Car & Bike Talk

[Rev.FrankSmith]

Noted

[N567]

However, these days the vehicle manufacturers use electric/wired throttles/accelerators designed to dampen down the response in order to comply with eco bullshit orders from the government.

Modern American cars like the Ford Escape, Chevrolet Equinox, and GMC Terrain use electric controls to give the vehicle a high response and acceleration without sacrificing fuel economy. The low responsiveness of older vehicles is caused by their use of mechanical and hydraulic components like hydraulic power steering, manual transmission or hydraulic automatic transmission, and hydraulic power braking, which experience losses in the transfer of energy to their loads because of friction and vibrations, in the case of mechanical parts, and viscosity and vibrations, in the case of hydraulic parts.

The 3 new models I mentioned use electric power steering, electric automatic transmission, and electric power braking. In these types of controls, the steering, gear shifting, and braking is done by electric motors. It has even reached the point where these vehicles have no shift stick and the gear shifting is done by dials, in the case of the Ford Escape, push buttons, in the case of the GMC Terrain, and the windshield wiper levers which double as a gear shifting joystick, in the case of the Chevrolet Equinox, while the parking brakes for all of these SUVs are push button, eliminating the need for handbrakes. Because there are no moving parts or hydraulics in these systems, there is no wastage of energy, except for minimal losses caused by electrical resistance, and electrical signals travel faster than mechanical or hydraulic ones.

These new models also have other electric controls like automatic engine shutoff, where the engine shuts off automatically when the vehicle has stopped moving for a long time and then only switches back on automatically when the gas pedal is stepped on once more to accelerate. When the engine is off, the AGM or absorbent glass mat battery is used to power all of the vehicle's electrical loads including the HVAC.

Other electric controls include electric mode shifting where the shifting between front-wheel drive and all-wheel drive is done using a dial. In the past, a vehicle was either front-wheel drive or all-wheel drive and there was no option to switch between modes. These vehicles also have automatic traction control where the torque generated by the wheels is regulated by electronics that adjust the transmission system's output using electric motors, this system is also used to prevent slippage using what is called an electric anti-slip system, electronic driver assist where sensors check to ensure that the vehicle is within lane, electronic park assist where rear cameras and sensors guide the vehicle when backing up, and electronic hill assist where the vehicle uses sensors to automatically shift to a higher gear and engage traction control when climbing steep hills. These vehicles also have gas suspension which reduces vibrations greater than coil springs while also having greater durability because these have less friction and vibrations.

Because of all of these advances, along with the invention of the flat chassis by GM and the tubular boron steel chassis by Ford, the Ford Escape has a fuel economy of 19km/l, while the Chevrolet Equinox has a fuel economy of 13km/l in front-wheel drive mode and 12km/l in all-wheel drive mode, and the GMC Terrain has a fuel economy of 12km/l in front-wheel drive mode and 11km/l in all-wheel drive mode, the highest fuel economies for SUVs.

The use of these electronic controls also reduces maintenance because the friction, viscosity, and vibrations of mechanical and hydraulic parts causes these to wear out faster, so the only maintenance required for these vehicles is to change the oil, oil filter, air filter, and rotate and balance tires every 12,000km, which is 20% longer than the standard requirement of doing it every 10,000km for conventional vehicles, change the cabin filter every 36,000km, gas suspension every 160,000km, and rear axle lubricant every 240,000km. 

These electric controls were invented by Alan Cocconi in 1990 for the GM Impact, the world's 1st electric sports car which set a world record for fastest electric car of 295km/h, and the greatest range for electric cars of 201km. These electric controls were also used in the GM EV1 series of electric and hybrid cars invented by Alan Cocconi in 1996 which set a world record for fastest electric sedans with their top speed of 129km/h, and greatest fuel or energy economies for sedans of 36km/le for the electric version, 34km/l for the diesel hybrid version, 26km/l for the CNG hybrid version, 43km/l for the gas turbine hybrid version, and 34km/l for the fuel cell hybrid version. The hybrid versions of these vehicles were the 1st of their kind in history.

[Rev.Cambeul]

Modern American cars like the Ford Escape, Chevrolet Equinox, and GMC Terrain use electric controls to give the vehicle a high response and acceleration without sacrificing fuel economy. The low responsiveness of older vehicles is caused by their use of mechanical and hydraulic components like hydraulic power steering, manual transmission or hydraulic automatic transmission, and hydraulic power braking, which experience losses in the transfer of energy to their loads because of friction and vibrations, in the case of mechanical parts, and viscosity and vibrations, in the case of hydraulic parts.

Although mine's an Australian GM Holden Commodore VZ Executive (bottom line model with some factory fitted custom options) 3.6 Litre V6 175KW/Kilowatt (235HP) Alloytec motor running at 188KW (252HP) on the dyno (so I was told when I bought it), by American standards, you'd call it a Pontiac G6, which is much the same.

The V8 version called the SS Commodore was sold in America as a Pontiac. Israel cracked up at the letters SS. And the last of the V8's were sold as Chev's.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Holden_Commodore_(VZ)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/GM_High_Feature_engine#LY7

Well, whatever the reasons for the throttle lag, the throttle control does work. I just need to dial it to whatever I feel is best (typically the Ultra 2 setting) and it's easier to drive. No throttle lag. Which in itself uses less revs as I don't tend to put my foot down as much as I used to in order to get away from others. No throttle lag means less revving the motor, which means better fuel consumption. And then I put my foot down anyway because I like the roar of the engine.

Recent additions were replacement of the seatbelt plastic bits on the pillars that broke off years ago with aftermarket black ones. Black headlining fixing the sag and filth of beige original. Re-tinted the windows. Replaced the back window (demister wasn't working). Proper floor mats and plugs for the first time mean the floor mats actually fit as they should, and they don't slide around because of the plugs (I always hated sliding floor mats). I recovered my steering wheel in leather - around the ring and the flat part with the horn, and included a custom HSV badge decal to match my custom white speedo dials. Lambskin seat covers in front and custom made black leather for the back. And a new Kenwood stereo with bluetooth and phone capability.

Next in May it will be a plug for the solar charger, and I'll have the intermittently working power antenna replaced with an old fashioned manual pull antenna. I don't use the radio, I use a USB thumb drive with around 1488 songs on there playing at random.

When I get out of hospital, I'll have someone clay it, polish it and treat it with whatever's suitable for a matt/satin finish ... change the oil and that's it. After that it's just servicing and general repairs when needed.

[N567]

Well, whatever the reasons for the throttle lag, the throttle control does work. I just need to dial it to whatever I feel is best (typically the Ultra 2 setting) and it's easier to drive. No throttle lag. Which in itself uses less revs as I don't tend to put my foot down as much as I used to in order to get away from others. No throttle lag means less revving the motor, which means better fuel consumption. And then I put my foot down anyway because I like the roar of the engine.

Good thing that you had electronic controls installed, they work better than mechanical or hydraulic ones. With EVC electronic throttle control, you get better fuel economy, because a computer does the adjusting for you, just like the other electronics I mentioned.

In case you need to trade in, get the Ford Escape, Chevrolet Equinox, or GMC Terrain, they get the best fuel economy for SUVs and have all-electronic controls to the point that even the gear shifting is dial, windshield wiper lever, or push button, along with a push button permanent brake.

All these vehicles also have voice command AI GPS where all you have to do is ask for the destination and it will guide you there.

They also have digital cruise control, where all you have to do is input the speed and it will automatically accelerate to that speed and stay there.

Try inputting the top speed of 201km/h at rest and see it accelerate to that speed in seconds, faster than any manually accelerated vehicle.

The electronic controls do not just improve fuel economy and reduce maintenance, they also reduce purchase costs since electronics are cheaper than mechanical or hydraulic parts. All of these American SUVs only cost $30,000.

[Rev.Cambeul]

In case you need to trade in, get the Ford Escape, Chevrolet Equinox, or GMC Terrain, they get the best fuel economy for SUVs and have all-electronic controls to the point that even the gear shifting is dial, windshield wiper lever, or push button, along with a push button permanent brake.

I wont be trading it in unless there was something wrong with it. And if I did go for a 4WD, I'd probably go for a Nissan Hilux with a tray top in the rear, giving me more of a truck/ute than an RV.

And a new Kenwood stereo with bluetooth and phone capability.

For years I've used simple music systems in the car with grand plans to get what I now have. In the old days it was just a CD playing MP3 music in the order of the files. Now it's a USB stick with about 1488 MP3 files in random order.

Yesterday I pulled up at the lights between songs. In that second or two before the new random song begins, I heard the lady in the next car quietly chatting with her passenger ... and then the new song begins with a loud Chuck Berry style guitar riff, and then the lyrics kick in:

"YOU KILL ALL THE NIGGERS AND GAS ALL THE JEWS
KILL A GYSPY AND A COMMIE TWO
YOU JUST KILLED A KIKE, DOESN'T IT FEEL RIGHT
GOODNESS GRACIOUS THIRD REICH!"

Today I was idling through the carpark at the local hardware store. I was just passing some lady and she gave me a really dirty look. She probably didn't like my music lyrics:

"Say SIEG HEIL for your rights!"
Repeat
Repeat
Repeat

People these days just don't seem to have any appreciation for the art of music.

@Cailen.

[Rev.Cambeul]

How General Motors shit on their international subsidiaries and destroyed the German (Opel), British (Vauxhall), Australian (Holden) and eventually American auto industry in favour of CHINA ...

Video from https://www.youtube.com/@ConnectingODots

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tw7BQXRSh6k