GREEN TECHNOLOGY » Automotive

Jiyo Life this monsoon in Munnar

VaL — Sat, 08 Jan 2011 00:01:43 +0000

The monsoons are here & so will be you, trying to make the most of it. Some of you will play football in the rains, while some will go trekking . There are some who enjoy having a cup of tea with some hot bahjiyas. Now we will tell how to make this monsoon more special by visiting one of the beautiful places we have here in India. The place is Munnar. Now don’t tell us that you have never heard of this place!

The name Munnar is derived from the words munnu aar . Munnu meaning three while aar meaning rivers. Situated at the confluence of three mountain streams – Mudrapuzha, Nallathanni and Kundala in Idukki district of Kerala, the place has become one of the hottest tourist destinations in India. Placed at height of 2000 to 2600 meters above sea level, the climate here is fantastic. The air is crisp, clear and unpolluted & the temperature normally hovers between 0°C – 25° Celsius. The place was once a summer destination of the erstwhile British Government in South India.

Munnar is full of greenery and mist and once you visit there you will be greeted by miles and miles of tea gardens. It has the highest peak in South India, Anamudi. Towering over 2695 meters the place is an ideal location for trekkers. An exotic flower, Neelakurinji blooms every 12 years & bathes the hill in blue color. The Nilgiris, which means the blue mountain received its name from this flower.

Here are some of the must visit places in Munnar this monsoon:

Rajamala:
This place is situated 2695 meters above sea level & is about 15 kms from Munnar. It is famous for the Nilgiri Tahrs which is the state animal of Tamil Nadu. An endangered species, more than half of these thars or goats, about 1300, can be found over here.

Eravikulam National Park:
Situated in Devikulam taluka of Idukki district, this 97 sq.km. park is home of the Nilgiri Tahrs. The Anamudi peak is situated in the southern part of this park. The place is covered with evergreen trees which makes it beautiful and is one of the best mountain ranges that we have in India.

Pothamedu:
This place offers an excellent view of the vast tea, cardamom and coffee plantations in Munnar. It is ideal for mountain walk as it offers a view of the lush green beautiful hills and mountains. Nature at its best.

Matutupetty:
Around 13 kms from Munnar & 1700 meters from sea level this place is famous for the Indo-Swiss live stock project. Visitors are allowed into three of the eleven cattle sheds where you will find over 100 varieties of high yielding cattle being reared. There is also the Mattupetty Lake & Dam which is a favorite picnic spot.

Nyayamakad:
Located between Munnar and Rajamala, Nyayamakad has some beautiful and breathtaking waterfalls some of which are at a height of 1600 meters. The scenic surroundings will make you mesmerize in natures wonder.

Pallivasal :
Again a place with some awesome scenery, this place also has the first Hydro Electric Project in Kerala.

Attukal :
Located between Munnar and Pallivasal, the place has some of the best views of the waterfalls. Watch the Attukkal waterfalls where white foaming water descends down from a great height and creates cloud of mist. Attukal is also one of the most photographed attractions of Munnar.

Chithirapuram:
Home to the Pallivasal Hydel Power Project, this is a sleepy town with old cottages and bunglows which gives it a distinct charm. There are also spice nurseries owned by the Kerala Spice Board.

Lock Heart Gap:
Located 13 km from Munnar this place is famous for adventure tourism and trekking. If you want to spend some priceless moments of solitude this is the place to be.

Devikulam:
Located 7 km from Munnar this place is famous for the Sita Devi Lake, where it is believed that Lord Rama and Goddess Sita took bath thus consecrating the water with curative powers. You can also find bluish and red rubber trees here.

That’s all about Munnar. Do visit, enjoy your monsoon and Jiyo Life.

Jiyo Life this monsoon in Munnar is a post from: GREEN TECHNOLOGY

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The Rodeo Game

VaL — Wed, 05 Jan 2011 20:01:41 +0000

When I was going through the Facebook fan page of Mahindra Power Scooters, I noticed the new ‘Rodeo Game’ tab which had been put up there. The Rodeo is a power scooter from Mahindra Two Wheelers Ltd, India.

So I thought of having some fun by playing the game. Clicking the tab took me to a new zapak.com page where after skipping two advertisements the game page appeared. The page had a blue colored rodeo scooter which we can customize before getting started with game. The interesting part is that the scooter can be viewed in a 360 degree angle while you are customizing it. Customizing involves changing the design and color of ‘front body’, ‘mudguard’, ‘head lamp’ etc.

You can ride the rodeo in three different levels: Royal Thar Desert, Himalayan Winds & Greenlands. Every level is to be completed in 30 seconds & the score and speed can be increased by collecting the Rodeo Boosters.
The game was fun and it was interesting to zoom my way through the different sharp curves in all the levels. You can sometimes cheat your way by crossing the parallel roads and reaching the finishing line.

What’s more! They are even giving an I-POD Shuffle to three players who have a combined high score after playing all the three levels! I am going to submit mine and I hope I get my hands on it.

Overall a fun game to ride the scooter. Enjoy & Win.

PS: Here is the link to the game

http://www.facebook.com/PowerScooters?v=app_10442206389

The Rodeo Game is a post from: GREEN TECHNOLOGY

M&M to Revive Jeep

VaL — Sun, 02 Jan 2011 19:01:44 +0000

Jeep has always been every adventurer’s dream. When Mahindra & Mahindra stopped classic Jeep’s production a decade back, many of its admirers were devastated. But now they can rejoice because M&M is bringing back Jeep. For those who grew up watching iconic Jeep dominating roads, it is an ultimate symbol of machismo. Jeep was a sturdy and reliable vehicle which was used by anybody who wanted more from a vehicle be it the police forces or a politician from the badlands of U.P. who wanted to address and impress the public.

Jeep’s revival plans are at its last stages and M&M is busy finalizing the nitty-gritties. Industry analysts expect the announcement by the year end. The soft-roof Jeep powered by a 2.6 liter turbo-charged engine is expected to cost Rs 4.5-5.5 lakh. It will be targeted towards Indian tourist sector in Kerala, North East India and Rajasthan. The company is hoping to sell 5,000 units per year initially. One unnamed source from M&M revealed that this is part of M&M’s strategy to do been seen as something different from its rivals. They do not expect it to sell like hotcakes but they simply want brand positioning.

Maruti Gypsy production has already been curtailed and this brings a unique opportunity to M&M to penetrate this hitherto untapped segment. This will enable Mahindra & Mahindra to easy increase volumes. The branding of the vehicle is still been undecided.

Back in June 1949, Mahindra started production of Willys Overland Jeep in India at its plant in Mumbai. The company subsequently introduced several versions of the vehicle though the exteriors remained mostly same. In 1991, M&M brought out the ‘Commander’, which was hugely popular. M&M even exports fully-loaded jeep ‘Thar’ to South Africa.

M&M has big plans for passenger car segment in India and is now increasingly been seen as major manufacturer in a crowded market place dominated by Maruti Suzuki and Hyundai. Many of global and Indian giants have ambitious plans for Indian market which has a huge demand for cars. India has a big growth potential and various manufacturers have understood this.

M&M is already making giant strides in the heavy utility vehicle segment with a slew of new and refurbished models in the year 2011. Auto industry analysts told us that M&M has already started work on a Xylo pickup to be available in both single cab and double cab versions and a Gio passenger vehicle.

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Mahindra to bring back the Jeep

VaL — Sat, 01 Jan 2011 15:01:35 +0000

The most diversified auto manufacturer of the country, Mahindra and Mahindra is planning to bring back the Jeep, after at least a decade of its launch. The term Jeep invokes several interesting images in our mind, including an adventurous world full of tough terrain and big mountains. The idea of bringing back of a Jeep will be a real pleasure for those who love adventure and thrill in driving. The company is in the final stage of its plan of bringing back the Jeep. The announcement for the same is likely to be done by the end of this year. This new model of Jeep by M&M will incorporate a soft-roof. The model will have a powerful 2.6 litre turbo-charged engine. This new product of the company is speculated to be available with the price tag of Rs 4.5-5.5 lakh. Also, Mahindra & Mahindra expects to sell around five thousand units of this model per year as the company will be targeting the tourist markets of Rajasthan, North East and Kerala. As per a source close to the matter, bringing back the Jeep, is a part of company’s strategy for doing something different from its market competitors. He also said that initially,the company might not sell many units of this product but the concept will be introduced for brand positioning. The source further added that the model Maruti Gypsy is also showing a reduced production and that is why M&M observes the chance to foray into this segment. The branding of the vehicle is still to be finalized, added the same source. Pawan Goenka, president (automotive & farm equipment) Mahindra & Mahindra stated that they do not comment upon the future product programmes. It was in June 1949, when Mahindra and Mahindra had made the first Willys Overland Jeep in India. Later, several versions of the product were also launched by the company. The exteriors of these versions had remained similar. Mahindra and Mahindra launched the ‘Commander’ in the year 1991 and it was a hit in the auto market. At present, “Thar, the fully-loaded jeep of Mahindra and Mahindra is available in South Africa.

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Mahindra & Mahindra to launch ‘Thar’ soon

VaL — Wed, 29 Dec 2010 05:01:30 +0000

Mahindra & Mahindra India are yet again venturing in the SUV segment with their off road vehicle, Thar. The vehicle will be a revamped version of the Commander Jeep which was phased out from the Indian roads in early 2000. As per the officials from the company, it is expected that the Indian auto maker will price the SUV revised version at around 7 lacs and if the grapevines are to be believed, the Commander Jeep will be launched in Rajasthan and Kerala approximately by next month. The Commander Jeep, Thar has been on the South African roads for two years, and is priced for 9.5-10 lacs. From a long time a need of a retro style vehicle was felt which made Mahindra India to develop a four wheeler to launch in the domestic market. As per the industry sources, the Jeep will be retro style vehicle and will attract the mass crowd especially the youngsters and Jeep fanatics. The revamped Jeep will be coming in two variants, the soft top model and hard top model. But when asked about the launch of the revamped Jeep, the company’s top executive refused to comment as they are not allowed to disclose any of the future plans of the company. The Mahindra Thar, a revised version of the Commander Jeep 5 (CJ5) will come with improved features and suspension. It will offer better ground clearance to run on tough road conditions. The Jeep will be powered with 2.5 litre CRDi diesel engine. Abdul Majeed, auto practice leader at PwC commented that these vehicles are in great demand due to its retro feel among the Indian SUV lovers. He said, BMW is likely to launch its Mini in the domestic market while the Volkswagen Beetle by the German auto giant is already making its mark and Mahindra India will surely find a great market for its SUV in the Indian auto market. Mahindra & Mahindra India is planning to manufacture the revamped version of Thar on the same platform of Mahindra Scorpio at the Kandivili unit in Mumbai and expects to sell as many as 5,000 Jeep in a year. In the Indian auto market, Mahindra & Mahindra currently sells vehicles including Mahindra Bolero, Mahindra Scorpio and Mahindra Xylo.

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Mahindra Thar launches in South Africa

VaL — Sun, 26 Dec 2010 19:01:16 +0000

Mahindra’s retro-looking new offering called the Thar has been unleashed in South Africa. The Thar epitomises the whole “old school” look and this reflects in its slogan”old school is good.” It looks capable to handle rugged terrain as well as smooth highways. Its looks are stunning and minimal borrowed from Jeep designs of yester-years but adapted to our modern world. You will recall that the Mahindra Group began its operations in India by assembling the Willy’s Jeep some 65 years ago. The jeep design has been blended perfectly into this remarkable SUV.

The Thar is powered by a robust 2.5 direct injection turbo-diesel engine which is the result of a joint venture between Austrian company AVL and Bosch in Germany.The 2.5 engine develops
78kw at 3800 r/min and 247 Nm of torque at 1800 r/min. It drives the rear wheels or four wheels when required – through a five-speed gearbox with a two-speed transfer box with low speed selection. It drives the rear- wheels or all four wheels when required, through a five speed gear box, a two speed transfer box to low speed selection.The Thar is capable of facing up to the most gruelling terrain with ease. Suspension is independent by means of torsion bars in front
and the live rear axle is suspended on two leaf springs. Braking is by discs up front and drums
at the rear. The Thar was first displayed as a concept prototype at the Bologna Motor Show in 2008. It received phenomenal response and reviews which prompted the company to consider global markets.

The Thar is a great looking two-seater with a focus on casual off-roading and it has the minimal battle hardened look only a Military Jeep can pull off. The Thar is priced attractively in South Africa at R 169,900 (including VAT) and a 50,000 km or 24 month warranty.

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Mahindra Thar launched at Rs 4.47 lakh

VaL — Sat, 25 Dec 2010 19:01:09 +0000

The classic looking jeep from Mahindra- Mahindra Thar – is entering the Indian car market on the 21st of December with an initial price tag of Rs 6 to Rs 8 lakhs initially in the two most beautiful and most visited tourist destinations in India namely Rajasthan and Kerala. Mahindra was planning to introduce the jeep for a long time in India because it is already running in Europe and in South Africa. Mahindra Thar is surely going to attract all the jeep aficionados because of the big Indian SUV market’s interest. According to sources, the Mahindra & Mahindra manufactured the vehicle which was intended only for export but after the success that it attained overseas, the auto giant planned to bring the jeep Mahindra Thar in the domestic auto sector as well. The Mahindra Thar model is set to remind all of the jeep lovers of the robust MM540 and MM550 which both came from the same family of Mahindra. The jeep is manufactured for smooth driving pleasure especially on bad-conditioned roads, rocky terrains such as those in high altitudes and in deep valleys. The Mahindra Thar is known for the capacity to crush the roads and for its strength, toughness and shock bearing capabilities. These features hold the jeep on the road while driving thus giving the driver and the passengers the confidence to follow even the rockiest and the worst of all road conditions. The savvy and sturdy SUV 4X4 drive is also loaded with 2.5 litre CRDe powertrain with five speed manual transmission. The engine of the Mahindra Thar is capable of generating a power of 105 BHP @ 3800 rpm. The new generation of Mahindra Thar is designed solely for pure off road experience with an approach angle of 46 degrees and departure angle of 30 degrees with 200 mm of ground clearance. The SUV also comes with various features like power steering wheel, air condition, powerful diesel engine, and independent front suspension as well as the stabilizer bars for a great off road experience. The Mahindra Thar is also going to be available in different colors such as Arctic White, Mist Silver, Toreador Red and Black.

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Mahindra Thar Launched

VaL — Fri, 24 Dec 2010 22:01:15 +0000

Mahindra & Mahindra India is now set to bring back Mahindra Thar, the jeep-looking SUV, in December 2010. The Mahindra Thar is going to be a sophisticated version of the car model Commander Jeep which, after a 10-year sabbatical, is entering the Indian auto market. This SUV is of 2500 cc turbo-diesel injection common rail engine along with 4 cylinder powers. This model is expected to be available at a price of Rs 8 lakh which will be first seen in tourist places in India such as Rajasthan and Kerala. The SUV, Mahindra Thar is already running in South African roads where it is sold at Rs 9.5 to Rs 10 lakh. Mahindra is now working to make Mahindra Thar as per the Indian conditions and to suit the needs of the buyers. Mahindra had recently exhibited the SUV Mahindra Thar model at the Bologna Motor Show. The new jeep, like most SUV is going to be loaded with 2500cc turbo-diesel injection which is common with rail engine with 4 cylinders. This can churn out a power of 107 kw. Mahindra hopes to re-establish the SUV Mahindr Thar as well as set new standards for the new car model. The company also hopes that this time, the Mahindra that used the company’s new generation independent torsion-bar front suspension system which is affixed in Mahindra Scorpio. The SUV’s rear, the leaf-spring suspension present in Mahindra Bolero is attached. The engine of the jeep’s engine is equipped with a full-synchromesh five-speed gearbox and manual shift Borg-Warner 4X4 transfer case with 2.48:1 low ratio. This will surely make it a great off roader. The SUV Mahindra That also has these open differentials in the front and rear. Mahindra is planning huge plans this year as by March 2011, the Indian leader in the SUV segment is going to take over the South Korean company Ssangyong Motors. It is also planning to assemble and market the well-known Ssanyong’s Korando and Rexton SUV in India. As of now, the company sells four SUVs in India namely- Mahindra Bolero, Mahindra Scorpio, Mahindra Scorpio W and Mahindra Xylo.

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Hybrid Car Comparison: Which Hybrid Car Should You Choose

VaL — Sun, 10 Oct 2010 10:05:28 +0000

Hybrid cars are getting more and more popular today. In fact, more and more people are now purchasing hybrid cars because of a number of reasons. One is that they will enjoy tax incentives as a buyer of a hybrid car, two is that they will be able to save a lot of money from the rising cost of precious, expensive and limited supply of fuel and three, it will enable them to generate less pollution to the environment because of the extremely low toxic emissions generated by hybrid cars.
Because of the growing popularity of hybrid cars, more and more car manufacturers are now competing to produce the best kind of hybrid cars. They are now producing hybrid cars integrated with state-of-the-art technology that will enable consumers to save more on fuel, and also a car that will be able to produce low toxic emissions.
However, because of the growing market for hybrid cars, and also because of more and more car manufacturers that are now integrating hybrid technology in their cars, many people tend to get confused on which hybrid car to purchase. Besides, all car manufacturers promises to offer the best kind of hybrid cars in the market today.
In order to know which hybrid car to purchase, you have to compare them closely for you to know which hybrid car is for you and which hybrid car you can benefit from more. You have to compare some factors of hybrid cars in order to determine which hybrid car is better than the other.
However, before you go on and compare hybrid cars, you first have to know a little something about how hybrid cars work and how you can benefit from it. First of all, hybrid cars use the cleanest and the most efficient source of energy, which is electricity and also gasoline. Hybrid cars are what you can describe as a cross between a conventional gasoline-powered car and an electric-powered car.
It allows you to save fuel and emit lower volumes of toxic fumes because hybrid cars run on electricity when it is idle. What this means is that when you are stuck in traffic, and the hybrid car is running idle, or not in motion, it will automatically switch of the gasoline engine. Therefore, the hybrid car will run purely on electricity. Once you step on the accelerator pedal, it will automatically switch on the gasoline engine again to run the car.
So, now that you know how hybrid cars work and how you can benefit from it, you now have to know how to compare hybrid cars in order to get the right kind of hybrid car for your everyday use.
First of all, you need to determine how you will use the car. If you have a family, it is recommended that you get an SUV hybrid vehicle. This will enable you to carry more passengers. However, you also have to consider that SUV hybrid vehicles can cost a little more than hybrid cars.
The main advantage of a hybrid car is that it is fuel efficient. You have to choose a hybrid car that is the most fuel efficient in order for you to maximize its benefits. You can ask your dealer about the fuel efficiency of the car. They will be able to tell you how much miles a gallon it can save compared to conventional cars and other hybrid cars.
These are the ways on how you can compare hybrid cars in order for you to choose which one to get. Remember all these things and you can be sure that you will be able to get the right kind of hybrid car available in the market today. To start your search, Honda and Toyota are two of the leading companies today that produce affordable and efficient hybrid cars.

Hilal Abdelwali, Ph.D. in Automotive Engineering. SAE Member Since September 2001. Expert in Automotive Engineering and Hybrid Cars.
Internet Marketer. Owner of http://TheHybridCarsSite.com, and http://MyHotProducts.com Site.

Hybrid Car Comparison: Which Hybrid Car Should You Choose is a post from: GREEN TECHNOLOGY

Hybrid Cars Advantages and Disadvantages

VaL — Tue, 28 Sep 2010 10:05:29 +0000

Hybrid cars are considered as the car of the future. It is able to effectively conserve fuel and at the same time, it only produces low levels of toxic fumes. Because of these benefits, hybrid cars are now growing in popularity every single day. Many people are now considering getting rid of their conventional cars and purchase a hybrid car to help in cutting fuel consumption cost.
Hybrid cars have two engines for it to effectively conserve fuel consumption. It has the traditional gasoline engine and it also has an electric motor and batteries. The two engines work together in order to cut fuel consumption. With this technology, you will be able to cut fuel usage by more than half. Just imagine, with a hybrid car, you will be able to go more than 60 miles to the gallon. With this kind of savings, hybrid cars are definitely the car of the future.
Hybrid car owners virtually do not feel the increasing cost in fuel prices. This is the main advantage of the hybrid car. There are other advantages that a hybrid car can give you. Recently, the President of the United States has signed an agreement that hybrid car buyers will be able to enjoy tax incentives. This means that by owning a hybrid car, you will be able to save money on taxes.
There are other benefits that the government imposes on hybrid car owners, such as free parking, and free entry to car pool lanes. Some even offer discounted fees on toll gates.
The braking in hybrid cars is also configured to capture the energy released and uses it to charge the batteries inside the hybrid car. This means that unlike electric cars, hybrid cars do not actually need to be charged from your home electric outlet.
However, with all the advantages that a hybrid car can give you, there are also disadvantages. The main disadvantage of hybrid cars is that the retail price is quite expensive. Only people who have enough money can purchase hybrid cars. However, the twist in all this is that hybrid cars are actually cheaper when compared to conventional cars in the long run. If you compute the total fuel consumption of both cars, you will actually see that you can save a lot more money on hybrid cars.
The only thing is that hybrid cars are expensive right from the car lot.
Hybrid cars are relatively heavy because of the heavy batteries installed inside the car. This is why hybrid car manufacturers integrates smaller internal combustion engines and are constructed with light materials and should be aerodynamic in order to maximize efficiency. This means that hybrid cars can never really go fast.
Another issue about hybrid cars is that it is very risky in accidents. What makes a hybrid car work effectively is also what makes it risky if it ever gets involved in an accident. This is because hybrid cars stores high amount of voltage in its batteries. This means that there is a high chance of getting electrocuted when you get involved in an accident. This also means that it is relatively difficult for rescuers to get the drivers and passengers out of the hybrid cars because of the dangers of high voltage in the car.
These are the advantages and the disadvantages of hybrid cars. Car manufacturers today are now looking for ways to get rid of the disadvantages of hybrid cars. In the near future, you will see that hybrid cars will be lighter and also contains less risk due to high voltage dangers.

Hilal Abdelwali, Ph.D. in Automotive Engineering. SAE Member. Expert in Hybrid Cars
and Internet Marketing. Owner
of http://TheHybridCarsSite.com, and

http://MyHotProducts.com

Sites.

Hybrid Cars Advantages and Disadvantages is a post from: GREEN TECHNOLOGY