Featured Threads Archive

1) Volkswagon unveils the ID.3 https://www.motor1.com/news/369662/vw-id-3-unveiled-frankfurt/amp/ 2) And a little information about the ID.4 https://insideevs.com/news/369758/vw-id3-electric-car-debuts-range-342-miles/ 3) Speaking of VW, someone says they are below $100 per kWh battery price https://insideevs.com/news/369923/rumor-mill-vw-cheap-battery/ 4) COX Automotive makes a $350M investment in Rivian https://www.greencarreports.com/news/1124989_electric-truck-hopeful-rivian-gets-350m-investment-from-cox 5) Russell wants to talk about the Porsche Taycan debut https://www.porsche.com/usa/models/taycan/taycan-models/taycan-turbo/

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Man I'm a try and keep it quick. Skip to the second paragraph to skip the story.

Went in to the dealer for an oil change and tire rotation, dealer says your water pump is about to explode you need to change it so I did. 30 miles later the car throws up every light imaginable and says problem on the display and won't let me shift to D. Take it back to the dealer they tell me the hybrid battery is bad (and like an idiot I believed them. The battery went bad on my before, and the car still drove just the fan in the back came on and I got it replaced from someone I know). I couldn't get in contact with the guy that I know who changed batteries so I get this other guy and now the car is doing the exact same thing but throwing up different codes. I take it back to the dealer and they tell me oh you need $5k worth of work is not worth fixing. All in all I have a car in my driveway that won't move.

The car keeps depleting my 12V (brand new) and when I get it charged again from autozone...

The Toyota Corolla Hybrid returns 52 mpg, carries a highway range of 730 miles, and is $1000 cheaper than the Prius LE.

Toyota Delivers a Prius in Corolla Clothing

LA Car on the Corolla Hybrid: "A Corolla with gas mileage comparable to the Prius—let’s ponder on that for a moment. Now ponder this: Its MSRP is $23,880. By comparison, the Prius LE will run you $24,980. It’s the 2020 Toyota Corolla Hybrid, and there are 10 facts about the car you should know if you’re in the market for an affordable, ultra-fuel...

Both the Fiat 500 EV as well as the ICE are no more.

FIAT discontinuing production of Fiat 500 and 500e EV in North America - Green Car Congress

There are tons of them here in SoCal, & Cali is the biggest market for electrics & hybrids. One might presume they would stand a better chance based on those observations. Apparently not.
.

World's first hybrid flex vehicle, the New Corolla is launched in Brazil.

Novo Toyota Corolla 2020: Impressões ao dirigir

It caught my attention the difference in consumption between gasoline (16km / l) and ethanol (10km / l).

Not really a USA-like type of vehicles, but for the rest of the world this subcompact share is very important.

Toyota Brings TNGA To Small Cars With New GA-B Platform

Mazda talks about 200 km of EV range (using 35.5 KWhr battery) plus a rotary engine range extender that could run on either hydrogen or gasoline. This sounds like a good bridge to a zero-emissions general purpose car.

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/calgary/ev-sales-alberta-falls-behind-1.5230776

2020 Toyota RAV4 plug-in hybrid spy shots

I’ll believe it when I see it.......on the lots.


iPad ? Pro

Android Auto will be onboard 2020 Toyota Camry models - Roadshow

Source: U.S. Tech Experience Index (TXI) Study | J.D. Power

Is there a backlash against Prius that I haven't heard about?

CNET has a site titled "Best Hybrids" that does not include a Prius for some reason.

Best Hybrids of 2019 - Roadshow



My 2009 Prius is still the best hybrid for me!

Year over year monthly sales of HEV/PHEV/FCV Toyota/Lexus vehicles were 31727 in July 2019, up 48.7% over July 2018 sales of 21334.

Toyota has released its global sales results for July 2019. Sales, Production, and Export Results | Sales, Production, and Export Results | Profile | Company | Toyota Motor Corporation Official Global Website

Obviously this is mostly due to the success of the new RAV4 Hybrid. In July, 13.1% of total Toyota/Lexus sales in North America were electrified (mostly hybrid). For 2018, the ratio was 8.9%.

Worldwide sales of Toyota/Lexus electrified vehicles were 169883, up 19.1% over July 2018. Electrified vehicles made up 20% of Toyota/Lexus global sales in July.

Prius sales have not been strong, except in Japan, but Toyota's other hybrids are selling better than ever. Whenever I see a RAV4 Hybrid, Camry Hybrid or Corolla Hybrid, I see a Prius. Someone is enjoying the...

At least the cars aren’t on fire.

After seven roof fires, Walmart sues Tesla over solar panel flaws | Ars Technica

“under its contract with Walmart, Tesla is supposed to do regular maintenance on the solar panels. But Walmart says Tesla failed to properly hire, train, and supervise the contractors doing installation and maintenance work for Tesla.Among the problems Walmart claims to have identified:

• "Many of the Tesla solar panels inspected by Walmart were suffering from hotspots, resulting in cracking of the back sheets on solar modules and compromising electrical insulation."
• "Making matters worse, Tesla had flagged or identified hotspots by placing pieces of tape over the affected areas. Because this tape prevented sunlight from reaching the solar panel, it exacerbated the problem by further concentrating heat."
• "Tesla teams consistently...

Among other things.

• 450km range on the WLTP cycle
• 225kW (~301hp) system power
• 0-60: 6.3 seconds
• VMax: 180km/h
• 82kWh battery (weighs 510kg/318lbs)
• 125kW charger
• Cd of 0.28
• Matrix LED headlights
• Floor is made of recycled materials
• Augmented reality HUD
• Optional solar reflective paint (Solar Sky Blue)

Audi Q4 E-Tron To Offer 25 Ways To Customize Headlights, Taillights


@alanclarkeau this Audi will come with heat reflective paint in a shade of blue.

Source: MIT Tesla Autopilot Survey

For advocates, by-standers, and skeptics.

Bob Wilson

1) Pre-Porsche Porsche fails to sell after Auction Boondoggle https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2019-08-18/type-64-nazi-car-by-porsche-fails-to-sell-amid-auction-blunder 2) Continental is Shifting Their Focus from Manufacturing parts for ICE vehicles to Making parts for EV vehicles. https://www.wired.com/story/auto-supplier-betting-electric-future/ 3) The World’s Largest EV never needs to Plug In https://www.greencarreports.com/news/1124478_world-s-largest-ev-never-has-to-be-recharged 4) Tesla (again) Launches Rooftop Solar Plan https://www.ccn.com/elon-musk-tesla-solar/ 5) Wal-Mart Sues Tesla for Rooftop Solar […]

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Toyota has (so far) elected not to sign on to the California fuel standards. Many of its competitors- like Honda- already have. As you know, the Trump Administration is working to relax fuel standards. I wrote to Toyota urging them to sign on, but got the reply below, saying they will not sign and only believe in national standards.
While national standards would be nice, in this case, the ONLY way to force that standard will be through California. We all know this administration will not yield to wishes of automakers, environmentalists or consumers. Toyota was one of a handful of automakers that agreed to meet with Trump- and apparently had no influence whatsoever.

Please urge Toyota to force The President's hand by signing the California standards.
Contact them through their corporate website. (I guess I'm not allowed to post a link?)
They must decisively and publicly denounce The Administrations' rollback.
For me, any future Toyota purchase hinges on it.

The (lame) reply...

...and the Paralympics. The invasion begins?
Toyota will deploy 850 electric vehicles at the Olympics, including some weird ones - Electrek
A sample.

Sounds like perpetual motion (but its not)


Electric Dump Truck Produces More Energy Than It Uses | Hackaday

This fully electric dump truck doesn't consume any electricity...but actually generates more than it uses.

The mine is located uphill. So it goes up empty and comes back down fully loaded.
The regen exceeds what is uses to go up hill.

Mike