Mercedes-Benz showed off its new SLS AMG super car at the 2009 Frankfurt auto show, the company said it would also build an electric version of the SLS. We promptly ignored that claim as lip service to green pressure, and proceeded to drool over the truly stunning SLS AMG. But now Mercedes-Benz has released photos and specs for the SLS AMG E-Cell, teaching us not to dismiss Mercedes-Benz’s intentions as idle plans.
This vehicle uses the SLS AMG’s body and most of its original suspension, but replaces the 6.3-liter V-8 engine with four electric motors, one positioned near each wheel. Combined with a 400-volt lithium-ion battery pack producing 48 kilowatt hours, the SLS AMG E-Cell gets to 60mph (96.5kmh) in 4 seconds, just 0.3 second slower than the gasoline-powered version. The four electric motors and battery pack give this electric super car 526 horsepower and 649 pound-feet of torque, a little less than the 563 horsepower afforded by the gasoline engine. Unlike the SLS AMG, the SLS AMG E-Cell has all-wheel-drive due to the four electric motors, which could give it a cornering advantage. Mercedes-Benz has not mentioned the SLS AMG E-Cell’s range. The SLS AMG E-Cell keeps the ceramic brakes of its gasoline equivalent, but also gets regenerative braking. Further, liquid cooling and a heating element keep the battery pack at optimum temperature for long life. Mercedes-Benz has not announced plans to produce the SLS AMG E-Cell. The car serves as an early attempt by Mercedes-Benz’s performance division to show it can remain relevant in a post-fossil-fuel era.
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The NBS Universal Power Amplifier (UPA) strikes the right chords with its three independent sections for enhanced isolation and performance. The center of the unit houses a power conditioner, while the flanking towers are loaded with the power supply and audio circuitry. The result is a beefy mono block (read: Mono power amplifier) that outputs 650W of sanitized audio amplification plus a high load tolerance of between 2 to 16 ohms. When coupled with the UPA’s universal AC compatibility, we’ve an amplifier capable of driving most, if not all, speakers anywhere in the world.
krish Amplifiers amplifier, circuitry, electronics, mono, performance, power supply
Digital-camera sales declined in 2009, but the market is expected to return to growth this year, a camera trade group said Tuesday. Total shipments worldwide totaled 106 million, an 11.6 percent drop compared with the 119 million that shipped in 2008. In 2010, the market is expected to edge ahead 3.8 percent to 110 million cameras, the Camera and Imaging Products Association said. As has been the case for years, the market fared better for dSLRs, which offer higher quality, faster performance, and interchangeable lenses but also come with higher price tags and greater bulk. The dSLR market–which in CIPA’s statistics includes Olympus’ and Panasonic’s Micro Four Thirds cameras that have interchangeable lenses but aren’t technically single-lens reflex models–edged 2.3 percent upward to 10 million units shipped in 2009. That market is forecast to grow another 11.1 percent to 11 million units in 2010.
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