The Best Of Both Worlds

The BMW i8 is a hybrid car, but you probably wouldn't guess that from its appearance.

Over a decade ago, hybrids slowly started to emerge in the auto industry. To say that they weren’t a hit amongst auto enthusiasts would be an understatement. Despite this, most people with even the slightest interest in cars could probably tell you that the Toyota Prius was the first hybrid car on the road.

The Fisker Karma features solar panels on its roof which
provide extra power for the car's tech accessories. 

But what if I told you that this wasn't true? The first ever gasoline-electric hybrid car was invented in by Prof. Ferdinand Porsche, who unveiled his Lohner Porsche to the public in 1900. While hybrids and their various technologies have changed greatly over the years, I’m only going to focus on their evolution following the introduction of the Prius. Love it or loathe it, the Prius has been the poster car for the hybrid movement. But first, it’s important to understand how these cars work.

Simply put, all gasoline-electric hybrids have a gas tank just as traditional cars do, but they also have large capacity (or a series of) batteries that’s able to store electricity that gets generated from when the car’s brakes are applied while driving. Then, at certain speeds or range of distances, the car is able to use its electric motor to start driving from a stop, before the gas engine kicks in at a higher speed. The Atlantic has a great infographic to better explain how hybrids work.

Porsche's Cayenne S E-Hybrid caters to enthusiasts 
looking for both performance and decent mileage.

Years ago, hybrid technology was confined to cars that looked rather boring, or were downright hideous in appearance. Luckily nowadays, luxury manufacturers are honing in on the popularity of hybrids. Porsche recently unveiled a plug-in hybrid model of their popular Cayenne SUV, which produces a whopping 416 hp when combining its gas and electric powertrains. BMW created an entirely new i series of cars, including its i8 sports car, which features a three-cylinder gas engine with a plug-in electric motor.

As a car enthusiast, older hybrids like the Prius really got to me. I could appreciate the technology behind them and how they were more environmentally friendly, but they were sluggish to drive and dull to look at. Fortunately, this new breed of hybrids has a variety of vehicles available to those looking for a cheaper commuter vehicle, to supercars that can be raced on the track. Looking at the latest hybrid supercars produced by Porsche, Ferrari, and McLaren gives me faith in hybrid technology after all.

Live From The #CIAS2016

Ford's 2017 GT supercar stood out for many reasons at this year's show.

This week is something of a special blog for me. Thanks to the kind folks at Enterprise Canada, I was lucky enough to attend Media Day at this year’s Canadian International AutoShow. As a car enthusiast, it was really a dream to experience the show before it’s filled with thousands of visitors. I got to sit behind the wheel of a number of great cars, including the BMW i8, Tesla's Model S & X, and the Maserati Quattroporte, just to name a few.

Alfa Romeo unveiled their stylish Giulietta sedan
to Canadian journalists.

I could ramble on about the incredible selection of cars at this year’s show, but what was even more impressive was the fantastic amount of innovation on display to the public. For starters, Audi unveiled a sporty new hydrogen-fueled concept, the H-Tron Quattro. The concept uses the harnessed power of hydrogen in order to drive electric motors at the front and rear, ultimately expelling zero emissions into the environment. Using hydrogen as a fuel source is a concept that’s still in its infancy, but seeing concepts from Audi and Lexus shows that automakers believe in its future.

High performance cars will always own the spotlight of the auto industry, and they did just that at this year’s auto show as well. What makes this different from any other year, you ask? Automakers are now able to build supercars that pack more power than ever before, but also return better fuel economy. For instance, let’s look at the Ford GT. Originally produced between 2005 - 2006, it featured a supercharged 5.4 L V8 engine that produced 550 horsepower and 500 lb-ft of torque. The 2017 GT now uses a twin-turbocharged 3.5 L V6 engine that produces 720 horsepower and 539 lb-ft of torque.

Acura proudly displayed their 2017 NSX, which is the
successor to their popular supercar of the 90s.

These are staggering figures, but they demonstrate what turbocharging an engine can bring to the table in today’s auto industry. In fact, F1 and Indy Car use turbocharged V6 engines, and they produce more power than their old V8 engines ever did. All of these great technologies and innovations were on display at this year’s Canadian International AutoShow, and I look forward to expanding upon some of these concepts and ideas that I witnessed in future blog posts.

Until then, go and check out the show at the Metro Convention Centre in Toronto until it closes its doors on Feb. 21.

The Future Is Bright

New LED headlight units are very bright. And that's a good thing.

Driving down a rural road late at night, you mutter to yourself about what a lousy job your yellow-tinted incandescent headlights are doing at lighting up the road. Up ahead in the distance, you spot two bright white, laser-etched designs coming towards you. Old technology, meet new technology.

Audi's R8 was the first production car
to feature LED headlights.

Welcome to the world of the LED light. It’s incredibly common these days to spot a car driving around with a neat glowing design, but just a few years ago, it was more of a rarity. Personally, I think that LEDs add a nice cosmetic touch to vehicles by creating a sort of light signature through the car's headlights and brake lights. While this is of course subjective, it’s undeniable that these bright, “cool” coloured lights help make our roads safer to drive on.

Audi was the first auto manufacturer to put LEDs to use in their vehicles. They pioneered this practice by including LED daytime running lights on their 2005 A8 sedan, and took this a step further by being the first to install all-LED headlights in their 2008 R8 supercar. Not only are they brighter than any previous headlight technology out there, they’re a part of the greener, more environmentally-friendly movement in the auto industry.

LEDs allow manufacturers such as Mercedes to create
a visual "signature" which can be identified from far away.

LEDs by their very nature are quite energy efficient. Unlike older incandescent bulbs, they don't generate a great deal of heat, and they have a lifespan that often exceeds 50,000 hours of use. Like any other new technology, LEDs still tend to be an expensive option on most new vehicles. Certain manufacturers such as Mercedes have created headlight units featuring “adaptive high beam” systems, which automatically control your high beams by using a front-facing camera (remember those from last week?) that detects if a car is approaching you, and turns them off all by itself.

What’s next? Audi and BMW are using lasers as headlights on certain models in Europe, though they’re still considered to be illegal for use in the U.S. at present time. But for now, the future is looking bright thanks to the auto industry's innovative use of LEDs, and the added safety factor that they provide by illuminating all of our journeys.

Smile For The Camera

The majestic Chevy Tahoe in its natural environment.

When the topic of cameras comes to mind, I always think back to 2007, when my dad ordered a new, fully loaded Chevy Tahoe. It was by far the largest vehicle my family had ever owned, but most excitingly, it was the first vehicle I’d ever come across that had one of the biggest tech innovations at the time – a backup camera. According to Edmunds, it weighed in at just under 2.5 metric tonnes and over 5 metres in length. If any vehicle needed a backup camera, it was this one.

Overhead views makes parking in tight spaces a breeze.

To say that backup cameras were a great innovation would be an understatement. While they make life easier for motorists that dislike looking over their shoulder while reversing, they most importantly provide an unprecedented level of safety for preventing rearward collisions.

Did you know that on average, over 200 people die each year after being struck by reversing cars, in addition to 15,000 others being injured? That number is staggering, which is why thanks to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, backup cameras will become standard by law in 2018.

New front-facing cameras help give drivers a 360° view.

I’m really happy to see this become a standard piece of equipment on new cars, considering that nearly a decade ago, this was a “luxury option” that cost thousands of dollars. Now, automakers are expanding from including only a backup camera, to including a system of (at least) four cameras that produce a 360° image. This of course means that you’ll be able to see what’s in front, behind, and on both sides of you.

I’ve had the chance to drive a new Mercedes with the 360° camera system on it, and I think it’s fantastic. One day, I’m sure this feature will come standard on all cars, and it’ll help not only those among us that "park by braille", but will also lead to fewer avoidable injuries and deaths. So next time you see someone reversing towards you, be sure to smile for the camera.