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Prius crushes the rest of the affordable EV sales

The Toyota Prius Prime has emerged as the runaway leader in affordable EVs. Bolt, Leaf, and Volt’s U.S. sales lag, as Prius Prime continues to impress, reports Torque News.

Reference: 2018 Toyota Prius Prime Crushing Bolt, Volt, and Leaf In Affordable EV Sales Race | Torque News

TorqueNews May 1, 2018 Read More Replies: 55

"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...

bwilson4web May 1, 2018 Read More Replies: 4

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...

bwilson4web Apr 28, 2018 Read More Replies: 21