electrical energy is generated.
Kubiak and Sathrum initially used a silicon semiconductor to test the merits of their device because silicon is well-studied. However, silicon absorbs in the infrared range and the researchers say it is “too wimpy” to supply enough energy. The conversion of sunlight by silicon supplied about half of the energy needed to split carbon dioxide, and the reaction worked if the researchers supplied the other half of the energy needed.
They are now building the device using a gallium-phosphide semiconductor. It has twice the band gap of silicon and absorbs more energetic visible light. Therefore, they predict that it will absorb the optimal amount of energy from the sun to drive the catalytic splitting of carbon dioxide.
“This project brings together many scientific puzzle pieces,” said Sathrum. “Quite a bit of work has been done on each piece, but it takes more science to mesh them all together. Bringing all the pieces together is the part of the problem we are focused on.”
Source: University of California - San Diego.
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04.15.07
Posted in Fuel at 7:44 am by admin
Fuel Injectors: Time To Replace?
By: Matthew C. Keegan Matt Keegan is a contributing writer for Car Parts Stuff, an online supplier of high quality and well priced automobile parts.
Fuel Injectors: Time To Replace?
When it comes to squeezing out maximum fuel efficiency as well as power from your engine, properly working fuel injectors are an essential component to helping your vehicle run flawlessly. Eventually, however, like any part they do wear out. Fortunately, the selection of stock fuel injectors available on the market is wide; with a little research you can find replacement fuel injectors that are right for your car and at a price that is right for your wallet.
Before you go to the expense of replacing your current fuel injectors, you should first check your fuel filter to see if it is the culprit. If clogged, replace the fuel filter and keep changing it every 25,000 miles. Gas prices are at all time record high levels, but you should only use name brand gasolines containing fuel injection cleaner additives to ensure continued good performance.
If after performing the above maintenance your vehicle still isn’t running properly, one or more of your injectors may no longer be working. If you have determined that this is the case, you will need to replace the malfunctioning injector[s]. If you are seeking better performance, then an after market fuel injector such as an Accel is an excellent choice. If you elect to go the performance route, you must replace all of your fuel injectors at the same time.
One of the leading suppliers of stock fuel injectors is Bosch. In 1967, the German manufacturer introduced the first fuel injection system with a high-pressure electric fuel pump. Bosch is a leader in innovative fuel injection technology and design, as well as in superior, original equipment quality. Yes, many vehicles coming off of automobile assembly lines already come equipped with Bosch fuel injectors: they are simply that good.
Alternatively, Ford fuel injectors, Nissan fuel injectors, and those made by and for other automobile manufacturers are all quite good. They have to be, otherwise their cars would not be able to run!
Prices for fuel injectors are all over the place. It is a good idea to shop and compare before making your purchase. Reputable online suppliers can often give you the best prices; some will even include free shipping making shopping on the internet your best bet.
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04.01.07
Posted in Advices to automobile owners at 4:42 pm by admin
Competition gets you the best price for any deal. We all know it is cheaper to fix things yourself but many people walk into a dealership without knowing how much they can buy that same auto for using other sources and when you don’t know in advance what you should be paying, you’re in deep trouble.
If you are looking to save money on your purchase of new or used auto than auto dealer or auto trader are the best options. They make your shopping experience enjoyable. Number of online auto dealer has personally viewed, photographed, and recorded all the detail of virtually all the vehicles for the sale each day. We will take a look on all the facilities provided by the auto traders.
Auto Repair:
Online auto dealers give you information’s that can help you locate the best auto service and repair center. You can find number of auto-related companies and shops that work on auto parts and auto bodies to make your auto to be in good operational condition. They include auto body and parts, auto part and accessories, auto repair and maintenance, auto detailing and cleaning, auto air conditioning, auto tires, etc. they are experienced on the job, and employ quality ASE-certified staff so that you get the best service. Auto repair will help you to keep your car running better and for much longer.
Auto Insurance:
Auto insurance in the state where the vehicles are registered is required by Law. Auto insurance is compulsory but hardly anyone understands the provision or coverage’s outlined in their policy. Auto insurance is important, because it not only covers you and your vehicles, but it also cover your liability associated with damages you cause to other person or property.
Auto traders have tie up with auto insurance companies to provide you with auto insurance. To star saving on purchase from auto traders ask if you are getting all the discount you qualify for. Before getting into any auto insurance policy you should know policy coverage. Three kinds of value are important top understand when buying your policy. Actual Cash value, stated value and most important Agreed Value. Make sure the rate of premium, because each auto insurance carrier you request a quote from will quote you a different premium.
Auto dealer provides you with all the information related to new as well as used automobiles. You can easily get the list of auto dealer in your city or you can get it from net. Online auto dealer is your all in one solution to purchase you next dream new or used auto.
Anna Josephs is a freelance editor having experience of many years in writing articles and news releases on various topics related to health, automobile and social issues.
Related Link: Shell Gas Card allows to save mich on gas and other purchases.
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