Like so many other states, California is in the midst of a budget crisis. Tax revenues are down and expenses are out of control. The legislators in Sacramento are looking at just about everything in attempt to balance the books, even their state-owned cars.
According to the Los Angeles Times, one budget proposal seeks to cut the monthly allowance for car expenses which currently stands at $350. "California taxpayers have spent $3.2 million during the last three years buying the cars, covering gas expenses and paying to repair the vehicles when they break down or are damaged in accidents," the article says.
A breakdown of the 10 most expensive state-owned vehicles shows that most of them are hybrids. So in an attempt to appear "green", California's state legislators have stuck taxpayers with the bill for vehicles that cost between $45-$50K. Must be nice.
Looks like Consumer Reports has finally caught up with reality. In its latest review of the 2010 Honda Insight, the magazine takes the car to task calling it a, "noisy, stiff-riding car with clumsy handling." First time in a hybrid CR?
As much as we appreciate the technology offered by vehicles like the Prius and the Insight, we've always considered them a huge compromise. You don't get that kind of mileage without giving up a few things, it's not a free ride. Unfortunately, many of the things hybrids ditch in the name of mileage are the very things that make driving enjoyable. Looks like CR isn't ready to make the trade just yet.
The U.S. Department of Energy announced today the first installment of loans to promote clean energy. A total of $8B will be handed out to Ford, Nissan and Tesla in hopes of jump starting efforts to produce electric vehicles as well as cleaner internal combustion drivetrains.
Ford will receive $5.9B to to "help finance numerous engineering advances to traditional internal combustion engines and electrified vehicles." The money will also be used to convert two trucks plants into car plants.
Nissan is getting $1.6B to help defray the costs of producing an electric car and battery packs at its Smyrna, Tenn. manufacturing plant.
And finally, Tesla will receive $465M to help develop and build its Model S sedan as well as the production of battery packs in a separate facility.
For the record, GM and Chrysler were not eligible for the program because of their bankruptcy filings. The loan program specifies that any company receiving money must first prove its viability as a stand alone company separate from the loans. How Tesla, which is currently not profitable, got around this provision isn't clear.
So what do you think? Is this a good way to spend federal stimulus money?
General Motors held a webchat session this morning with Troy Clarke, President of GM North America. He attempted to address several issues, but as you might expect most of his answers were light on specifics and heavy on generalities and themes.
When one participant asked about Buick, Clarke said he was very confident that they would get the brand right. "I will tell you that you will be pleasantly surprised at the product line up we have for the new Buick. It will go places product wise we haven't gone with Buick before," Clarke said.
When asked about NUMMI, Clarke said GM has no plans to buy Toyota's Hybrid Synergy Drive technology. "We are not in current discussions with Toyota on licensing their synergy drive. I would point out that we are working like crazy on our own hybrid technology. Also, we are really moving fast on the Volt of which you are well aware," Clarke said.
Other participants, many of which were clearly GM employees expressed frustration with the way GM was being handled. Clarke told him that he thought getting government assistance was the company's best chance of turning itself around. The full text is available at GM's Fastlane blog.
Did you see the new Buick commercials that aired during this weekend's NBA title game? They implored viewers to "take a look at me now" as if Buick was some middle-aged housewife fresh out of plastic surgery.
GM's junior luxury division is going to need more than snappier commercials to get attention and according to a GM fan site a hybrid might be its next attempt to gain some recognition.
GM-volt.com says that the two-mode plug-in hybrid system developed for the Saturn Vue may make its way into a new Buick compact crossover. A CBS news report is thought to have revealed a glimpse of the upcoming sport utility and not surprisingly it looked like a downsized Enclave.
In a recent interview with the Washington Post, former GM Vice Chairman Bob Lutz reiterated his assertion that the demand for green vehicles is still relatively low.
"When you get out into the marketplace, it's probably just 5 percent of the public that desperately wants something environmentally sound and is willing to pay a premium for it," he said in the interview.
Now that Tesla has backing from Daimler, it's moving aggressively towards an expanded lineup and more affordable models. At least that's what company CEO Elon Musk told Green Car Advisor.
Musk (pictured) said that in addition to the Smart EV, "there is also another major vehicle program that we will be doing with Daimler and that was part of the investment deal and would also fit into the 'everyman' category."
Good to see that Tesla is aiming to bring down the price of its electric cars, but given how much work it has left to do on the Model S, it seems a little premature to be thinking about additional cars down the road.
Despite earlier reports to the contrary, the Honda Fit Hybrid may arrive in the U.S in less than two years time. At least that's what a wire report from Japan indicates. It pegs the arrival of the Fit Hybrid in Honda's upcoming 2010-2011 fiscal year.
According to our own Green Car Advisor, the move could be an immediate response to the recent announcement of more restrictive CAFE regulations. Honda is already has one of the most efficient car lineups in the business, but it's still a way off from the 2016 requirements. A Honda Fit Hybrid is expected to achieve even better EPA numbers than the slightly larger Insight sedan.
As Engineering Editor Jay Kavanagh notes in his first drive of the 2010 Lexus HS 250h, timing is indeed everything in the auto industry. Had this new luxury hybrid come out last summer, its success would have been virtually guaranteed.
Even though gas prices are slowly rising, the clamor for fuel mileage has subsided significantly. Lexus might have to actually put a little marketing muscle behind this car, but even that doesn't guarantee any measure of succes.
Will it be the next Prius? Or a Honda Accord Hybird that never quite catches on?
This is the Toyota Camry Hybrid pace car that will lead the field around Charlotte Motor Speedway for this weekend's Coca-Cola 600. It will mark the first time that a hybrid vehicle has paced an entire race according to Toyota.
If you're particularly taken with the car's lovely paint scheme, keep in mind that Toyota is giving the car away in a contest sponsored by Coca-Cola. The company is placing a single golden can in a specially-marked 12-pack of Coke. Find it and the car is yours.
Alec Baldwin is a great actor. From the ultimate sales speech in GlenGarry Glen Ross to his current work in 30 Rock, the guy can bring it when the cameras are rolling.
Away from the cameras, however, Baldwin is somewhat less impressive. Take his latest diatribe in the Huffington Post. in which he makes the case for letting the Big Three die because they didn't focus on building more efficient cars.
"There can be only one legitimate response to this crisis. Let energy conservation and fuel efficiency rule the day. Let the carmakers go under."
It's a nice sentiment, but Mr. Baldwin is conveniently forgetting that the company that built his Prius made most of its profits in the U.S. selling trucks and SUVs. If Toyota had to rely on sales of small cars to survive, it's U.S. operations would be going bankrupt too.
Bill Reinert, Toyota's U.S. national manager for advanced technology, told a National Academy of Sciences panel in Washington, D.C., Monday that the success of plug-in hybrids depends on their advantages over traditional hybrids.
"There is a great deal of variation on how current PHEVs perform in real-world conditions," Reinert said.
Although his statements sound like direct shots at cars like the Chevrolet Volt and Fisker Karma, Toyota is also testing plug-in variations of the Prius so he's probably speaking about their own conclusions.
You know it's serious when the White House lines up the CEOs of nearly every major car company in the U.S. for a press conference. The occasion was the announcement of new fuel efficiency rules that will reset the standards for cars and trucks going forward.
They're much tougher standards that the current rules. We're talking an average of 39mpg for cars and 30mpg for trucks and SUVs by 2016 for a combined average of 35.5mpg.
The White House acknowledges that costs will go up for cars and trucks, but claims that consumers will save at the pump in the long run. There are still many details to be worked out, but this appears to be the basic plan going forward. Think it will work?
Elon Musk, CEO of Tesla, is a smart guy. He made a billion or so dollars off of PayPal and started his own rocket company after all. Seems strange then that he would be so misinformed about the Chevrolet Volt.
In this video, Musk dismisses the Volt because he thinks the gasoline engine is too small to propel the car after the batteries run out of power. You would think he would know that the Volt never actually runs on the gasoline engine alone, but apparently he's too busy trying to turn his Model S concept into a reality. Fast forward to the 27:23 mark to hear his comments.
The ol' hydrogen highway just got a little bit shorter. At a press conference today, Energy Secretary Stephen Chu announced a budget that slashes spending on hydrogen research by 59%.
"We asked ourselves, 'Is it likely in the next 10 or 15, 20 years that we will covert to a hydrogen car economy?' The answer, we felt, was 'no,'" Chu said in the briefing today.
GM Vice Chairman Tom Stephens used the company's Fastlane blog to reassure hybrid fans that a plug-in hybrid is still in the works. Originally planned for the Saturn Vue, GM's plug-in system is currently being adapted to another similarly-sized vehicle. Looking at GM's new "core" brands, that means either the Chevrolet Equinox or GMC Terrain.
We knew Nissan was looking to get into the hybrid game with its own technology, but we didn't know how far it would go. A report out of Japan unearthed by 370Z.com predicts a hybrid version of the Nissan 370Z by the 2012 model year.
Just a few weeks ago, Japan's Nikkei daily reported that Nissan would offer its first in-house hybrid system in its Fuga luxury sedan, which is known as the Infini M35/45 in the States. The new hybrid system will reportedly use a new lithium ion battery pack that delivers more power and shorter recharged times.
With production still over a year away, the 2011 Chevrolet Volt is still very much a work in progress. Our Senior Editor in Detroit Dan Pund recently had a chance to see just how much work has been done thanks to a brief test drive in one of Chevrolet's development mules.
He reports that the Volt does in fact move under pure electric power, and it does so in a way that makes it feel like a properly sorted sedan. No, he didn't go far enough to test the range, or even engage the gasoline-powered generator for that matter, but that's why it's called a mule.
Scoring great mileage figures in the 2010 Ford Fusion Hybrid isn't difficult. It's a full-fledged parallel hybrid that can run on electric power alone if you're going slow enough.
Of course, that didn't bother the folks at Ford who were attempting to drive over 1,000 miles on a single tank of gas. It was all part of a publicity stunt that took place in Washington D.C. to reassure the folks who make all those troublesome mileage laws that Ford is doing its part.
In addition to using every hypermiling trick in the book, Ford's drivers also used the sure fire method of driving really, really slow to maximize mileage.
With all the hype surrounding the new 2010 Toyota Prius and its arch rival the 2010 Honda Insight, a hybrid pickup truck like the Silverado can get lost pretty easily. Without huge mileage numbers to brag about, the Silverado hybrid is left trying to convince a skeptical public that it's worth paying extra to get 20mpg.
Engineering Editor Jason Kavanagh digs into the numbers, and the technology, to see what this truck is all about. His conclusion? Makes more sense from an environmental standpoint than a financial one. Are you surprised.
Honda has continually said that plug-in hybrids are an unnecessary step on the road to hydrogen-fueled vehicles.
Now it's changing its tune given the U.S. government's preference for plug-in hybrids as a short-term solution. Green Car Advisor has the full story on Honda's about face.
In a rousing Earth Day memo, GM Vice President of Environment, Energy and Safety, Beth Lowry, sought to reassure outsiders that GM is still committed to its environmental initiatives despite having little money to pay for them.
"I want to assure everyone that despite the current economic challenges and the fact that we are undergoing great changes to reinvent the company, resources for 'green' initiatives are being preserved," Lowry wrote.
Strangely absent was a progress report on the Chevrolet Volt although GM has said numerous times in the past that it was safe from the current cost cutting measures.
A report by Doron Levin at Bloomberg says Toyota plans to cut the base price of the third-generation Prius by $1,000 in a bid to compete with the new Honda Insight. The current base price of the Toyota Prius is $22,000 while the Honda Insight starts at $19,800.
Does this vehicle make any sense? In one way, yes it does. Escalades drink considerable amounts of gas, so even knocking a mere 10% off that amount results in some real world fuel savings.
Is it enough to make a difference to your bottom line? Not really. Then again, Escalades have never really been about value. This is an SUV that's all about image, and when it comes to that category, combining a luxury vehicle with a hybrid drivetrain could be a stoke of genius.
Nissan will unveil a pure electric car late next year that uses lithium-ion batteries to achieve a 100-mile range. Mark Perry, Nissan's Director of Product Strategy, told Green Car Advisor, "It is a dedicated all-new car, not the conversion of something we already offer. You need something that is different enough to let people know you are driving a special car."
Nissan is currently putting on a roadshow to showcase the electric drivetrain that will power the new EV. A Nissan Cube has been retrofitted with the drive system, but Nissan doesn't have any plans to offer such a setup.
#NYIAS Don't get too excited, it will be awhile before the Mitsubishi i MiEV arrives at U.S. dealerships ready for public sale. At today's press conference in New York, Mitsubishi Motors North America President and CEO Shinichi Kurihara announced that Mitsubishi fully intends to develop its i MiEV electric car for world markets including the United States. Fleet sales of the i MiEV are expected to start in Japan this summer.
The i MiEV slated for Japan is slightly smaller than the vehicle on hand at today's show. A wider track is the main difference. Sources on hand at the show said Mitsubishi is also considering a gasoline version of the vehicle for the U.S. Could be an interesting alternative to the Smart. -- Ed Hellwig, Lead Senior Editor, Inside Line
#NYIAS It has gullwing doors and "floating" seats inside, yet the Hyundai Nuvis has more production implications than you might think. As Hyundai continues to move upmarket with cars like its new Genesis sedan, the Nuvis could very well signal its intention to hit the sweet spot of the luxury crossover market currently dominated by the Lexus RX 350.
In the near term, it's the drivetrain of the Nuvis that shows some promise. It combines Hyundai's latest "Theta" four-cylinder gas engine with a 30kW electric motor to create what Hyundai calls Blue Drive.
It's a parallel hybrid system similar to that used in the Toyota Prius, so it can run on pure electric power or both gas and electric power together. For electric power, it uses a 270V lithium-polymer battery that Hyundai claims is superior to both nickel-metal hydride and lithium-ion batteries because lithium polymer batteries are more durable and space-efficient.
We'll see if those claims hold up soon enough as Hyundai has announced that it will offer the Blue Drive system in the next-generation Sonata in the United States. No timetable was given, but expect to see more news on this front as early as next year. -- Ed Hellwig, Lead Senior Editor, Inside Line
#NYIAS We have always thought that the standard GMC Yukon Hybrid was a little down market. Sure it carries a base price of nearly $51,000, but for that price you only get so much chrome for your dollar.
Thankfully, this year's New York auto show saw the introduction of the 2009 GMC Yukon Denali Hybrid. For a mere $59,185, you can ride high on chrome 22s and in ventilated leather seats while showing your commitment to conserving our natural resources. Now that's professional grade. -- Ed Hellwig, Lead Senior Editor, Inside Line
Lexus finally has some competition in the luxury hybrid game, or will starting this summer. The 2010 Mercedes-Benz S400 joins the refreshed S-Class lineup as the company's first production hybrid vehicle. Its drivetrain consists of a V6 gas engine coupled with a 20-hp electric motor powered by lithium-ion batteries. Mercedes-Benz claims 29 mpg in combined driving.
Cadillac officials acknowledged today that the SRX crossover, which will arrive in U.S. dealerships in early August, will eventually be fitted with the two-mode electric hybrid system.
It would be the same basic arrangement of parts as used in the full-size pickup trucks and SUVs for the last couple of years. General Motors' plan initially called for the Saturn Vue to be the first mid size crossover withing the corporation to receive a version of that system. Ooooh...yeah, that situation is very much in flux, as they say. Saturn said that it expected the Vue two-mode to be able to do 0-60 mph in 7.3 seconds and return 27 mpg in the city and 30 on the highway with its combination direct-injection V6 and twin 55-kilowatt electric motors. It's fair to assume the Cadillac would perform similarly. For comparison, Cadillac estimates that a conventional front-wheel-drive SRX powered by the 3.0-liter direct-injection V6 should return 18/25 mpg, city/highway.
No word on timing for the two-mode SRX but we wouldn't expect it before the 2011 model year. A few main competitors either already offer a hybrid crossover in roughly the same size and price class (Lexus) or plan to within the next couple of years (Audi, Mercedes-Benz and Volkswagen).
Remember Chrysler's ENVI lineup of electric vehicles? They seemed a little farfetched when they were first introduced, but Chrysler has been cranking away trying to make them a reality. The company is one step closer today as it officially announced a battery contract with supplier A123 Systems.
According to the release, "Chrysler LLC and A123Systems have signed an agreement stating that A123Systems will supply energy storage systems for Chrysler's first-generation ENVI Range-extended Electric Vehicles and battery only Electric Vehicles. A123Systems is an American battery supplier with plans for a Michigan-based production facility.
Note that A123 "plans" to have a Michigan-based plant that will produce the advanced Nanophosphate Lithium ion prismatic battery cells for Chrysler's ENVI vehicles. Like much of Chrysler's future, this whole ENVI thing is a big "if" pending the company's bailout by the federal government.
In a typically long-winded tirade on his monstrously popular talk show, Rush Limbaugh railed against hybrids as nothing more than political pawns.
"The Ford and Honda hybrids due out this month are among dozens planned for the coming years as automakers try to meet new fuel-efficiency standards and please politicians overseeing the industry's multibillion-dollar bailout."
He went on to note that sales are weak, so clearly they are unpopular.
"Nobody's buying 'em," Limbaugh said. "Nobody wants them! The manufacturers are making them in droves to satisfy Obama! Sorry for yelling. Nobody wants them!"
Hyundai plans to sell a plug-in hybrid version of the Blue Will concept sedan shown this week at the Seoul auto show. Yang Woong-chul, president of Hyundai-Kia Motors' research and development division told Automotive News that the company is targeting the Chevrolet Volt and Toyota Prius plug-in that are expected in roughly the same time frame.
According to a report in Automotive News, Toyota has told its dealers in Japan that the redesigned Prius will carry a price very close to the new Honda Insight. At just over 2 million yen, the base 2010 Toyota Prius will have a price equivalent to a mid-level Insight.
Pricing in the U.S. has yet to be announced, but the aggressive numbers announced in Japan are a good sign that Toyota intends to battle Honda head on with its redesigned Prius. Honda is currently touting the new Insight as the lowest-priced hybrid in America.
Honda is no stranger to innovative and modestly heart-warming commercials. From its helpful sales people in blue shirts to its walk through history with the "Impossible Dream", it's had a good run of memorable clips.
This could be yet another. It's a promotion for the new 2010 Honda Insight and it looks quite unbelievable at first. It's real, sort of. Check out how they did it after the jump.
Yes, that's right, concept car. We think it's a more accurate name for the Tesla Model S. It sounds a little confusing given how the company described the car that was unveiled yesterday, but after digging a little deeper, there's more style than substance to the Model S.
The Tesla Model S sedan made its world debut today at Elon Musk's Space X facility in Hawthorne, CA.
In addition to announcing various details on the car, Musk reiterated his confidence in the eventual success of the program. "I have zero doubt that this car will be manufactured," Musk told the assembled press.
Here's a basic rundown of the details that Musk divulged during his questions and answer sessions with reporters:
- Range: approximately 300 miles - Fast charge capability: 45 minutes - Battery pack can be swapped out in less time that it takes to fill a typical gas tank - 0-to-60mph in less than 6.0-seconds. Top speed: 135mph - Approximate weight: 4,000 pounds - Aluminum body panels - Single speed transmission - 7-passenger capacity via two rear-facing seats in the cargo area - Cost: $49,900 after federal tax credit
Digg founder Kevin Rose posted these images of what look like the Tesla Model S sedan on his Flickr account this morning. An official reveal is scheduled for later today in Hawthorne, CA.
We'll have full coverage from the event, but until then this is all we know.
We already gave you the full low down on the 2010 Toyota Prius, now see how it fares in the face of its new rival, the 2010 Honda Insight. Neither car gets much for style points, but in this matchup it's all about fuel economy and clean emissions right?
Senior Editor Erin Riches gets to the heart of the matchup and ends up with some surprising conclusions. Get all the details in our latest comparison test of these two iconic hybrid hatchbacks.
A report in Japan's Nikkei newspaper says Toyota is developing a Yaris-based hybrid as a low-cost alternative to the Honda Insight. "We are developing a low-priced hybrid vehicle like Honda's Insight," Akihiko Otsuka, chief engineer of the latest Prius told the newspaper. "We are going to compete by expanding our hybrid-vehicle lineup to smaller hybrids, in the class of the Vitz [sold in Japan] and Yaris."
No timetable was given for the for the car's launch, but the paper did mention that Otsuka inferred a 2011 timeframe.
Kia used the Seoul auto show to unveil its first every production hybrid vehicle. The Kia Forte Hybrid, aimed at the South Korean automaker's home market, is slated to go on sale later this summer.
It combines a 1.6-liter liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) engine with a small electric motor-generator, a continuously variable transmission and what the company says will be the world's first lithium-polymer battery pack.
Teased at the 2009 Geneva Auto Show in the Essence concept, Infiniti's hybrid drivetrain will make its production debut in the M sedan next year. The system will combine a V6 and an electric motor powered by lithium-ion batteries.
No big surprise here. As gas prices go down, so do sales of hybrids. The L.A. Times issued this report today, but our own Green Car Advisor has been watching this trend for months.
Makes for an interesting side note to some recent remarks by a couple titans of the auto industry. Alan Mulally, CEO of Ford, noted in a recent speech that low gas prices push American consumers to larger vehicles. Mike Jackson, CEO of AutoNation, was a little more straightforward, calling for a higher national gas tax to push consumers toward more fuel efficient cars.
Jackson is probably right, but no politician will ever vote for it. Any other suggestions?
Think the new Honda Insight looks affordable at $20,470? Well, don't write that check just yet. Japan's Nikkei business daily is reporting that Toyota is prepping a new version of its upcoming Prius that could cost as low as $20,510. Oh the decisions.
It doesn't look like much sitting in a glass dish, but this new battery material developed by researchers at MIT could revolutionize electric automobiles.
We won't get into the science behind it (mainly because we didn't graduate from MIT), but the end result is drastically reduced charging times for Lithium-Ion batteries. We're talking minutes instead of hours here, an improvement that would make the prospect of all-electric cars that much more viable.
Think you're going to save money on gas with the 2010 Lexus RX 450h? Well, you are, technically, but the up-front cost will render it null and void for the first decade or so of ownership.
So what else is there to like about this new Lexus hybrid SUV? It's more engaging to drive than its predecessor and gets better mileage too. Engineering editor Jay Kavanagh also found the new Remote Touch driver interface quite useful. Then again, he was disappointed with the rear seat accommodations and Toyota parts-bin interior, so not all is perfect in the world of Lexus.
You might not remember, but Ford builds a couple hybrid SUVs. They're the forgotten stepchildren of the hybrid world despite the fact that they're both practical and quite fuel efficient.
Apparently a few enlightened souls have figured this out as 100,000 of them have rolled off Ford's Kansas City assembly line. Sales of the Escape Hybrid were up 55% in February compared to the month before, so Ford must be doing something right.
Official pricing for the 2010 Honda Insight was announced today and as expected it will be the cheapest hybrid vehicle on the market when it goes on sale later this year.
Of course, Honda will boast that the base Insight LX starts below $20K, but adding the unavoidable destination fee pushes the base price to $20,470.
The higher end Insight EX will run you $21,970. Add navigation and the price tops out at $23,770.
You may have seen the thought-provoking headline, "Hybrids Gather Dust at AutoNation Dealerships," on the Marketwatch website last week. The article describes a recent speech by AutoNation CEO Mike Jackson in which he supposedly said that his dealerships have some 600,000 hybrids "that no one wants."
A frightening number eh? Well, it was to John O'Dell who authors our own Green Car Advisor site as that number would amount to roughly half of all the hybrids ever sold in the U.S. With that in mind, O'Dell called an AutoNation spokesman to get a little clarification.
Turns out, Mr. Jackson didn't say his dealerships had 600,000 hybrids on hand. What they have is a 60-days supply, which according to O'Dell's calculation equates to roughly 34,000 hybrids based on current sales rates. So yeah, slightly less than readers of the Marketwatch article were led to believe.
It turns out the 2010 Lexus RX 450h will end up with better EPA fuel mileage estimates than the preliminary numbers we reported in the first drive. Specifically, the front-drive RX 450h has achieved the all-important 30-mpg combined figure against 32-mpg city and 28-mpg highway ratings.
The all-wheel-drive 2010 Lexus RX 450h has a 29-mpg combined rating against 30-mpg city and 29-mpg highway figures.
Given that the RX 450h weighs a whopping 450 pounds more than the outgoing RX 400h, which was rated 27/24 in front-drive configuration and 26/24 with AWD, these numbers are rather impressive.
Is the Infiniti Essence concept the Nissan GT-R twin we've been hearing about for the last year or so? Hard to tell at this point.
Consider this statement from the product planner in charge of its development. "It isn't a teaser for a new model. It is solely dedicated to Infiniti brand promotion, to demonstrate and advocate the Infiniti unique values," said Francois Bancon.
Sounds pretty straightforward, right? Well, maybe, but according to the press kit this Infiniti concept also has a twin-turbocharged V6 under its hood that produces 434 horsepower. Not quite the size engine or horsepower as the GT-R, but close.
Oh, and as an added twist, the Essence is also a hybrid thanks to an electric motor sandwiched between the engine and transmission. It's powered by a lithium-ion battery pack in the trunk and is capable of delivering an additional 158 hp -- all of it going to the rear wheels.
So the Essence may not have all-wheel drive or a 3.8-liter V6, but with a combined 592 hp and rear-wheel drive, it would be quite the halo car for the Infiniti brand, not to mention one of the fastest cars ever to leave a Japanese assembly line.
So what do you think? Just a promotion for the Infiniti brand, or an early look at an Infiniti flagship? -- Ed Hellwig, Lead Senior Editor, Inside Line
In these dismal economic times, no one likes to talk about annual sales projections, but Bob Carter, group vice president and general manager for Toyota Motor Sales USA, did just that at last week's press launch for the 2010 Toyota Prius in California's Napa Valley. Toyota expects to sell 100,000 examples of the 2010 Prius from the time it goes on sale in May until the end of 2009.
Come 2010, the company hopes to return to its 2007 sales pace and sell 180,000 Priuses. You'll recall that Prius sales fell 12.3 percent in 2008 (to 158,884) after a steep drop-off in demand in the fourth quarter.
Perhaps, it's the 2010 Prius' 50 mpg city/49 mpg highway EPA rating that Toyota thinks you won't be able to resist. As we've reported, the car's 50-mpg combined EPA number is a full 4 mpg better than the second-generation car, and it shames the 2010 Honda Insight, which only manages 41 mpg combined. We'll see in the coming months how significant that difference really is in real-world driving.
A recent report by researchers at Carnegie Mellon University concludes that the cost-effectiveness of plug-in electric vehicles is suspect.
"Large-capacity PHEVs sized for 40 or more miles of electric-only travel are not cost-effective in any scenario," the report's authors insist. Yeah, 40 or more miles of travel, you might have heard that figure before.
According to the report that will appear in an upcoming issue of "Energy Policy," the added cost of the systems required to provide long distance electric power outweighs the savings in fuel costs.
"Forty miles might be a sweet spot for making sure a lot of people get to work without using gasoline, but you're doing it at a cost that will never be repaid in fuel savings," Jeremy Michalek, an engineering professor who led the study, told Bloomberg News in an interview.
Inside Line tests hundreds of vehicles a year, but not every one gets a full write-up. The numbers still tell a story, though, so we're introducing a new feature on Straightline called "IL Track Tested." It's a quick rundown of all the data we collected at the track, along with comments direct from the test drivers. Enjoy.
Talk about a hybrid that gets no love from the green team. The Chevrolet Malibu Hybrid is rarely mentioned in the same breath as the Prius or even the Ford Fusion Hybrid despite offering excellent mileage at a reasonable price.
There's a reason for that, of course. The Chevrolet Malibu Hybrid isn't a full hybrid like the Prius and the Fusion. In the Malibu, the electric motor is only there to help out the gasoline engine when it needs a little extra power, it can't actually propel the vehicle. It's a simpler system that keeps the Malibu's price down, but it doesn't give the Malibu the big mileage numbers that you might expect from a hybrid.
And how does it perform at the track? Results are after the jump.
There are plenty of interesting details buried within GM's latest rescue plan, but one in particular caught our eye. In the "product plan" section, it states:
Planned Chevrolet Volt and two additional models sharing Volt's extended range vehicle technology
Now we know that GM plans to roll out the Opel Ampera at the 2009 Geneva Auto Show next week, but the third vehicle is a little tougher to pin down.
Porsche released more details on its upcoming 2010 Cayenne S Hybrid last week, including a sound-bite producing line about going 86 mph without using the gasoline motor.
Sounds impressive, but don't get too excited about the prospect of zipping up to highway speeds in complete silence just yet.
You see, Porsche said that its engineers "have been able to drive at speeds up to 86 mph without at all using the combustion engine." In other words, the Cayenne Hybrid's electric motor is capable of maintaining the vehicle's speed on the highway. Of course, actually getting up to highway speeds requires the other half of its hybrid equation, namely a 3.0-liter, supercharged V6 sourced from Audi.
Porsche wordplay aside, the Cayenne Hybrid should still put up some decent numbers when it goes on sale next year. A 0-to-60mph time of 6.8-seconds is expected along with highway mileage of around 24mpg.
In addition to the amatuerish photoshop manipulations of the upcoming Chrysler 300 and Jeep Grand Cherokee, Chrysler LLC also included the above proposed product plan with its submission to the U.S. Treasury yesterday.
The biggest take-away from the document is how heavily Chrysler anticipates relying on Fiat products to fill out its future lineup. There are at least six new products the company plans to base off of Fiat underpinnings, from a small hatchback to a mid-size sedan and a compact SUV. In fact, the only products designed by what we traditionally think of as Chrysler are full-size pickup trucks and SUVs, full-size sedans and MPVs.
In a speech at the Washington D.C. auto show on Tuesday, Tom Bologa, BMW North America's VP of Engineering, confirmed that the company is considering smaller engines for its U.S. lineup. "We are investigating bringing a new generation of four-cylinder engines to the U.S., each with an impressive mix of efficiency, cleanliness and performance," Bologa said.
He also confirmed the development of a pure electric car as part of BMW's Project i plan. The Mini E, which rolls out this spring, is the first leg of the project. "Based on the experience, we intend to bring to market an entirely newly designed vehicle featuring an electric drive system in the first half of the next decade," Bologa confirmed.
As far as hybrids go, Bologa said BMW considers them part of the future, but sees only limited applications. "We do not yet see them as optimum for the way Americans drive and our transportation and living culture."
The 2010 Honda Insight went on sale today in Japan with a sticker price of 1.89 million yen. Convert that to good ol' American dollars and that's only $20,640 at current conversion rates.
Honda has said that the Insight will be the least-expensive hybrid in the U.S. when it goes on sale this spring, so don't be surprised if the American side of the operation finds a way to get that price down to $19,999.
The 2010 Honda Insight is scheduled to go on sale in the U.S. on April 22, but Honda officials told us that the company will start shipping them to dealers as soon as the first boatload makes landfall which could happen in late March.
Audi has released more details on the U.S. market version of the upcoming Q5 small crossover vehicle. The highlights? The Q5 will be powered by a 270-hp 3.2-liter direct-injection V6 which will be mated to a six-speed automatic. Naturally, it will also come with Quattro all-wheel drive. Audi will launch an updated version of its MMI entertainment and information control system in the Q5.
The company still hasn't announced pricing for the Q5 which will go on sale in March. Audi estimates that the Q5 will return 18/23 mpg city/highway, but the EPA hasn't yet posted official figures.
In related news, Audi will introduce a hybrid gas-electric version of the Q5 sometime around 2011. The company has cancelled earlier plans to produce a hybrid version of the larger Q7 crossover.
Volkswagen is a diesel evangelist of the highest order, seeing compression-ignition motors as the preferred way to generate big mpg numbers. Still, the company will produce three gasoline-electric hybrids in the next few years and one of them will be constructed in the recently announced Chattanooga, TN plant.
It's been a few years since we heard any speculation about a Jetta Hybrid. But, according to our source at Volkswagen, the company will build a hybrid version on the next-generation of the sedan platform with a target on sale date of 2010.
Further, the company's upcoming Passat midsize sedan replacement will also have a hybrid power train option. That vehicle will be built at the company's new plant in Tennessee and is slated for introduction in 2011. Like the next Jetta, the upcoming midsize car will be offered with gasoline and diesel engines to compliment the new hybrid-powered versions.
Also in 2011, the company will offer a hybrid power train option for the Touareg sport-utility vehicle.
The people, they love the Fisker. Have a look at the crowd at the Fisker booth shortly after the little plug-in-hybrid-maker-that-could unveiled its ruby red hardtop convertible concept vehicle as well as the production version of the Karma sedan the company unveiled at last year's Detroit show.
The Karma S concept, as the company is calling the convertible, is a good-looking thing. But so is the Karma sedan on which it is based. The Karma S shares its aluminum structure with the sedan. The concept and production sedan use the same dual electric motors and turbocharged GM 2.0-liter four-cylinder. Presumably, the Karma S would have essentially the same performance as the sedan, which is to say zero to 60 mph in 5.8 seconds.
Also, according to Fisker, the Karma and presumably the Karma S has "EcoChic." The sedan will cost $87,900 (or $80,400 after U.S. government tax credits). The company promises it will start making deliveries in the fourth quarter of this year. -- Daniel Pund, Senior Editor, Detroit
#DAS09 We've given you the full low-down on the 2010 Prius. We've mentioned its stunning sub-10-second 0-60 mph times. We've written about its 50-mpg average EPA fuel economy.
But here are two pieces of Prius truthiness:
The 2010 model is the most aerodynamically slippery production car in the world with a drag coefficient of 0.25.
And the name Prius is Latin for "before" or "formerly." Toyota was probably thinking about the former and not the latter when it came up with the name. And here we always assumed that the name was just one of those made-up names like Achieva, Altima and Aveo.
Maybe by the time Toyota introduces the fourth generation Prius we'll have figured out why the company's three-oval badge looks like it does. -- Daniel Pund, Senior Editor, Detroit
GM will use its press conference tomorrow at the 2009 Detroit Auto Show to announce the opening of a new lithium-ion battery production facility in Michigan, according to a report in The New York Times. A new advanced battery test facility located at the company's global electric-vehicle engineering center in Warren, Michigan, is also part of the plan. The two facilities will provide battery packs for the upcoming 2011 Chevrolet Volt and possibly a production version of the Cadillac Converj, a two-door coupe that uses the same Voltec propulsion system as the Volt. -- Ed Hellwig, Senior Editor, Inside Line
#DAS09 Like virtually all other automakers at this year's Detroit show, Ford is big on electric vehicles, partially electric vehicles, vehicles that look, sound or smell like electric vehicles.
Ford, in the person of Mr. Ford hisownself, announced today some details on one of two full-electric vehicles it plans to produce in the coming few years. The first of them is a commercial vehicle for 2010. This you needn't worry about. But the other one is a Ford Focus-based electric the company plans to sell to actual private citizens in 2011. The car, done in partnership with Magna International, will be powered by everybody's favorite future-car battery, lithium ion. Ford is estimating a range of 100 miles and the company says that it will sell only about 5,000-to-10,000 annually in the first couple of years.
The company was offering drives in a prototype car around Cobo Hall. It looks exactly like a current Focus, which is not at all what the real thing will look like. We imagine driving it feels much like driving an electric car. Maybe we'll take Ford up on its offer of a drive later on this very day.
The company also announced that in 2012, it will introduce its next generation of hybrid cars, including a plug-in hybrid. -- Daniel Pund, Senior Editor, Detroit
#DAS09 You can read all sorts of serious and informed observations on the 2010 Lexus HS 250h in our full story.
The HS doesn't photograph all that well, but at the press conference today in Cobo's Riverview Ballroom, it looked far more like the sporty Lexus IS than expected. Well, aside from the fact that it is much taller and narrower.
And aside from the fact that it's front-wheel drive. Mark Templin, Lexus group vice president, told us the 2010 HS 250h is built on Toyota's global small-car platform and that its closest relative is the European-market Toyota Avensis. The HS has the same 106.3-inch wheelbase as the Prius, so it's all in the family, you know. The HS 250h does differ by its double-wishbone rear suspension, but we're guessing this has more to do with opening up trunk space than anything else.
Templin also tells us that Lexus hopes to sell 30,000 HS 250h sedans in a full 12-month calendar year. Since the car doesn't go on sale until late summer of this year, you can probably cut that in half for 2009. -- Erin Riches, Senior Editor
#DAS09 Well, GM did it again in Detroit, an actual surprise at a major auto show. This time it was the Cadillac Converj concept, a low slung-coupe powered by the same system found in the Chevrolet Volt.
Product boss Bob Lutz called it "a logical extension of GM's plan to reinvent the automobile." He also announced a name for GM's electric vehicle technology -- Voltec.
Consisting of a large T-shaped battery, electric motor and a four-cylinder motor generator, the Voltec system is capable of producing 273 pound-feet of instant torque and can push the Converj to 100 mph.
Like the Volt, the Converj's range is 40 miles on electric power alone and several hundred miles with the help of the motor generator. GM says the recharge time is 8 hours when using a typical household outlet.
Whenever some company we've never heard of promises "100mpg!" from any motorized vehicle, we take it with more than just a grain of salt. We pretty much consider it crap.
Not that it's impossible, but given that Toyota's R&D budget hovers around $7-8 billion a year, it seems a tad far fetched to think that one could virtually double the mileage of Toyota's best effort with a simple add-on device installed in a few hours.
Of course, that doesn't stop the believers, and thankfully it didn't stop Consumer Reports from testing the best-selling Prius plug-in conversion kit on the market. It concluded that the system from A123 Systems didn't even come close to its claims and "cost more than you could ever expect to recoup in gas savings." Our hybrid watchers over at Green Car Advisor have more on the story, but needless to say we weren't the least bit surprised.
You may have already seen the sales totals for December, and 2008 as a whole. If not, here's a summary: not good. For a more detailed look, check out the industry wide 2008 sales analysis over at AutoObserver.
We assembled something a little different though. Instead of assessing the big picture, we looked at the sales numbers for individual models. Which new models flopped, which old models recovered, that sort of thing. Some of the results we expected, others were a little more eye opening. See for yourself after the jump.
You've probably seen it a hundred times in the last year. Some talking head on TV saying that if automakers only made more fuel efficient cars, the public would buy them. Really? The 2008 sales numbers are in, and the draw of fuel efficiency doesn't seem to be holding up in the face of lower gas prices.
Our own Green Car Advisor, John O'Dell, looked through the final sales numbers for hybrids in 2008 and it was clear that their green sheen had definitely worn thin.
Well, no one was really expecting a huge showing from the Big Three, but it's the absence of several of the Asian automakers that will really make this year's show seem slow. With nothing from Acura, Hyundai, Infiniti, Mazda, Mitsubishi, Nissan or Suzuki, the show schedule is a little light. Much of the void will be sucked up by some major debuts by Honda and Toyota along with a few interesting additions from Kia and Subaru for good measure.
Well this seemed almost inevitable. After watching Tesla and Chrysler suck up all the glory for electric cars that are basically Lotuses with batteries, the British sportscar builder has announced that it plans to build an electric car of its own. In a report in yesterday's Financial Times, Lotus CEO Michael Kimberley said, "Don't be surprised to see an electric Lotus shortly."
Fisker will be showing their Karma S (for "Sunset") at the NAIAS. Not much is known at this point, other than it's a plug-in hybrid. The automaker claims a 50-mile range from a single charge of the lithium-ion battery, before the gas engine kicks in. Also claimed by Fisker is that the car produces up to 408 hp.
Images from the JDM-spec Honda Insight brochure have popped up over at Temple of VTEC (here), a Honda/Acura fan site. In addition, there's a video that shows the Insight as it progressed from the concept to what will go on sale.
The new 2010 Toyota Prius will debut shortly at the NAIAS, a show that appears to be heading south this year. So to help spark a little interest in the show, as well as the car, Toyota has engaged the super-cool Blue Man Group to tease you with a video until the introduction takes place.
Lexus will debut their first purpose-built hybrid at the NAIAS, the HS 250h. It's believed that this luxury hybrid, like other Lexus models, is to be spun off an existing Toyota platform; that being the next-gen Toyota Prius--also to be unveiled at Detroit.
Despite the fact that Dodge may not be around (as we currently know it) this time next year, Chrysler LLC has affirmed that there will be a Dodge that the Ram 1500 diesel and hybrid. That's good news. The question is will Dodge still be part of Chrysler LLC? Many auto pundants are saying that, even with a bridge rescue loan, Chrysler won't survive. It just doesn't have the global presence that both GM and Ford have, and the feeling that worldwide support will be necessary to survive these tough times. So, while it's expected that the Dodge truck division will survive, who will own it? Nissan? The next-gen Titan is known to be essentionally a rebadged Ram; so if I were a betting man, that would be my guess.
As to the Ram 1500 diesel, it will be an all-new V-type engine, designed more for fuel economy than for heavy-duty towing. It's ecpected to be about 5.0L in size.
The hybrid version's powertrain will likely come from the recently discontinued Dodge Durango and Chrysler Aspen hybrids, and is expected to arrive before the new diesel.
Even with word that Volvo is up for sale, the company just soldiers on. Latest news is that they're working on a C-30-based plug-in hybrid with an electric motor at each wheel, called the ReCharge. A car with this technology will go on sale in 2011. The vehicle, called a "micro-hybrid," will be available with a choice between gasoline or diesel power, and a manual or automatic transmission. It will include a start-stop system plus brake-energy regeneration which is expected to reduce fuel consumption by almost 5 percent. Next Volvo is planning to offer a full hybrid in 2012 with the D5 diesel engine Finally, a plug-in electric is also expected in a few years.
A few highlights:
* Plug-in hybrid with battery-only range of over 60 miles
* 66 per cent lower CO2 emissions than best hybrids available today
* 1.6 Flexifuel engine provides backup and recharge power
Thomas L. Friedman, the New York Times columnist, is viewed as either a knight in shining armor, or the devil himself, depending on where you stand. Most in the auto industry think of him as the devil, while those who are convinced Detroit (and the auto industry in general) are the real devils, think of Friedman as someone sent from heaven. Friedman is now calling on this government auto aid package to include this "string" to be attached: it must include the hybridizing of everything (here).
"You want my tax dollars?" asks Friedman in his latest NYT column. "Then I want to see precise production plans and timetables for the hybridization of all your cars and trucks. I want every bailed-out car company to move to hybrid-electric drivetrains, because nothing would improve mileage and emissions more -- and also stimulate a whole new 21st-century, job-creating industry: batteries."
I don't know about you, but I get very nervous when the government (or journalists) who know zip about the auto industry, start regulating as to how vehicles have to be built. Yeah, we have a long history of this happening, and there have been good things that have come from that; but I'm not so sure about what's happening now down in DC, or within the editorial office of Mr. Friedman.
How's an automotive world without any (new) manual gearboxes grab you? Forcing everything to be a hybrid will be the final nail in the coffin for manual transmissions, as hybrids (and pure electric-powered vehicles as well) and 3-pedal gearboxes go together like oil and water. If Friedman's "string" get attached, anyone who enjoys the pleasure of shifting on their own, might as well go find a bridge to jump off of, as life as we've known and loved will be a thing of the past.
With more and more hybrids on the road, it's just a matter of time before some of these will be needing a battery replacement. In fact, that's already happening with some of the older hybrids, and the early results are promising.
Remember all those early predictions that a battery might costs as much as $10,000, when it needs to be replaced? Well, that may not be the case. Heather Knowles, an owner of a 2002 Prius, just paid a bit under $3,000 to have her battery pack replaced. Yeah, that's still a lot of money to put out on a vehicle that's seven years old, but it's still less than one third of those early predictions.
One still has to wonder, however, when we start seeing older hybrids with high mileage--and still using the original battery pack--what that will do to the resale values of those vehicles? Once the word becomes "commonplace" as to what it costs to replace a battery pack--which is not the case now--will these vehicles still be able to command a good price?
In a related article, automakers are still having trouble making a profit on hybrids (here).
Honda has released an image of the production version of their Prius-fighter, the Insight hybrid.
Some may say it's a Prius rip-off, and that's cool. I don't think so. Regardless it's still better looking than the Prius. I predict Honda has another hit on their hands here--if they can convince people to buy cars once again.
Alan Mulally will be driving a Ford Escape hybrid, and GM's Rick Wagoner will be driving a Chevy Malibu hybrid to Washington for Round Two of their epic sales pitch to drum up resources from Congress. No word yet on how Chrysler's Bob Nardelli or the UAW's Ron Gettelfinger will be arriving.
The new Honda Insight hybrid will monitor your driving via a color-coded instrument cluster. Called Ecological Drive Assist, the speedometer will change color as you drive more aggressively. If you're playing by the rules (being good) the background will display green. If, however, you drive with more abandon, the background color will change from green to various shades of blue, depending on how aggressive your driving is.
The idea of a 2WD motorcycle is not new, as there have been several attempts made at such a vehicle over the years. What's new is that KTM, besides making it 2WD, is also making it a hybrid.
This should be interesting to watch. KTM is brand long respected in dirt racing circles. One has to think that KTM looking into this, not so much from the "green" aspect, but rather to make a dirt bike even better (faster!) off road.
One of the trends at this year's L.A. show was active fuel economy coaching. Honda showed its FC Sport fuel-cell prototype with its videogame-like eco assist system. The display shows your eco score with blossoming flowers. A similar system will be on the new Insight hybrid. Ford has its own coaching system on the 2010 Fusion/Mercury Milan hybrids with EcoGuide (shown below). So if you have to drive a boring fuel sipper, at least you can entertain yourself by making a game out of your hypermiling.
Albert Austria, Senior Vehicle Evaluation Engineer
Sometime in the spring of 2009, the beloved Lexus RX 400h will become the 2010 Lexus RX 450h. Like the 2010 RX 350, the hybrid RX is redesigned (though the basic platform architecture carries over).
Key to its new name is the installation of Toyota's 3.5-liter V6. As this is a hybrid application, the V6 is running on the Atkinson cycle (whereby the intake valves remain open during part of the compression stroke). The cumulative output of the 3.5-liter V6 and the RX's front-drive electric motor is 295 horsepower -- up from 268 on the RX 400h.
However, the hybrid RX has put on some weight, so it probably won't be any quicker than its predecessor. "We prioritized mpg, so we didn't push for a much lower 0-60-mph time," said Ben Mitchell, a product planner for the Lexus RX.
Fuel economy is up by 8 percent, says Lexus. Considering that the 2009 RX 400h has a combined EPA rating of 25.1 mpg, that translates to 27.1 mpg.
Otherwise, the news on the 2010 Lexus RX 450h is in-cabin technology. In addition to the new hard-drive-based navigation system with Remote Touch controller, the RX picks up nav traffic, nav weather, iPod integration and a sideview monitor. Of course, Mark Levinson is still around, too. The airbag count is up to 10, as both the driver and front passenger now get knee bags.
So you think hybrids are only for save-the-earth "greenies," and/or folks who just get their jollies by laughing at gas pumps?
Well then you may be in for a surprise here. It turns out there is a brave new company out there that is appealing to the gearhead-hybrid fan--assuming such a creature exists. If not, Paul Goldman, CEO of JuicedHybrid.com (here), is doing his level best to create such a person and market.
I recently spent some time on the phone with Goldman, and I sense he may be onto something here: that being the "performance" hybrid aftermarket. Yeah, we all know a hybrid, with its all-powerful electric motor can be quick to accelerate, but has anyone thought of "modding" these hybrids to enhance the looks or performance aspect? Well Goldman has, and I suspect he may be among the first of many hybrid-specific performance companies that are bound to sprout up.
Think not? Well consider as hybrids become more and more popular, there are certainly going to be a few folks who will go out and try and have some fun with these until now rather somber vehicles. Hey, that's what's always happened in the past, be it hot rods, sports cars, or muscle cars. Why should it be any different with hybrids?
Now, if only someone can figure out a way to make these 3-pedal vehicles--then I'm in!
There was a conference held at UCLA this past weekend called Opportunity Green. As you might expect, there were a ton of green-related exhibits, with one of the more interesting displaying a hybrid 3-wheeler called the VentureOne.
This is a plug-in hybrid that the makers, Venture Vehicles (here), claim will get over 100 mpg. Aiding in stability, is the fact that the vehicle employs wheel-tilting technology. So far 20,000 people have pre-registered for the vehicle, which will sell for $25,000.
Good news for hybrid fans, as Bloomberg News (via Motor Authority) is predicting that the costs of hybrid vehicles will drop a whole bunch over the next decade.
These reduced hybrid costs will come from technological improvements, economies of scale due to rising production numbers and a greater amount of experience with hybrids. At the same time, demand will rise on the back of higher fuel prices and tightening emission standards.
It's commonly assumed by many (and incorrectly so) that for larger vehicles diesels make more sense than hybrids. That's probably because this site is so focused on cars, rather than big trucks. The fact of the matter is, that hybrid technology is making headway with larger trucks as well. There are number of city buses that are hybrid powered, as well as commercial trucks. It should also be noted that all these large hybrids are diesel-hybrids.
Navistar, maker of International trucks, has been building diesel-hybrids for some time. They have just introduced a new Class 7 (up to 33K GVW) diesel-hybrid tractor in their DuraStar line.The new DuraStar diesel-hybrid can provide a fuel savings of 20-25 percent on standard in-city pickup and delivery applications. In addition the vehicle emits up to 33 percent less hydrocarbon emissions and 35 percent less nitrogen oxide emissions as compared with standard diesel trucks.Full story here.
According to Jalopnik, (via PriusChat.comhere) this is the real deal.
____________
We sat down with Toyota PR this morning, showed them the pictures and they've confirmed that yes, this is the new 2010 Toyota Prius set to be revealed officially at the Detroit Auto Show in January. And yeah, that's all they're willing to tell us at this time.
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Okay, so there you have it. The only image link here that I question is the first thumbnail which clearly shows a different headlight and foglight treatment from the full-view image.
Interesting that a Toyota spokesman confirmed this with both Inside Line and Jalopnik. The fact that the Toyota guy didn't seem upset, and wiith all the "buzz" surrounding the new less expensive (and very handsome) Honda Insight, you gotta wonder if the leak was planned.
Some time ago it had been reported that Toyota was going to offer a hybrid version of everything they sell, likely by 2020. Now more details are starting to trickle out.
Here's a snapshot of what we might expect:
• Many of the vehicles will be 'mild' hybrids, not 'full hybrids.' The first likely recipient of such technology is the iQ, which could be to market by 2010.
• Toyota will also continue to use nickel-metal hydride (NiMH) batteries, rather than lithium ion batteries, alternative in order to save cost.
• Pure electric vehicles (EVs) are of less interest to Toyota, as they believe that technology only makes sense for some limited higher-end segments.
• Toyota is also looking at fuel cells, though at this point its technologies are not nearly robust enough for consumer use. Also, infrastructure issues in sourcing and distributing the hydrogen to power the fuel cells remains a major issue.
• Plug-in hybrids, like similar to the GM Volt, is being looked at as well.
Now that all the cars have been laid bare for everyone to see, oggle, berate or just ignore, AutoObserver offers their opinion as to what works and what doesn't work at this latest Parisianne offering.
So what's your take? Do you agree with AO? Or do you have some favorites that you just love to hate, or love to love?
As to me? I disagree with them on the Honda Insight, even though it may well resemble a Prius. Both these cars were wind tunnel-designed--and when you're going for max fuel mileage, the wind tunnel will always win over visual distinction. Prius-like or not, the Insight (left) is better looking than the Prius; plus I see a lot of Honda FCX Clarity (right) styling there as well.
There's an interesting comment over in AutoObserver today, regarding the just-introduced at Paris Honda Insight concept:
Fuel economy? Somewhere close to the Civic hybrid,...
Okay, if that's the case, then what's the point? Shouldn't this car get better--if not significantly better--gas mileage than the Civic hybrid? Is this just going to be a styling statement much like the original '60s-era Karmann Ghia VW, a "designer hybrid," so to speak? Is this Insight merely something in which owners can drive around whispering to the neighbors that, hey, I'm green?
Sort of reminds me of a while back when Bentleys and Roll-Royces were identical, save for the grille. It was often said that Bentley owners were a bit more restrained, and that they, unlike RR owners, didn't want to announce their wealth so much.
The question isn't why, but rather why did it take so long to come to this decision. To me it's a no-brainer. More and more folks want to keep their luxury as they downsize from larger vehicles. The evidence is everywhere. All the premium brands are putting more emphasis on smaller vehicles. Heck, even mainstream automakers are gussying up some of their smaller offerings. The time is now for luxury small cars.
The car will first debut in Europe in 2010, and then likely make its way over here. It will be based on the all-new Prius that will announced this winter, at the Detroit auto show, I believe.
Take it from a man who knows. The 2011 Chevy Volt looks much better in person than it does in photographs. Much better. -- Scott Oldham, Inside Line Editor in Chief
NEWS FLASH!The Chevy Volt does not use its gas engine to recharge its batteries!
It was commonly assumed that the gas engine component did exactly that, recharge the lithium-ion batteries. Not so, apparently. The confusion stems from some early GM press releases on the concept Volt, and had been subsequently passed on as gospel by the media.
All you will get from the electric batteries is 40-gas free miles. Beyond that the gas engine comes into play, so you're using both gas and electricity, just like a conventional hybrid.
Update: Here's some additional info that was just sent to me regarding the Volt's powertrain:
Unlike traditional electric cars, Chevy Volt has a revolutionary propulsion system that takes you beyond the power of the battery. It will use a lithium-ion battery with a variety of range-extending onboard power sources, including gas and, in some vehicles, E85 ethanol(3) to recharge the battery while you drive beyond the 40-mile battery range. And when it comes to being plugged in, Chevy Volt will be designed to use a common household plug.
Autoblog and PickupTruck.com are reporting that the Tundra may not get get the 4.5 diesel. Instead Toyota may be looking a a hybrid version of the unibody A-BAT pickup; a truck that looks to be a Honda Ridgeline competitor.
Umm... Here's a thought... Think Toyota might launch this truck under the "Prius" name? Remember that Toyota has said that they are considering expanding the Prius nameplate to include more models?
When images of the production Chevy Volt hit the Net late last week, the initial response was less than electrifying. In fact most of the news coverage centered around how bland and disappointing it looked. The general consensus was that it was more like a blown fuse, and not like the much needed GM generator that the original concept hinted at. AutoObserver commented on it here: Chevy Volt Styling Is A Short-Circuit
Flip-flop
Now that the car has actually shown itself in the flesh, the reviews have pretty much done a 180, and that the Volt fans are once again re-energized. This once again proves that photos are not the best way to judge a vehcles looks. I can't tell you how many times I've heard critics say that such-and-such car looks soooooooo much better in person--and here we are once again.
No doubt about it; the Chevy Volt is the centerpiece of GM centennial celebration, called GMnext.
Bob Lutz, GM's vice chairman of product development, who's been arguably the most visible GM executive promoting this car, drove out a silver Volt before a waiting crowd at the Wintergarden in the downtown Renaissance Center.
The Volt is viewed as potentially industry-changing technology, as it is an extended-range electric vehicle. GM claims it can go 40 miles on an electric charge alone, and with the gas-burning engine which recharges the lithium-ion battery, can go about 400 miles.
The one thing that's predictable about the Paris auto show is that the vehicles that will debut will be unpredictable. Only the Tokyo auto show is wackier than the Paris show.
Among French automakers, Renault is sure to hold up this unpredictable theme, as they and others have been fine-tuning their art for decades. This year is no exception, as they will show the Ondelios, which is a luxury CUV hybrid. So they've covered all the buzz-word segments here, and have added the expected unexpectedness in terms of design.
For starters, the vehicle has gullwing doors, a feature usually reserved for Benz and Benz wannabes. It seats six, with six individual chairs. It's powered by a 2.0 dCi turbo diesel engine, with two 20kW electric motors at the front and rear that use a brake and boost system, recovering energy during braking then delivering it to the engine to boost acceleration. The crossover is also equipped with a lithium-ion battery that can deliver power of up to 4kW/h.
Renault claims a 0-62 mph in 7.8 seconds, as well as 53.2 US mpg.
You've heard it before. The vehicles we drive are a reflection of who we are, and what we stand for for. In short: we are what we drive.
Newsweek, in keeping with the political climate, has ascribed various vehicles to the presidential candidates. They are:
McCain = Old F-150 Obama = Prius
No call on the veep vehicular choices, but the obvious selection for Palin is a (Plymouth) Barracuda. Biden? Not sure. Maybe a new pick-em-up, like a Ram perhaps (since Chrysler has a large presence in DE)?
The cat's outta the bag. Images of the GM/Chevy Volt landed on the Net today, a week ahead of the scheduled debut.
The styling is toned down quite a bit from the stunning concept. It is still handsome, but not nearly as daring as I had hoped for. I am a bit troubled by the visual "trick" that the designers used for the side window treatment. The Volt concept used a really unique design in which the lower edge of the window dipped well below the beltline. On the production version the designers relied on a blacked out panel to achieve a similar visual effect. I don't think it works, especially when seen along side the original concept.
If this car lives up to its promises, it will be a huge success. Yeah, it will be pricey, but new technology often is at first. Hopefully GM can get costs down to the point whereas this vehicle will be considered a legitimate alternative to conventional cars by many buyers.
Honda has declared that the upcoming all-new Fit hybrid is not a good fit for the United States. Why? It will compete with the also all-new Honda Insight hybrid, which will be launched next spring.
"There are no plans to bring it to the U.S.," states Honda spokesperson Sage Marie.I'm not sure I agree with that, as the Fit offers customers different packaging in terms of interior. I think there's room for both models. I say bring in the Insight first. Let it get all the initial press and hoopla; then bring over the Fit hybrid once the Insight is firmly established here.Here's Green Car Advisor's take: Dashing Hopes, Honda Says Fit Hybrid is Not for U.S.
It's no secret that Hummers are the poster vehicles for bad behavior. Heck, if I put up a post on a Hummer here on Straightline, the resulting comments are almost always negative. There have even been cases of Eco-Nazis vandalizing Hummers (not by Straightline followers, of course), or any vehicle that exudes mucho-machoismo.
Now it appears Hummer-lovers and other like-minded are fighting back. Literally. In fact the Toyota Pruis has become the anti-Hummer object of hate to many. Actually this (Prius vandalism) is not a new movement, as it's been going on for some time. What is new is that it appears to be gaining ground among vehicular Neanderthals across the planet.
This month GM will reveal a production-ready version of the Chevy Volt plug-in hybrid at GM's 100-year celebration. The car is expected to go on sale by November of 2010.
As promised, Honda lifted the curtain today on their all-new Prius-fighter hybrid. In doing so Honda resurected the name Insight, which was first applied to their 70 mpg 2-seat hybrid of a few years back.
This concept, like all recent Honda concepts is almost showroom-ready. Also like all Hondas, it is far more attractive (in my eyes) than the corresponding Toyota model that it would compete with.
The Insight will go on sale next spring, and is expected to undercut the Prius by $2K or so, starting at just under $20,000.
AutoExpress is reporting that Toyota's Smart-fighter, the iQ, may get a plug-in hybrid version. The car would use a 500c gas engine. It would be able to travel 15 miles in pure electric mode. It could be in production by 2010. No word yet as to whether it will be sold here.
Speaking of "smart" and "iQ," what's with this naming of vehicles based on one's brain capabilities? Do they actually "think" (another brain function) that the buyers are smart and have high IQs? I always "thought" (past tense brain function) that puns (like these) were mainly for those (like me) of less capable intellect?
Originally planned to debut at the Paris auto show, Honda is now planning on teasing us with some pictures of their new hybrid-specific sedan on September 4. It should be noted, as per recent Honda debuts, that what will be shown will be a close-to-production "concept," and not the finished product. Don't you just loved to be toyed with this way?
Whatever. We'll take it. The actual concept--in 3-D, will be on display at the Paris show.
John Kingston, Honda UK environmental manager, said the new model was critical to Honda's future. "It is a very important car for Honda and our future direction," he said, adding: "This is a car that will change customer perception of hybrids."
Mazda has been making some pretty impressive cars of late, however, some may think their "greenness" may be a bit on the thin side. That could change as word is leaking out that Mazda may be working on a car that could give the Chevy Volt a run for its money. Unlike the Volt--and every other hybrid vehicle to date--is that this Mazda could well use a rotary engine to recharge the batteries. Can you say, "ZAP-ZAP?"
A sharp-eyed movie buff in California has caught what looks like a production version of the 2011 Chevrolet Volt on the set of Transformers 2. Although some elements of this movie car have been altered like the extra large badges and oversized wheels, most of the sheetmetal matches up with the teaser shots that have been released by GM. It's a far cry from the concept, but this Volt still has a distinctive shape unlike anything else in the Chevrolet lineup.
Here's some inspiration for all those backyard mechanics out there.
Robert Q. Riley Enterprises, a company based in Arizona, has just released construction plans for its do-it-yourself, two-passenger, XR3 plug-in hybrid. This is a vehicle that's capable of up to 225 miles per gallon, has a top speed of 80 mph and will accelerate like a normal small car.
What you get for the USD$200 price is an instructional package for a modular, three-wheeled sportscar. This includes printed drawings, electronic 3D virtual models, computer files that enable vendors to make parts plus a DVD that outlines the building of the car.
Apparently there is a new "Super" lithium-ion battery on the horizon, and Honda is hot to get there hands on it for their next-generation hybrids.
The new battery will allow the batteries to charge much more quickly. This, in turn, will allow for an increased amount of battery capacity that can be assigned to actually powering the motor. And more power means that the Honda's Integrated Motor Assist (IMA) system can be employed for larger, heavier vehicles.
This is interesting: Hybrid owners more brand-loyal than other vehicle buyers. Whodathunkit?
Experian Automotive, an industry group, is reporting that nearly half of hybrid vehicle owners will buy a vehicle of the same brand when they buy another one.
Experian claims 47% of hybrid buyers choose another car from the same manufacturer, as opposed to 35% of buyers overall. That doesn't mean that they will buy another hybrid from that brand, but that they will buy another vehicle from that brand.
In terms of "segment loyalty," pickup truck owners not surprisingly are the most loyal. More pickup owners, when going to buy a new vehicle, will opt for another pickup as opposed to another type of vehicle.
The folks over at NextAutos.com have posted some spy images of the all-new next-generation Toyota Prius, which is rumored to debut at the Detroit auto show in January.
The images show that the overall profile will remain much as it currently is. However, the car is reportedly larger and more powerful--and more fuel-efficient. It's also expected that there may be other body styles, perhaps a wagon and convertible. Sounds like a win-win for hybrid fans.Full story here.
It's all you ever hear anymore. Hybrid this. Hybrid that. Hybrid wore a funny hat.
Driving a hybrid sucks. A real hybrid, like a Prius, or a Civic. Please don't lump those fake hybrids into this rant. And by fake hybrids, I mean those leather-laden Lexuses and big fat Escalades. They're about as green as Al Gore and his private aircraft.
No, I mean real hybrids. The ones that pack the entertainment value of a Post-it. The ones that suck the car down to its basic intent: transportation. A to B. Nothing more. Nothing. No cool. No smiles. No looking at it in your driveway because it's fun to just look at it in your driveway.
Screw that. The car can and should be so much more. You should want it to be more. You should want your car. You should want to be in your car. Desire. That's the word I'm looking for. Does anybody really desire a Prius? You remember desire, don't you? How about covet? Yearn for? Crave? Of course not. It's the soy milk of the car world. You drink it because some doctor convinced you you're lactose-intolerant and now 6 months later you've convinced yourself that it tastes good. But it doesn't. It's a mind game. It still tastes like chalk and you know it. Put the Lactaid down, Eujean. Have a Coke. Life's too short.
I know, I know, they're good on gas and gas is expensive. Hey, jughead, anything worth having is expensive. A good car. A good house. A hot wife. PlayStation. HDTV. Table service. You pay for what you get in this world and if you want to live a good life, it costs money.
Too bad popularity is not a measure of good. Never has been. Millions of people watch Grey's Anatomy. Millions more smoke menthol. Last year a ridiculous number of people paid to see Celine Dion in concert. No thanks.
What about the environment? What about it? The best thing you can do for the environment is drive the car you have.
You heard me. The fact is, it takes thousands of factories to build a car. Think about it. The tires, the steel, the rubber, the aluminum, the plastics, the seats; every individual component of a car is made somewhere else before it is trucked to the assembly plant where it's built into a car. In the case of the Toyota Prius, that plant is in Tsutsumi, Japan.
And if that car is a hybrid it takes even more factories and even more trucks because the car is now that much more complex. There's an electric motor, batteries, etc.
Then of course, they ship them to America on a big smelly ship. Talk about a gas guzzler.
But if we all just continued to drive the car we have, then we can shut down all those dirty factories that build all those new cars. And if we do that, we can stop all the trucks and the ships that transport all those new cars to those new car dealers. And then all those new car dealers can turn off their lights and the employees can stop driving their cars to work. And so on. And so on. And so on.
Sure we'll all be in bottomless economic depression, but if you want to be green, then let's be freakin' green.
Bottom line, get over it. Get over this hybrid fixation. Drive the car you desire. Whether it's new or old, drive it and enjoy it. Enjoy driving. Pay for the gas. It's worth it. Cut something else from your life if you have to. It may not be politically correct, but it's the right thing to do. -- The Mechanic
Great news for hybrid fans, as Toyota is going to up production of the popular Prius by 70 percent next year. In 2007 Toyota produced 281,300 Prius vehicles, and that will now increase to about 480,000 vehicles.
In doing so, those looking to buy one, will likely not have to endue long waits, and if they're lucky, maybe even be able to negotiate a deal...Here's Inside Line's take: Toyota Set To Increase Prius Production by 70 Percent
For all you gearheads sitting by the pool (with your laptop of course), by the lake, by the beach, at the park, or wherever, here's a few automotive related items to get you through until Monday, when we start all over again:
The Parajet Skycar: Britain's zero-carbon flying dune buggy aims for Timbouctou.
Honda has a pair of new hybrids that will soon be hitting dealers. The first being an updated version of the existing Civic hybrid, and the second to be a true dedicated Prius-fighter.
From the image above, the Civic appears to be getting a mild facelift. As to whether there are any mechanical upgrades, that's not known at the moment.
The as of yet unnamed Prius-fighter (top image) is the one that's sure to get the most attention, as it was designed from day one to be a hybrid--and only a hybrid. It's expected in dealers around the end of 2010. It was also designed to do battle with the incredibly successful Toyota Pruis. Heck, it even looks a bit like a Prius in overall shape.
The above composite image is from two Japanese publications. The illustration on the left appeared several months ago and the image on the right recently showed up here.My take, based on these illustrations, and from what I've heard, I think we're fairly close here. Both these images show a common stying direction even though some of the details differ. I expect the car to debut this winter, perhaps at the Detroit auto show, and will go on sale here next spring. Interesting to note that in the story with the latest image, it's mentioned that there will be a hybrid version. It's expected that a CVT will show up replacing the current 4EAT; not sure if it will replace the 5EAT found on turbos and H6 models, however.
A fews days ago Straightline reported that the next Toyota Prius would offer solar power on top trim levels to power air conditioning and other accessories (Next Toyota Prius to offer solar panels). Now there's word of a Swiss company, Mindset AG, that has plans to bring to market a solar-powered hybrid called the Six50. They're planning on a run of 10,000 vehicles, each selling for $78,000.
Mindset claims it can go 100km per charge. ...Oh, and it has gull-wing doors.
Toyota will be reshuffling their factories here in the U.S. Probably most important to note is that the Prius will now be built here at their Blue Springs, Mississippi plant, starting in 2010. This will be their all-new Prius, not the current model.
Also worth noting is that Tundra and Sequoia production will be suspended from August until November due to the severe downturn in those respective markets. Finally, the Highlander will begin production in Indiana.
Test mules in the auto industry are an every day affair. It's the way business gets done. Now using a vehicle from another brand as a test mule, well, that's another thing all together.
Motor Authority is reporting that Tesla may be using Dodge Magnums as test mules for their upcoming hybrid Model S sedan (Tesla electric sedan to be built in California). Now if you're wondering why, consider that Tesla doesn't have a sedan of their own to use as a test mule. So using a Magnum, or a vehicle from any other car maker, is the only way for them to go.
Reuters is reporting that that high-end trim models of the next-gen Toyota Prius (note that above image is a guesstimate) will have solar panels. These solar panels will be used to power accessories such as air conditioning, etc. The vehicle will debut next year, probably at the Detroit Auto Show.
This is interesting: Mercedes-Benz is asking for a tax break, similar to what's available for hybrid buyers, but applied to new diesel vehicles. If this were to occur—and I hope it happens—it would take some of the sting out of the high cost of diesel fuel as well as the increased purchase cost of a diesel engine option.
The good news here is that the Environmental Protection Agency is considering Mercedes’ claim that the new 50-state-legal, diesel-engine Benzes should be in the same category as hybrids that qualify for the federal Alternative Motor Vehicle Credit. So diesel fans, keep your fingers crossed...
The upcoming hybrid Honda CR-Z 2+2 sport coupe won't have that market to itself for long as Nissan is working on a direct competitor. Not much is known at the moment other than it will be small, FWD and it will be a hybrid. Rumors include a 6-speed DSG, possible Brembo brakes, and the engine will be around 1500cc.
While these images are pure speculation, it's interesting to to note that the grille strongly hints "Infiniti," and not "Nissan." Hmmm...
One doesn't usually associate Hungary with cutting-edge automotive design. That's about to change, or could change at least a little bit, with this Hungarian-designed Antro Solo eco-car.
Built mostly with carbon fiber composite materials, the Solo weighs in at a featherlight 270kg. The seating is McLaren F1-like arranged like with the driver sitting in the center, flanked by a passenger on each side...
So you think hybrids are for wusses? If so, check out this GE mega-mining truck that's hybrid powered. It works just like like your neighbor's Toyota Prius, in that the engine feeds electricity to a battery that runs the drivetrain. During braking, the spinning wheels act as a generator for the battery...
AutoObserver is reporting that the new Honda Hybrid (a.k.a. Prius fighter) may resurrect the name 'Insight.' Not a bad idea if you ask me, as that name is clearly associated as being one of the "greenest" names in all of automotivedom. However, unlike the original 2-seat Insight (pictured), expect this version to be a 5-seat hatchback, and therefore having a much wider appeal.
The vehicle is expected to be shown at the next Detroit auto show in January...
Like so many other states, California is in the midst of a budget crisis. Tax revenues are down and expenses are out of control. The legislators in Sacramento are looking at just about everything in attempt to balance the books, even their state-owned cars. 
