When the Technology Strategy Board received funding in May for various eco-projects, one of the items on the TSB's list was a flywheel-based hybrid drive system. Connected automakers Jaguar, Land Rover and Ford are part of this project (along with Flybrid Systems, Ford Motor Company, Prodrive, Ricardo UK Ltd, Torotrak plc, and Xtrac Ltd.) and the Technology Strategy Board announced this week that the flywheel technology is proceeding as planned. We have a lot of hope for flywheel tech, and it made our list of most promising green technologies.

Expected to take two years, the program will install the purely mechanical kinetic energy storage system (developed for Formula One race cars) into a demonstration vehicle and will, the TSB hopes, prove to be cheaper and more efficient than standard battery-powered hybrid systems. More information after the jump and at some of our older posts.

[Source: Technology Strategy Board]

The major auto shows are a flurry of action during the media preview days. Sometimes, there are just 30 minutes between unveilings and all of the cool concept cars hit the media scene pretty much at once. The South East Automotive Media Organization has taken a leisurely look back at the concepts that were on display this past show season and decided that the Land Rover LRX (pictured) and the Saab 9-X BioHybrid were two ABG faves that deserve to be named at the seventh annual North American Concept Vehicle of the Year Awards, announced last night. The LRX earned the Concept Truck of the Year prize and the Saab was crowned the 2008 Specialty Concept Vehicle of the Year. Other winners include the Hyundai Genesis Coupe Concept (2008 Production Preview Vehicle of the Year) and the Cadillac CTS Coupe Concept (2008 Concept Car of the Year).

See more pictures of the winners after the jump.


[Source: South East Automotive Media Organization]

Jaguar and Land Rover are looking to offer hybrid vehicles for sale within the next five years. It seems reasonable to conclude that they will parlay the experience gained from the government-sponsored testing that they recently were awarded into real production systems. According to reports, Jaguar is considering using a system similar to the one that Mercedes-Benz is working on for its flagship S-Class hybrid. The S-Class is expected to pair a 3.5 liter V6 engine to the ZF transmission, while Jaguar is said to be considering both a 3.0 liter diesel engine and a 5.0 liter gasoline direct injected V8.

Land Rover, on the other hand, seems ready to create its own home-grown hybrid system using something it calls the "Electric Rear Axle Drive." One thing that seems certain is that Tata Motors has plans to keep its two new luxury marques on the top of the technology curve, which could mean good things for the two ailing brands.

[Source: Autocar]

As part of the Technology Strategy Board's (TSB) ongoing efforts of promoting and supporting research into environmentally friendly automotive technology, the group has given funding to Ricardo, Jaguar and Land Rover for quite a few separate projects. Five of the projects are outlined here:

• Ricardo, along with the University of Brighton, DENSO Sales UK Ltd and Jaguar, has received funds to continue work on its innovative 2/4SIGHT engine, which is capable of running on either the 2 stroke cycle or the 4 stroke cycle.
• The Range Extended Electric Vehicle is led by Land Rover. A large SUV chassis will be used with the goal of delivering 120 to 130 g/km CO₂ and a zero emissions range of at least 12 miles.
  
• A flywheel-based hybrid drive system will be tested, led by Jaguar and including Flybrid Systems, Ford Motor Company, Prodrive, Ricardo UK Ltd, Torotrak plc, and Xtrac Ltd. Formula 1 racing is also testing these flywheel-based hybrid systems.
  
• The Limo-Green project is the fourth bit of technology and looks to incorporate the aluminum structure of the current Jaguar sedan range along with an electric motor, battery pack and generator.
  
• Recycled aluminum will be looked at to see if it is feasible to use post-consumer scrap to form the basis of a lightweight, mass-producible vehicle.
  

These five projects are part of a group of sixteen total investments which will receive a total of £90 million in funding from the TSB. We've pasted two complete press releases after the break detailing each of the proposed projects that are mentioned above.

Yesterday's big news that Land Rover and Jaguar were sold to Tata Motors give us a chance to talk Land Rover in terms of CO₂ emissions. Jaguar we'll just ignore for now, because Land Rover is a much more interesting case. We've ooohed and aaahed at the nice LRX concept, which would emit just 120 grams of CO₂ per kilometer should it ever make it out of the Auto Show circuit, but in general Land Rover isn't exactly a clean car company. Automotive News Europe (subs req'd) found that Land Rover's sales are up dramatically in the last few years and the company is apparently "solidly profitable" (Jaguar's in trouble here). ANE said that Land Rover's CO₂ emissions across the board need to be dropped and a brand reinvention to feature "fun, fashionable SUVs with a social conscience, rather than big gas-guzzling V-8 models that attract criticism from environmental campaigners" would be the right move. I see Tata as getting a bit schizophrenic here: big SUVs, the world's cheapest car and Jaguars? Still, if AutoWeek is correct, then the LRX will play a big role in the future of this new automotive hydra. That'd be sweet.


[Source: Tony Lewin / Automotive News Europe]

We first saw the Land Rover LRX concept CUV in Detroit when it was a gleaming white promise from the future. Land Rover displayed a second color scheme for the LRX in Geneva and has brought that vehicle to New York this week. We couldn't help but get a little shutter-happy today, and we also got Land Rover North America's VP of communication, Tim Watson, to tell us that, while nothing is guaranteed, the company is "cautiously optimistic" that the LRX will one day be brought into production. Considering this turbodiesel hybrid would emit just 120 grams of CO₂ per kilometer, we're not afraid to say we'd like that. You can listen to Watson by clicking on the audio widget below and see more images of the black and silver LRX by clicking the gallery thumbnails.

Land Rover is very fond of its CO₂ offsetting program and has decided to launch a campaign with a website to promote it, as well as celebrating the marque's 60th anniversary. The program not only plants trees but also includes humanitarian projects, as well as a window of Land Rover's statements on sustainable manufacturing and cleaner engines that produce less CO₂.

One of the nice features of the website is that you can find the official information about the LRX concept recently unveiled at the Detroit Motor Show (which Land Rover states produces 120 g of CO₂ per km) as well as the full details, on a world map, of Land Rover's projects.

Full press release after the jump.

Related:

• Study commissioned by Land Rover finds small cars are bad for the environment
• Land Rover's orangutan business
• Geneva Motor Show: Details of Land Rover's new CO2 Offset program

[Source: Land Rover]

Land Rover certainly didn't spare any expense when it came time to build a video screen to announce the debut of the Land Rover LRX concept SUV. For some Jeep-like reason, the organizers also thought that including fake rain and a pseudo-thunder storm was a good idea. As we wrote the other day, the LRX emits 120 grams of CO₂ per kilometer using a turbodiesel hybrid powertrain and is Land Rover's second-ever concept vehicle (and the company has been around for 60 years). As Land Rover's managing director Phil Popham says in the video above, the company likes its concepts to mean something, and the company is ready to listen to the public on opinions about the LRX. If the gallery of pictures isn't enough to make up your mind, then check out the ten-minute video for more info. When you do, you certainly won't be able to miss the huge-normous video screen behind the stage.

A Land Rover that emits 120 grams of CO₂ per kilometer? That's the promise of the LRX, the new concept SUV with a turbodiesel hybrid powertrain Land Rover unveiled yesterday at the Detroit Auto Show. Land Rover's press event made big deal of the history and future of Land Rover (with the very first Land Rover ever built sharing the state with Land Rover's second-ever concept vehicle - and this picture aptly demonstrates the message, I think), but the interesting thing is that the LRX is not exactly large. The two-door LRX does seat four, but it looks a bit cramped in the back. Perhaps it's bigger inside than it looks, but as you can see in the gallery below, the design lines compact towards the back, giving what Land Rover executives say is an aggressive stance. I care more about the environmental aspect of the LRX, and a vehicle of this size that puts out the aforementioned 120 grams is OK by me. More info in the press release after the jump, and there's a video to come.

The video above shows us an early look at the Land Rover "baby" LRX concept before it debuts at the 2008 Detroit Auto Show this month. The video includes Land Rover's design director Gerry McGovern saying the LRX "clearly conveys messages that we take sustainability seriously." The LRX is the smallest SUV Land Rover has ever made and includes an green "economy mode" which makes the car's internal lighting literally turn green. The LRX will also have a diesel/electric hybrid power train and gets 40 miles per gallon. Wow, someone give Rover a bone!

Related:

• Move over crossovers, 2008 will be the year of the Super-Mini SUV (Top 10 list included)
• Frankfurt 2007: Land Rover goes all mini
• Land Rover to show driveable hybrid prototype this year
• Study commissioned by Land Rover finds small cars are bad for the environment
• Land Rover going aluminum for next generation Range Rover
• Geneva Motor Show: Details of Land Rover's new CO2 Offset program

[Source: YouTube]

As our colleagues from Autoblog have just published, Land Rover has a smaller and more compact concept vehicle, the LRX. While the vehicle should have remained a secret until a big unveil in Detroit next month, you can see it now thanks to German enthusiast mag Auto Motor und Sport.

If the car went into production, it would likely be produced on the Ford Focus platform, and the article states that it would include a hybrid powertrain with an electric motor powering the rear axle, which would help lower Land Rover's average CO₂ emissions.

The concept was made from a slightly shortened Freelander body: 4.35 meters long, 12 centimeters less than the Freelander and 1.55 meters wide and 20-inch rims. It's basically a 2+2 coupé with AWD. All-road capabilities will be reduced beause of 13 fewer centimeters of ground clearance. The concept focuses on creating an interior luxury atmosphere and includes a fridge between the seats and touchscreens.

Depending on the driving mode, the color of the interior lights changes to reflect the driver's mood: blue for normal driving, red for sport and green for eco-mode.

[Source: Auto Motor und Sport via Autoblog]