Automotive | All About Automotive

The first electric car manufactured by Tesla Motors, the high-performance, zero-emissions Tesla Roadster sports car, was unveiled before a crowd of car buffs and potential customers.

power comes from a 3-phase, 4-pole AC induction motor
. The motor is controlled by the Power Electronics Module (PEM) which also controls the inverting direct current to 3-phase alternating current, charging and braking systems.

Tesla Motors's engineers have gone to great lengths to ensure that not only is the Tesla Roadster safe to drive, but also is safe when charging, at home or on the road.

The electric motor's efficiency rating is likely to be as high as 95 percent, while the internal combustion engine's efficiency is 20 percent or less. With this efficiency, the Tesla Roadster achieves the equivalent of 135 mpg.

That efficiency doesn't slow this sleek sports car down, either. Estimated 0-60 mph time is around four seconds, and with an electric motor, the torque is instantaneous, throw-you-back-in-the-seat responsive.

All in all, this is remarkable sports car!

the Hummer HX concept is interested in taking it off-road. The concept vehicle sports the unmistakable Hummer front grille, but it boasts several features that you won't find on another SUV in the company's lineup.For example, all of the roof panels are completely removable. This includes both the front and rear roof panels, providing passengers with a truly open-air feel. What's more, the doors can be torn off as well, though I imagine that there may be some restrictions over this configuration while in the city.Certain profile pictures of the Hummer HX remind me of the Toyota FJ Cruiser in some ways, but we'll have to check back in at the Detroit Auto Show next year for a better look at this vehicle. After all, this is "just" a concept sketch.

Ever since General Motors announced that it was considering selling the iconic Hummer brand, speculation has surrounded who might buy it. The latest name to emerge on the list of prospective suitors is Russian Machines, the engineering firm which makes trains, planes and some automobile parts.

Owned by one of Russia's richest men, Oleg Deripaska, Russian Machines was reported to be in talks with GM about buying Hummer. But it issued a swift denial, saying it was "not strategically interested in such a deal".

Previously, reports had suggested Indian carmaker Mahindra & Mahindra was involved in "exploratory talks" with GM about buying Hummer. Observers suggested this would have been a good fit, as Mahindra already makes trucks and sports utility vehicles and is the main rival to Tata Motors, which recently bought Land Rover from Ford.

But GM would only say it was discussing the sale of the brand with "a number of potential buyers", without naming any names. 'Bad timing' With little let-up in the rising price of fuel over the last few months, analysts suggest General Motors has not picked a great time to sell a brand not renowned for its fuel efficiency.

"You couldn't think of a worst time to be selling a brand like Hummer," said analyst Jay Nagley from Spyder Automotive. "It is typical of large corporations to jump on the bandwagon when SUVs were fashionable, then try to sell it when the wheels have well and truly come off."

GM bought the Hummer brand in 1998, a number of years before its heyday when celebrities like footballer David Beckham and former film star Arnold Schwarzenegger were photographed driving theirs. The now Governor of California still has his, but in a sign of the more environmentally conscious times, has had the vehicle converted to run on biofuel. 'Tastes change'

Like most big motor companies, GM has suffered from falling sales as cash-strapped consumers have cut back on big purchases. It made a net loss of $15.5bn (£7.8bn) in just three months between April and June this year. In June, Hummer sales were slightly over 2,000, well below their peak.

But General Motors defended its brand, saying it was still relevant and needed in some parts of the world. "Not everyone in the world has perfect roads to drive on and there is no brand that conquers that like Hummer," said GM spokesperson Joanne Krell.

"For some, who bought it less for utility than desire, we are seeing a backing-off because tastes change. "But we shouldn't get carried away and say that takes away the need for an off-road vehicle like Hummer."

GM thinks there will be someone who can "maximise the potential of the brand" better than it currently can. Whoever that is, according to analysts, will have to have deep pockets and is most likely to come from Russia, China or India.