The world’s No. 1 auto maker Toyota has announced [JP] it will exhibit a four-seat electric car at the 41th Tokyo Motor Show for the first time (the show opens October 24 and will run through November 4). It’s sized at 2,730×1,680×1,490mm. Visitors will also get to see an update of Toyota’s hybrid car Prius at the show.
Toy maker Takara Tomy’s mini vehicles are being sold everywhere in the world. Marketed as Penny Racers in the US and Choro Q in Japan, the series so far includes mini helis, trains and even small UFOs that attack Tokyo. And now the company has announced Choro Q Hybrid mini cars [JP] for the Japanese market.
I’ve said over and over again, along with a lot of other people, that hybrid technology would make the biggest environmental impact if used in delivery trucks, municipal vehicles, and mail trucks. Vehicles like these are often limited in range but are gas hogs that travel in low gears where hybrid technology can really shine. Plus, the fuel savings of even 10% can be immense when a whole fleet of vehicles are converted. FedEx obviously knows this too and has slowly been converting delivery trucks to diesel hybrids which have been known to improve fuel economy by 44% and decrease emissions by 96%.
Ready for more hybrid vehicles? Sure, why not, right? Honda is set to release two new hybrid vehicles next year: the CR-Z and Fit/Jazz. Both should come equipped with Honda’s Integrated Motor Assist (IMA) system and further demonstrates that hybrid technology will soon be a standard option on most vehicles.
There isn’t anything real exciting about either of these two new cars besides the hybrid option. The CR-Z will be a standard fastback coupe while the Fit is a wannabe mini-minivan. (ask Biggs, he has one) But both small cars should get a boost in MPG with the hybrid system. Read More
Remember that episode of The Office when Andy uses his Prius as a stealth ramming device and lodges Dwight into some bushes? Japan, the land of everything mystical and wonderful, must have seen that episode too and has some issues with the quiet demeanor of hybrids. They are the best selling vehicles over there and citizens have expressed concern to the Transportation Ministry that they might be too quiet. A dream team panel comprised of scholars, consumers, police, and blind people decided the best way to deal with this problem is to make the cars louder when running on batteries. Read More
I was wrong, way wrong. I stated that a team of drivers, including hypermiller Wayne Gerdes and NASCAR driver Carl Edwards, could not drive a 2010 Ford Fusion Hybrid over 1,000 miles on a single tank of gas. But the team ticked over the 1,000 mark with a 1/3 tank of gas left and proceed to drive an extra 445.7 miles. In all, the drive was 47 hours of continuous driving done by an entire team of people.
The stunt concluded yesterday morning with Edwards hit the 1,000 mark himself. Thankfully, this car ride didn’t end like the Sprint Cup race at Talladega just last Sunday. Then again, the speeds were a bit slower on this drive.
I say no, but that’s just me. What do I know, I just spent 10 days driving 3,200 miles in a 2010 Ford Fusion Hybrid. But I’m not hyper-miller Wayne Gerdes or NASCAR driver Carl Edwards who are about to attempt this feat by spending 43 continues hours driving the hybrid a 1,000 miles. Ford states that the car will need to average 57 mpg to achieve the goal, which I guess is possible even though I never saw that type of mileage.
Note: This is the auto that Ford gave to us to drive across country. In all we drove more than 3,200 miles from Dearborn, MI to San Francisco, CA. It was one heck of a test drive and we gave away some sweet road trip gear along the way. Missed those? Final contest here and here.
The 2010 Ford Fusion Hybrid is the latest to join a growing crop of hybrids that doesn’t look like a traditional hybrid. This Fusion hybrid looks almost identical to its non-hybrid counterparts, but easily gets great gas milage while sporting a look most will find acceptable. This hybrid might not get Prius-type mileage, but it’s also larger, more comfortable, equipped with equally impressive electronics, and doesn’t looks like a roller skate.
Japan’s Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism (yes, it does really exist) has released a top ten list of the most fuel-efficient cars sold last year in Nippon. The result: Toyota’s Prius (pictured) is No. 1 in the standard and small-sized vehicle category whereas the Daihatsu Mira tops the light vehicle segment (vehicles with automatic transmissions only).
God bless the Internet. The Opel Ampera was suppose to make a Geneva Motor Show debut but the Volt’s cousin has been completed exposed early. Judging by the pics too, it seems that American car buyers are getting the short end too cause this Opel, well, she’s a looker. More pics after the jump. Read More
Top Gear is out to show the world that you don’t need a brand new hybrid car with a $25k price tag to be eco friendly. Their goal: Build a car that can get 70 mpg for only $7,000 and can hit 60 MPH in under 7 seconds. It’s called…The Sipster. Read More
After a quick breathalyzer test at 11:30 am, we were granted access for a spin in Ford’s upcoming escape. Overall, we came away impressed with the drive but curious about the plug-in’s price will be set at for the 2012 model year. Will it be higher than the seemingly inferior Chevy Volt? Ford’s being tight lipped ’bout it probably while it surveys the every-increasing plug-in market. After driving it around the basement of the Cobo Arena, we can tell you that it’s a hell of a ride. Smooth and super-duper quiet. Well done, Ford. Well done. Video after the break.
Honda recently unveiled the second generation Honda Insight and we spend sometime with the Prius-look alike. The interior has a futuristic look that you know was done on a budget thanks to the cheap plastic. The dash cluster is not only fun, but functional, with the tach center located and the speedo housed alone above the main instruments. The radio and HVAC controls continues the plastic and functional feel but keep in mind this hybrid has a EPA mileage estimates of 40 mpg city, 43 highway, and 41 combined for less than the Prius so high-quality material probably wasn’t a top priority. Photo gallery after the jump.
Hybrid and plug-in vehicles have been plagued by poor battery performance in the past. The next-gen rides simply do not offer that much MPG improvement because of the lackluster batteries, but LG Chem and STMicroeclectronics are working on something new. By harnessing a more powerful and efficient battery management chip, they hope to improve lithium-ion batteries enough to deliver 1600V to electric motors. Who knows when this will hit the market — or if there will even still be a car market — but the battery development can only lead to bigger and better things. I, for one, would like a super long life battery for my MacBook. Dreams. We should all dream.
Plug-in electric vehicles might, one day, be a big hit but the Poulsen Hybrid kit will allow compact car owners a piece of the action early. The upgrade works by incorporating two electric motors on each of the drive shaft-equipped wheels in a moon rover-type fashion. (FWD or RWD compatible) These motors do not drive the wheels entirely but rather provides an extra gas saving boost while traveling between 15 and 60mph. The makers claim that a previously 30 mpg car transforms into a 50 mpgcar with the kit installed. Interested? The $4,550 kit gets you lead acid batteries or $8,600 for the lithium ion edition.
Honda has developed an ecological drive assist system [JP], which will be used in a new Insight hybrid model that is scheduled for release next spring in Japan.
The system is based on three different functions:
Let’s say that Congress refuses to give some of that bailout money to Detroit—does that effectively kill off electric cars like the Chevy Volt? That depends on who you’re talking to.
The Chevy Volt, Detroit’s answer to the Toyota Prius, just became a lot more advantageous, tax-wise. That is, of course, provided you can afford the $40,000 price in the first place.
Tucked in that bailout package that Congress passed last week is a $4,000 tax credit for cars that have a 4 kWh (or greater) battery. Right now, the only car that meets that is the Volt. Such tax credits top out at $7,500.
Not everyone has reacted positively to the news. Some see it as pork—Washington trying to bail out Detroit—and others don’t see how this benefits the average citizen. You’re talking about a $40,000 car (which isn’t exactly cheap) that saves you X amount per year on gasoline. (X amount depends on where you live.) Wouldn’t a less expensive hybrid be more cost effective for the average person?
And I totally love how one of the commenters from Daily Tech’s post is all, “$7,500 to drive a Chevy? Not enough.” Not that I’ve ever driven a Chevy, but the cynicism made me snicker.
Spy shot of Honda’s new hybrid car (unconfirmed)
Honda yesterday announced they hope to sell 100,000 units in North America of a new hybrid car slated for release on April 22, 2009 (Earth Day).
The five-door, five-passenger vehicle lower is planned to not only be cheaper than the current Civic hybrid model (base price in the US: $22,600) but also to outperform Toyota’s hybrid market leader Prius in price (base price: $21,500). Toyota managed to sell more than 180,000 Priuses in the US last year.
The new Honda hybrids, which are expected to be smaller than the Prius models, will be be manufactured in Japan. The company will initially produce 200,000 of the vehicles, with half targeted for export to North America. Except for spy shots, there are no photographs of the new hybrid available, which is rumored to be unveiled during the 2008 Paris Motor Show in October.
Working off of the post from earlier today concerning Lotus adding artificial engine noise to hybrid cars in the name of safety, we thought we might see how a few alternatives might work instead of the boring artificial car engine sound.
