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Automotive technologies
A Wisdom Archive on Automotive technologies

Automotive technologies A selection of articles related to Automotive technologies

Automotive technologies

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ARTICLES RELATED TO Automotive technologies

Automotive technologies: Encyclopedia II - Battery electric vehicle - Efficiency

Production and conversion battery electric vehicles typically achieve 0.3 to 0.5 kWh per mile (0.2 to 0.3 kWh/km). [3] [4] The U.S. fleet average of 23 mpg of gasoline is equivalent to 1.46 kWh/mi and the 70 mpg Insight gets 0.48 kWh/mi (assuming 33.6 kWh per U.S. gallon of gasoline), so battery electric cars vehicles are relatively efficient. When comparisons are made for the total energy cycle, the efficiency figures for BEVs drop, but such calculations are not commonly offered for ICE vehicles (e.g. the loss of efficiency from energy used to produce specialized fuels such as gasoline as compared to ...

See also:

Battery electric vehicle, Battery electric vehicle - History, Battery electric vehicle - Efficiency, Battery electric vehicle - Performance, Battery electric vehicle - Fuels, Battery electric vehicle - Range, Battery electric vehicle - Battery charging, Battery electric vehicle - Battery life, Battery electric vehicle - Safety, Battery electric vehicle - Future, Battery electric vehicle - Owners, Battery electric vehicle - Controversy, Battery electric vehicle - United States, Battery electric vehicle - Outside the United States, Battery electric vehicle - Production vehicles, Battery electric vehicle - Prototypes, Battery electric vehicle - Production announcements, Battery electric vehicle - Hobbyists research and racing, Battery electric vehicle - EV news stories

Read more here: » Battery electric vehicle: Encyclopedia II - Battery electric vehicle - Efficiency

Automotive technologies: Encyclopedia II - Automobile ancillary power - Electrical

Automobiles have had electrically driven systems from the beginning, since the spark-ignition engine used in most vehicles requires electricity to generate the spark. Initially this was generated by a magneto and was only of use for ignition, but it was not long before an engine-driven DC generator was fitted. Because of the varying electrical power available from such a generator as engine speed changed, the generator was not connected directly to a car's electrical systems but rather through a lead-acid battery which enabled a more constan ...

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Automobile ancillary power, Automobile ancillary power - Mechanical, Automobile ancillary power - Electrical, Automobile ancillary power - Hydraulic, Automobile ancillary power - Vacuum, Automobile ancillary power - Compressed air

Read more here: » Automobile ancillary power: Encyclopedia II - Automobile ancillary power - Electrical

Automotive technologies: Encyclopedia II - Wheel sizing - Bolt circle

The bolt circle is the circle determined by the positions of the bolts; the center of every bolt lies on the circumference of the bolt circle. The important measurement is the diameter of the bolt circle, usually expressed in millimeters, although inches are sometimes used. For a 4- or 6-bolt car, this measurement is merely the distance between the center of two diametrically opposite bolts. In the 4-bolt picture below, this would be the distance between holes #1 and #4. Some basic geometry is needed to find the center of a 5-b ...

See also:

Wheel sizing, Wheel sizing - Bolt pattern, Wheel sizing - Bolt circle, Wheel sizing - Lug nuts or bolts, Wheel sizing - Offset, Wheel sizing - Wheel size, Wheel sizing - Centerbore

Read more here: » Wheel sizing: Encyclopedia II - Wheel sizing - Bolt circle

Automotive technologies: Encyclopedia II - Automobile self starter - Electric starter

The modern starter motor is a series-wound direct current electric motor with a solenoid switch (similar to a relay) mounted on it. When low-current power from the starting battery is applied to the solenoid (the thin, grey wire in the image above), usually through a key-operated switch, it pushes out a small pinion gear on the starter motor's shaft and meshes it with the ring gear on the flywheel of the engine. The solenoid also closes high-current contacts (powered through the thick red cable in the image) for the starter motor and it star ...

See also:

Automobile self starter, Automobile self starter - History, Automobile self starter - Electric starter, Automobile self starter - Pneumatic starter, Automobile self starter - Auxiliary starter engine, Automobile self starter - Patents

Read more here: » Automobile self starter: Encyclopedia II - Automobile self starter - Electric starter

Automotive technologies: Encyclopedia II - Dynamometer - Chassis dynamometer

A chassis dynamometer measures power from the engine through the wheels. The vehicle is parked on rollers which the car then turns and the output is measured. These dynos can be fixed or portable. Because of frictional and mechanical losses in the various drivetrain components, the measured horsepower is generally 15-20 percent less than the brake horsepower measured at the crankshaft or flywheel on an engine dynamometer.1 ...

See also:

Dynamometer, Dynamometer - General workings, Dynamometer - Engine dynamometer, Dynamometer - Chassis dynamometer, Dynamometer - Endnotes

Read more here: » Dynamometer: Encyclopedia II - Dynamometer - Chassis dynamometer

Automotive technologies: Encyclopedia II - Automobile self starter - Electric starter

The modern starter motor is a series-wound direct current electric motor with a solenoid switch (similar to a relay) mounted on it. When low-current power from the starting battery is applied to the solenoid (the thin, grey wire in the image above), usually through a key-operated switch, it pushes out a small pinion gear on the starter motor's shaft and meshes it with the ring gear on the flywheel of the engine. The solenoid also closes high-current contacts (powered through the thick red cable in the image) for the starter motor and it star ...

See also:

Automobile self starter, Automobile self starter - Electric starter, Automobile self starter - Pneumatic starter, Automobile self starter - Auxiliary starter engine, Automobile self starter - Patents

Read more here: » Automobile self starter: Encyclopedia II - Automobile self starter - Electric starter

Automotive technologies: Encyclopedia II - Catalytic converter - Technical details

The catalytic converter consists of several components: The core, catalyst support, or substrate. In modern catalytic converters this is most often a ceramic honeycomb, however stainless steel foil honeycombs are also used. The purpose of the core is to "support the catalyst", and therefore it is often called a "Catalyst Support". The washcoat. In an effort to make converters more efficient a washcoat is utilized, most often a mixture of silicon and aluminum. The washcoat when added to the core forms a rough, irregular ...

See also:

Catalytic converter, Catalytic converter - Purpose and function of catalytic converters, Catalytic converter - Catalyst Poisoning, Catalytic converter - Technical details, Catalytic converter - Oxygen Storage, Catalytic converter - Regulations, Catalytic converter - Patents

Read more here: » Catalytic converter: Encyclopedia II - Catalytic converter - Technical details

Automotive technologies: Encyclopedia II - Bodywork - Construction

There are three main types of automotive bodywork: The first automobiles were modelled on horse-drawn vehicles, and had body-on-frame construction with a wooden frame and wooden or metal body panels. Wooden-framed motor vehicles remained in production until the middle of the 20th century, for example the MG A which continued in production until 1962. A steel chasis or ladder frame replaced the wooden frame. This form of body-on-frame construction is still common for trucks. Monocoque const ...

See also:

Bodywork, Bodywork - Construction, Bodywork - Body styles

Read more here: » Bodywork: Encyclopedia II - Bodywork - Construction

Automotive technologies: Encyclopedia II - Selective yellow - Formal definition

The UNECE Regulations formally define selective yellow in terms of the CIE 1931 colour space as follows: For front fog lamps, the limit towards white is extended: There are currently competing proposals before UNECE to redefine selective yellow to include this extended range, and to eliminate selective yellow altogether from all lighting regulations. The entirety of the basic selective yellow definition lies outside the gamut of the sRGB colour space — such a pure yellow cannot be represented using RGB primaries. The c ...

See also:

Selective yellow, Selective yellow - Formal definition, Selective yellow - External link

Read more here: » Selective yellow: Encyclopedia II - Selective yellow - Formal definition

Automotive technologies: Encyclopedia II - Caster angle - History

Arthur Krebs applied the first the positive caster angle to automotive front-train in his 1896 car english patent : "To ensure stability of direction by means of a special arrangement of fore-carriage, that is to say, to re-establish automatically the parallelism of the two axles of the vehicle when there is no tendency to keep them in any other direction, or after a temporary effort has caused them to diverge from said parallelism. [...] The axle of the fore-carriage is situated a suitable distance behind the projection of the axis of the pivot-pin in order to ensure the stability of dir ...

See also:

Caster angle, Caster angle - History

Read more here: » Caster angle: Encyclopedia II - Caster angle - History

Automotive technologies: Encyclopedia II - Catalytic converter - Technical details

The catalytic converter consists of several components: The core, catalyst support, or substrate. In modern catalytic converters this is most often a ceramic honeycomb, however stainless steel foil honeycombs are also used. The purpose of the core is to "support the catalyst", and therefore it is often called a "Catalyst Support". The washcoat. In an effort to make converters more efficient a washcoat is utilized, most often a mixture of silicon and aluminum. The washcoat when added to the core forms a rough, irregular ...

See also:

Catalytic converter, Catalytic converter - Purpose and function of catalytic converters, Catalytic converter - Catalyst Poisoning, Catalytic converter - Technical details, Catalytic converter - Regulations, Catalytic converter - Patents

Read more here: » Catalytic converter: Encyclopedia II - Catalytic converter - Technical details

Automotive technologies: Encyclopedia II - On Board Diagnostics - OBD-II

OBD-II is a standard interface to the on-board computer of a vehicle, introduced in the mid-1990s. The California Air Resources Board (CARB) mandated that the specification be adopted for all cars sold in the United States by the year 1996 in order to simplify the implementation of an emissions testing program. An OBD-II interface allows for the readout of DTCs (Diagnostic Trouble Codes) that have been generated by the on-board computer, as well as realtime data from the sensors connected to the on-board computer. In addition, the OBD ...

See also:

On Board Diagnostics, On Board Diagnostics - OBD-II, On Board Diagnostics - EOBD and JOBD, On Board Diagnostics - ISO15765-4 CAN, On Board Diagnostics - OBDII Scan Tools, On Board Diagnostics - PC-Based Scan Tools, On Board Diagnostics - Standalone, On Board Diagnostics - Hobby Resources, On Board Diagnostics - General OBDII Information, On Board Diagnostics - Scan Tool Parts

Read more here: » On Board Diagnostics: Encyclopedia II - On Board Diagnostics - OBD-II

Automotive technologies: Encyclopedia II - Battery pack - Advantages

An advantage of a battery pack is the ease with which it can be swapped into or out of a device. This allows multiple packs to deliver extended runtimes, freeing up the device for continued use while charging the removed pack separately. Another advantage is the flexibility of their design and implementation, allowing for the use of cheaper high production cells or batteries to be combined into a pack for nearly any application. ...

See also:

Battery pack, Battery pack - Calculating State Of Charge, Battery pack - Advantages, Battery pack - Disadvantages

Read more here: » Battery pack: Encyclopedia II - Battery pack - Advantages

Automotive technologies: Encyclopedia II - Battery electric vehicle - Hobbyists, research, and racing

There is a minor industry supporting the conversion and building of BEVs by hobbyists. Some designers point out that a specific type of electric vehicle offers comfort, utility and quickness, sacrificing only range. This is called a short range electric vehicle. This type may be built using high performance lead–acid batteries, but of only about half the mass that would be expected to obtain a 60 to 80 mile (100 to 130 km) range. The result is a vehicle with about a thirty mile (50 km) range, but when designed with appropriate weigh distri ...

See also:

Battery electric vehicle, Battery electric vehicle - History, Battery electric vehicle - Efficiency, Battery electric vehicle - Fuels, Battery electric vehicle - Range, Battery electric vehicle - Battery charging, Battery electric vehicle - Battery life, Battery electric vehicle - Safety, Battery electric vehicle - Future, Battery electric vehicle - Owners, Battery electric vehicle - Controversy, Battery electric vehicle - United States, Battery electric vehicle - Outside the United States, Battery electric vehicle - Production vehicles, Battery electric vehicle - Prototypes, Battery electric vehicle - Production announcements, Battery electric vehicle - Hobbyists, research, and racing, Battery electric vehicle - EV news stories

Read more here: » Battery electric vehicle: Encyclopedia II - Battery electric vehicle - Hobbyists, research, and racing

Automotive technologies: Encyclopedia II - Automotive lighting - Conspicuity

Automotive lighting - Front position lamps and rear taillamps. Nighttime standing-vehicle conspicuity to the front is provided by front position lamps (known as "parking lamps" or "parking lights" in North America, "sidelights" in UK English, and known variously in other regions as "position lamps," "standing lamps," or "city lights"). These lamps may be white (international) or amber (North America). In North America, further conspicuity is offered by side-mounted lamps and retroreflectors - amber to the front a ...

See also:

Automotive lighting, Automotive lighting - Forward illumination, Automotive lighting - Main-beam headlamps, Automotive lighting - Dipped-beam headlamps, Automotive lighting - Driving lamps, Automotive lighting - Front fog lamps, Automotive lighting - Cornering lamps, Automotive lighting - Conspicuity, Automotive lighting - Front position lamps and rear taillamps, Automotive lighting - Rear position lamps, Automotive lighting - Rear registration plate lamp, Automotive lighting - Sidemarker lights and retroreflectors, Automotive lighting - Daytime running lamps, Automotive lighting - Rear fog lamps, Automotive lighting - Signalling, Automotive lighting - Turn signals, Automotive lighting - Stop lamps, Automotive lighting - Reversing lamps

Read more here: » Automotive lighting: Encyclopedia II - Automotive lighting - Conspicuity

Automotive technologies: Encyclopedia II - Battery electric vehicle - Fuels

There are no currently available technologies that can provide the energy required over the life of a car. This means that all car technologies need to be refuelled. If all the energy is stored in batteries refuelling means charging those batteries. BEVs most commonly charge from the power grid, which is in turn generated from a variety of domestic resources - primarily coal, natural gas, and nuclear. Home power such as roof top photovoltaic panels, microhydro or wind can also be used. Electricity can also b ...

See also:

Battery electric vehicle, Battery electric vehicle - History, Battery electric vehicle - Efficiency, Battery electric vehicle - Performance, Battery electric vehicle - Fuels, Battery electric vehicle - Range, Battery electric vehicle - Battery charging, Battery electric vehicle - Battery life, Battery electric vehicle - Safety, Battery electric vehicle - Future, Battery electric vehicle - Owners, Battery electric vehicle - Controversy, Battery electric vehicle - United States, Battery electric vehicle - Outside the United States, Battery electric vehicle - Production vehicles, Battery electric vehicle - Prototypes, Battery electric vehicle - Production announcements, Battery electric vehicle - Hobbyists research and racing, Battery electric vehicle - EV news stories

Read more here: » Battery electric vehicle: Encyclopedia II - Battery electric vehicle - Fuels

Automotive technologies: Encyclopedia II - Automotive lighting - Forward illumination

Forward illumination is provided by main- ("high") and dipped- ("low") beam headlamps, which may be augmented by fog lamps and/or driving lamps. Automotive lighting - Main-beam headlamps. Main article: Headlamp Main-beam headlamps provide a bright, general spread of light into the far distance. As such, they are only suitable for use when alone on the road, as they will dazzle other drivers. They are usually integrated with dipped-beam headlamps. Automotive lighting - Dipped-beam headlam ...

See also:

Automotive lighting, Automotive lighting - Forward illumination, Automotive lighting - Main-beam headlamps, Automotive lighting - Dipped-beam headlamps, Automotive lighting - Driving lamps, Automotive lighting - Front fog lamps, Automotive lighting - Cornering lamps, Automotive lighting - Conspicuity, Automotive lighting - Front position lamps and rear taillamps, Automotive lighting - Rear position lamps, Automotive lighting - Rear registration plate lamp, Automotive lighting - Sidemarker lights and retroreflectors, Automotive lighting - Daytime running lamps, Automotive lighting - Rear fog lamps, Automotive lighting - Signalling, Automotive lighting - Turn signals, Automotive lighting - Stop lamps, Automotive lighting - Reversing lamps

Read more here: » Automotive lighting: Encyclopedia II - Automotive lighting - Forward illumination

Automotive technologies: Encyclopedia II - Battery electric vehicle - History

BEVs were among the earliest automobiles, and before the preeminence of light, powerful internal combustion engines, electric automobiles held many vehicle land speed and distance records in the early 1900s. Most notable was perhpas breaking of the 105.88 km/h (65.79 MPH) speed barrier by Camille Jenatzy on 29.4 1899 in his rocket-like EV named La Jamais Contente, this was the first world record over 100 km/h. They were produced by A ...

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Battery electric vehicle, Battery electric vehicle - History, Battery electric vehicle - Efficiency, Battery electric vehicle - Performance, Battery electric vehicle - Fuels, Battery electric vehicle - Range, Battery electric vehicle - Battery charging, Battery electric vehicle - Battery life, Battery electric vehicle - Safety, Battery electric vehicle - Future, Battery electric vehicle - Owners, Battery electric vehicle - Controversy, Battery electric vehicle - United States, Battery electric vehicle - Outside the United States, Battery electric vehicle - Production vehicles, Battery electric vehicle - Prototypes, Battery electric vehicle - Production announcements, Battery electric vehicle - Hobbyists research and racing, Battery electric vehicle - EV news stories

Read more here: » Battery electric vehicle: Encyclopedia II - Battery electric vehicle - History

Automotive technologies: Encyclopedia II - Battery electric vehicle - Controversy

Some USA EV fans have accused the three major domestic manufacturers, General Motors, Chrysler Corporation and Ford Motor Company of deliberately sabotaging their own electric vehicle efforts through several methods: failing to market, failing to produce appropriate vehicles, failing to satisfy demand, and using lease-only programs with prohibitions against end of lease purchase. By these actions they have managed to terminate their BEV development and marketing programs despite operators' offers of purchase and assumption of maintenance lia ...

See also:

Battery electric vehicle, Battery electric vehicle - History, Battery electric vehicle - Efficiency, Battery electric vehicle - Performance, Battery electric vehicle - Fuels, Battery electric vehicle - Range, Battery electric vehicle - Battery charging, Battery electric vehicle - Battery life, Battery electric vehicle - Safety, Battery electric vehicle - Future, Battery electric vehicle - Owners, Battery electric vehicle - Controversy, Battery electric vehicle - United States, Battery electric vehicle - Outside the United States, Battery electric vehicle - Production vehicles, Battery electric vehicle - Prototypes, Battery electric vehicle - Production announcements, Battery electric vehicle - Hobbyists research and racing, Battery electric vehicle - EV news stories

Read more here: » Battery electric vehicle: Encyclopedia II - Battery electric vehicle - Controversy

Automotive technologies: Encyclopedia II - Catalytic converter - Purpose and function of catalytic converters

A three-way catalytic converter has three simultaneous tasks: oxidation of carbon monoxide to carbon dioxide: 2CO + O2 → 2CO2 reduction of nitrogen oxides to nitrogen: NOx → O2 + N2 oxidation of hydrocarbons (unburnt fuel) to carbon dioxide and water: CxHy + nO2 → xCO2 + mH2O These three reactions are most balanced at the stoichiometric point, which is the mid-point between rich and ...

See also:

Catalytic converter, Catalytic converter - Purpose and function of catalytic converters, Catalytic converter - Catalyst Poisoning, Catalytic converter - Technical details, Catalytic converter - Oxygen Storage, Catalytic converter - Regulations, Catalytic converter - Patents

Read more here: » Catalytic converter: Encyclopedia II - Catalytic converter - Purpose and function of catalytic converters

Automotive technologies: Encyclopedia II - Catalytic converter - Catalyst Poisoning

Catalytic converters become ineffective in the presence of lead due to catalyst poisoning, and the introduction of catalytic converters triggered the end of leaded gasoline. Catalyst poisoning occurs when a substance in the fuel or lube oil of the engine coats the surface of the catalyst, masking the precious metal deposits. Poisoning can sometimes be reversed by running the engine under a very heavy load for an extended period of time to raise exhaust gas temperature, which may cause liquefaction or sublimation of the catalyst poison. Commo ...

See also:

Catalytic converter, Catalytic converter - Purpose and function of catalytic converters, Catalytic converter - Catalyst Poisoning, Catalytic converter - Technical details, Catalytic converter - Oxygen Storage, Catalytic converter - Regulations, Catalytic converter - Patents

Read more here: » Catalytic converter: Encyclopedia II - Catalytic converter - Catalyst Poisoning

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