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Acura bringing full-EV NSX and two hybrids to Pikes Peak

Acura is bringing two 2017 NSX hybrids to run up Pikes Peak in a few weeks. As exciting as this is in itself, the line that really caught our attention in the PR announcement is that there will be third vehicle, an all-electric one, making the climb alongside its hybrid brethren. The EV is not an NSX per se, but,"a new NSX-inspired, all-electric 4-motor SH-AWD Concept." First announced back in March, the new EV will run in the Electric Modified Class, and features, "a further evolution of the experimental all-electric, four-motor Super Handling All-Wheel Drive (SH-AWD) powertrain that won last year's Pikes Peak Challenge Exhibition class." All-electric vehicles have been speeding up the mountain track for years now, with Mitsubishi EVs winning their division in 2014. A Tesla Model S will make the climb this year. Back to the standard NSX hybrids. They will be driven in the Time Attack 1 and 2 classes by brothers James and Nick Robinson. The vehicles are different, but both use the standard NSX's three-motor hybrid powertrain. TA1 has a lighter chassis and a modified racing exhaust, while TA2 is a standard NSX with some required safety equipment Last year, an NSX was the pace car at Pikes Peak. Related Video: 2017 Acura NSX Supercar to Make its North American Racing Debut at 2016 Broadmoor Pikes Peak International Hill Climb Jun 9, 2016 - TORRANCE, Calif. Two Acura NSX supercars and a new NSX-inspired, all-electric 4-motor SH-AWD Concept will compete in the 100th anniversary of Pikes Peak International Hill Climb Acura NSX, MDX and TLX will serve as official pace cars Acura will field a pair of 2017 Acura NSX supercars in the 100th Anniversary of the running of the Broadmoor Pikes Peak International Hill Climb on June 26, marking the North American racing debut of Acura's next-generation NSX: the pinnacle expression of Acura Precision Crafted Performance and the only supercar made in America. The two Acura NSX supercars will compete in the Time Attack 1 and 2 classes and will be piloted by brothers James and Nick Robinson, respectively, both from the company's North American engineering team. In addition, Acura will campaign an NSX-inspired prototype vehicle in the Electric Modified Class, featuring a further evolution of the experimental all-electric, 4-motor Super Handling All-Wheel Drive (SH-AWD) powertrain that won last year's Pikes Peak Challenge Exhibition class.

Recharge Wrap-up: Volkswagen Sustainability Council meets, Zee.Aero flying car spotted?

The Volkswagen Sustainability Council held its inaugural meeting in Berlin. Made up of nine international experts, the council will advise VW and take action on its own as it sees fit. In the meeting, the council decided that in 2017 it will focus on tackling CO2 emissions, planning for post-2025 regulations, and assisting the automaker's "transformation from car manufacturer to mobility services provider," as VW Chairman Matthias Muller puts it. Volkswagen has approved 20 million euros (about $21.75 million) in funding for Sustainability Council projects for its first two years. "We are fully aware of the large transformation that lays ahead Volkswagen Group," says George Kell, Sustainability Council Chair and Founding Director of UN Global Compact. "We were invited to be part of this journey and are very much looking forward on being actively involved in the development of this journey." Read more at Green Car Congress, or from Volkswagen. Honda plans to ramp up its share of hybrids sold in the US. In response to increasingly strict emissions standards, the company wants electrified vehicles (including hybrid, plug-in hybrid, battery electric, and fuel cell vehicles) to make up two-thirds of Honda and Acura sales in US by 2030. Some analysts are skeptical, though. Christopher Richter of CLSA Asia-Pacific Markets says that dealers are telling Honda they don't want hybrids. "Unless there's a change in what dealers want, I don't think they are going to get there that fast," Richter says. Read more at Automotive News. Witnesses report spotting what could possibly be the Zee.Aero electric aircraft at Hollister Airport in California. Zee.Aero, a startup funded by Google cofounder Larry Page, has a hangar at that airport, where a photo was taken of the aircraft in question. The craft is said to be capable of vertical takeoff and landing and can fit in a one-car garage, earning it the "flying car" moniker. Eyewitness Saul Gomez described the aircraft as "quiet" and "hovering 20, 25 feet off the ground." Read more at Electrek, and watch the interview at Mercury News. Related Gallery 2017 Honda Accord Hybrid: First Drive View 26 Photos News Source: Green Car Congress, Volkswagen, Automotive News, Electrek, Mercury NewsImage Credit: Copyright 2016 Sebastian Blanco / AOL Auto News Green Acura Honda Volkswagen Green Automakers Electric Hybrid recharge wrapup

Honda updates Takata airbag recall status for some models

The net enveloping vehicles in the Takata airbag inflator recall just seems to keep widening. Honda is now updating its previous campaign to revise the status for even more models that were ever registered in (or originally sold in) 13 high-humidity US states and territories.
All of these vehicles were included in the company's earlier repairs. However, at the time this fix was titled "a safety improvement campaign." This latest action upgrades that condition to "a formal recall," according to Honda's official statement. The models include: the 2003-2005 Honda Accord, 2001-2005 Civic (pictured above), 2002-2005 CR-V, 2003-2004 Element, 2002-2004 Odyssey, 2003-2005 Pilot, 2006 Ridgeline, 2003-2005 Acura MDX and the 2005 Acura RL. All of these need to have their passenger-side, front airbag inflator replaced, and the recall affects Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina, Texas, Puerto Rico, the US Virgin Islands, Saipan, Guam and American Samoa.
As with the rest of these affected vehicles, it's possible in a collision for the inflator to rupture spraying metal shrapnel at occupants. There are at least 139 injuries attributed to this problem from a variety of automakers so far. Among this latest population of vehicles, Honda says there have been no confirmed injuries or fatalities related to these exploding inflators.