2010 Toyota Prius Hybrid

Toyota unveils the third-generation Prius hybrid at the 2009 Detroit Auto Show. Its higher fuel economy is nearly 25% better than the first generation Prius. The 50mpg car features a hybrid system with over 90% new parts when compared to the last kind.

Fuel family improvements come from the vehicle’s affect, a new engine, and refined cross powertrain. Carter remarked how important the car’s influence is, because the company believes it has become iconic. Not lacking to revise the sculpt substantially, they pulled the crest of the roof back by four inches. The gives rear passengers more headroom, while making the Prius more aerodynamic. Its drag coefficient has been cheap to .25 from .26.

2010 Lexus HS 250h hybrid

The Lexus luxury brand, will launch in the middle of next year HS Lexus 250h hybrid model 2010 with a full hybrid and hybrid technology Synergy. Possibly with a 2.4 petrol with an electric motor.

The technical details of this car has not been made public, since its official launch is expected in the year’s Detroit show entrante.Lexus is a trademark of the Japanese Toyota that began in 1989 under the premise of quality, comfort and reliability.

Toyota to showcase two new electric/hybrid cars this month

The world’s No. 1 auto maker Toyota has announced [JP] it will exhibit a four-seat electric car at the 41th Tokyo Motor Show for the first time (the show opens October 24 and will run through November 4). It’s sized at 2,730×1,680×1,490mm. Visitors will also get to see an update of Toyota’s hybrid car Prius at the show.

The new completely electric model, the FT-EV II (pictured above and below), can be driven for more than 90km on a single charge and is specifically designed for convenient city driving. Toyota will offer, for example, electric sliding doors. But the FT-EV II isn’t for city driving only, as the top speed exceeds 100km/h.

Toyota also plans to show a plug-in version of its Prius hybrid that’s in its third generation. Drivers will be able to use the vehicle with batteries only until they run out. When that happens, the car will switch to hybrid mode automatically. One liter of gas is enough for 55km, up from 38km for the Prius models that are on the market now.

Infiniti hybrid car on the way

Infiniti has announced that it is set to join the hybrid car market.

The firm revealed that production of its first vehicles of this type could be available by 2011.

These will be the Infiniti M35 saloons, the first hybrid cars from the company in its 20-year history.

According to the firm, these will feature the luxury performance of its existing range, but will be the most economical cars that it has ever produced.

The new vehicle will come with a 3.5-litre V6 engine, rear-wheel drive handling and Infiniti’s own hybrid system, which features a single electric motor/twin clutch arrangement.

In addition, the new car will run on laminated a lithium ion battery pack, which provide twice the power offered by regular battery packs.

Last month, Volvo revealed details for its plug-in diesel car.

The manufacturer announced that the vehicle will be able to cover 31 miles on battery power alone, with drivers then able to switch to its engine to give them a range of 745 miles.

2010 Ford Fusion Hybrid Car

The 2010 Ford Fusion Hybrid features a smaller and lighter nickel-metal hydride battery. Driving the 2010 Fusion is fun and probably the best Ford Hybrid ever built.

The 2010 Ford Fusion Hybrid is the most fuel-efficient midsize automobile on the market. The Ford Hybrid It has a MPG rating Of 41 MPG city and 36 MPG highway. It can go over 700 miles between fill-ups, which for the average commuter translates into a stop at the pump once a month. The 200 Fusion offers a starting price of $27,625.

With a wider and more sportier look, the 2010 Ford Fusion Hybrid has improved aerodynamics. Ford's attention to detail on the Fusion begins with a new design that gives the car a look that is both sportier and more upscale as well as improved aerodynamics. The car's newly designed front end, including a powerfully domed hood, and new headlamps, grille and larger fog-lamp area further enhance the sporty nature of the 2010 Fusion.

Aerodynamic enhancements and new under body shields further boost Fusion's fuel economy. This sporty new look of 2010 Ford Fusion Hybrid helps to make the Ford Fusion more appealing to consumers who are seeking fun-to-drive Hybrid cars. This new interior design features a more contemporary look with metallic new finishes.

The new instrument panel is finished with a soft upper and lower skin which carries through the center console, doors, and steering wheel. The leather wrapped steering wheel was completely redesigned with form fitting palm swells and a new shifter. The seat actually conforms to you, offering more side support with smoother bolsters and comfort.

Earth-friendly cloth fabric in the Fusion Hybrid is made from 85 percent post-industrial materials, polyester fibers that would otherwise have ended up in landfills. This is another great way to be friendly to our environment. Using natural materials, the 2010 Fusion is one of the best eco cars on the planet.

The Ford Fusion Hybrid can operate for up to 47 mph in the pure electric mode. Recently, Ford drove the Fusion for more than 1,400 miles on only one tank of gas. This was done while using driving techniques to conserve fuel.

With the vehicle's enhanced electronic throttle control, it reduces airflow on shutdowns. Additionally, it reduces fuel consumption on restarts. The Ford Hybrid has wide-band lambda sensors that analyze the air-fuel ratio and will adjust the lean/rich mixture accordingly to keep the system in balance and to minimize emissions.

The Hybrid Ford Fusions all uses a smaller and lighter nickel-metal hydride battery. By using these batteries, they are able to produce 20 percent more power. Improved chemistry allows the battery to be run at a higher temperature, and it is cooled using cabin air. It is also equipped with a new high-efficiency converter to provide 14 percent increased output to accommodate a wider array of vehicle features.

If you are shopping for a new vehicle, you should try out the 2010 Ford Hybrid. The Hybrid car offers several incentives including a rebate. Several Ford Fusion owners have reported greater fuel economy than the EPA estimates.

US bill could pave way for hybrid taxi fleets

A bill before Congress would give local governments the authority to set fuel efficiency standards for taxicabs, allowing cities like Boston to overcome federal court rulings that struck down their ambitious efforts to require all taxis to be hybrids.

The Green Taxis Act of 2009, part of an overall climate change bill introduced Wednesday in part by Senator John F. Kerry, would amend existing federal laws so that cities such as Boston, New York, and Seattle, which have failed in previous attempts, could require taxis to be hybrid.

Federal courts have struck down those attempts, saying cities infringed on the Energy Policy and Conservation Act of 1975, which authorizes the federal government to establish fuel economy standards for vehicles and forbids local officials from setting their own standards.

States can petition federal regulators for exemptions from the law.

But the Green Taxis Act, an amendment to the federal Energy Policy and Conservation Act and the federal Clean Air Act, would allow cities and towns to decide on their own, based on their own needs and policies.

“This legislation will help empower cities and towns across the nation, including Boston, to improve air quality, lower carbon emissions, and save cab drivers and passengers money,’’ Kerry said in a prepared statement. “We know we must reinvent the way America uses energy and once again Boston is leading the way.’’

Mayor Thomas M. Menino was quick to endorse the bill, saying, “Hybrid taxis make sense for taxi drivers, for consumers, and for the health of all Bostonians.’’

The city had tried, in regulations passed in 2008, to require that all taxis be hybrids by 2015. The regulations would be phased in, with older taxis needing to be replaced immediately.

To justify the regulations, city officials cited an analysis of Boston’s taxi fleet showing that the typical 2-year-old Ford Crown Victoria taxi operates at an average of 10 miles per gallon while traveling 110,000 miles per year. In contrast, a new Toyota Camry Hybrid would be 70 percent more efficient, at 34 miles per gallon.

Boston officials said that only about 15 percent of the city’s 1,825 cabs are hybrids.

Hybrids would also emit less air pollution, reducing greenhouse gas emissions and other toxins that can cause health problems, city officials said.

The proposal met stiff opposition, however.

Taxi drivers with the Boston Taxi Owners Association said the regulations were too costly to enact under the city’s timeline because they would be forced to buy new hybrid cars.

The drivers had called for looser regulations so that they could buy used hybrids or other cars more fuel efficient than the Crown Victorias.

Honda MPG Ratings For 2010 Hybrid Cars

Honda Hybrid Cars are entering a new generation of hybrid technologies, which include the 2010 Honda Insight and the Civic. Hybrid cars will also make the conversion from gasoline to fuel cell with the 2010 Honda Civic. The Honda Civic is still a great fuel-efficient vehicle with proven reliability.

Hybrid cars are growing in higher demand than ever before. Automakers are converting their popular models with new plug in options and hybrid batteries. The industry is changing and the future brings clean energy and better mileage for automobiles.

The Honda Insight is a new fuel-efficient automobile which delivers an MPG rating of 40 in the city and 43 on the highway. It offers 5 doors and seats up to five passengers including the driver. Insight was designed and built from the ground up.

The Honda car also features a new projector-beam headlight which provides better roadway lighting for greater visibility. Insight comes equipped with a continuously variable transmission (CVT) which substitutes the gears found in more traditional transmissions and replaces them with a metal push-belt running between a pair of variable-width pulleys. The CVT includes the Drive-by-Wire throttle system which constantly adjusts to providing the most efficient drive ratio possible depending on the torque load.

Honda Civic Hybrid is powered by a 1.3-liter i-VTEC engine with Integrated Motor Assist (IMA) gasoline-electric hybrid technology to enhance both fuel economy and performance. The hybrid car is equipped with a continuously variable transmission. The hybrid vehicle is classified as Advanced Technology Partial Zero Emissions Vehicles (AT-PZEV).

The IMA hybrid technology achieves an EPA-estimated city/highway fuel economy of 40/45 miles per gallon. It is also interesting to note that the car can deactivate all four of its cylinders and operate using only the electric motor in certain low-speed cruising situations. The electric motor has 15 kilowatts and can produce a combined 110-horsepower.

The Honda Satellite-Linked Navigation System has a 6.5-inch motorized display that opens and closes for access to the internal single-disc CD player. The system also includes a digital audio-card reader that can play MP3 and Windows Media 3 Audio (WMA) files from CompactFlash 4 cards. The navigation system features more than 7 million points of interest and the voice activation can control the navigation menus and the audio system, along with entering city and street names.

E.P.A. Says M.P.G. for Electric Cars and Plug-in Hybrids Is a Work in Progress

Few auto industry power players are satisfied with the calculations that award the Chevrolet Volt a stellar 230 miles a gallon (which is topped by the Nissan Leaf battery car at 367). Those numbers are based on a draft Environmental Protection Agency standard for plug-in hybrids and battery cars. But the agency says that work isn’t complete, and it is searching for meaningful ways to present the information to car buyers on the window sticker.

The E.P.A. and the Transportation Department issued their proposed rule-making for combined greenhouse gas and corporate average fuel economy standards on Sept. 15. The agency admitted that designing test procedures and calculations for advanced technology vehicles “can be very complicated” and that what it called “adjustment factors” needed to be weighed. There’s certainly no consensus on which approach will resonate with consumers, and many admit that the advantage of measurements in miles a gallon is sheer familiarity.

In a letter released on Wednesday (but written Sept. 23), the agency said it would “initiate a new rule-making to explore in detail the information displayed on the current fuel economy label and the methodology for deriving that information.” The E.P.A. letter also said it was seeking input on consumer labels that could “provide practical, usable and meaningful information to vehicle purchasers” interested in battery electrics, plug-in hybrids and “other advanced technology vehicles.”

The E.P.A.’s letter was in response to a Sept. 10 proposal from Israel’s ETV Motors, which is working on battery technology as well as a hybrid concept that uses a micro-turbine to replenish an E.V.’s batteries. In an interview, ETV’s chief operating officer, Arnold Roth, said the company wrote to the United States agency because “the world needs the E.P.A. to take the lead. What the E.P.A. does will have a ripple effect into all markets.” The United States, said Dror Ben-David, ETV’s chief executive, “is a leader in rule-making.”

Toyota Hybrid Camry Concept Vehicle

Toyota Hybrid Camry Concept Vehicle (Toyota HC-CV) is a stylish concept car which will have its world premiere at the 2009 Melbourne International Motor Show.

Toyota Hybrid Camry is the first locally produced hybrid car which will be launched as a production version in Australia in 12 month time.

Toyota Hybrid Camry comes equipped with some features includes a streamlined upper grille, new side skirts, a larger lower opening, vertical fog lamps, a newly designed front end, rear diffuser, and spoiler.

While inside the car, Toyota Hybrid Camry interior also features contrast coloured trim, re-styled seats, and more.

Press Release
Toyota Australia has celebrated winning the right to manufacture a hybrid car in Australia by producing a stylish concept car.

Developed locally by Toyota Style Australia, the HC-CV (Hybrid Camry Concept Vehicle) had its world premiere ahead of the 2009 Melbourne International Motor Show.

The unveiling of the concept car marks the start of a 12-month countdown to the launch of Australia’s first locally produced hybrid car, based on the best-selling Camry sedan.

Toyota Australia president and chief executive officer Max Yasuda said the concept car was the most important vehicle on the company’s motor show stand.

“The startling paintwork, dramatic lines and sporty appearance of this concept car convey the excitement and passion in our company to produce Australia’s first hybrid car,” Mr Yasuda said.

“The hybrid Camry - which will share some key design features with the HC-CV - will play a key role in bringing the future to the Australian automotive manufacturing sector.

“It is a future that uses less fuel while delivering better performance.”

The hybrid Camry uses a four-cylinder petrol engine linked to a powerful electric motor.

It produces more power than a conventional petrol-engine vehicle while delivering better fuel economy.

Mr Yasuda said many industry commentators were urging carmakers to produce more fuel-efficient cars.

“Toyota is already the only local manufacturer producing a four-cylinder car in this country. We have been building Camry in this country - in Melbourne - for nearly 22 years.

“It’s been Australia’s best-selling medium car for 15 years - and it’s our leading automotive export.

“Toyota also produces the most fuel-efficient Australian-made large six-cylinder sedan, the Aurion, in Melbourne.

“Our locally manufactured hybrid Camry will be launched early next year.”

Contemporary hybrid design

Toyota Style Australia corporate manager Paul Beranger said Toyota has evolved the styling of its hybrid vehicles since the late 1990s.

“HC-CV is our expression of the contemporary hybrid sedan,” he said.

The front of the car is characterised by expressive, sharp lines and taught surfaces. It echoes the latest Toyota Hybrid styling cues, with vertical fog lamps, larger lower opening and a streamlined upper grille.

“The crisp corners indicate aerodynamic efficiency, while the overall styling feel is efficient, yet dynamic,” Mr Beranger said.

“The lower grille texture is a random pattern, inspired by forms found in nature, moving away from traditional constructed patterns,” he said.

The “aero” theme continues along the side skirts, which flow into the rear diffuser, giving a sporty, yet lightweight and functional appearance. The rear spoiler enhances the visual appeal.

The headlights are symbolic of Toyota’s hybrid image with a blue hue. They fuse technical elements with natural forms. Some lenses have a waterfall impression, while others are functional, lightweight and technical in appearance. The rear LED lamps, also with a blue hue, provide an unmistakable hybrid look.

Toyota logos on the car are also highlighted by a translucent blue hue. The satin chrome front grille, mirrors and rear boot-lid garnish add to the clean, crisp image.

The wheels are a combination of shear, overlayed surfaces and graphics.

The body colour is unique - a satin white pearl with subtle blue highlights to provide a serene, calm feeling. The paint allows intricate detailing and features to show through.

The interior uses contrasting coloured trim. Highlights of metallic blue have been applied asymmetrically to the seats in a wave-like graphic reminiscent of the Hybrid Synergy Drive logo.

The seat embossing echoes the exterior grille mesh with a tree bark-like pattern. White stitching adds a subtle, yet premium touch. Satin chrome accents tie in with the exterior and add to the tranquil environment.

New Toyota hybrid sedan due in Japan

Toyota is preparing to launch its second hybrid-only car, the Sai sedan.

The Sai, based on the Lexus HS 250h hybrid, will go on sale in Japan on Oct. 20, Toyota told Automotive News. The automaker didn’t disclose when or whether the car would be brought to the United States, where Toyota’s other hybrid-only car, the Prius hatchback, is the best-selling hybrid in the market.

Toyota has talked for several years of expanding the Prius brand name to other vehicles, and analysts speculate that if the Sai is indeed exported to the U.S., it will carry the Prius brand.

The Sai apparently will have the same platform and powertrain as the HS 250h, which went on sale in Japan in July and is the only hybrid-only Lexus model. The exterior and interior of the two cars will be different, however.

The HS 250h has a 2.4-liter gasoline engine, more powerful than the Prius’ 1.8-liter power plant. It’s less efficient too. The EPA rates the HS 250h’s fuel economy at 35 mpg in combined city-highway driving, compared with 50 mpg for the new 2010 Prius.