MCAD Tech News #198
17 Jan, 2007 By: Jeffrey RowePromise of clean, profitable vehicle resurrected with the Chevrolet Volt I saw many surprising things last week at the 2007 North American International Auto Show in Detroit. In what I considered an ironic twist, American manufacturers were touting their new vehicle offerings as clean, green and efficient, while foreign manufacturers were proudly showcasing much bigger vehicles and trumpeting the development of new V10 and V12 engines. This was a switch from previous years, although just about every manufacturer showed a hybrid of some type, whether gas/electric, plug-in, fuel cell or a combination thereof. Volt Sparks Interest The hybrid that caught my eye as one of the most potentially significant was the 2007 Chevrolet Volt concept vehicle. This is a bold attempt to resurrect General Motors' electric car after several years of failing to deliver on promises of high-tech concepts, as well as resisting tougher fuel economy rules. Then, of course, there's the birth and premature death of its famous (or infamous) electric car, the EV-1, that GM unceremoniously pulled off the road earlier this decade. This time around, GM seems optimistic that the Volt, or something like it, could sustain itself in the marketplace. In the U.S., almost half the households travel less than 30 miles per day. The Chevrolet Volt concept vehicle is capable of 40 miles of pure electrical driving, which, according to the EPA, means that for most drivers in the city, the Chevrolet Volt will use little or no gasoline. So, how else is it different? Read more>> By Mike Hudspeth, IDSA Every eight months or so, UGS brings out a new version of Solid Edge. That's an aggressive timetable, but you gotta love the improvements that it brings. Most of the changes are inspired by user requests. You gotta love that, too. Solid Edge v19 is brand new, and it's got some great stuff. Read more>> Mark Your Calendar: MCAD Events SolidWorks World 2007 International User Conference and Exposition Design Master User Conference 2007 For Cadalyst's full calendar of events, click here. I'm Worth It Calling All Product Designers Cadalyst Daily Update
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