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"Toyota unveiled a prototype hybrid flexible-fuel vehicle (Hybrid FFV) during an event Toyota held São Paulo, Brazil. Stakeholders including the state government, universities, and the sugarcane association (the Sugarcane Industry Union: UNICA) attended the event. ..." More here:

Toyota unveiles flexible fuel hybrid prototype in Brazil - Green Car Congress

Starting in Japan first.
Nissan Introduces $2,850 Refabricated Batteries For Older LEAF

Source: Hyundai union head fears GM-like crisis; says electric cars destroy jobs | Reuters

Chevy Bolt EV Top Selling Electric Car In CA | GM Authority

Folks wonder why there are so many plug ins on dealer lots in California.

With generous credits to the manufacturers and higher demand than the rest of the country it’s no wonder.

Meanwhile while EVs are taking off in California,
here in Wisconsin the EV market is all but dead with single digit sales since October of last year.
Most all Wisconsin EVs are used imports from other states.

Ah well beggars can’t be choosers

I have a 2010 Prius and I recently just got rear-ended the hatch no longer opens but the car doesn't recognize that it's closed so there is a beeping alerting me that one of my doors is open. Because the hatch is stuck shut I can't trick the switch in the locking mechanism to think that it's closed I can't seem to find anywhere online where the beeping speaker box is. I'm an Uber driver I intend on getting this fixed but until I get the money from the insurance I need to be able to work and the beeping is not only driving me insane but my ratings down and my clients insane as well. If anyone has any suggestions for how to turn the beeping off I would greatly appreciate it.

BMW is moving slow with its big offerings set for 3 1/2 years from now and 12 bevs and 13 phevs (some will be the same model with bev and phev options) due by end of 2015.

The ix3 is the next one up, which is a pure bev small SUV. Next up is the i4, which are detailed bellow.

BMW's Master Plan Includes Replacing Performance Cars With EVs

BMW cuts model range as new WLTP test looms | Motoring News | Honest John


A senior source at a UK leasing company told HonestJohn.co.uk he received an email from the manufacturer in February, which confirmed it had stopped production of a large amount of cars.


He described the full list of models as “huge” but specifically named the following: all plug-in hybrids except the 5 Series, the 520d Efficient Dynamics, the M3 and certain versions of the X1, X5 and X6.

“With the introduction of the new Worldwide Harmonised Light Vehicle Test Procedure, BMW is taking proactive steps to bring its product portfolio in line with global regulations,” said the email.

The WLTP test will become mandatory for all new cars from September 2018...

I like engines and this one has a clever twist: Volkswagen Millerized 1.5 TSI ACT BlueMotion gasoline engine offers diesel-like fuel economy; derivatives may be applied in hybrid systems

Interesting look and comparison of the 2018 Nissan Leaf's air-based thermal management system with the Chevy Bolt's liquid version.

This will no doubt be a question many future prospective EV owners will have in mind, as a battery that loses too much of its capacity in a short period of time will make them much less desirable.

Interestingly I heard that the longer ranged 60 kWh Leaf due out in 2019 is supposed to have a liquid heating/cooling system. Will make for an interesting study when those come out, and 2018 owners are stuck with an inferior system.

I am a fan of head-to-head comparison test drives. From April 2016, these articles still ring true.

Source: Audi A3 e-tron v BMW i3 v Citroen C4 Cactus v Toyota Prius: Economy comparison test part one

Source: Audi A3 e-tron v BMW i3 v Citroen C4 Cactus v Toyota Prius: Economy comparison test part two...

Source: http://www.autoguide.com/auto-news/2018/03/the-simple-reason-why-bmw-really-likes-tesla.html

PORSCHE’S TESLA-FIGHTING ELECTRIC SPORTS CAR GETS ITS OWN SUPERCHARGER NETWORK

Porsche’s Electric Mission E Gets Its Own Superchargers | WIRED

Highlights:

The rule holds for the automaker's upcoming Mission E, the all-electric sedan aiming to replace the Tesla Model S in the driveways of the rich and environmentally conscious, starting in 2019 or 2020. The four-door five-seater will bolt from zero to 60 in 3.5 seconds, and go 310 miles on a charge.

To keep the confidence flowing, Porsche will give Mission E drivers an extra perk: the ability to add 250 miles of range to their battery in 20 minutes, at a new network of charging stations.

"It’s different because it’s a Porsche."

“One of our priorities will be to equip our 189 dealerships with 800-volt DC...

Thanks to Jeff Cobb's team at: http://www.hybridcars.com/february-2018-dashboard/

	model	02/15/18	01/15/18	12/15/17	11/15/17
1	Fusion Hybrid	5059	2519	4169	3541
2	Prius Liftback	3889	4011	5401	4787
3	RAV4	3657	3502	4846	4349
4	Transit Diesel	3383	2629	4333	3798
5	Model 3	2600	1900	1050	350
6	Prius Prime	2050	1496	2420	1834
7	Ram Pickup Diesel	1917	1517	2147	1417
8	Niro Hybrid	1826	1630	2397	2235
9	Camry Hybrid	1557	1621	2913	2703
10	Bolt EV	1424	1177	3227	2987
11	Model S	1100	900	4800	1400
12	Highlander Hybrid	1094	976	1606	1393
13	Volt	983	713	1937	1702
14	Ioniq Hybrid	975	902	829	939
15	Model X	900	700	3400	1800
16	Leaf	895	150	102	175
17	Clarity Plug In	881	594	898
18	Fusion Energi	794	640	875	731
19	Prius C	716	811	954	854
20	C-Max Hybrid	709	709	980	939
21	RX 400 / 450 h	668	583	967	753
22	Colorado Diesel	624	554	557	594
23	i3	623	382	672	283
24	X5	596	261	832	929
25	Lacrosse Hybrid	567	454	55	300
26	NX Hybrid	518	458	731	431
27	Avalon Hybrid	513	477	446	329
28	Prius...

http://www.hybridcars.com/epa-chief-pruitt-pushes-back-carb/

Stole this article from HybridCars.com. Discusses the 2025 CAFE standards and clarifies that April-1 is the deadline for EPA to make any mid-course changes, with some softening expected.

Pruitt seems to be suggesting the drop in new car sales is due to a trend to buy used cars, presumably implying new cars are getting too expensive due to CAFE. Did I get this correct? Are used car sales up?

I would imagine that most of you have heard of one or the other.
CleanTechnica Chats With The Fully Charged Dudes (Video) | CleanTechnica

Oh joy:

Telenav Creates In-Car Infotainment Advertising for OEMs | News | Car and Driver | Car and Driver Blog

Telenav Offering In-Car Ad Platform for OEMs - The Connected Car

CES 2018: Expect Annoying Ads in Your New Car, Very Soon

Our 2010 Touring has NO infotainment screen, but see very few if any new cars thus.

AAA expects higher gas prices this spring

I was hesitant to post this because it come close to advocacy yet I found it via Google News. I'm hoping @john1701a adds his insights as he has history dealing with Prius-skeptics. There is little distance between Prius and plugin skeptics: Electric Car Myth Buster — Efficiency | CleanTechnica

I picked up the Consumer Reports New Cars issue, April 2018, from the magazine rack yet held off reading it for a couple of weeks. When I finally read it, Huh? The cars I'm familiar with Prius Prime and BMW i3-REx were factual. Even their notoriously poor MPG numbers were close enough to the EPA and my metrics to be usable:

• Toyota Prius Prime - 74 Road Test Score
  • 69 MPG overall
    • 56 City
    • 81 Highway (only with EV)
• BMW i3-REx - 79 Road Test Score
  • 139 MPGe
    • 135 City
    • 141 Highway (only EV tested)

The only thing left out was gas testing of the BMW i3-REx but the other metrics and comments were through and accurate. So when I saw the regular April 2018 Consumer Reports, Auto Issue, it promised the 10 best and worst. Then I read the Toyota Prius Prime, pp 78:

Nissan Sold Over 3,700 LEAFs In Japan – February 2018