Cadillac concept designed to provoke
General Motors this week revealed its latest concept car – the Cadillac Provoq – at the International Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas.
That GM chose to unveil the fuel-cell vehicle at the massive annual electronic gadget convention a week before it is slated to appear at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit shows the degree to which the auto and electronics industries are converging.
The Provoq is the most recent iteration of GM's E-Flex propulsion system, combining a new fifth-generation fuel-cell system and a lithium-ion battery in an electrically driven vehicle that uses no petroleum and has no emissions other than water.
The fifth-generation fuel cell is half the size of its predecessor, used in the Chevrolet Equinox Fuel Cell vehicle, but it produces even more power – 88 kW (118 hp) – and provides greater performance.
GM says the concept can travel 482 km on a single fill of hydrogen – 450 km on hydrogen and 32 km on battery electric energy. A pair of 10,000 p.s.i. composite storage tanks beneath the rear cargo floor feed the fuel-cell stack, located under the hood.
A lithium-ion battery pack can store up to 9 kWh of electrical energy and provides a peak output of 60 kW (80 hp) for added performance.
Power is distributed via a single electric motor up front and two wheel-hub motors in the rear wheels, giving the Cadillac Provoq fully electric all-wheel drive. Its 0-to-100 km/h acceleration time in the 8.5-second range is said to be more than 30 per cent better than with the previous-generation fuel-cell system.
In addition to its advanced powertrain, the crossover concept features a solar panel integrated into the roof to help power onboard accessories, such as the interior lights and audio system, brake-by-wire technology, and active front grille louvres that close at highway speed to enhance aerodynamics, and open at low speed to provide maximum cooling to the fuel-cell stack.
Other distinctive features include a full underbody aerodynamic cover, left- and right-hand charging ports incorporated into the front fender vents, and wheels with clear-covered space between the spokes, creating a sleeker profile while maintaining a bold wheel design. The wheels are wrapped in custom Michelin tires incorporating Green-X technology.
Ford hints at new Explorer
Ford will reveal what it calls the Explorer America Concept – a design study likely to preview the next-generation Explorer – at the Detroit auto show next week.
As GM has done with its mid-size utes, Ford has taken the crossover route with the Explorer concept, forsaking the body-on-frame construction of the current model for a unibody structure.
Power comes from one of two newly named EcoBoost powertrains (see story on page W21) – a 2.0 L in-line four and a 3.5 L V6, both incorporating gasoline turbocharged direct-injection (GTDI) engines.
The four is said to produce 275 hp and 280 lb.-ft. of torque, as much as a typical SUV V6, while the six generates a V8-like output of 340 hp and 350 lb.-ft. of torque.
Ford says the engines will provide about 20 per cent lower fuel consumption and produce 15 per cent less carbon dioxide than conventional V6 and V8 powerplants with similar output.
The GTDI concept was introduced a year ago in the Lincoln MK-R concept car, under the name Twin-Force. Ford changed the name to EcoBoost to better reflect its environmental benefits.
Woman's win over Honda opens door to mileage claim free-for-all
Video: Chevrolet Sonic a small car with a big car price
