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Those of us who follow Toyota, the maker of Prius, are wondering if they might have a different point of view after President Biden's speech.

Source: Biden, in a Push to Phase Out Gas Cars, Tightens Pollution Rules - The New York Times


Toyota discontinued the Avalon made in Georgetown KY. What will they build there next?

Bob Wilson

5th Gen Toyota Prius: Set For 2023 Debut | Torque News

Cliff Notes: Sportier exterior (whatever that means, we’re talking Toyota here)
Retains the 1.8L
May have more of a Sedan look than the Liftback look
Will have “Big Improvements” to fuel efficiency
Lots of generalized statements. Sounds like they visited a spiritual advisor or psychic.


iPad ? Pro

Toyota is quietly pushing Congress to slow the shift to electric vehicles - The Verge
"According to The New York Times, a top Toyota executive has met with congressional leaders behind closed doors in recent weeks to advocate against the Biden administration’s plans to spend billions of dollars to incentivize the shift to EVs. The executive, Chris Reynolds, has argued that hybrids, like the Toyota Prius, as well as hydrogen-powered fuel cell vehicles should also be in the mix.
Toyota is lagging behind the rest of industry in making that transition

In addition, Toyota is also pushing back against EV-friendly policy through the auto industry’s main DC-based lobbying group, the Alliance for Automotive Innovation. The group, which...

Hi guys, new here

i'm having hard time making a decision.

i have 2016 Jeep wrangler unlimited automatic. That thing is a beast and drink gas like crazy. The jeep is almost fully paid. 3 more months and i'll be done with the payments. In 3 months, no more car payments…

However, my jeep is getting old, it's a 2016 and we are in 2021. It has (110k km / 70k miles) already. No issue but it will approach certain repairs . Sparkplugs ($400) change and brakes ($800) , and most 6 years old jeeps i've seen had camshaft ($2500+) and heater core issues ($900) .My jeep is a willys edition and it doesn,t have any of the issue i mentionned but it will eventually and maybe sooner than i think.. and because i have a willys ed it will eventually need a new limited slip drive ($1000+)

i expect to spend atleast $5000 in repair in the next 3 years on the jeep if i keep it.

i don't use the jeep much, i have an older cars to do my errands.

i also keep changing jobs all the time. So my income...

Why do I feel as if there’s an organized effort to kill the Prius?

The hit jobs keep coming. It’s much easier to sell when you remove the competition amid an electrical con job on the masses.

Prius is so much better than any electric, plug-in or other hybrid vehicle. I can get well over 600 miles with my Prius. (My record is almost 670 miles. I could’ve probably stretched it to 700 miles, twice the mileage of any electric car.)

The Prius gets high MPG gas mileage, can run on all-electric for a few miles and the battery is self-charging (A major convenience.) You don’t need charging stations. And now there’s an AWD option.

Many people will make an argument based on the environment. Charging stations, however, require electricity. Renewables currently account for 20 percent of electricity generation in the United, according to the U.S. Department of Energy. Coal and nuclear power are 39 percent. Natural gas is 40 percent. Petroleum is one percent.

Unfortunately, solar power...

Toyota to Launch All-New Aqua | Toyota | Global Newsroom | Toyota Motor Corporation Official Global Website

The world named Prius C (as known in the US) has a better 1.5L engine and a new bipolar NiH2 battery. Unusual to call it Nickel Hydrogen and not NiMH. Makes me think it’s actually using gaseous hydrogen like the NiH2 batteries I worked on in the 90’s. The brunt of the story is they can make a Bipolar Nickel Hydrogen battery in a smaller denser space as well as lower the internal resistance (read: less heat generation while charging and especially discharging) than the current NiMH battery. Maybe the current hybrids using Nickel based batteries have some life left in them.

Just wondering if Toyota has started calling all their NiMH batteries Nickel Hydrogen? Or is this a plan to test using bipolar design for their eventual solid state batteries to get more current out of them?


Sent...

Looks like a win/win way to procure Lithium.
General Motors Invests In 'Low-Cost' California Lithium Venture (insideevs.com)

...

I just saw this today:

Toyota bZ4X Concept | The Future is Beyond Zero

Is this news, or am I just slow?

From the press release:

Electrified product portfolio to expand to around 70 models globally by 2025, including 15 new BEV’s

Source: Right to repair


Our 2003 Prius had a two-volume, paper manual set that showed pretty much everything you could do. Then Toyota switched to their Technical Information Service and everything became much, much more expensive. Worse, John Deere makes it all but impossible for a farmer with $200,000 equipment in harvest or planting season to fix their broken equipment.

Bob Wilson

Ford’s Maverick small pickup could spawn new variants, including EV | Driving

Ford Motor Shows Signs of Revival Under Jim Farley - The New York Times

Ford hints at cheaper and smaller electric pickup truck based on new Maverick -...

Hyundai Sonata to give way to Ioniq 6

@bwilson4web so the person who led the development of the i3 now works for Apple. Hmmm.

Apple hires BMW veteran in latest sign of electric car push

[QUOTE]
In a bid to offer the most comprehensive lineup of trucks in the automotive business, Fordunveiled its highly anticipated 2022 Maverickon Tuesday. With a unique blend of versatility, fuel efficiency and bargain-basement pricing, this compact, unibody-based pickup could revolutionize the US truck segment when it goes on sale later this year.

TL;DR: The 2022 Ford Maverick offers up to 40 miles per gallon from its standard hybrid powertrain, which is priced from $21,490 ($19,995 MSRP plus $1,495 for destination). That's some thrifty running. Need more? Keep reading, friends.
[/QUOTE]...

Unfortunately, Tesla seems to be in a free fall, and I don't mean the stock but the company itself.

Tesla loses top-safety rankings from IIHS, Consumer Reports

• Original Aqua/Prius c was designed for familiarity back 2012 (turn key ignition, gated shifter instead of push button start and electronic shifter). This appealed to middle and older aged owners to who wanted familiarity
• Since then, the Corolla and Yaris hybrids have taken over the role of the "familiar vehicle but just happens to be a hybrid" so that allows the Aqua to take a different direction
• Next generation aiming to differentiate itself from the Yaris - aim for a higher grade (or more premium environment)
• It'll use the newly developed "bipolar nickel metal hydride" battery. A "business" grade will use Li-Ion (I take it "business" to mean a "commercial" version)
  
• EV mode max speed expanded to 40km/h (Ed note: still slower than the Gen 2 Liftback though lol)
• Targeting 35.8km/L in WLTC testing mode
• E-Four will be available
• New...

Ford Production of Electric Mustang Exceeds Gas-Powered Pony Car - Bloomberg

They say they'd build even more . . . but apparently the manufacturer's supply chain isn't prepared for plug in car production. (sounds familiar of at least one other manufacturer) Maybe it's just chip production?

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Gen 4 is now by far the longest-running Prius generation with its eight and last model year reportedly confirmed as 2023. Prius generations ran six model years in the past. Gen 5 Prius will debut as a model year 2024.

This could put the next-generation Prius Prime in the model year 2025.

All-new Toyota Prius to debut in 2023 with coupe-Like design—autoevolution