Featured Threads Archive
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Toyota Wins Award for Design of Compact Cruiser EV
And from the depths of the Toyota Europe Design Development center (in Nice, France no less) comes a 4runner/FJ Cruiser inspired small SUV style EV. Looks kind of practical to boot.
Toyota wins 2022 Car Design Award for Concept Vehicles with Compact Cruiser EV
Won the Car Design Award for Concept Vehicles, but did it win any consideration from upper brass? -
Biden Administration Thinking Big About Charging Stations.
Announcement from The white house - They want to build out half a million public car charging stations.
https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2022/06/09/fact-sheet-biden-harris-administration-proposes-new-standards-for-national-electric-vehicle-charging-network/ -
Qiantu unveils K20 $13,000 two-seat electric car
https://electrek.co/2022/06/06/qiantu-k20-two-seat-electric-car/
A couple of things
A: That 300 mile range might be NEDC which is really optimistic (think pre-2006 EPA).
B: It's pronouced "Chi-Anne Tu". I know we tend to have issues with Q and Z sounding Chinese words. (which Google Translate says it means "Future") -
Toyota Makes a Portable Solution for Hydrogen Fuel
Just when you thought it was safe to look at Toyota news without hydrogen headlines comes this:
Toyota and Woven Planet Have Developed a New Portable Hydrogen Cartridge Prototype | Corporate | Global Newsroom | Toyota Motor Corporation Official Global Website
They are making a portable 5 kg container for storing hydrogen, like a gas can. Fear not they still haven’t solved the CSD (compression/storage/dispensing at the point-of-sale) costs/complexity issues so hydrogen will still be a niche fuel.
Cool idea though. Imagine throwing one of these in your Mirai for emergency fuel. Or for an emergency generator source as well as maybe even a heat source. I’m sure they are trying to make hydrogen a (more) popular fuel for everything.
iPad ? Pro -
Toyota Now Makes Their Own “Powerwall”
Toyota Releases Storage Battery System for Residential Use Based on Electrified Vehicle Battery Technology | Corporate | Global Newsroom | Toyota Motor Corporation Official Global Website
Toyota has introduced the O-Uchi Kyuden System, home battery storage system.
Summary:
Capacity: 8.7 kWh
Output: 5.5 kW
Weird they are now competing for their own batteries for cars. Really weird that pack is almost equal to the Prius Prime.
Edited to fix the output power from their text. They fixed it in Specifications.
iPad ? Pro -
Is Ford dumping its dealers?
The Detroit Free Press quoted Ford CEO Farley as saying future electric vehicle sales would be 100% online.
That sounds like a pretty big shot against their dealer network.
But what about test drives?
The freep link is paywalled, but here's a tweet. -
Toyota Canada Inc. (TCI) Release May Vehicle Sales Results
Man these sales releases are getting worse and worse; they're so brief. Like they're trying to hide something.
Anyway, 30% of Toyota May sales in Canada are hybrids or PHEVs. -
Video Captures Moment A Toyota Prius Is Struck By Lightning
In Back to the Future taught us anything, it was the incredible energy carried by a lightning bolt. However, when lightning hits a car in the real world, you don't time travel from 1955 to 1985. Instead, the immense amount of electricity fries your vehicle's electronics. For an example, watch this video.
Video Captures Moment A Toyota Prius Is Struck By Lightning -
Toyota Prius dropped in Australia after 21 years
From the article.
"After 21 years and four generations, the Toyota Prius hybrid hatchback has been axed from Australian showrooms.
Drive understands no new examples will be imported, and fewer than 10 remain in the national dealer network.
Toyota did not provide a reason for the decision, however poor sales appears to have forced its hand."
Source
Toyota Prius axed in Australia after 21 years - Drive -
5th Gen Prius
This recent 4 min video indicates 5th generation Prius with either traditional hybrid and/or hydrogen. I'm unable to tell from listening around the 1 min mark several times. Also, I'm not sure this will be for the USA/Canada market. -
Wolfspeed Opens the World’s Largest and only 200 mm Silicon Carbide Wafer Fabrication in the US.
Wolfspeed opens world’s largest 200mm Silicon Carbide fab - Green Car Congress
They even had a Lucid EV be the ribbon cutter. So not all is bad news on chip front.
iPad ? Pro -
Canada updates iZEV federal incentive
As part of the new federal budget, Canada has extended/adjusted the federal Incentive for Zero Emissions Vehicles. The amount have not changed ($5,000 for EVs, and $2,500 for PHEV with lesser EV capability), however the rules of how they qualify have changed a bit.
In summary, now they will measure based on All Electric Range (>50km) rather than battery size (>15kWh) as it was previously, to determine whether the vehicle is entitled to the full or partial incentive. As a result, this upgraded the incentive for a couple existing PHEV SUVs. As always, provincial incentives layer on top of this, if available.
https://tc.canada.ca/en/road-transportation/innovative-technologies/zero-emission-vehicles/list-eligible-vehicles-under-izev-program
Some potential good news could be that although the current Prius Prime is rated in Canada for... -
Risky high-speed charger
Slow down little fella!
Sure looks like it zorched a few fuses anyway. -
Designed For a Sustainable Future: The All-New 2023 Kia Niro Debuts
- Sustainable mobility accessible for everyone: Second-generation Niro CUV debuts in hybrid (HEV), plug-in hybrid (PHEV) and all-electric (EV) variants, further advancing Kia’s Plan S electrification initiative
- Hints of HabaNiro: All-new exterior and interior styling incorporates cues from HabaNiro concept and the “Opposites United” design philosophy
- Stronger, lighter, more powerful: Niro models are larger in every dimension, including class-leading passenger and cargo volume1
- Innovative interior features and sustainable materials
- Niro HEV targets best-in-class 53 MPG2
- Targeted 253 miles of AER and quicker charging for Niro EV: Improved, 253-mile AER, qualifies for $7,500 federal tax credit, can replenish 10-80% in under 45 minutes3
- On sale in all 50 states: 2023 Niro models will be available for purchase at any Kia retailer, from fall 2022
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