Featured Threads Archive

A Plugin ?!? Wait . . . That's insane. In fact, that's Ludicrous

Tesla Model S P85D Breaks the Consumer Reports Ratings System

A surprise? CR car testers are often slanted to the gear head mentality - so it was unusual to see they rated it above their scale of a perfect 100.
Mod note: Changed link to go directly to Consumer Reports website.

Is Toyota Prius hybrid simply passe now that plug-in cars are here?

Real-World Electric Vehicle Fueling Costs May Surprise New EV Drivers

The pdf verision of the study can be found in this link: https://www.andersoneconomicgroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/EVtransition_FuelingCostStudy_10-21-21.pdf

Excerpt from a news article:
Charging an EV or Filling Up Your Tank With Gas?

• In 2020, the Department of Energy (DOE) released a study that was more comprehensive than those that had come before. Using a state-level assessment of EV charging costs, the study’s results were...

Americans insist on 300 miles of EV range. They’re right - Autoblog

gets 52mpg

.. and a range of 600 miles.

.. and can pull 3,637-pound maximum towing capacity

Could this be a typo?

"Power hits the road through a much improved all-wheel-drive system. The claimed sprint time to 62 mph is 8.1 seconds, and Toyota says it expects returns of 4.5 l/100km, or around 52.3 mpg US."



The 2019 Toyota RAV4 Hybrid Proves Efficiency Can Look Good At The Paris Motor Show | Top Speed

2019 Toyota RAV4 Chief Engineer: Gas Station Trips Every Two Weeks Are A Waste Of Time - CarBuzz

Open Letter To Toyota USA: Go All In On The Prius Prime, Kill The Regular Prius Hybrid | CleanTechnica

...

2019 Subaru Crosstrek PHEV announced for end of 2018 - Autoblog

8am PDT/11am EDT
Link:


I assume it'll be the Sienna and Venza...

Thoughts?


It's possible both will be based on the HiHy's powertrain - 2.5 litre HSD setup. The question is whether a 3.5 litre HSD setup will continue. The reason is that there's still the RXh and will Toyota put a 4-cylinder in a Lexus product or will they continue with the 3.5 litre HSD to differentiate it from the HiHy?

If so, does that mean there'll be multiple versions of the Sienna and Venza? a 4 and 6 cylinder hybrid?

I just wanted to share this article over at green car reports dot com. Not necessarily suggesting I agree or disagree with his sentiments. There are over 300 comments that are challenging to read at times, so I would suggest just taking a glance at the article itself.

As a Midwesterner in the Twin Cities, I think it's clear that the infrastructure for EV is not there, yet. I would struggle as the author suggests to find super chargers and or other places to charge in more rural areas of the state on road trips, etc.
An electric car can’t fully replace a gas-powered car in my world

Toyota recalls 625,000 hybrid cars globally for software glitch| Reuters

Toyota Motor Corp said on Wednesday it would recall about 625,000 hybrid cars globally to fix a software glitch that could, in limited cases, shut down the hybrid system while the car is being driven.
Models affected are certain Prius v minivans, called Prius alpha and Prius+ in some markets, among other models, produced between May 2010 and November 2014, the automaker said.
About 340,000 vehicles of the total are in Japan, 160,000 in Europe, and 120,000 in North America, it said, adding there had been no reports of crashes or injuries.

Same software glitch that 3 gen had updated recently?

PLANO, TX (May 29, 2020) – The 2021 Toyota RAV4 Prime will break ground as the most powerful and quickest RAV4 ever, hitting dealerships this summer with a starting MSRP of $38,100. The RAV4’s first-ever plug-in model has up to 302 horsepower with an ability to do 0-60 mph in a projected 5.7 seconds, which makes it the quickest four-door model in the Toyota lineup. But, it doesn’t end there. The RAV4 Prime also has up to a manufacturer-estimated 42 miles on battery alone on a single charge, making it the highest EV range of any PHEV SUV on the market. The RAV4 Prime also has up to a manufacturer-estimated 94 combined MPGe. Even more, what sets RAV4 Prime apart is the standard Electronic On-Demand AWD.

First revealed at the 2019 Los Angeles Auto Show, the 2021 RAV4 Prime will be available in SE and XSE grades, both emphasizing athletic on-road performance and premium comfort and style.



SE Grade

The SE flaunts its sporty attitude with 18-in. painted and...

Toyota Prius V hybrid wagon ends U.S. run; RAV4 Hybrid took its sales


Well, many of us suspected this was going to happen sooner or later. I wonder what would happen if Toyota made the v a plug-in?

Tested: 2022 Toyota Prius Prime's Time Has Come and Gone

Just wanted to post my initial thoughts after watching @jacktheripper's V3 sodium-ion battery announcement:


First, congrats to Jack and team for their hard work completely redesigning their product. Not quite at the finish line yet (release date "2024AUG"), but today's product announcement is certainly a huge hurdle.

Given that I don't yet have physical V3 hardware to review, for now my comments below are my own opinions based on statements made in the above video. The feedback I offer below is identical to the questions I would ask a co-worker during an internal engineering design review process:

@1:04 "The lithium battery just isn't designed to operate in extreme conditions in some corner cases".
I agree that NexCell's specific lithium cells were ill-suited for the Prius' huge current demands. The 'corner cases' would be anyone who drove the vehicle hard and/or in harsh conditions. However, this statement shouldn't be...

Toyota Falls In Brand Loyalty Rankings After Customers Defect To Tesla

"The Japanese car brand slipped into seventh place in S&P Global Mobility’s study for the first four months of the year."

Currently, very few EVs qualify for some federal tax credit, let alone the full $7,500 tax credit. It will be a while before domestic mining of lithium and production of lithium cells begins for more EVs to qualify for the tax credit under the inflation-reduction act.

We’re down to just a handful of EVs that qualify for the full $7,500 tax credit in the US—The Verge

Happy Earth Week!

If you look at the financial planning and long term investments Toyota has made it makes sense that they will only maximise profitability if they sustain the fossil fuel-hybrid electric transition market as long as possible.

But when it comes to basic social responsibility and a fast approaching new era of electrification Toyota is not aging well and their shareholders are starting to measure an increase in risk / cracks in Toyota's long term plan. As per this article posted today:

"Toyota is feeling some pressure to change this strategy from large funds, which are investors in the company. Jens Munch Holst, chief executive officer of Danish pension fund AkademikerPension, one of the funds backing the effort, said: “This move must not be a PR exercise but instead signal a clear end to its role in negative climate lobbying which has given it a laggard status. ...Right up until now, the company has repeatedly undermined climate action, from opposing the U.K....

The good news: The state of California will prohibit state agencies from purchasing vehicles solely powered by an internal combustion engine (certain public safety vehicles exempted). The bad news: It won't buy Toyotas because of its support of the Administration's announcement revoking the state's authority to set emissions and fuel economy standards that are greater than the national standards.

VISIONS OF THE EMERALD BEYOND - The biggest news out of the LA Auto Show wasn't even a car

Toyota - skeptical about all-electric cars, but amazingly optimistic about hydrogen fuel cell cars.
According to Matt Harrison - Executive Vice President, Sales, Toyota Motor Europe, the Japanese manufacturer believes that within 10 years, prices of hydrogen fuel cell cars will match hybrid car prices.

"By the third generation we fully expect fuel cell costs to be comparable with hybrids. We believe fuel cell vehicles have a huge potential,"

When we look at the current prices in the U.S. the FCVs cost roughly twice as much as regular hybrids:

• Toyota Mirai (FCV): from $58,500 ($43,500 after deducting $15,000 in fuel over three years)
• Toyota Prius (HEV): from $23,770

Toyota Believes Fuel Cell Prices Will Match Hybrids