Latest news with #hybridtechnology
Yahoo
18 hours ago
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Upfit UTV and OMI Revolutionize Off-Roading with Fusion-Drive Launch
PHOENIX, Aug. 19, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Upfit UTV, a Fox Factory subsidiary known for crafting custom vehicles tailored to exacting performance demands, and OMI, a global leader in electric powertrain engineering, are setting a new standard in off-road innovation. Fusion-Drive: A Game-Changer in Off-Road Technology With August marking a pivotal moment for the off-road industry, Upfit UTV announces the introduction of the Fusion-Drive system, a cutting-edge hybrid technology developed by OMI, a significant step toward a sustainable and high-performing future for off-road vehicles. Switch Auto Insurance and Save Today! The Insurance Savings You Expect Great Rates and Award-Winning Service Affordable Auto Insurance, Customized for You The Fusion-Drive system represents more than just an evolution in engineering... it is an industry game changer. Designed to offer a seamless balance between power and efficiency, this hybrid system optimizes every component elevating the driving experience. To new heights. It marks a turning point for off-road vehicles, which have long faced environmental challenges due to their use in sensitive natural areas. By reducing emissions and enabling stealth operation through its electric mode, Fusion-Drive addresses two critical factors for conservationists and recreational users alike: footprint and noise pollution. Driving Innovation While Protecting the Environment This revolutionary technology in off-road transportation makes it possible to enjoy the terrain while safeguarding it. "Fusion-Drive allows us to meet these demands without sacrificing performance," said Justin Smith, CEO of Upfit UTV. "This innovation represents an exciting leap forward, not just for our brand but for the entire off-road community." He added, "With the OMI NEXUS UI, we empower everyday drivers with powerful, user-friendly customization tools that require no advanced technical expertise. It's a true game changer for the off-road world, putting adaptability and ease of use at the forefront of vehicle innovation and making cutting-edge technology accessible to all." Luis Garelli, CTO of OMI, shared his enthusiasm as well. "The benefits make Fusion-Drive a promising direction for the future of off-road vehicles and open the door for new technologies that can be particularly useful in off-road scenarios, such as REEV (Range extender electric vehicles) and autonomous vehicles," he said. The OMI NEXUS UI is a Revolutionary Integration with Third-Party Devices A uniquely innovative feature of this groundbreaking system is the OMI NEXUS UI, a state-of-the-art interface designed to transform how users interact with their vehicles. It offers seamless customization between three driving modes—Electric, Hybrid, and Combustion—making it extraordinarily versatile across varying terrains and tasks. Another of its most innovative features is the ease with which third-party devices can be integrated. Unlike other systems currently available for ATVs and UTVs, the OMI NEXUS UI ensures that users don't need specialized mechanical or engineering expertise to add and sync devices. Through its intuitive design, the OMI NEXUS UI interface transforms what was once a highly technical process into something more user friendly. NEXUS technology expands functionality and increases driver empowerment by improving the driving experience via enhanced customization features for diverse off-road adventures. The ability to tailor the vehicle with ease sets the OMI NEXUS UI apart from the competition. Polaris Ranger 1500: The First to Feature Fusion-Drive The industry will soon witness the capabilities of Fusion-Drive firsthand with its integration into the Polaris Ranger XD 1500. Designed for heavy duty performance, it will lead the charge as Fusion-Drive's inaugural platform and is set to hit the market in Q1 2026. Shaping the Future of Off-Road Mobility With the launch of Fusion-Drive, Upfit UTV and OMI are reshaping the future of off-road mobility. This partnership lays the groundwork for an off-road experience that is as thrilling as it is responsible for paving the way for a landscape where performance exceeds expectations. About Upfit UTV Upfit UTV, a subsidiary of Fox Factory, specializes in the design and production of superior-grade custom off-road vehicles. With a focus on cutting-edge innovation and unmatched craftsmanship, Upfit UTV is committed to delivering products that redefine what's possible in off-road mobility. About OMI OMI is a global leader in electric powertrain engineering, dedicated to advancing sustainable mobility solutions. With a mission to revolutionize transportation through cutting-edge technology, OMI specializes in developing innovative systems that combine performance, efficiency, and environmental responsibility. From hybrid powertrains to intuitive user interfaces, OMI is at the forefront of shaping the future of mobility across multiple industries and segments. Media Contact Aron Cabrera - Marketing Coordinator, OMI acl@ Skyler Howell - National Account Director, Upfit UTV Showell@ View original content to download multimedia: SOURCE OMI
Geek Wire
11-08-2025
- Automotive
- Geek Wire
Forget new EVs: This Seattle startup converts gas cars to cut carbon emissions now
GeekWire's startup coverage documents the Pacific Northwest entrepreneurial scene. Sign up for our weekly startup newsletter , and check out the GeekWire funding tracker and venture capital directory . Tom Gurski, founder and CEO of Blue Dot Motorworks, stands next to the Jeep Cherokee he converted to a plug-in hybrid electric vehicle using his startup's technology. (GeekWire Photo / Lisa Stiffler) No matter how Tom Gurski crunched the numbers, there was no way the planet was going to switch to electric vehicles fast enough to meet even modest global warming targets. Gas-powered cars, trucks and SUVs are on the road for 20-plus years on average, and their usable lifespan keeps getting longer. Plus, it's a carbon-intensive waste to prematurely chuck all the steel tied up in the vehicles. The longtime mechanical engineer believes he has a solution. From a two-car Seattle garage crammed with machinery that would make any gearhead swoon, Gurski has developed technology that can transform fossil fuel vehicles into plug-in electric hybrids — cars that can run on battery power for daily driving but switch to gas for longer trips — for a few thousand dollars and about a day of installation work. 'I'm fully convinced it's a solution the world needs,' he said. Gurski launched Blue Dot Motorworks five years ago to commercialize the technology, and his effort is kicking into gear: Blue Dot was selected in June for the inaugural Climate Tech Incubator with the University of Washington's CoMotion Labs. Blue Dot has initially focused on fleet vehicles and Gurski secured agreements for pilot projects with a school and a college in British Columbia, and is in talks with the construction company Skanska and Seattle Public Utilities. The startup has been bootstrapped so far and is now running a crowd-sourced Wefunder campaign and will seek venture capital this fall. The company holds three patents in the U.S. and Europe and is in final negotiations for two more. The initial prototype, a product dubbed Narwhal, is designed to pair with pickup trucks. Its second version, called Humpback, will target cars and SUVs. Gurski has held mechanical engineering leadership roles at multiple companies and worked on sanitation technology for Gates Foundation-funded projects before starting his own engineering consultancy, which led into Blue Dot. Redwood Stephens, former chief product officer for Rad Power Bikes and a past president of engineering company Synapse Product Development, recently joined the startup as a part-time CPO. The team includes Suzanne Ellis Wernevi, head of business development, communications and policy. Stephens touts the universality of the technology as a major selling point as the business aims to get traction with outside investors. 'If you have a solution that is agnostic to the make and model of the vehicle,' he said, 'then suddenly the addressable market becomes massive.' Taking a spin Redwood Stephens, Blue Dot Motorworks' chief product officer, in the startup's machine-filled HQ. (GeekWire Photo / Lisa Stiffler) Gurski developed his prototype on his own 2001 Jeep Cherokee — a vehicle that gets a paltry 16 miles per gallon. On a recent test drive he put the key in the ignition, but instead of firing up the gas engine, he started it with a control unit mounted on the dashboard. 'You just turn the vehicle on without starting it, put it in neutral, power the system on,' he explained. A low hum indicated the different components were operating, and the dashboard device displayed that the battery was nearly fully charged, 'and then off we go.' On a quick spin through a residential neighborhood, the ride was a little louder and more rattling than a regular EV given the Jeep's age and a transmission feature that will change in the final product. But the vehicle worked as intended, smoothly accelerating and braking, all without pumping any CO2 into the atmosphere. The Blue Dot conversion is a variation on traditional plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs). The vehicles operate entirely electrically until their batteries run out and they switch over to internal combustion engines. The hybrids have a much shorter battery range than 100% EVs, but given that most drivers make daily trips of 35-40 miles, they're running fossil fuel-free most of the time. 'If you look at any existing car on the road, it's already 80% of a plug-in hybrid. It's already a car … It's already got the combustion-powered part of the equation. All you need to do is add the electric side of the equation, and you've got a plug-in hybrid,' Gurski said. 'So the trick is, how do you do that in a way that can be done cost effectively and scalably?' 'Makes good sense' Mock up of a Blue Dot Motorworks conversion kit installed in the bed of a pickup truck. (Blue Dot Image) Automakers including Toyota, BMW, Kia, Hyundai and others sell plug-in hybrid electric vehicles off the lot and sales have been increasing. Entrepreneurs have tried, and largely failed, to create retrofit solutions for converting gas-powered vehicles. But Jay Donnaway, past president of the Seattle Electric Vehicle Association (SEVA) and long-time EV enthusiast, is 'cautiously optimistic' that Blue Dot has landed on a winning strategy. Most other technologies added battery power to boost a gas vehicle's efficiency, he said, but didn't include the ability to drive purely as an EV. 'Without EV-only mode, you leave the easiest savings on the table,' Donnaway said, 'because you can't even drive to the mailbox and back without turning on the engine.' Blue Dot's team is prepping to build about 10-12 prototype kits for pilot tests on light-duty vehicles at Royal Roads University on Vancouver Island and the Richmond School District in British Columbia. The organizations will buy the kits, test the technology for six months, and can remove and return the systems for a full refund if they aren't satisfied. The technology 'makes good sense to me,' Donnaway said. 'Mechanically, [Gurski] has been extremely careful.' But there are plenty of challenges for Blue Dot to navigate. Building hardware is expensive, particularly for initial, limited-run production. Trump administration policies are undermining EV adoption by cutting tax rebates for vehicle purchases and eliminating funding for charging infrastructure — though the loss of rebates could make Blue Dot's proposition more cost competitive. And there's the hurdle of educating drivers on the existence of this technology and its benefits. How it works Blue Dot Motorworks founder Tom Gurski behind the wheel of his plug-in hybrid electric Jeep. (GeekWire Photo / Lisa Stiffler) The Narwhal system includes a battery and electronics box about the size of a small truck-bed toolbox that's installed inside the bed. The system inserts a motor drive unit into the truck's drive shaft, allowing it to turn the rear wheels with battery power. A dashboard display shows battery charge and allows drivers to switch between electric and gas power. It will give audible and visual warnings if the battery power gets low. The technology includes regenerative braking and enables one-pedal driving. The system for cars and SUVs will be similar, but the motor drive unit will be placed on the rear wheels, and the battery component will go in the trunk or on a trailer hitch. The conversion kit targets a price of $6,000-$9,000 based on vehicle type, plus roughly $500-$1,000 in labor costs for installation. The system is designed so any mechanic can install it. The upfront costs are significant, but vehicles with poor fuel efficiency can make up the investment in three or four years given that electricity is cheaper than filling up with gasoline. There are additional maintenance savings as the combustion engine will see less wear and tear. After 10 years chasing a plug-in hybrid solution, Gurski thinks he's there. 'You could say that the best inventions are the ones that seem obvious once they're invented. And I think this kind of falls into that category,' he said. 'It's like, yeah, obviously that'll work — but I had to come up with this.'
CNA
07-08-2025
- Automotive
- CNA
General Motors, Hyundai to develop five vehicles amid rising competition
General Motors and Hyundai Motor on Wednesday outlined plans to develop five vehicles as they seek to lower costs amid growing competition from nimble Chinese rivals. Four of the vehicles — a compact SUV/car/ pickup, and a mid-size pickup — are targeted at Central and South American markets and will support both internal combustion and hybrid powertrains. At full production scale, the companies expect to roll out at least 800,000 vehicles annually. The partnership will help GM compete against rising Chinese players in the Latin American market, where the Detroit automaker has had a strong presence for decades. The two global automakers will also co-develop an electric commercial van for the North American market. Reuters in March reported that the two companies were nearing a deal to share two commercial electric vans. Global automakers face stiff competition from Chinese EV makers and a trade war impacting imports of crucial parts, including rare earth materials, which has pushed production costs higher. This is the first major partnership for vehicle development for Hyundai Motor. The deal would give GM access to hybrid technology it lacks, while enabling Hyundai to enter into new segments such as vans in North America and mid-sized pickups, Kim Sung-rae, an analyst at Hanwha Investment & Securities, said. The two companies did not say where the models will be produced. Hyundai, which has a factory in Alabama, said it will expand the production capacity of its new factory in Georgia. The company also has a factory in Brazil. GM's budding partnership with Hyundai follows an unwinding of several projects the Detroit automaker had pursued with Honda over the past decade. Notably, GM and Honda in 2023 scrapped a $5 billion plan to jointly develop affordable electric vehicles. Chinese automakers have released several high-tech, low-cost models, putting pressure on legacy automakers such as GM to slash expenses and streamline manufacturing processes. To compete with these rivals, many automakers have explored partnerships as a way to share development costs, especially for battery-powered models. Cutting costs is even more pressing as tariffs have added billions of dollars in expenses for automakers around the globe. The Hyundai-GM announcement comes after the United States and South Korea last week reached a trade agreement to charge a 15 per cent tariff on imports from South Korea, including autos. This is among several deals between a South Korean company and a U.S. firm announced in recent weeks, following Samsung Electronics' chip deal with Tesla and Apple, and LG Energy Solution's battery deal with Tesla.
Yahoo
06-07-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Nikola Topić drills the trey
Road to 2026, Episode 1: The Journey So Far Before looking to the future and 2026's regulation changes, first we must look back at the past. In episode one of our new Road to 2026 series with PETRONAS Motorsports we look at the history of the partnership, the origin of hybrid technology in F1, and how, together, we've pushed the boundaries of innovation. 9:25 Now Playing Paused Ad Playing
Geeky Gadgets
25-06-2025
- Automotive
- Geeky Gadgets
2026 Corvette ZR1X: America's 1,250-HP Hybrid Hypercar
The 2026 Corvette ZR1X is set to redefine the American hypercar landscape. With an astounding 1,250 horsepower, this electrified all-wheel-drive marvel seamlessly combines innovative hybrid technology with the raw power of a V8 engine. Chevrolet has taken the iconic Corvette platform to unprecedented heights, masterfully blending exceptional performance, groundbreaking innovation, and uncompromising luxury into a single, awe-inspiring package. The ZR1X is more than just a car; it is a bold statement of engineering excellence and a tantalizing glimpse into the future of high-performance vehicles. Electrified Power Meets Precision Engineering At the heart of the ZR1X lies the formidable LT7 twin-turbo V8 engine, capable of delivering an astonishing 1,064 horsepower and 828 lb-ft of torque to the rear wheels. Complementing this powerhouse is a front-axle electric motor that contributes an additional 186 horsepower and 145 lb-ft of torque, creating a seamless and highly responsive all-wheel-drive system. This ingenious hybrid setup allows the ZR1X to achieve a GM-estimated 0-60 mph time of under 2 seconds and a quarter-mile time of under 9 seconds, placing it firmly in the realm of the world's most elite hypercars. The advanced battery system, carefully designed for rapid energy cycling, ensures consistent and reliable performance on both the road and the track, making the ZR1X a true force to be reckoned with in any driving scenario. Pricing and Availability While Chevrolet has yet to announce the official pricing for the 2026 Corvette ZR1X, industry experts anticipate that it will position itself as a premium offering within the already impressive Corvette lineup. Production of this groundbreaking hypercar will take place at the renowned Bowling Green Assembly Plant in Kentucky, where every LT7 engine will be carefully hand-assembled by a team of master engine builders, ensuring the highest level of craftsmanship and attention to detail. Availability details will be shared closer to the production date, but enthusiasts can expect both coupe and hardtop convertible options to hit the market, catering to a variety of preferences and driving styles. Unmatched Performance and Customization The ZR1X offers two distinct chassis configurations to suit the diverse needs and preferences of discerning drivers. The standard chassis, paired with high-performance Michelin PS4S tires, provides an optimal balance of comfort and performance, making it ideal for both daily driving and spirited weekend adventures. For those seeking the ultimate track-focused experience, the ZTK Performance Package delivers uncompromising handling, thanks to the inclusion of Michelin Pilot Cup 2R tires and a high-downforce Carbon Aero package that generates an impressive 1,200 lbs of downforce at speed. The braking system, featuring massive Alcon 10-piston front and 6-piston rear calipers with carbon ceramic rotors, ensures unparalleled stopping power and fade resistance, instilling confidence in even the most demanding driving situations. Inside, the ZR1X features a reimagined interior that showcases a sleek three-screen layout, providing drivers with real-time performance data and a host of customizable features. The use of premium materials throughout the cabin further improves the overall experience, making the ZR1X as luxurious as it is powerful. Specifications Engine: LT7 twin-turbo V8, 1,064 horsepower, 828 lb-ft of torque LT7 twin-turbo V8, 1,064 horsepower, 828 lb-ft of torque Front-Axle Motor: 186 horsepower, 145 lb-ft of torque 186 horsepower, 145 lb-ft of torque Battery: 1.9 kWh capacity, optimized for rapid energy cycling 1.9 kWh capacity, optimized for rapid energy cycling Performance: 0-60 mph under 2 seconds, quarter-mile under 9 seconds 0-60 mph under 2 seconds, quarter-mile under 9 seconds Brakes: Alcon 10-piston front and 6-piston rear calipers, carbon ceramic rotors Alcon 10-piston front and 6-piston rear calipers, carbon ceramic rotors Chassis Options: Standard with Michelin PS4S tires or ZTK Performance Package with Michelin Pilot Cup 2R tires Standard with Michelin PS4S tires or ZTK Performance Package with Michelin Pilot Cup 2R tires Aero Package: Optional Carbon Aero package with 1,200 lbs of downforce Optional Carbon Aero package with 1,200 lbs of downforce Interior: Three-screen layout, Performance App, premium materials Three-screen layout, Performance App, premium materials Body Styles: Coupe and hardtop convertible Explore More For automotive enthusiasts intrigued by the groundbreaking 2026 Corvette ZR1X, Chevrolet's diverse lineup offers a range of additional models that cater to a variety of performance needs and preferences. From the track-ready Z06, with its naturally aspirated V8 and razor-sharp handling, to the innovative E-Ray, which combines the efficiency of an electric motor with the raw power of a combustion engine, there is a Corvette to suit every taste and driving style. Moreover, the advancements in hybrid technology showcased in the ZR1X could pave the way for future innovations in both performance and sustainability, setting the stage for a new era of American automotive engineering. Whether you are a die-hard Corvette fan or a newcomer to the brand, the ZR1X stands as a testament to what is possible when tradition meets innovation, and it is poised to leave an indelible mark on the world of high-performance vehicles for years to come. Source Corvette Filed Under: Auto News Latest Geeky Gadgets Deals Disclosure: Some of our articles include affiliate links. If you buy something through one of these links, Geeky Gadgets may earn an affiliate commission. Learn about our Disclosure Policy.
