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- Orange County Choppers Hybrid Motorcycle Test Drive - Popular Mechanics
- Thailand to take the lead in turning ASEAN into an auto parts sourcing ... - Automotive Industries Online
- Progressive Insurance Automotive X PRIZE Chooses Michigan for 2010 ... - Automotive Industries Online
- Tire Wholesaling in the US - Industry Risk Rating Report - new report ... - PR Inside
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| Orange County Choppers Hybrid Motorcycle Test Drive - Popular Mechanics Posted: 14 Jan 2010 07:55 AM PST We took the day recently and drove up to Orange County Choppers in Newburgh, New York to check out the shop, their newest Hybrid electric bike and, weather permitting, get in some riding. OCC's showroom and shop facility cover a lot of square footage, and they've got all of the tooling and fabrication facilities I wish I had. After I pried myself loose from the 5-axis CNC mill that was turning out chopper wheels, I got my first glance at the Hybrid bike, the mechanicals of which are discussed here.
First ImpressionsExcept for the computer touchscreen on top of the tank, most people won't recognize that this is not a conventional custom bike. There's plenty of chrome, a great paint job, and saddlebags. In this case, the saddlebags are filled with lithium-ion batteries, and a closer look at what would be the transmission would have any onlooker scratch their head. Under the "transmission" cover are the clutches and sprockets that connect the S&S 45deg V-twin engine to the two electric motors.Engineers and mechanics from OCC and Schneider were buttoning up the bike as I performed my inspection. Actually, this test ride was supposed to happen three weeks ago. I've been involved in enough project bikes and cars to know that they always take longer, so I wasn't at all surprised to get the phone call putting off my visit only a few days before the scheduled test. After a lengthy walkaround, we wheeled the bike over to the chassis dyno. In Mode 4, which employs both 48 hp electric motors and the 100-cubic-inch gasoline engine, output at the rear wheel was, as predicted, 297 lbs-ft. of torque, and with an extremely wide powerband. Awesome. In Mode 1, energy from the batteries powers only the rear AC motor. In Mode 2, the gas engine kicks on and drives the front-mounted electric motor, which supplies juice to the other electric motor. In Mode 1, the bike is, as most EVs are, eerily quiet. Firing up the big-displacement open-piped IC engine makes it sound like a real bike again. There's another very big exception to the conventional-bike aura: the twistgrip isn't connected to the carburetor's throttle blade. It simply tells the onboard programmable logic controller that you want more or less power to the rear wheel. So there's a certain disconnect between the twist, the acceleration, and the noise. Initial acceleration—as observed on the dyno—is immediate, but a little strange. The IC engine stays at idle, while the batteries and electric motors do the work. Remember, there is no transmission, only electric motors and generators. The engine can't be engaged to the drive chain until the rear wheel is spinning fast enough to keep from stalling it. After a second or so of acceleration, when the rear wheel is spinning along, the computer engages the engine clutch. Now the engine revs increase with acceleration and the noise gets serious.
The RideEnough bench racing. It's time to gear up and brave the 20 deg weather. Schneider's engineers are happy to give PM exclusive rights to ride the bike before the show airs to the public on the 14th. They have only one request: no max-power Mode 4. In deference to the sheets of ice and popcorn-sized chunks of salt covering the roads, we agree. And who wants to be the first to drop a bike that probably cost more than the mortgage on my house?Riding is, to put it simply, odd. The motor-generator setup acts like an automatic transmission, so the clutch lever has been turned into the control for the regenerative braking, but it's not very aggressive. The extra weight of the batteries (the whole bike is a porky 860 lbs) means the mass of the bike is concentrated behind the axle, making the low-speed handling challenging, to say the least. And the most alarming thing is the fact that it takes a good 135 deg twist of the throttle before there's any power delivered to the rear wheel. Needless to say, there's a little tuning to do to make a bike like this rider-friendly, and the interactions between all the electrical parts are still a work in progress. Once I crank in enough wrist to get moving and get rolling, my blood pressure drops back. Yes, the engine note has little to do with the pressure against the small of my back, but after a lifetime of riding snowmobiles and CVT-equipped cars, it's no biggie. Throttle response is instantaneous, if not exactly brisk. The power curve has been trimmed back somewhat as development continues, which is fine with me. (Nothing to make you more self-conscious than to be the first to ride a project that's consumed the efforts of dozens of people for months). In deference to the fact that the bike has been driven literally less than a mile since it was fabricated, and the fact that it's slated to be a show bike for Schneider and OCC for the foreseeable future, I make sure I bring it back unscathed after only about ten minutes of careful cruising. Schneider promises 40 miles of engine-off Mode 1 electric cruising, and 70 mpg when the IC engine is running, but there's no way a to assess that yet. And before you ask, no, you can't buy it. OCC has no plans to build any more for customers. But OCC's Jim Quinn pointed out to me that most of the essential parts in the drivetrain are right out of the Schneider Electric or Grainger catalog, or could be had from vendors catering to the EV market. You can watch this bike being built on American Chopper on January 14th.
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| Posted: 14 Jan 2010 03:30 AM PST Issue: Jan 2010Thailand to take the lead in turning ASEAN into an auto parts sourcing hubby Alan Tran The Department of Export Promotion (DEP) will be setting up an ASEAN Pavilion at the biennial Thailand Auto Parts & Accessories (TAPA) 2010 exhibition. For the first time in TAPA's history, DEP will be offering 5 complimentary booths (450 square meters each) to all ASEAN countries. ASEAN has the potential to be an auto parts and accessories sourcing hub as the region is currently the eighth largest automotive production base in the world. With a highly developed level of infrastructure and proximity to Asia's biggest markets, Thailand is a natural regional logistics hub. Geographically, Bangkok is closer to the heart of Asia than any other Asian city aside from Shanghai and Taipei, an incredibly important factor when considering transportation costs, time to delivery of goods, and access to supply and distribution networks. Automotive production in Thailand - Vehicles produced Year 2006 = 1,188,044 Year 2007 = 1,287,346 Year 2008 = 1,393,742 ASEAN Companies Keen to Participate at TAPA 2010 ASEAN has the potential to be an auto parts and accessories sourcing hub. As a group, ASEAN-member countries can provide a wide range of components and assemblies to OEMs. Toyota and Honda recognized the importance of ASEAN and have strong supply chain management in the region. Since Thailand is the largest production base in ASEAN, naturally it becomes the nerve center of the supply chain for most automotive companies.
ASEAN has a population of about 526 million and a combined GDP of US$1.27 trillion with an annual growth rate of more than 5%. The car parc is in the region of 26 million which indicates a car penetration rate of about 25 per 1,000. This shows ASEAN has the potential to be an auto parts and accessories sourcing hub as the region is currently the eighth largest automotive production base in the world. The 9-city road shows were attended by about 300 delegates. Officials from DEP, Thai Auto-Parts Manufacturers Association (TAPMA) and consulting firm Frost & Sullivan were present to brief the attendees on TAPA 2010. Industry players that were present at the road shows included Key Safety Systems, Bosch, Magna Intier China, Valeo Asia, Delphi, Shanghai AUtomotive Parts Circulation Trade Association & Shanghai Federation of Industry and Commerce Autoparts and Accessories Chamber of Commerce, Geely Auto,Federal-Mogul Corp, Cherry Auto, Tata Motors, Denso India, Hino Motors, Hero Honda, Mitsui, Takata, Perodua Vendors Club, Proton Vendors Club, APM Auto Electrics, Armstrong, Delloyd Ventures, Tracoma, PT Selamat Sempurna, ADR Group, PT Astra Nissan Diesel Indonesia and GIAMM (Indonesia Motor Vehicle and Motorcycle Equipment Industry Association) The Vice President of the Thai Auto-Parts Manufacturers Association (TAPMA), Mrs. Achana Limpaitoon, said ASEAN had an even stronger role to play when it becomes a Free Trade Area (FTA) this year. "The lifting of trade barriers will help ASEAN to be market competitive against major players such as China," she said. She added that ASEAN's automotive players had the competitive edge to produce quality parts at attractive prices. According to Mrs. Limpaitoon, Thailand is keen to work closely with other ASEAN countries to promote and develop the region as an auto parts and accessories sourcing hub. "Thailand has the strongest original equipment and manufacturing (OEM) and replacement equipment manufacturing (REM) capability in Asia, with more than 200 billion baht annually in export value," she highlighted. ASEAN is the eighth largest automotive production base in the world. TAPA 2010 is an excellent platform to enhance cooperation in the automotive industry as well as to strengthen the market potential within ASEAN. TAPA is expected to bring together more than 500 exhibitors across ASEAN at the Bangkok International Trade and Exhibition Center in Bangna, Bangkok. More than 16,000 visitors from ASEAN, Africa, India, Bangladesh, China, Japan, the Middle East, Europe, Latin America and the United States are expected to attend the event. ASEAN Pavilion
DEP has also taken an initiative to turn TAPA into a regional event in 2010 by setting up an ASEAN Pavilion at TAPA 2010 exhibition which will be participated by various automotive and auto parts companies across ASEAN. Buyer's Pavilion Another new feature at TAPA 2010 will be the Buyers' Pavilion which will serve as a valuable platform for automotive buyers to share their needs with the exhibitors, explore business opportunities and discuss strategic partnerships.
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| Posted: 14 Jan 2010 03:30 AM PST Issue: Jan 2010Progressive Insurance Automotive X PRIZE Chooses Michigan for 2010 Competition Events$10 Million Competition for Super Fuel Efficient Vehicles Announces Partnership with Michigan Economic Development Corporation The Progressive Insurance Automotive X PRIZE has chosen the state of Michigan to host an intense multi-stage competition that aims to pit some of the world's most fuel efficient vehicles against one another in a quest to win their share of a $10 million prize purse. Fifty-one super efficient cars from 41 teams survived the rigorous design judging phase and now aim to ready their vehicles for the start of on-track performance events in the spring of 2010, thanks to a unique new partnership with the Michigan Economic Development Corporation (MEDC) and the Michigan International Speedway (MIS), announced today at the North American International Auto Show. The series of scored performance and evaluation events kicks off April 26, 2010 and continues through the end of August 2010. During this time, the Progressive Insurance Automotive X PRIZE will conduct several closed door competition stages aimed at evaluating the efficiency, safety and performance of each competition vehicle under real world conditions. While in Michigan, the competition will open its doors at select dates to allow the public and the automotive world an opportunity to witness the competition stages as they unfold. In addition, ongoing and interactive updates will be available online at www.progressiveautoxprize.org throughout the competition stages. "As the birthplace of the American automotive industry, Michigan has the knowledge base, the talent, and the facilities to support the innovation central to achieving the goals of the Progressive Insurance Automotive X PRIZE and the future of the automotive industry," noted Peter Diamandis, chairman and CEO of The X PRIZE Foundation. "We couldn't be more thrilled to partner with Michigan as we enter the most exciting phase of the competition, and I'd especially like to thank Governor Granholm and the Michigan Economic Development Corporation for helping us bring the competition to Michigan." Michigan Governor Jennifer Granholm also added, "Michigan, the state that put the world on wheels, is excited to host the test phase of the Automotive X PRIZE competition. There is no place in the world better suited to display these super fuel-efficient and green-powered vehicles. We are home to more collective automotive manufacturing and R&D talent in North America than the other 49 states, Canada and Mexico combined. Michigan is charged up and ready to showcase the cars and trucks of the future and the advanced power systems that will fuel them." The competition stages and public events are as follows. Additional public events may be announced at a later date. April 26 – May 7, 2010: SHAKEDOWN STAGE (CLOSED DOOR COMPETITION EVENT) Location: Michigan International Speedway, Brooklyn, MI The purpose of this first stage is to conduct safety inspections and on-track dynamic safety evaluations of competition vehicles. Teams must submit their cars to on-the-ground challenges for the purpose of shaking out problem areas and preparing their vehicles for the Knockout Qualifying Stage that follows, all without risk of elimination by the judges. Vehicles will be tested on braking speed, lane change ability, acceleration and refueling/recharging time, among other elements. April 29, 2010 COMPETITION OPENER & WELCOME (PUBLIC EVENT) Location: Michigan State Capitol, Lansing, MI Up to ten competition vehicles will be on display at the state capitol for the public and media to view, including opportunities to interact with the teams. June 20-28, 2010 KNOCKOUT QUALIFYING STAGE (CLOSED DOOR COMPETITION EVENT) Location: Michigan International Speedway To narrow the field of competitors, Progressive Insurance Automotive X PRIZE officials will re-conduct inspections and certify readiness for knockout stage challenges. In order to pass this stage, teams must demonstrate that their vehicles can achieve at least two-thirds of the stated 100 MPGe (miles per gallon or energy equivalent) goal while also meeting expectations for range, emissions, and real world performance. Achieving emissions thresholds will prove a significant hurdle for teams in this stage as will the "hill climb" challenge. July 2010 OPEN HOUSE Exact Date TBD (PUBLIC EVENT) Location: Michigan International Speedway The greater Michigan community will be invited to a free one-day event to see some of the vehicles close up, meet and learn about the finalist teams in the DASH+ national high school contest — an element of the competition's national education program, funded by the U.S. Department of Energy — and explore a variety of interactive and informative booths and displays focused on innovation around fuel efficiency and reduced emissions. They will also have access to the Progressive Insurance Automotive X PRIZE technical team, which will provide insight into what each scoring leg is designed to calculate and explain how the competitors are challenged to prove that their vehicle can average the targeted 100 MPGe. JULY 19-30, 2010 FINALS STAGE (CLOSED DOOR COMPETITION EVENT) Location: Michigan International Speedway To identify the top finalists in each class, after a quick repeat of the static and dynamic safety checks, the remaining teams will compete in scored on-track challenges, and close with a "coast down" exercise to gain key performance information about the aerodynamics and rolling resistance to properly prepare the vehicles for the validation stage. Speed will be important and a maximum and minimum time for events will be established. AUGUST 2010 VALIDATION STAGE (CLOSED DOOR COMPETITION EVENT) Location: EPA Labs (Ann Arbor, MI) and Argonne National Labs (Chicago, IL) In this final technical event, the top finalists in both the Mainstream and Alternative classes will undergo dynamometer testing under controlled laboratory conditions at certified labs to verify technical performance results. The results of this testing, combined with the speed, efficiency and emissions results from the earlier events at Michigan International Speedway, will determine the winners of the Progressive Insurance Automotive X PRIZE. The Progressive Insurance Automotive X PRIZE, with title sponsor Progressive Insurance, intends to announce winners and present checks at a special award ceremony in Washington, D.C. in September 2010. Specific details on this event will be announced at a later time. ABOUT THE PROGRESSIVE INSURANCE AUTOMOTIVE X PRIZE The goal of the Progressive Insurance Automotive X PRIZE is to inspire a new generation of viable, super fuel-efficient vehicles that offer more consumer choices. Ten million dollars in prizes will be awarded to the teams that win a stage competition for clean, production-capable vehicles that exceed 100 Miles per gallon or energy equivalent (MPGe). The series of scored performance and evaluation events kicks off April 26, 2010 and continues through the end of August 2010. The Progressive Insurance Automotive X PRIZE will place a major focus on efficiency, safety, affordability, and the environment. It is about developing real, production-capable cars that consumers will want to buy, not science projects or concept cars. This progress is needed because today's oil consumption is unsustainable and because automotive emissions significantly contribute to global warming and climate change. For more information about the Progressive Insurance Automotive X PRIZE, please visit www.progressiveautoxprize.org or email progressiveautopress@xprize.org. ABOUT PROGRESSIVE Progressive, founded in 1937, is one of the country's largest auto insurance groups and a leading insurer of motorcycles, recreation vehicles, boats, and commercial vehicles. The Company offers competitive rates and innovative products and services that meet drivers' needs throughout their lifetimes as well as 24/7 online and in-person customer and claims service. One of Progressive's Core Values is Excellence. To the Company's nearly 25,000 people, it simply means seeking constant improvement. Over time, this has meant introducing revolutionary ideas that make car insurance easier to shop for, buy and use. It's this same innovative spirit that's behind the Company's sponsorship of the Progressive Insurance Automotive X PRIZE. The Progressive Insurance Automotive X PRIZE will inspire innovation that will produce more fuel efficient vehicle choices, helping to make a difference in people's lives. Progressive's products and services are available locally through more than 30,000 independent insurance agencies in the U.S., online at http://www.progressive.com, and by phone at 1-800-PROGRESSIVE (1-800-776-4737). ABOUT THE PROGRESSIVE INSURANCE AUTOMOTIVE X PRIZE EDUCATION PROGRAM Through a $3.5 million grant from the U.S. Department of Energy, the Progressive Insurance Automotive X PRIZE has developed a national education program to engage students and the public in learning about advanced vehicle technologies, energy efficiency, climate change and alternative fuels. Together with FuelOurFutureNow.com, an online knowledge center developed in partnership with the U.S. Department of Energy and Discovery Education, and the DASH+ high school student contest, the education program challenges young people to learn more about the science, technology, engineering and math behind efficient vehicle development. For more about the student contest to design the next-generation dashboard, visit FuelOurFutureNow.com/contest. ABOUT THE X PRIZE FOUNDATION The X PRIZE Foundation is an educational nonprofit prize institute whose mission is to create radical breakthroughs for the benefit of humanity. In 2004, the Foundation captured world headlines when Burt Rutan, backed by Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen, built and flew the world's first private vehicle to space to win the $10 million Ansari X PRIZE. The Foundation has since launched the $10 million Archon X PRIZE for Genomics, the $30 million Google Lunar X PRIZE, and the $10 million Progressive Insurance Automotive X PRIZE. The Foundation is creating and conducting competitions in four prize groups: Exploration (Space and Oceans), Life Sciences, Energy & Environment, and Education & Global Development. The Foundation is widely recognized as the leader in fostering innovation through competition. For more information, please visit www.xprize.org.
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| Tire Wholesaling in the US - Industry Risk Rating Report - new report ... - PR Inside Posted: 14 Jan 2010 01:43 AM PST 2010-01-14 10:43:51 - Tire Wholesaling in the US - Industry Risk Rating Report - a new market research report on companiesandmarkets.com
www.companiesandmarkets.com/Summary-Market-Report/tire-wholesali .. This is the replacement for the October 2008 edition of Tire Wholesaling in the US Industry Risk Ratings Report. Industry Risk Ratings Synopsis This Industry Risk Ratings report evaluates the inherent risks associated with the Tire Wholesaling in the US industry. Industry Risk is assumed to be ´the difficulty, or otherwise, of the business operating environment´. The report looks at the operational risk associated with this industry. Three types of risk are recognized in our analysis. These are: risk arising from within the industry itself (structural risk), risks arising from the expected future performance of the industry (growth risk) and risk arising from forces external to the industry (external sensitivity risk). This approach is new in that it analyses non-financial information surrounding each industry. Industries are scored on a 9-point scale, where 1 represents the lowest risk and 9 the highest. The Industry Risk score measures expected Industry Risk over the coming 12-18 months. Industry Definition This industry is part of the Wholesale Trade sector in the US. Operators within this industry wholesale a broad range of both new and used tires and tubes for automobiles, trucks, heavy machinery and motorcycles. In addition the industry also wholesales repair materials for tires and tubes. These goods are purchased from domestic (and in some cases international) manufacturers. Operators then wholesale these goods to retail tire centers, automotive repair workshops, automotive manufacturers, and large retail chains such as Wal Mart. It is important to note that those wholesalers who primarily operate over the Internet (i.e., have no physical location from which they wholesale tires) are excluded from this industry.NAICS definition: This industry comprises establishments primarily engaged in wholesaling new and/or used tires and tubes for passenger and commercial vehicles. Report Contents Risk Overview The Risk Overview chapter includes sections on Industry Definition and Activities, Industry Risk Score and Risk Rating Analysis. The Industry Definition and Activities section provides a detailed definition of the activities carried out by operators in this industry as defined in NAICS. A list of the primary activities of the industry is also included. The Industry Risk Score section provides the Overall Industry Risk Score as well as the Risk Scores for each of the three types of risk covered that combine to form the Overall Industry Risk Score. These three types of risk are Structural Risk, Growth Risk and External Sensitivity Risk. The Risk Rating Analysis section discusses the underlying factors contributing to the Overall Industry Risk Score. Structural Risk The Structural Risk chapter looks at risk arising from within the industry itself and provides a detailed discussion of the industry's level of exposure to seven key indicators. These key indicators are Barriers to Entry, Competition, Industry Exports, Industry Imports, Level of Assistance, Life Cycle Stage and Volatility of Industry. The Overall Structural Risk Score is a weighted aggregation of these seven key indicators. Each of the key indicators is discussed in detail in this section. Growth Risk The Growth Risk chapter looks at risks arising from the expected future performance of the industry. The Overall Growth Risk Score is determined by amalgamating the scores for Recent Industry Growth and Forecast Industry Growth. Detailed analysis is provided discussing the reasons for the growth scores of both. Sensitivity Risk The Sensitivity Risk chapter looks at risks arising from forces (sensitivities) external to the industry. The Overall External Sensitivity Risk Score is determined by identifying the most significant (up to 6) external factors and weighting them to represent how significant each sensitivity is to the performance of the industry. Examples of External Sensitivities are Exchange Rates, Interest Rates, Commodity Prices and Government Regulations. There is also a detailed analysis of the affect each of the sensitivities has on the industry, including charts and data tables where appropriate. Industry Risk and Industry Risk Scoring Methodology This chapter provides an overview of how IBISWorld defines Industry Risk and discusses the methodology used to arrive at an Industry Risk Score. There is also a table that provides a definition of the seven levels of Industry Risk. 42113 - Tire Wholesaling in the US33611a - Car & Automobile Manufacturing in the US 33611b - Light Truck & Sport Utility Vehicle Manufacturing in the US 33612 - Truck & Bus Manufacturing in the US 33641a - Aircraft, Engine & Parts Manufacturing in the US 33641b - Guided Missile & Space Vehicle Manufacturing in the US Five Filters featured article: Chilcot Inquiry. Available tools: PDF Newspaper, Full Text RSS, Term Extraction. |
| Posted: 13 Jan 2010 08:42 PM PST Just reduced to $12.50 sq. ft. with a 1 to 3 year lease considered. One unit has a drive in overhead door with wash bay in rear and nicely built out carpeted retail with two offices in the front area. Other unit has carpeted open floor plan with high ceilings and rear office/storage area. Attached to new O'Reilly Automotive location. Next door to large Crystal Lake Automotive repair and body shop center. Zoned use code is Retail Stores (Personal Services, Photography, Travel, etc). Nice 52+ stall parking lot, shared by tenants. Close to numerous motorcycle dealers, Gander Mountain, and new Brunswick Bowling Complex just opened across the street. 2009 taxes are $4.27 foot. Cam costs should be kept around $1.30 foot. This is on a newly developing interchange, off major Interstate 35, with excellant potential to be in close proximity to several big box chains. Five Filters featured article: Chilcot Inquiry. Available tools: PDF Newspaper, Full Text RSS, Term Extraction. |
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