Featured Threads Archive
-
Honda working on bidirectional vehicle charging
For everyone who wants to use their car as a power source, this is for you.
Honda has installed a bidirectional charging station at their R&D center in Germany as part of their Smart Company initiative.
Honda is working on bi-directional charging technology for its electric vehicles, installs station at HQ | Electrek
Posted via the PriusChat mobile app. -
Ford to build EVs in Mexico
Ford will build self-driving cars at a Michigan plant originally slated to build EVs. EV production will be shifted to a plant in Mexico that builds the unpopular Fiesta.
Ford will now build electric cars in Mexico - Dec. 7, 2017
Posted via the PriusChat mobile app. -
Toyota Earns a Total of Eleven IIHS 2018 Awards
PLANO, Texas, Dec. 7, 2017 – A total of eleven Toyota and Lexus vehicles are 2018 IIHS TOP SAFETY PICK award winners, with the new 2018 Camry receiving its highest award, the TOP SAFETY PICK+.
According to IIHS, the TOP SAFETY PICK and TOP SAFETY PICK+ requirements were strengthened for 2018 and the majority of winners qualify only when optionally equipped, with the exception being Toyota. Toyota has equipped all but a handful of Toyota and Lexus models with standard autobrake and other advanced features. Seven models with standard autobrake also have standard acceptable or good headlights and qualify for TSP without any added options.
“We’re pleased to have so many vehicles recognized by IIHS, especially with the completely redesigned 2018 Camry receiving its highest safety award. Toyota and Lexus remain committed to providing safe and reliable vehicles and we’re proud to have Toyota Safety Sense and Lexus Safety System+ as standard equipment on almost every new model in our... -
2018 Prius v (Canada only)
Starts at Cdn$29,675. -
Driving aids: GPS & Cell Control
In a past thread about trying to upgrade a base factory head unit to one with NAV, one member here suggested getting on the latest GPS units to solve severals problems with factory NAV's including lockout issues, outdated maps, map update costs, poor interface, etc. I haven't used a standalone GPS in over 10 years; basically since factory nav's and smartphones took over but on their recommendation I decided to give a new one a try. And I'm glad I did.
This summer, I got this Garmin at discount from their refurb store: Garmin DriveAssist 50LMT Fast, free shipping (tracking # within an hour of ordering). Free lifetime maps (big savings) and lifetime traffic will pay back the cost for many commuters/heavy users. Another feature I didn't realize some of these newer units can have is a built-in forward dash cam with memory card. Besides the obvious... -
Va.'s HOT tolls hit $40 (Hybrids ousted)
A $40 Toll to Drive 10 Miles? It Happened on Virginia’s I-66 - The New York Times
Perhaps you're hearing Virginia in the national news (not in a good way), as we have completed another phase of our HOT lanes conversion. Now it is I-66 (East/West route) to growth areas such as Manassas and beyond. Only a small section of I-66 has been completed so far, inside the I495 Beltway, but of course this puts a big kibosh on all the SOV folks coming in on long commutes from the popular ex-burbs.
Until now, buying a Prius or plug-in was popular out there, because you had free HOV access. The I-66 HOV "clean fuels" license plate sales ended 2011, but you were "grandfathered" if you had the plates, and many did (not me). Besides hybrids, the other cohort of drivers screwed were those commuting before 6:30AM, as the HOV window was expanded to 5:30AM.
Still the final shoe to drop is in 2022 when I-66... -
Toyota Jack Hollis on Fuel Economy Regs
Source: Toyota Brand Chief Says Fuel Economy Regs Out Of Line With Gas Prices and Politics
The U.S chief of the Toyota brand said that there remains a huge imbalance and gap between companies being able to meet existing government mandates to reach exiting fuel economy targets and consumer demand to buy the kind of alternative-fuel vehicles it will require to meet those targets.
. . .
I think Jack 'stepped in it.'
Bob Wilson -
Noise from the back seat.
so I have a 2012 Prius and I hear like a clicking noise from a vent from the backseat area. I don't have any warning lights coming. This noise normally happens with int 2-5 mins after I start up the car. Now I checked to see if there was any paper or lollypop sticks pushed into the vent ( I do have children and we know they like to hide things but it was clean) Any clue what this clicking noise is all about? -
Hey, Saab lovers! The 9-3 is back, and it's electric
It looks the same, but is being built in China with an electric powertrain, and sold under the NEVS brand.
NEVS is developing second- and third-generation electric powertrains with its partners in China, one of which is Chinese ridesharing service DiDi.
DiDi hopes to have more than 1 million electric cars on its platform by 2020. NEVS and DiDi are also working together on fully autonomous cars.
NEVS starts production of electric 9-3s in China
Posted via the PriusChat mobile app. -
Bolt vs Volt
Source: http://www.hybridcars.com/chevy-bolt-pulls-clearly-ahead-volt-november-sales/
Once again, the Chevrolet Bolt EV raised its all-time high sales with 2,987 deliveries in November, putting its extended-range electric Volt sibling clearly in its rear-view mirror.
The Volt sold 1,702 units, and with one month to go this year, the Bolt has 20,070 sales, and the Volt has 18,412.
October had been the first month this year the Bolt came from behind after its nationwide rollout completed this summer. The Volt has basically been underperforming all year, while the Bolt has outdone itself. Through October the Bolt established a modest 373-unit lead thanks to 2,781 sales to the Volt’s 1,362, and now the gap has widened to 1,658.
. . .
Still no regrets on our plug-in hybrids. I just got back in our Prius Prime after mailing my wife's absentee ballot; picking up some... -
Mercedes Rents Then Tears Up Tesla X
Maybe they should be called Mercedes-Bends.
Daimler Reportedly Rents Tesla Model X, Tests and Dismantles It -
When fueling stations shut down for your natural-gas car: one reader's experience
When fueling stations shut down for your natural-gas car: one reader's experience
Why do I have the feeling that this is going to be the fate that hydrogen fuel cells will face? I doubt taxpayers will keep propping it up indefinitely with such low volume when said public money would be... -
Toyota Prius Prime Sales Exceed Best Sales Year Ever in Only a Few Months (CAN)
Totally clickbait title
. When your sales numbers are small (Remember our population is about the same as the State of California), it looks unimpressive. But relatively, it's a good year for Prime.
They don't break out the Prime sales in the PDF... weird.
Also, the Prius v is holding strong with sales up 1% YTD.
Also, "Will the RAV4 beat the Corolla in sales by the end of the year?" The Corolla has been the best selling... -
If you plan to buy an electric car, you should do it this month (Dec 2017)
If you plan to buy an electric car, you should do it this month
If you're living in the US, and thinking about but still on the fence with leasing or buying new plug-in car, now would be a very good time to buy one. Aside from getting potentially great deals on them, because not many people want to buy a new car in winter time (at least in areas where snow shows and sticks around), and with it being the end of the calendar year, dealers may be motivated to push their remaining stock out before the new year.
Plus you won't have to wait very long to get the tax credit if you buy it new compared to buying one in January, then having to wait till next year. Used plug-ins don't qualify for it, but you still benefit indirectly because that tax credit also lops a sizable chunk off the resale value, aka it's artificially cheaper too.
Another reason, as mentioned in... -
Comparing CO{2} Impacts of Plug-in Hybrids and EVs
This is an open paper: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-017-16684-9
The actual contribution of plug-in hybrid and battery electric vehicles (PHEV and BEV) to greenhouse gas mitigation depends on their real-world usage. Often BEV are seen as superior as they drive only electrically and do not have any direct emissions during driving. However, empirical evidence on which vehicle electrifies more mileage with a given battery capacity is lacking. Here, we present the first systematic overview of empirical findings on actual PHEV and BEV usage for the US and Germany. Contrary to common belief, PHEV with about 60 km of real-world range currently electrify as many annual vehicles kilometres as BEV with a much smaller battery. Accordingly, PHEV recharged from renewable electricity can highly contribute to green house gas mitigation in car transport. Including the higher CO2eq emissions during the production...
![[IMG]](proxy.php?image=https%3A%2F%2Fs3.amazonaws.com%2Fcms.ipressroom.com%2F152%2Ffiles%2F201710%2F5a1f20982cfac21388b99a3e_Toyota_FTAC_Concept_02%2FToyota_FTAC_Concept_02_224c9874-4266-45e5-b1ab-81fb7048e891-prv.jpg&hash=28328a6de2a9382c6f54c25c6716322b)
Page 88 of 131
