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Featured Threads Archive
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Scoop: Next GR Supra will be an EV
We're looking at 2025 here so don't hold your breath. Bestcarweb.jp has found out the next Supra redesign will be all EV.
トヨタ 6代目スープラはEVに生まれ変わる!! FR＋疑似MT採用で2025年登場か!? - 自動車情報誌「ベストカー」
Partial translation:
"The GR Supra will be reborn as an EV!?
![[IMG]](proxy.php?image=https%3A%2F%2Fimg.bestcarweb.jp%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2023%2F01%2F27102045%2F07da7f705bfc5032b2f6a8760e56a445-600x338.jpg&hash=20bd76854b40ec343391486439fe8a86)
There is eyewitness information that the EV Supra is designed like a midship sports. It looks like it will be a rear-drive, 450-500ps class 2-seater full-fledged sports car (image is a prediction CG by the best car)
Recently, surprising information about Toyota & Lexus has been coming in one after another, and the BC scoop has no time to settle down, but the momentum continues in 2023. This time it's the GR Supra. To write the conclusion first, it will be reborn as an EV (electric vehicle) in 2025!... -
CR on Driver Assist Systems
Source: CR Rates Active Driving Assistance Systems - Consumer Reports
It’s equal parts eerie and amazing to experience Ford’s BlueCruise hands-free driving feature, as it takes over your car’s steering, braking, and acceleration while you travel down the highway.
The eerie part is watching the steering wheel turn back and forth on its own, making micro-adjustments to keep the car in the center of its lane, while the system also slows down or speeds up to maintain a safe distance from the vehicle ahead. The amazement soon follows: With your hands off the wheel and relaxing on the armrests as the automated systems take charge, you might start to believe that the age of the self-driving car is finally upon us.
But while BlueCruise’s capabilities are impressive and can make driving more relaxing, cars... -
Aptera EV Update
An update to the thread created in 2020. Aptera announced they hope to start production by the end of 2023. So the first units will be the Aptera Launch Edition. The 700W solar panels hope to give the car about 40 miles of range per day and claims a range of 400 miles. The 3 wheel drive 2 seater has 32.5 cubic feet of storage and can reach 60 mph in about 4 seconds. Aptera has 40,000 reservations and needs an additional $50 Million in funding to start production. They expect to build 10,000 a year and then switch to 20,000. At that rate it'll take 2 1/2 years to clear their reservations. It is a sharp looking vehicle. Sorry @Mendel Leisk and @bisco, no spare.
Aptera attempting a come back. | PriusChat
Aptera EV Is A Solar-Powered Car... -
Tesla uses profits as a weapon
Source: Analysis: Tesla uses its profits as a weapon in an EV price war | Reuters
Tesla earned $15,653 in gross profit per vehicle in the third quarter of 2022 - more than twice as much as Volkswagen AG (VOWG_p.DE), four times the comparable figure at Toyota Motor Corp (7203.T) and five times more than Ford Motor Co (F.N), according to a Reuters analysis.
![[IMG]](proxy.php?image=https%3A%2F%2Fgraphics.reuters.com%2FTESLA-MARGINS%2Fzgpobrlnmvd%2Fchart.png&hash=c3b8d15fb020180d5ae3748696624b36)
The nerve! What are they, capitalists?
Bob Wilson -
‘Wawa On Steroids': CEO Reveals New Details for Planned Travel Centers
Link: NBC10 Philadelphia
Wawa to build huge new travel centers "...to close the gap in Wawa outposts between its Mid-Atlantic and Florida markets. This will offer long-distance travelers more options for where to refuel or grab a snack."
CTRL-F "charge" >0 results<
I know it's a pretty minor news release but nothing at all in there about charging stations? I don't know whether to read that as they don't plan any, or they just didn't feel like mentioning them.
My familiar experience with local Wawa stations is that they are trying to get the customers through their transactions and out the door in minutes if not seconds. I suspect they aren't building parking spaces for those "with four hours to kill" as the Lexus joke goes. Other than a dude with his mobility scooter plugged in in place of the... -
Toyota expects to break all-time production record in 2023
Toyota says, the supply-chain problems are over, and they will achieve record production in 2023.
Toyota says it could produce 10.6 million vehicles in 2023 | Reuters -
Off-roading in a Prius (article)
Somehow missed this article in the Toronto Star when it was published in June 2022, profiling two Prius drivers, one from Calgary and one from LA, who modded their Prii with lift kits, big wheels and other gear, for off-road adventure:
Off-roading in a Prius? Meet the drivers challenging how far electric and hybrid vehicles can go
The people interested in electric vehicles are a wider cross section of people than you might expect, he says. Some are drawn by the technology, while others would just rather spend less money at the pumps. But in a world where cars can be an “emotional” purchase and many people associate themselves with what they drive, the basic, dependable Prius can be adapted to meet your needs a little easier, he says.
“I still see the value for what it is. It's a very... -
Mazda MX-30 R-EV has been Revealed
Mazda has a new plug-in hybrid called the MX-30 R-EV. The R stands for Rotary engine which actually keeps the battery charged when the battery runs low and/or when extra acceleration is needed. The rotary is 830cc in size and puts out 75hp, about twice that of the i3's 2-cylinder engine on the i3 REX model. No fuel mileage estimates were given.
The electric part contains a 17.8 kWh battery with a single 168hp, 192 lb-ft motor. Although the battery is expected to give the MX-30 R-EV 85 km on the WLTP cycle, it has a 13.2 gallon gas tank so it should be able to go quite far. The engine will kick on when you press the gas pedal a bit too much so in that regard it acts like the 1st gen Prius Plug-in.
Mazda MX-30 R-EV revives the rotary - Autoblog
MAZDA NEWSROOM｜Mazda reveals Mazda MX-30 e-Skyactiv R-EV in... -
Classic Toyota AE86 sports coupes get electric and hydrogen power
They look amazing, I wish they would sell conversion kits in the future for other models.
Classic Toyota AE86 sports coupes get electric and hydrogen power - Drive
EDIT: Theres is a video too -
Great Use for Toyota's Hydrogen Fuel Cells
A French company called EODev uses Toyota's fuel cell technology to make transportable hydrogen generators. When fed hydrogen it acts as a generator and can charge 8 EVs at a time.
Doesn't say how or where they get their hydrogen from, but an interesting concept. The one they show in the tweet is the GEH2 which outputs 480V AC and 110 kVA (88 kW). Enough for 8 x 11 kW L2 connections. Has a built-in 44 kWh battery to deal with sudden surge requirements and temporary storage in case of hydrogen disruption. Weight is about 3,400 kg (7,496 lbs). Ideal for temporary/emergency situations and can act as a cogeneration for heat as well. I would guess they don't need 700 bar (70MPa, ~10,000 psi) hydrogen compression tanks, just a steady stream of hydrogen.
If you want a DC output hydrogen battery, they make a smaller REXH2 that puts out 650 to 725 VDC and 70 kW.
Company website:
https://www.eo-dev.com -
Looking for Toyota EV that aren't SUVs?
For those looking something a little bit smaller, Toyota filed trademarks for four new EVs - bZ1C, bZ2C, bZ3C, bZ4C according to CarBuzz. CarBuzz is guessing C stands for coupes because no letter at the end is for sedans as in the Chinese only bZ3 and X suffix is for crossovers, as in bZ4X. Sweet a MR2 or Celica type EV.
Toyota Has New EVs Coming That May NOT Be SUVs | CarBuzz -
ECO Charging Built into Toyota and Lexus Apps as Part of Remote Connect
Toyota and Lexus have an agreement with WattTime to identify charging times to help reduce CO2 emissions.
Toyota and Lexus Offer Lower Emissions EV Charging Program - Toyota USA Newsroom
For all BEV and PHEVs (yes includes Prius Primes) covered in Lexus and Toyota Apps. What it does is provided a list of time slots that allow users to select the time slot to charge when CO2 emissions are lowest. Yep you have to have a valid subscription for Remote Connect to take advantage of ECO Charging.
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In a first, the US government unveils a plan to decarbonize all transport
https://electrek.co/2023/01/10/in-a-first-the-us-government-unveils-a-plan-to-decarbonize-all-transport/
"The US departments of Energy, Transportation, Housing and Urban Development and the Environmental Protection Agency today released a plan that lays out how they’re going to decarbonize all US transport.
The four agencies have together created the “US National Blueprint for Transportation Decarbonization: A Joint Strategy to Transform Transportation.” It’s a first-of-its-kind strategy for federal leadership and partnerships to decarbonize the entire US transportation sector."
The embedded link there goes to the 88 page blueprint.
"The Blueprint is built around a three-pronged strategy:
- Increase convenience. Community design at the...
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Aftermarket Prius PHEV conversions: Not dead yet!
Never heard of them, no affiliation, buyer beware, etc.
For the Gen 2: https://evbatterycenter.com/HAC4/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=61&Itemid=630
*Soon will be able to offer conversion kits for 2010-2014 Prius, C, V
MSRP: $8,00-12,600 (40-60 miles EV)
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Game Changer
Toyota Prime Plug-in at higher trim levels (XSE - XSE Premium) get lower battery mileage range the the base model (SE) Prime Plug-in. So in this Crazy World of Toyota the more you spend/pay for upgrading Prime, the less "free" battery mileage range you receive.
The Prime SE (base level) gets 39 miles or so of battery operation use before hybrid motor takes over. But the more expensive trims levels only get 32 miles. Never thought I'd see the day you pay more for a car, hybrid, EV trim upgrades and then find out the base level model (you don't want) that costs thousands of dollars less, get better battery mileage then upper trim levels.
What am I missing here. UGH
https://attachments.priuschat.com/attachment-files/2023/01/231422_E02E6936-5155-47EE-AF3D-4B83322D20CE.jpeg -
GM grabss U.S. auto sales crown from Toyota
According to the Reuters news agency:
GM reclaims U.S. auto sales crown from Toyota | Reuters
Definitely been a while since GM was Top Dog in the U.S.A. Will it last? who knows.
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Massive Tesla Fail
Source: Father Deliberately Drove Car Off Cliff, Authorities Say After Dramatic Rescue - The New York Times
. . .
A family of four whose car had careened off a treacherous cliff-top road in Northern California, plummeted more than 250 feet and trapped them on Monday managed to survive and avoid life-threatening injuries.
But now, the authorities say their car’s dramatic drop wasn’t an accident, but an “intentional act,” and that the father could face charges.
Dharmesh A. Patel, 41, of Pasadena, Calif., was arrested late Monday on suspicion of attempted murder and child abuse, the California Highway Patrol, Golden Gate Division said on Tuesday afternoon. He will be transported to San Mateo County Jail after being released from the hospital, the authorities said. The San Mateo County district attorney said that it had not received the case from the Highway Patrol to... -
Now non-NA built BEV can get a full tax credit on Lease.
According to Reuters:
U.S. Treasury says consumer leases can qualify for EV tax credits | Reuters
This makes it possible to lease a non-North American-built BEV with a full tax credit applied to the lease cost. And, since it is a commercial tax credit, the battery sourcing restriction does not apply even after Treasury and IRS implement the guideline for the consumer credit. As of today, Jan 1, 2023, leased BEV (and PHEV?) does not have the final assembly and battery sourcing restrictions to be eligible for the credit.
Good news for someone wanting to get into a BEV including Toyota bZ4X this year. Now, I have to keep my eyes open for a great lease deal as they once had several years ago on PHEVs. I remember seeing no money down $99/mo lease deal for Ioniq back when I was looking at Prius Prime for the first time. In fact, with this rule,...
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