Featured Threads Archive
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"Loaded" hybrids
Source: AD #2343 – Lexus Takes the “Premium” Out of Its Hybrids, Global Sales Up in Q1, BMW To Use Magna Lidar System – Autoline Daily
LEXUS TAKES THE “PREMIUM” OUT OF ITS HYBRIDS
The hybrid version of any car tends to only be available on the higher trim levels, making an already pricy package even more expensive. But Lexus is finding success by taking “some of the premium out” of its hybrid models. Or in other words, making them less expensive. According to WardsAuto, in the first quarter, RX Hybrid sales are up over 33% and the NX is up close to 170%. Lexus will do the same with the new ES sedan that just debuted at the Beijing auto show and is currently only seeing a hybrid take-rate of 10%. That could be a nice shot in the arm, sales wise, for a vehicle that has been the best-selling Lexus car since... -
Methanol reformulated fuel cell car
Source: Gumpert returns with new Chinese partner, RG Nathalie fuel cell sports car
The RG Nathalie, which is named after one of Gumpert's daughters, is the first model from Chinese electric car startup Aiways. . . .
The striking sports car, which could pass for a modern Audi Sport Quattro, is powered by four electric motors, but there isn't a battery onboard. Instead the car has a hydrogen fuel cell stack that generates the electricity to power the motors. But to get around the lack of hydrogen fuel stations, the car also features a methanol reformer. This takes in ordinary methanol and is able to split it into carbon dioxide, which is released into the air, and hydrogen, which is fed into the fuel cell. Methanol is quite common and costs significantly less than gasoline.
Now if I could just find a 34 kWh, methanol-fuel cell... -
Plug ins lose free access to LA county's express toll lanes
Clean air vehicles will no longer ride pay lanes for free in LA County
Clean air vehicles will no longer ride pay lanes for free in LA County – Daily News
"Metro justified the move by saying an upsurge in clean air vehicles was clogging the pay lanes, slowing speeds to below the federally required 45 mph, and jacking up the tolls assessed paying customers that are based on congestion algorithms.
Since 2013, the year the Metro Express Lanes opened, there has been a 1,000 percent increase in decals issued by the state for clean air vehicles."
The clean air cars will get a 15% discount on the tolls, and this has no effect on the state HOV access. -
LA area HVB supplier review?
I'm considering purchasing a reconditioned HVB for my recently purchased/toasted '05 from a Los Angeles area biz calling itself:
"PriusPower"
Anybody heard of them? Experiences?
$495 w/6month warranty
$695 w/12month.
(Additional $400/core charge, if applicable).
They will deliver free within LA area.
Tempted, but obviously a warranty means nothing if the product is inferior to begin with.
Time and hassle=$$$.
Anyone?
Thanks. -
Corolla PHEV With 31 Miles Of Electric Range Coming (to China)
Toyota announced that by the end of 2020, it will offer in China 10 new electrified vehicles.
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Toyota Levin PHEV version
The first two plug-ins were unveiled at the 2018 Beijing Auto Show:
- Toyota Corolla PHEV
- Toyota Levin PHEV
Toyota Debuts Corolla PHEV, Commits To Electric C-HR SUV -
Ford to stop selling most cars in North America
https://www.yahoo.com/finance/news/ford-stop-selling-every-car-205243027.html
Yikes!
Guess Prius won't have Fusion Hybrid much longer as a drag on sales.
"Ford also today reaffirmed its commitment to bringing hybrid-electric powertrains to the F-150, Mustang, Explorer, Escape and upcoming Bronco....
With this big hybrid push on the SUV side, Ford expects to go from second to first-place in the U.S. hybrid vehicles market by sales, surpassing current leader Toyota by 2021, thanks also to the forthcoming hybrid Mustang and F-150."
OK the battle begins......
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Kiss your GAS goodbye?
Question: How much do you save by driving electric?
Here's what a few of the EV drivers on Twitter shared...
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New Autonomous Vehicle Book (regarding section on Toyota)
I am currently reading a new book titled "Autonomous Vehicles Opportunities, Strategies, and Disruptions." Was published on March 3rd, 2018. The book mainly talks about the technology and details of the paths that companies will likely use to go fully autonomous. It has sections about virtually every tech company, car company, and those in between (Tesla). But I was most struck by the section about Toyota. It was much shorter than the others and here are a few quotes:
Toyota appears to have done little in investing in autonomous driving. Its deputy chief safety technology officer publicly rejected the idea, saying "Toyota's main objective is safety, so it will not be developing a driverless car."
Toyota, the largest auto manufacturer in the world in 2016, appears not to have a meaningful autonomous vehicle strategy.
How can a company in less than 20 years go from the most cutting edge to dead last in terms of future technology? Its vision for both vehicle electrification... -
Munro synopsis of Model 3
Sandy Munro's company disassembled a Model 3 and this is the YouTube version . . . a short report. If you have any engineering interest, this is candy:
- F - body fit and finish
- A+ - electronic control boards, F-35 quality
- A+ - steering and suspension, "F1 prince"
- C - not designed for robot assembly, evidence of poor labor training
- A+ - 2170 batteries, 6000 ma with variation of 0.2 ma between measured cells
- D - quality a big problem
Bob Wilson -
2020 RAV4 PHV
Well, at least according to this article that states that Toyota will start production of the RAV4 PHV in the spring of 2020.
トヨタ、２０年にレクサスブランドのＥＶ生産開始 電動車両を拡大 | 自動車・輸送機 ニュース | 日刊工業新聞 電子版 (Japanese only) -
VW's Electrify America And Walmart, Perfect Together
VW teamed up with Walmart to install fast charge stations at their stores. Hmmm....
VW’s Electrify America partners with Walmart for the deployment of its ‘ultra-fast’ charging stations | Electrek -
Tesla Model 3 Teardown
Source: AD #2333 – GM Slaps Big Discount on Escalade, Company Applies V2V to Racing, Tesla Has Too Many Robots – Autoline Daily
And speaking of the Tesla, you won’t want to miss this week’s Autoline After Hours. This is the show a lot of you have been waiting for because our special guest is Sandy Munro, who will be here to talk about his teardown of the Model 3. So if you have any questions, send them our way to [email protected] and join us for some of the best insider discussions in the auto industry.
Thursday afternoon for the live program. They take calls. Sorry, I don't have the start time:
Autoline After Hours
Bob Wilson -
Porsche To Add 500 DC Stations in The USA
In anticipation of the Mission E. Most will be at their dealers, but some will be on highways.
Porsche To Install 500 DC Fast Chargers In U.S. By End Of 2019 -
Jaguar i-Pace
A bit long, the YouTube review shows a lot of things engineers love:
The reviewer definitely likes seeing a non-Tesla performance car.
Bob Wilson
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