Autoblog Green http://www.autobloggreen.com Autoblog Green http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/%SiteURL%/media/feedlogo.gif Autoblog Green http://www.autobloggreen.com en-us Copyright 2009 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/Chris Shunk, Sam Abuelsamid and Dan RothThe podcast by the people who obsessively cover the auto industry.<![CDATA[Toyota starts discussions on who will get PHEV Priuses]]>http://www.autobloggreen.com/2009/11/20/toyota-starts-discussions-on-who-will-get-phev-priuses/http://www.autobloggreen.com/2009/11/20/toyota-starts-discussions-on-who-will-get-phev-priuses/http://www.autobloggreen.com/2009/11/20/toyota-starts-discussions-on-who-will-get-phev-priuses/#commentsFiled under: , ,


Toyota Prius Plug-in Hybrid Concept -- Click above for high-res image gallery

Toyota is getting ready to start deploying a fleet of 200 plug-in Prius hybrids in the coming months and the company needs to figure out what to do with them. The cars will all be leased for purposes of field testing. Toyota is now in discussions with federal and local governments and energy companies about who will get how many of the lithium ion battery Priuses. The company is looking for towns and cities that are, "actively promoting environmentally considerate vehicles."

The PHEV Prius will be able to go up to 62 mph on electricity alone for about 5 miles. Another 150 examples of the PHEV will be leased here in the U.S., with a similar number going to Europe. The first cars will be delivered in mid-December and Toyota has previously announced plans to start retail sales in about 2012.


[Source: Toyota]

Continue reading Toyota starts discussions on who will get PHEV Priuses

Toyota starts discussions on who will get PHEV Priuses originally appeared on Autoblog Green on Fri, 20 Nov 2009 11:47:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>plug-inplug-in hybridplug-in hybridsplug-in priusplug-in-hybridplug-in-hybridsPlug-inHybridPlug-inHybridsPlug-inPriusplug-instoyotatoyota priustoyota prius plug inToyota Prius plug-inToyotaPriusToyotaPriusPlug-inToyotaPriusPlugInFri, 20 Nov 2009 11:47:00 EST<![CDATA[REPORT: Toyota U.S. president Lentz believes Prius could supplant Camry as brand's best seller]]>http://www.autobloggreen.com/2009/11/18/report-toyota-u-s-president-lentz-believes-prius-may-supplant/http://www.autobloggreen.com/2009/11/18/report-toyota-u-s-president-lentz-believes-prius-may-supplant/http://www.autobloggreen.com/2009/11/18/report-toyota-u-s-president-lentz-believes-prius-may-supplant/#commentsFiled under: ,

2010 Toyota Prius - Click above for high-res image gallery

The Toyota Camry has been the best selling car in the U.S. for 11 of the past 12 years, and only a total industry meltdown has managed to slow the Japanese automaker's bread-and-butter sedan. Even with that impediment, the Camry still has a comfortable lead versus its archrivals, the Honda Accord and Nissan Altima. In fact, the only vehicles to routinely beat the Camry in overall vehicle sales are the Ford F-Series and Chevrolet Silverado, and those vehicles need dozens of configurations and both regular and heavy-duty variants to retain their overall sales leads. Conversely, the Prius isn't even the second best-selling Toyota right now (that would be the Corolla), but it wouldn't surprise Toyota USA President Jim Lentz if the ubiquitous hybrid hatch passed the Camry for sales supremacy sometime next decade.

Lentz reportedly told Wards Auto that he envisions the Prius passing the Camry in the next decade, but not because he foresees the midsize sedan slipping. Instead, Lentz says, "I think Prius will become just that much stronger." The reason Toyota's top U.S. man sees the Prius taking over Toyota's top sales spot is because he feels that rising gas prices and growing eco-awareness will push more car buyers into hybrids. That, combined with the high regard in which many Americans hold the Prius makes for a very compelling long-term argument. Lentz also says that a full lineup of Prius-badged vehicles is far from a sure thing, though he says he pushes executives in that direction each time he visits Toyota's Japan headquarters

While we can see a future where the Prius overtakes the Camry for sales supremacy, we don't see it happening any time soon. Toyota's world renowned hybrid had its best-ever sales year in 2007, and 2009 numbers promise to fall about 40,000 units short of that bogey. Did we mention that the Camry is still outselling the Prius at a nearly three-to-one clip?



[Source: Wards Automotive]

REPORT: Toyota U.S. president Lentz believes Prius could supplant Camry as brand's best seller originally appeared on Autoblog Green on Wed, 18 Nov 2009 08:11:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>camrycamry salesCamrySalespriusprius salesPriusSalestoyotatoyota camrytoyota priustoyota salesToyotaCamryToyotaPriusToyotaSalesWed, 18 Nov 2009 08:11:00 EST<![CDATA[Seven - well, six, no, five - ways to boost your Prius' MPG for just $4,047]]>http://www.autobloggreen.com/2009/11/17/seven-well-six-no-five-ways-to-turn-your-prius-even-more/http://www.autobloggreen.com/2009/11/17/seven-well-six-no-five-ways-to-turn-your-prius-even-more/http://www.autobloggreen.com/2009/11/17/seven-well-six-no-five-ways-to-turn-your-prius-even-more/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Got $4,047? That's what it'll take you to make your Prius even more efficient and snazzy if you were to buy one of everything on the list of seven MPG-saving items put together by HybridCars (and which just happen to be available for sale from the site). The items include a $69 aftermarket EV button for the second-gen models that don't have this feature (installation takes just minutes, they say), a $3,095-Aero Tourer kit, and a Chassis Stiffener Kit, among other things. The EV mode button and the stiffener won't do wonders for your mpg, but they can provide modest boosts, and every little bit helps.

We're less impressed with the $37 NavCap, a visor of sorts for the info screen, and the iPod connector cable as a way to save fuel, but that bike rack makes sense. Evey mile you're on two wheels instead of in the car saves a lot of CO2.

[Source: HybridCars]

Seven - well, six, no, five - ways to boost your Prius' MPG for just $4,047 originally appeared on Autoblog Green on Tue, 17 Nov 2009 18:09:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>mpgpriusprius hybridprius mpgPriusHybridPriusMpgTue, 17 Nov 2009 18:09:00 EST<![CDATA[Five Axis offers up Aerius kit for 2010 Prius]]>http://www.autobloggreen.com/2009/11/17/five-axis-offers-up-aerius-kit-for-2010-prius/http://www.autobloggreen.com/2009/11/17/five-axis-offers-up-aerius-kit-for-2010-prius/http://www.autobloggreen.com/2009/11/17/five-axis-offers-up-aerius-kit-for-2010-prius/#commentsFiled under: ,

Five Axis Aerius Prius - Click above for high-res image gallery

If you don't win the charity auction for the Aemulus-modified Prius but want something flashy for your 2010 Prius, take a look at the Aerius Prius that made its debut at SEMA this year (they're practically the same vehicle). The kit designed by Five Axis will, according to Gas 2.0, be available to purchase in the coming months.

Five Axis, known more for their Scion modding than hybrid help, used recycled polyester for the seats, resins made from post-industrial recycled wood in the interior and ultra-low rolling resistance tires in the kit. Blending a changed appearance and efficiency, the Aerius gets side skirts and see-through wheel covers. We like the way the 2010 Prius works the way Toyota designed it, but Five Axis made sure the kit version has a drag coefficient of 0.25. This could help if the Aerius goes up against the competition from Tommi Kaira.


Gallery: SEMA 2009: Toyota Prius Aerius Concept


[Source: Gas 2.0]

Five Axis offers up Aerius kit for 2010 Prius originally appeared on Autoblog Green on Tue, 17 Nov 2009 14:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>aemulusaeriusmodified priusModifiedPriusprius modPriusModsemasema 2009Sema2009Tue, 17 Nov 2009 14:01:00 EST<![CDATA[Fuel cell vehicles finish 707-mile demonstration run in Japan]]>http://www.autobloggreen.com/2009/11/16/fuel-cell-vehicles-finish-707-mile-demonstration-run-in-japan/http://www.autobloggreen.com/2009/11/16/fuel-cell-vehicles-finish-707-mile-demonstration-run-in-japan/http://www.autobloggreen.com/2009/11/16/fuel-cell-vehicles-finish-707-mile-demonstration-run-in-japan/#commentsFiled under: , , ,


Toyota, Nissan and Honda all participated in a fuel cell demonstration run in Japan last week. The three automakers brought their most advanced hydrogen fuel cell vehicles out for the two-day trip from Tokyo to Fukuoka with an overnight stop in Osaka. The driving teams piloted a Honda FCX Clarity, a Nissan X-Trail FCV and a Toyota Highlander FCHV-adv. Back in 2007, a Toyota FCHV traveled from Osaka to Tokyo on one tank of H2.

Over the course of the trip the three vehicles covered 706.5 miles and consumed 28.8 kg of hydrogen. That works out to an average of 73.6 miles / kg. One kg of hydrogen has roughly the energy equivalent of one gallon of gasoline, so the mileage works out to about 73-74 mpg.

The drive was organized by the Japan Hydrogen and Fuel cell project. While all three of the automakers are developing plug-in battery electric vehicles, all three also continue to work on fuel cells. Both Toyota and Honda maintain that they feel hydrogen remains the best long term solution for full function vehicles.

[Source: Japan Hydrogen and Fuel Cell project]

Fuel cell vehicles finish 707-mile demonstration run in Japan originally appeared on Autoblog Green on Mon, 16 Nov 2009 09:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Fuel Cellfuel cell carfuel cell vehiclesfuel cellsFuelCellFuelCellCarFuelCellsFuelCellVehicleshonda fcx clarityHondaFcxClarityhydrogenhydrogen carhydrogen fuel cellHydrogenCarHydrogenFuelCelljapannissan x-trail fcvNissanX-trailFcvtoyota fchv-advToyota FCHV-adv ConceptToyotaFchv-advToyotaFchv-advConceptMon, 16 Nov 2009 09:58:00 EST<![CDATA[REPORT: Toyota Prius wagon, SUV in the works]]>http://www.autobloggreen.com/2009/11/15/report-toyota-prius-wagon-suv-in-the-works/http://www.autobloggreen.com/2009/11/15/report-toyota-prius-wagon-suv-in-the-works/http://www.autobloggreen.com/2009/11/15/report-toyota-prius-wagon-suv-in-the-works/#commentsFiled under: ,

Toyota Hybrid X Concept - click above for high-res image gallery

Exactly how the Prius name navigates the shift from defining the world's most famous hybrid to it's own sub-brand - "Not!" - or moniker for other Toyota hybirds - "Yes!" - has been a source of interest for quite some time. The latest bit of speculative news comes from the Yomiuri newspaper in Japan (via Green Car Advisor) that the automaker is considering building a Prius sport wagon or a Prius SUV about 12 months from now, maybe using lithium-ion batteries (despite Toyota's public pronouncements). Toyota officials would not comment to the Yomiuri about the report.

As we saw with the Hybrid X (above) unveiled at the Geneva Motor Show in 2007, Toyota has been thinking about a Prius wagon for a while. Green Car Advisor speculates that the the Venza could be a good candidate for the production wagon, while any of Toyota's JDM wagons could make the transition to hybrids here. As for a Prius SUV? Tone down the Lexus RX 400h and there you go.

Gallery: Geneva Motor Show: Toyota Hybrid-X concept


[Source: Yomiuri via Green Car Advisor]

REPORT: Toyota Prius wagon, SUV in the works originally appeared on Autoblog Green on Sun, 15 Nov 2009 14:53:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>priusprius brandprius coupeprius hybridprius sport wagonprius SUVPriusBrandPriusCoupePriusHybridPriusSportWagonPriusSuvtoyota hybridtoyota priustoyota prius coupetoyota prius hybridToyotaHybridToyotaPriusToyotaPriusCoupeToyotaPriusHybridSun, 15 Nov 2009 14:53:00 EST<![CDATA[SEMA 2009: Toyota auctioning Aemulus Prius for charity]]>http://www.autobloggreen.com/2009/11/12/sema-2009-toyota-auctioning-aemulus-prius-for-charity/http://www.autobloggreen.com/2009/11/12/sema-2009-toyota-auctioning-aemulus-prius-for-charity/http://www.autobloggreen.com/2009/11/12/sema-2009-toyota-auctioning-aemulus-prius-for-charity/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Aerius - Click above for high-res image gallery

Five Axis brought two modified Pruis models to SEMA this year, and one of them could be yours. The Aerius (which means "belonging to the air," pictured above) and the Aemulus look similar, but only one is being offered up to charity. The current bid for the Aemulus is $32,500 with 10 days left. Want it sooner? Pony up $50k with Buy It Now and you're ready to roll. The Aemulus is a driveable replica of the Aerius but if you don't like what Five Axis has done, there's nothing stopping you from tuning it even further. Here's hoping that the covered wheels work as advertised (better coefficient of drag!), but we recommend double-checking to make sure that the special leaf tread on the Aerius is safe for everyday driving. Check out the auction here.

Gallery: SEMA 2009: Toyota Prius Aerius Concept


Photos copyright (C)2009 Frank Filipponio / Weblogs, Inc.

[Source: Prius Chat, Charity Folks]

SEMA 2009: Toyota auctioning Aemulus Prius for charity originally appeared on Autoblog Green on Thu, 12 Nov 2009 08:05:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>aeriusaerius priusaerius semaAeriusPriusAeriusSemapriusprius semaPriusSemaSEMAsema 2009sema priusSema2009SemaPriusThu, 12 Nov 2009 08:05:00 EST<![CDATA[Fisker: Leonardo DiCaprio's Prius inspired the Karma]]>http://www.autobloggreen.com/2009/11/08/fisker-leonardo-dicaprios-prius-inspired-the-karma/http://www.autobloggreen.com/2009/11/08/fisker-leonardo-dicaprios-prius-inspired-the-karma/http://www.autobloggreen.com/2009/11/08/fisker-leonardo-dicaprios-prius-inspired-the-karma/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,



Ever wonder what it is that sparks the mind of an entrepreneur? After all, lots of people have big imaginations and great ideas, but only a relatively small number of them actually follow through, create a company and design a product. Of course, we can add Henrik Fisker to that list of entrepreneurs, and we're definitely looking forward to seeing what else springs from his fertile mind.

So, back to the original question. In the case of Henrik Fisker, the inspiration for the Karma extended-range electric car came from none other than Leonardo DiCaprio. Actually, the actor's Prius hybrid, to be specific. Says Fisker:
A couple of years ago it started, by people who were maybe a little ahead of their time. You saw some movie starts like Leonardo DiCaprio buying a Prius... He could have bought any car in the world, and I remember seeing that on television and thinking to myself, you know, when you've got a guy who could buy any Ferrari or Rolls Royce and he's buying a Prius, you know something is changing dramatically.
Interesting little tidbit, no?

[Source: Reuters | Photo: Kevin Winter/Getty Images]

Fisker: Leonardo DiCaprio's Prius inspired the Karma originally appeared on Autoblog Green on Sun, 08 Nov 2009 14:53:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>fiskerfisker karmaFiskerKarmahenrik fiskerHenrikFiskerkarmaleonardo dicaprioleonardo dicaprio priusLeonardoDicaprioLeonardoDicaprioPriuspriustoyota priusToyotaPriusSun, 08 Nov 2009 14:53:00 EST<![CDATA[LA Auto Show Design Challenge entrants reveal Youthmobile 2030 designs]]>http://www.autobloggreen.com/2009/11/05/la-auto-show-design-challenge-entrants-reveal-youthmobile-2030-d/http://www.autobloggreen.com/2009/11/05/la-auto-show-design-challenge-entrants-reveal-youthmobile-2030-d/http://www.autobloggreen.com/2009/11/05/la-auto-show-design-challenge-entrants-reveal-youthmobile-2030-d/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , , ,

Mazda Souga Concept from LA Design Challenge 2009 - Click above for high-res image gallery

This year's iteration of the annual Design Challenge at the LA Auto Show asks the question: How will a new generation of drivers age 16-23 - raised with cell phones, web cams and online communities - emotionally connect to the automobile in 2030? We don't know the answer either, but at least six designers from some of the world's top automakers decided to give it a go with their own ideas. if you thought the Aptera was futuristic, check these out.

First up are the eSpira and eOra from Audi, which are controlled by thought and by the minutest adjustments to the pilot's body. Next we have the General Motors Car Hero... yes, the name is borrowed from the popular Guitar Hero line of games and the car, as you might imagine, "turns driving into gaming." What happens when the inevitable "Game Over" comes at the end? Moving along, we come to the Honda Helix, a shape-shifting vehicle that borrows actual DNA from its owner. Yuck, we don't want to be a car, we want to drive a car.

Which brings us to the Mazda Souga, easily our favorite out of this crop of concepts. This vision for the future would have each owner design his own car for the low price of $2,000 while paying an additional monthly usage fee that also covers the price of electricity to power the Souga.

Nissan's vision for the future includes cars that get their power from an electrically-charged roadway called the GRID, and the vowel-challenged V2G UNLMTD is quickly hacked into an OFF-GRID transportation device by the next breed of young hackers. Lastly, we have the Toyota Link. According to Toyota, future college students will have nearly no income and will rely on mass transit vehicles like the Link that allow them to interact via their various social networks on their daily commutes. Sounds boring to us, but what do we know?

Be sure to check out all six designs in our high-res image gallery below and hit the jump for the official press release.



[Source: LA Design Challenge]

Continue reading LA Auto Show Design Challenge entrants reveal Youthmobile 2030 designs

LA Auto Show Design Challenge entrants reveal Youthmobile 2030 designs originally appeared on Autoblog Green on Thu, 05 Nov 2009 18:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>audi eoraaudi espiraAudiEoraAudiEspiradesign challengedesign challenge 2009DesignChallengeDesignChallenge2009general motors car heroGeneralMotorsCarHerohonda helixHondaHelixLA Design challengeLA Design Challenge 2009LaDesignChallengeLaDesignChallenge2009mazda sougaMazdaSouganissan v2gnissan v2g unmltdNissanV2gNissanV2gUnmltdtoyota linkToyotaLinkThu, 05 Nov 2009 18:57:00 EST<![CDATA[Toyota's long hybrid patent fight with Paice continues in court]]>http://www.autobloggreen.com/2009/11/05/toyotas-long-hybrid-patent-fight-with-paice-continues-in-court/http://www.autobloggreen.com/2009/11/05/toyotas-long-hybrid-patent-fight-with-paice-continues-in-court/http://www.autobloggreen.com/2009/11/05/toyotas-long-hybrid-patent-fight-with-paice-continues-in-court/#commentsFiled under: , ,

2010 Toyota Prius - Click above for high-res image gallery

Toyota's legal battle to over making and selling the Hybrid Synergy Drive has a long history. Toyota has fought with both Solomon Technologies and Paice LLC over the gasoline-electric technology. In 2008, Toyota was ordered to pay Paice LLC $4.3 million for patent infringement, based on a cost of $25 per infringing car (defined at the second-gen Prius, the Toyota Highlander hybrid and the Lexus RX400H). But that didn't end the problem. Instead, this past September, Paice issued a new suit trying to get U.S. Customs to stop all of Toyota's hybrids at the border.

Paice believes that Toyota is using Paice technology in its hybrids and a court agreed in the $4.3 million settlement. Paice - Power Assisted Internal Combustion Engine - was started in 1992 by Russian immigrant Alex Severinsky. In 1994, Severinsky was awarded a patent for a microprocessor that coordinated power flows in both an ICE and an electric motor. Severinsky's patent expires in 2012 and Paice wants Toyota's imports halted until then. But, a semi-related legal decision involving eBay issued in May of 2006 may impact the Toyota situation because Paice, which does not make any hybrid cars, does not meet the new four-factor test that decision created. The lawsuit trying to get the vehicles stopped at the border is simply a new chip Paice is trying to gain in the ongoing fight. Learn more at Law.com.

[Source: Law.com]

Toyota's long hybrid patent fight with Paice continues in court originally appeared on Autoblog Green on Thu, 05 Nov 2009 12:55:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>hybridhybrid lawsuitHybridLawsuitlawsuitpaice lawsuitPaiceLawsuittoyota hybridtoyota lawsuittoyota paicetoyota paice lawsuittoyota priusToyotaHybridToyotaLawsuitToyotaPaiceToyotaPaiceLawsuitToyotaPriusThu, 05 Nov 2009 12:55:00 EST<![CDATA[<i>BusinessWeek</i>: Prius one of the 50 Ugliest Cars of the Past 50 Years]]>http://www.autobloggreen.com/2009/11/04/businessweek-prius-one-of-the-50-ugliest-cars-of-the-pas/http://www.autobloggreen.com/2009/11/04/businessweek-prius-one-of-the-50-ugliest-cars-of-the-pas/http://www.autobloggreen.com/2009/11/04/businessweek-prius-one-of-the-50-ugliest-cars-of-the-pas/#commentsFiled under: , ,



Beauty, as they say, is in the eye of the beholder. While some cars seem to be almost universally loved for their gorgeous lines and undeniable sense of style - the Lamborghini Miura and Shelby Daytona Coupe certainly come to mind - others, such as the new Honda Crosstour and even the latest Nissan GT-R - not to mention nearly everything currently wearing the Acura badge - sport more debatable duds.

And what of the car that's most commonly associated with the green movement? Of course, that would be the Toyota Prius, and we know that some happen to find the car rather attractive... whether that's for its slip-through-the-wind styling or the high fuel mileage - made possible in part by that styling - that its owners happily enjoy. According to BusinessWeek, though, the second-gen Prius is one of the 50 Ugliest Cars of the Past 50 Years. Not a distinction any owner wants their car to carry.

Take heart, Prius owners. There are a number of questionable vehicles on the list. For instance, the classically boxy Volvo 240 isn't ugly at all... it's purposeful and practical. Neither are the Lamborghini LM002, 2002 BMW 7 Series, Tata Nano or Toyota iQ deserving of inclusion on this unflattering list. Lastly, does anyone really think the DeLorean is that unattractive? Unabashedly '80s? Sure. Ugly? Nah.


Gallery: 2009 Toyota Prius


[Source: BusinessWeek]

BusinessWeek: Prius one of the 50 Ugliest Cars of the Past 50 Years originally appeared on Autoblog Green on Wed, 04 Nov 2009 12:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Ugliest car everugliest carsugliest cars of all timeUgliestCarEverUgliestCarsUgliestCarsOfAllTimeugly bettyugly carugly carsUglyBettyUglyCarUglyCarsWed, 04 Nov 2009 12:02:00 EST<![CDATA[Toyota to launch battery electric vehicle in 2012, fuel cell in 2015]]>http://www.autobloggreen.com/2009/11/03/toyota-to-launch-battery-electric-vehicle-in-2012-fuel-cell-in/http://www.autobloggreen.com/2009/11/03/toyota-to-launch-battery-electric-vehicle-in-2012-fuel-cell-in/http://www.autobloggreen.com/2009/11/03/toyota-to-launch-battery-electric-vehicle-in-2012-fuel-cell-in/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Bob Carter, group vice president and general manager of the Toyota brand, came to Detroit on Monday to have lunch with some local media. Among the topics of discussion at the gathering were Toyota's plans for zero emissions vehicles.

Since last January, Toyota has shown two different plug-in battery powered concepts, the FT-EV and the FT-EV II, both of which were small city cars. Carter confirmed that Toyota would introduce a battery electric car in 2012. What he declined to elaborate on was what type of car it would be, although he did say the EV would not look like either of the concepts. Odds are the BEV will be a city car of some kind though. When asked if he thought EVs could hit 10 percent of the market by 2020, Carter replied, "the technology has to advance much further than it is today to hit 10 percent of the market."

Carter reiterated that internal combustion and hybrids would remain the primary motivators for some time to come although the company was still committed to fuel cells as well. Toyota would like to have a fuel cell vehicle on the market by 2015 if there is a reasonable network of filling stations.

Toyota will start deploying its test fleet of 500 plug-in Priuses around the end of November to commercial and government fleets in Japan, North America and Europe. According the Carter, the lithium ion battery Prius can run electrically at speeds up to 62 mph for up to 5 miles. It's not clear if the car can actually accelerate from a standstill to the speed without running the engine, that will have to wait until we have a chance to try one out.

[Source: Green Fuels Forecast]

Toyota to launch battery electric vehicle in 2012, fuel cell in 2015 originally appeared on Autoblog Green on Tue, 03 Nov 2009 11:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>bob carterBobCarterElectric carelectric carselectric vehicleelectric vehiclesElectricCarElectricCarsElectricVehicleElectricVehicleshydrogenhydrogen carhydrogen fuel cellHydrogenCarHydrogenFuelCellphevphev priusphev-priusPhevPriusphevstoyotaTue, 03 Nov 2009 11:58:00 EST<![CDATA[REPORT: Toyota plans to trim trucks, focus on hybrids, improve quality]]>http://www.autobloggreen.com/2009/11/02/report-toyota-plans-to-trim-trucks-focus-on-hybrids-improve-q/http://www.autobloggreen.com/2009/11/02/report-toyota-plans-to-trim-trucks-focus-on-hybrids-improve-q/http://www.autobloggreen.com/2009/11/02/report-toyota-plans-to-trim-trucks-focus-on-hybrids-improve-q/#commentsFiled under: , , ,



Stick with what you know. That seems to be Toyota's new mantra going forward, as the Japanese automaker has reportedly diverted its attention away from large trucks like the largely unsuccessful and slow-selling Tundra pickup and back to hybrid vehicles - possibly all wearing the Prius badge, including a minivan and something smaller than the current Prius - and returning to its previous levels of unquestionable quality.

Atsushi Niimi, executive vice president for North America and global manufacturing, tells Automotive News that Toyota will try to build more longevity into its current lineup, addressing issues such as excessive rust and corrosion and introducing new "fail-safe functions" designed to minimize the possibility of "tragic accidents." We suspect that means push-button ignitions that can more easily shut down the car and floor mats that can't bunch up under the accelerator pedal.

In addition, Toyota will focus on the North American market, giving U.S. engineers a larger say when it comes to new vehicle design and the choices of which models make the overseas trek. To speed up the new model renaissance, Toyota will hold back on midcycle refreshes, instead working to get more substantial updates ready in less time.

On the manufacturing side, Toyota believes that it expanded too rapidly over the last decade and will attempt to slow down and restore the trust that customers had in the brand. Apparently, that slowdown will indeed affect the recently-built and still-idle plant in Blue Springs, Mississippi.

[Source: Automotive News (products, manufacturing) (quality) - Sub. Req'd]

REPORT: Toyota plans to trim trucks, focus on hybrids, improve quality originally appeared on Autoblog Green on Mon, 02 Nov 2009 19:53:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>blue springsblue springs mississippiBlueSpringsBlueSpringsMississippitoyotatoyota hybridtoyota manufacturingtoyota priustoyota qualityToyota TundraToyotaHybridToyotaManufacturingToyotaPriusToyotaQualityToyotaTundraMon, 02 Nov 2009 19:53:00 EST<![CDATA[Eating his words: Michael Pollan retracts Hummer-vegan/Prius-meat-eater comment]]>http://www.autobloggreen.com/2009/10/30/eating-his-words-michael-pollan-retracts-hummer-vegan-prius-mea/http://www.autobloggreen.com/2009/10/30/eating-his-words-michael-pollan-retracts-hummer-vegan-prius-mea/http://www.autobloggreen.com/2009/10/30/eating-his-words-michael-pollan-retracts-hummer-vegan-prius-mea/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Want to give your public pronouncement a little zing? Try throwing in the words Hummer and Prius and imply that the SUV is better for the earth than the Prius. CNW sure knows the value of making the false claim. Last week, author Michael Pollan tried a similar trick when he said at the 2009 Poptech conference that, "A vegan in a Hummer has a lighter carbon footprint than a beef eater in a Prius." Guess who's had to issue a mea culpa?

Pollan, who wrote The Botany of Desire, The Omnivore's Dilemma and other books, was blasted by people armed with facts. Specifically, Gidon Eshel and Pamela Martin from the University of Chicago found that shifting from eating meat to veganism saved about 2 tons of CO2 equivalent per person per year. A Hummer driver, on the other hand, emits 4.76 tons more per year than a Prius. Pollan later said that:

After digging into it further, and consulting Gidon Eschel, I don't feel comfortable defending [my earlier statement]. It's much more important to keep the focus on the central thrust of the environmental case against eating industrial meat, which is not in dispute and certainly does not stand or fall on the case of the vegan Hummer driver.

We're not against people making attention-getting statements for effect, but what's with constantly attacking the Prius? Can't a car just get 50 MPG in peace?

[Source: HybridCars]

Eating his words: Michael Pollan retracts Hummer-vegan/Prius-meat-eater comment originally appeared on Autoblog Green on Fri, 30 Oct 2009 11:56:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>michael pollanMichaelPollanprius hummerPriusHummerveganveganismFri, 30 Oct 2009 11:56:00 EST<![CDATA[Rumormill: Toyota to launch Prius coupe, MPV]]>http://www.autobloggreen.com/2009/10/29/rumormill-toyota-to-launch-prius-coupe-mpv/http://www.autobloggreen.com/2009/10/29/rumormill-toyota-to-launch-prius-coupe-mpv/http://www.autobloggreen.com/2009/10/29/rumormill-toyota-to-launch-prius-coupe-mpv/#commentsFiled under: ,


2010 Toyota Prius - Click above for high-res image gallery

This isn't the first time we've heard rumblings of a possible sporty two-door Prius coupe from Toyota, but the rumor that just won't die is once again being trumpeted by Autocar in the UK. The British motoring magazine also contends that an MPV (think downsized minivan) version of the well-loved hybrid hatchback is also in the works.

Interestingly, Autocar claims that the purported Prius MPV would theoretically go up against a production version of the Honda Skydeck concept that was just shown off at the Tokyo Motor Show - this despite the fact that Honda has yet to announce any sort of production plans for a hybrid MPV of its own.

In any case, the rumored Prius coupe would reportedly come with the same 1.8-liter four-cylinder powerplant and Hybrid Synergy Drive as its five-door counterpart, and it would be based on the same chassis that underpins the current model. Thoughts?


Gallery: 2010 Toyota Prius


[Source: Autocar]

Rumormill: Toyota to launch Prius coupe, MPV originally appeared on Autoblog Green on Thu, 29 Oct 2009 07:56:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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2010 Toyota Prius - Click above for high-res image gallery

Automakers make cars and trucks, no surprises there. Some even make other interesting things, like Honda, which also builds motorcycles, jets, robots and solar cells. But up until now, we haven't been able to think of any car companies that develop their own species of flowers. Thankfully, Toyota has reportedly stepped in to correct that oversight by creating two derivatives of the cherry sage and gardenia at its factory in Toyota City, Japan.

This is the plant where the Japanese automaker assembles the Prius hybrid, which seems fitting since the flowers were specifically chosen due to their ability to absorb nitrogen oxides and create water vapor. These attributes clean the surrounding air and lower temperatures at the factory.

Other environmentally-friendly efforts at the plant include roof-mounted solar panels, photocatalytic paint on exterior walls, reflective solar tubes that provide interior light and even slow-growing grass that only needs to be mowed twice per year (we've got dibs). According to Toyota, these initiatives help lower the carbon footprint at the plant, which is a good thing since production of the Prius hybrid is a carbon-intensive operation.


Gallery: 2010 Toyota Prius


[Source: drive.com.au]

REPORT: Toyota develops its own flower species for cleaner air at Prius plant originally appeared on Autoblog Green on Tue, 27 Oct 2009 13:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>cherry sageCherrySageflowergardeniatoyotatoyota assemblytoyota citytoyota city japantoyota factorytoyota flowertoyota flowerstoyota priusToyotaAssemblyToyotaCityToyotaCityJapanToyotaFactoryToyotaFlowerToyotaFlowersToyotaPriusTue, 27 Oct 2009 13:02:00 EST<![CDATA[VIDEO: New Toyota Prius ad channels Vishnu to explain hybrid tech]]>http://www.autobloggreen.com/2009/10/27/video-new-toyota-prius-ad-channels-vishnu-to-explain-hybrid-tec/http://www.autobloggreen.com/2009/10/27/video-new-toyota-prius-ad-channels-vishnu-to-explain-hybrid-tec/http://www.autobloggreen.com/2009/10/27/video-new-toyota-prius-ad-channels-vishnu-to-explain-hybrid-tec/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Australian Toyota Prius advertisement - Click above to watch the video after the break

What do you want from me, I've only got two hands?! Wouldn't we all be a bit more productive if we were blessed with another set of upper appendages, complete with opposable thumbs? Toyota apparently thinks so, and the Japanese automotive giant is using the point to prove that two drivetrains are better than one.

Of course, the two drivetrains in question belong to the new 2010 Toyota Prius, which mates an electric motor capable of powering the car on its lonesome and a small, efficient gas-burning 1.8-liter four cylinder internal combustion engine in one happy marriage to produce the perfect hybrid. Or something like that.

Click past the break to watch the advertisement for the new 2010 Prius in Australia. Oh, and Vishnu? Click here for an explanation of the title reference if it slipped you by. Thanks for the tip, Mark C!

[Source: YouTube]

Continue reading VIDEO: New Toyota Prius ad channels Vishnu to explain hybrid tech

VIDEO: New Toyota Prius ad channels Vishnu to explain hybrid tech originally appeared on Autoblog Green on Tue, 27 Oct 2009 08:08:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Ouch.

A three-way crash between a Tesla Roadtser, Toyota Prius and a VW Touareg didn't leave a pretty scene behind, but it appears that at least the Tesla driver walked away with only minor bruises. We don't know what happened to the occupants of the other vehicles. According to Autopia, it seems that the Roadster was allegedly stopped when the Prius hit it from behind - going about 50 mph - and pushed the Tesla under the SUV (note the piece of the EV in the VW's rear end). We'll just say it again: Ouch.

UPDATE: More from Autopia.

[Source: Autopia]

Not good: Tesla Roadster, Toyota Prius and VW Touareg meet with disastrous results originally appeared on Autoblog Green on Fri, 23 Oct 2009 14:56:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>tesla roadsterTeslaRoadstertoyota priusToyotaPriusVW TouaregVwTouaregFri, 23 Oct 2009 14:56:00 EST<![CDATA[Toyota aims to sell 36,000 Sai hybrid sedans a year]]>http://www.autobloggreen.com/2009/10/23/toyota-aims-to-sell-36-000-sai-hybrid-sedans-a-year/http://www.autobloggreen.com/2009/10/23/toyota-aims-to-sell-36-000-sai-hybrid-sedans-a-year/http://www.autobloggreen.com/2009/10/23/toyota-aims-to-sell-36-000-sai-hybrid-sedans-a-year/#commentsFiled under: , ,


2010 Toyota Sai - Click above for high-res image gallery

Toyota unveiled its de-badged Lexus HS250h/Sai in Tokyo this week and hopes that this model will be another incremental step toward its goal of 1,000,000 annual sales of hybrids. Initially at least, this will be a relatively small increment as the automaker is only looking to move about 36,000 Sais in the first year. That's similar to the number of HS units it wants to sell in North America. American consumers might wonder at why to produce another variant of the HS that is so similar. However, in Japan Toyota's sales network is quite different and there are multiple channels that don't all sell everything Toyota builds. In addition, there are quite a few models that are not offered outside of Japan. The Sai will sell for about $37,000, not that much less than the $43,000 Japanese price of the Lexus. The question at this point would be, if you like the styling of the Sai/HS250, why even consider the Lexus?


[Source: Reuters]
Photos copyright (C)2009 Drew Phillips / Weblogs, Inc.

Toyota aims to sell 36,000 Sai hybrid sedans a year originally appeared on Autoblog Green on Fri, 23 Oct 2009 13:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The Yes Men were in the news recently for a hoax that put the U.S. Chamber of Commerce's lame position on climate change under the spotlight. This week, Move On and Plug In America are pushing an online campaign to get Toyota to stop funding the Chamber's anti-climate lobbying. The campaign resulted in a large gallery on Flickr that shows Toyota customers calling on the automaker "to stop opposing clean energy" and asks people to write letters to the editor. Plug In America president Dan Davids said in a statement that:
Toyota has already proven that it can make an excellent electric car. It should be leading the charge to a truly sustainable electric transportation future with plug-in cars. Instead, it's dragging its feet.
In response, Toyota issued a release to, as they put it, "set the record straight." The gist is that Toyota's participation in various groups does not mean it gives full-throated endorsement to everything those groups do. Josephine Cooper, VP for public policy and government/industry affairs said:
Toyota speaks for itself and has its own position on mitigating climate change, backed up by a strong track record of reducing greenhouse gas emissions. [...] We will not disappoint when it comes time to deliver.
Read both statements in full after the jump.

[Source: Toyota, Plug In America]

Continue reading Toyota out of the Chamber of Commerce? Plug in America calls out the troops

Toyota out of the Chamber of Commerce? Plug in America calls out the troops originally appeared on Autoblog Green on Fri, 23 Oct 2009 10:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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