RTinNYC(again)

comments on the A5/S5 don't *really* sit well with me:

"He said that the A5 and S5 would be the start of even more product introductions in 2007, and that the company was looking forward to higher fuel consumption targets, alternate fuels, new drive systems, and an "efficiency module" system in a few years."

I think it's maybe that it seems that much of what Audi is doing right now, powertrain wise (think diesels), to improve fuel efficiency won't be available in the US in the very near future. I hope that unlike with the A/S5 (nothing new about the engines being offered there) some of these innovations come our way in the future... I wonder how long until they build a hybrid and/or alternative fuels are mainstream enough to be viable.

gk1

"Volkswagen has signed a strategic contract with product lifecycle management (PLM) solutions provider Dassault Systèmes to implement Dassault's Delmia Process Engineer (DPE) software throughout its organisation. The software promises to reduce development costs and improve planning reliability.

Under the agreement, DPE will be used on Volkswagen production sites for strategic assembly planning for the Volkswagen, Audi, Skoda and Seat brands.

The software is suitable for comprehensive manufacturing process planning and target costing in simultaneous engineering, claims Dassault. The software ensures high-level planning reliability along with optimised planning and implementation times and costs. It enables an early and reliable overview by showing the production time and investment costs, production space and the level of manpower required, thus shortening the phase between product design and production.

"After several years of successful partnership with Audi, we will be working with all entities of the Volkswagen group on the implementation of Delmia to further enhance the manufacturing efficiencies," commented Philippe Charles, Dassault Systèmes' chief executive officer of Delmia.

According to Volkswagen head of planning Volker Germann, the DPE solution was already tested for performance at Audi, and will now be available for other units of the VW group. Licenses of the different brands will be consolidated in one. "This is an important step for complete integration of our enterprise, involving more than 500 users," he added.

"Just nine months since implementation of DPE at Skoda and we have already seen the benefits. The Seat brand is also introducing DPE throughout the company and will use it for future projects," noted Skoda head of planning, Gerhard Voges."

ACSGP

Probably see more bio-fuel cars, but I don't think the Germans will go the way of hybrids. There's already a lot of talk about the environmental impact of diposing of all the batteries hybrids use if they form a larger part of the car population. No re-cycling capability.

ImpellerCDN

environments, turbo diesels are easily more efficient. Add to that the real cost of and disposal of the batteries, hybrids just don't make much sense.

ACSGP

engines have less emissions than an equivalent powered turbo diesel. The green debate rumbles on.

gk1

I think this is the key to getting better quality diesel cars here in the US.<ul><li><a href="http://www.sae.org/technical/papers/2006-01-1369">http://www.sae.org/technical/papers/2006-01-1369</a</li></ul>

RS7

Many people have been mislead in relation to hybrid cars by the car companies that use them. The energy used to charge any battery such as those found in hybrid or electric cars must be created at a powerplant which either means:

1. Coal powerplants, which burn huge amounts of carbon etc and release pollutants

2. Nuclear powerplants, produce nuclear waste which have halflives of many thousands of years.

3. Hydroelectric, destroys environments because of flooding, reducing the amount of trees and therefore causeing a decrease in reducing emissions as plants help clean the air.

Also, batteries contain many harmful chemicals in them such as concentrated acids. If they are disposed of incorrectly there will be leaching of harmful chemicals into the environment.

So at present the only real way to reduce emissions in my opinion is through diesel power as it is cleaner now with catalytic converters etc used to filter it.

Otherwise just be happy using normal petrol, its not harming the environment any less than a hybrid for the above reasons.

Until enhancements in energy production can be achieved, such as Fusion reactions which produce no radiation etc, or advanced solar technology is developed don't bother with fancy gimmicks like hybrids.

gk1

At least in NJ. This way you have an electric vehicle charged by your choice of clean electric power. And as for batteries they have been recycling batteries for years so there is no disposal.

ACSGP

There will be disposal issues if the number of hybrids go up exponentially.

gk1

Why? Are you implying that usage will exceed the ability to recycle them?