| | |
Toyota Prius Online Community with News, Forums, & Research
|
By Rybold at 10/11/2008 - 2:29pm
|
While watching Formula One qualifying Thursday night on the Speed Channel, they announced that just this week, the FIA officialized the rules and schedule for 2009. Formula One will have the option of implementing "KERS" (Kinetic Energy Recovery System) on the 2009 cars, which will implement regenerative braking, battery storage, and electric motor assist. If it is an "option," why would the teams want to do this? Let's assume you already have 600hp, and you can add an extra 100hp from an electric motor assist; now you have 700hp and your opposition only has 600hp. But wait! Doesn't the weight of the batteries offset the horsepower advantage? Currently, Formula One has a minimum weight requirement, and many of the teams actually have to add weights to the car to bring it up to the minimum weight (most commonly ~150 pounds). So, they can toss 150 pounds of weights, add the batteries, and gain 100hp!
So, why do YOU care? Because, Formula One has been the forefront of testing and refining most of the technologies that we use in our street cars today. When ABS, traction control, electronic transmission control, and electronic monitoring of our cars first made it to street cars, it was anything but perfect. But from refinement in Formula One racing, these technologies improved significantly to what we have in our street cars today. Now, Formula One will be refining the hybrid systems. Many Formula One teams spend $400 Million each season! That's a lot of research and development going into one car!
Although I learned the above from television, here is an article that mentions KERS. Btw, the Japanese Grand Prix is tonight at 9pm California time, channel 318.
Formula One tires go green in Japan - Yahoo! News | | |
| |
In addition to producing clean energy for each of the parking structures, each solar array is being equipped with 110v charging stations for Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicles (PHEVs) and Electric Vehicles (EVs).
Story | | |
By Danny at 10/09/2008 - 5:37pm
|
It's been posted several times here on PriusChat that Toyota is looking into creating a Prius brand, much like the Scion brand within the Toyota family. Well, news today out of the New York Times makes it look like we are much closer to it becoming a reality.
James E. Lentz III (pictured above) is president of Toyota Motor Sales USA and is busy lobbying officials in Japan hard about the creation of the Prius brand. So hard, in fact, that TMS USA is holding off on making a decision regarding the date it will begin production of the Prius in the new Blue Springs, Mississippi plant until Toyota makes a decision on whether to create a separate Prius brand.
The NY Times' interview with Mr. Lentz confirms what you've seen here on PriusChat before:
Quote:
Mr. Lentz said the brand would include the original Prius, and future models bearing a Prius badge that Toyota is said to be developing. For example, one version could be smaller than the original Prius, and there could be one on steroids, meaning a bigger version of Prius, Mr. Lentz said.
Mr. Lentz came to the conclusion that Toyota should create a separate Prius brand after a failed effort to create a brand around hybrid synergy drive, the system that is in hybrid models sold by Toyota and Lexus.
But consumers just didnt latch on to that idea. Instead, theyve latched onto the Prius, he said. We have to go with what they want.
The separate Prius brand would be specific to the United States, Mr. Lentz said, and is not under consideration for other parts of the world. Whatever Europe or Canada wants to do is their business, he joked.
| The other logical Prius model would be a crossover, so watch for the Venza to be Prius-ized in the near future.
Link to NY Times Article | | |
| |
Saint-Jérôme, Quebec - The atmosphere was electric at the ZENN factory in Saint-Jérôme On Saturday, October 4. Several hundred people had been invited to the inauguration of the manufacturer's commercial operations in Canada, and they got to try out the little electric car assembled there.
http://www.auto123.com/en/news/car-n...a?artid=101918 | | |
| |
This has to be the most bovine fece'd article I've ever read. Talk about putting words in people's mouths.
Quote:
New York, New York - The Metropolitan Taxicab Board of Trade in New York Ciy has said that Toyota and Honda have issued outright warnings against using their hybrid passenger vehicles as commercial taxicabs. The board also said that Ford, General Motors and Nissan have refused to certify the crashworthiness of their hybrid New York taxicabs as modified with mandatory partitions, and that the automakers have shifted responsibility to the New York City Taxi and Limousine Commission (TLC), which then shifts it to the federal government, which does not require automakers to crash-test vehicles modified with the bulletproof partitions.
In late 2007, the TLC mandated that all new taxis, the vast majority of which are required to have partitions, must be hybrids or other vehicles that achieve US25 mpg (9.0 L/100 km), which disallows the purpose-built stretch Ford Crown Victoria taxicab. The Metropolitan Taxicab Board has mounted a legal challenge, citing a 2008 engineers report that finds hybrids to be unsafe and unfit as New York City cabs. The mandate has been delayed and a federal court ruling is expected later this month.
On August 29, 2008, Richard Emery, an attorney for the Metropolitan Taxicab Board, wrote to automakers requesting that they certify their hybrids or manufacturer-approved alternative-fuel vehicles to be safe when modified with partitions or other TLC requirements. In its response, Honda said that Honda vehicles are not sold or recommended for use as taxicabs. Emery said that in July 2008, the TLC issued an industry notice that the Honda Civic Hybrid is one of nine approved vehicles for taxi use.
Emery said that Toyota has not officially responded; the TLC report approves the Prius, Highlander and Camry. Nissan offered no crash test results on modified Altimas, while Ford acknowledged that there is an increased risk for belted occupants to contact the partition in a collision and would not certify the crashworthiness of Escape Hybrids with partitions. General Motors refused to certify the crashworthiness of the Chevrolet Malibu Hybrid when modified with a partition and did not mention the Saturn Vue Hybrid, which appears on the TLCs approved list.
The TLC has confirmed that it does not crash-test hybrid taxicabs modified with partitions and said that it relies in large part on federal testing to assert the safety of hybrid taxicabs. However, it has been established that there are no federal crash tests for hybrid taxicabs modified with partitions, and there are no front or rear crash tests in unmodified hybrids for adult rear occupants, which comprise the majority of taxi passengers. The board said that hybrid automakers explictly warn against any modifications to hybrid vehicles in the owner manuals.
|
Issues:
1.
"The Metropolitan Taxicab Board of Trade in New York Ciy has said that Toyota and Honda have issued outright warnings against using their hybrid passenger vehicles as commercial taxicabs."
Toyota has not officially responded  . So did they or did they not issue "outright warnings"?
2.
The board said that hybrid automakers explictly warn against any modifications to hybrid vehicles in the owner manuals.
Clearly the board is stupid. All vehicles warn against modifications to the vehicle, particularly with non-<insert manufacturer here> approved parts 
3.
Honda said that Honda vehicles are not sold or recommended for use as taxicabs.
No kidding. It's for public consumption. Toyota makes a taxi and it's called the Crown Taxi LPG but doesn't sell it here. Honda, Nissan and Mitsubishi taxis in Asia are just converted standard passenger cars. As far as I know, only Toyota has a dedicated taxi vehicle.  | | |
| |
"The automobile manufacturers are not going to be able to afford to keep investing in all these different technologies," he said. "You see the long-term R&D effort focused on the electric car. People talk about fuel cells, but I don't really see the kind of energy and effort around that that I see around the electric power train."
... About 90 percent of Power Solutions' research and development spending is going toward lithium-ion batteries, Molinaroli said. Those are lighter, smaller and longer-lasting than the nickel-metal hydride batteries that power the current generation of hybrids, including the Prius.
... Despite its focus on hybrid growth in the world's biggest auto markets, Molinaroli said electric car growth could be faster in China, where electric vehicles akin to golf carts will replace transportation such as bicycles and scooters rather than SUVs...
Electric cars to dominate green car race | Industry Summits | Reuters | | |
| |
The Toyota Prius has been named alongside the Apple iPhone, BBC iPlayer and the Nintendo Wii as one of the winners at the inaugural British Technology Awards, collecting the Greenest Technology of the Year Award. The Awards – which have been voted for online by the general public through Winners - British Technology Awards and by readers of Computeractive and Personal Computer World – have been created to offer a snapshot of the country’s digital lifestyle.
Designed to provide a glimpse at the nation’s technological obsessions, the British Technology Awards had several categories including best gaming, music, mobile and online technologies.
http://www.thegreencarwebsite.co.uk/...nology-awards/ | | |
| | Quote:
An unconventional engine design is attracting attention as a potential alternative to hydrogen fuel cells or conventional engines in some hybrid vehicles. Called the free-piston engine, it could be used to generate electricity as efficiently as fuel cells yet cost less.
Free-piston engines aren't new: they were invented in the 1920s. But the increased recent focus on hybrid cars has led a growing number of research groups and automakers to start research programs to develop the technology. Unlike in conventional engines, there is no mechanical connection between the piston and a crankshaft (hence the name free-piston). Since the design allows for improved combustion and less friction, the engines could be far more efficient in generating electricity than either conventional generators or newer fuel-cell technology.
| Full story.
Thanks to this site. | | |
By tripp at 10/06/2008 - 11:02am
| Quote: |
Reported sales of hybrids in the US dropped 8.9% by volume to 20,836 units in September 2008 year-on-yearthe lowest September sales volume since 2005. Overall sales of light duty vehicles in the US in September dropped 26.6% year-on-year. (Earlier post.) September 2008 had 24 selling days, compared to 25 selling days last September. Hybrids had a 2.2% new vehicle market share for the month.
| Now, before some plonker runs off at the mouth about; yes, I know that compared to overall LDV sales hybrids did quite well. I'm simply passing this on, it's commentary on the number. Don't get your pants in a wad over it. 
Full Article
Shiny Graphic:
 | | |
| |
|
