Toyota has unveiled the fifth generation of its hybrid pioneer Prius and is adapting the drive concept, at least for Europe. From next year, the Prius will only be offered as a plug-in hybrid in Europe.
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According to media reports, Toyota’s hybrid pioneer Prius will run on hydrogen in the next generation. But different from Toyota’s fuel cell model Mirai, the plug-in Prius will be powered by hydrogen instead of petrol. The Toyota Corolla could also get the hydrogen system.
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We tend to think of the Toyota Prius as one of the earliest and popular EVs, however it is not generally considered an exciting car. As a tuning company now proved at the Tokyo Auto Salon, this certainly does not have to be the case.
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Toyota revised the Prius Plug-in Hybrid, which is now available at prices starting at £32,070. The changes include adjustments to the scope of equipment, the multimedia system, the colour palette and design elements in the interior.
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Toyota has announced plans to test concept vehicles based on the Prius plug-in hybrid with integrated solar panels together with the research and development organization NEDO and the battery manufacturer Sharp starting at the end of this month.
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A Japanese Prius owner went to extra lengths to make their vehicle particularly unique. By placing a Lexus badge and additional tailpipes along with a spoiler, the vehicle does look “racier”, however doesn’t really fit the point of driving a hybrid in the first place.
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Toyota updated their long-running hybrid and the 2019 Prius range does look fresher but more importantly has a new all-wheel drive. The Japanese carmaker reckons it could prove a bestseller in more adverse climates and the system uses an electric motor to power the rear-wheels independently.
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Toyota will have to recall 2.4 million hybrid vehicles worldwide. The reason for this was named as software issues. Only one month ago, the Japanese automobile manufacturers also had to launch a recall of more than 1 million hybrids because of potential short-circuit and fire danger.
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Due to potential short circuit and fire hazards, Toyota has recalled more than one million hybrid vehicles across the globe. The recall concerns all Toyota Prius of the current generation, including the plug-in version, as well as the hybrid version of the C-HR that were manufactured up to May of this year.
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Toyota has special plans for the Brazilian market: A prototype based on the Prius, but using so-called Flexible Fuel Hybrid technology has been introduced. The Hybrid FFV can run on gasoline, as well as alternative fuel sources, such as ethanol.
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Toyota introduces new motor variants for its Toyota New Global Architecture (TNGA) platform. Variations include a 2-litre hybrid motor and new all-wheel drives. The latter feature an AWD set-up for hybrid systems as well.
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The public eye does not look favourably on issues surrounding software fixes since the diesel scandals became known. Now, Toyota is facing a court order from angry owners in Los Angeles, who had turned in their cars for a safety recall, and received them back with a worse fuel economy.
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Subarus first plug-in hybrid, which is scheduled to be released in the USA in 2018, is set to utilize technology from a partnership with Toyota. According to Subarus U.S. Chief, Takeshi Tachimori, the majority of the tech inside the new PHEV comes from the Prius.
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In 2017 Toyota sold more than a total of 1.5 million electric vehicles. This means they have reached their 2020 target a whole three years earlier than planned!
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Toyota is not allowed to use the name “Prius” for its hybrid model in India. That is, what the Supreme Court of India decided, granting exclusive trademark rights to Prius Auto Industries, an Indian car component supplier that registered this name in 2001 – nine years earlier than Toyota.
hybridcars.com
Tesla loses Missouri: The U.S. state’s Auto Dealer Association has won its case against the EV maker, which will no longer be allowed to sell cars directly to its customers. That means that there will still be Tesla show rooms in Missouri, but the cars can only be purchased online.
bizjournals.com
UN pushes FCVs in China: The third phase of UN Development Programme looking to push commercialisation of fuel cells in China to help limit climate change has kicked off. The project “Accelerating the Development and Commercialization of Fuel Cell Vehicles in China” follows tests with a total of 12 prototype FC buses from different manufactures.
china.org
Prius police car: Dubai police have added another four Toyota Prius the fleet, which now includes a total of ten of the “best-selling” hybrids. A few months ago, the country’s Roads and Transport Authority also pledged that half of its fleet would be hybrid by 2021.
gulftoday.ae
Charging Auckland: Vector has installed another two fast-charger at BP Connect Pakuranga and another two at Auckland Airport Shopping Centre, bringing the total number of chargers at the airport to seven. The company has launched a digital map with charging location. The latter is said to soon also be available as an app.
scoop.co.nz (BP), stuff.co.nz (airport)
Study tip: U.S. National Renewable Energy Laboratory has released a report on public sentiment on PEVs. The study covers purchasing behaviours, electric vehicle awareness, acceptance and barriers. Researchers found that i.e. respondents aware of charging stations were more likely to view EVs positively.
afdc.energy.gov,
Click tip: Hybrid Cars does a direct comparison between the Toyota Prius and Hyundai Ioniq. It’s a close competition, and powertrains, range, price and even tax exemptions will have to be weighed in order to find a winner.
hybridcars.com
No less than 100,000 units of the 2017 Prius have already been ordered in Japan, Toyota announced last week. The carmaker also says that 80 percent of buyers are male and the average age of its future drivers hovers right around 60 and above.
artofgears.com
Ever wanted to just get away from it all? You’re not alone. Meet Chris Sawey, who has dropped everything to live in his Toyota Prius around a year ago. The video covering his adventures has already been viewed more than 700,000 times and is definitely worth watching.
youtube.com
Video tip I: Watch the party for the world premiere of the new Toyota Prius that entered the stage in Tesla-like red. The show went ahead in Las Vegas.
youtube.com, youtube.com, youtube.com
Video tip II: The Tesla Model S P85D has been beaten for the first time! Its challenger was an elderly C6 Corvette. But the lady behind the wheel came prepared with 700 hp, drag wheels and some serious driving skills.
youtube.com via autoevolution.com
Reading tip: Alberta Oil, an oil industry magazine, has put Tesla on its cover. The title: “Hell on wheels” is supported by the question if this is the beginning of the end. Well spotted, indeed.
albertaoilmagazine.com, treehugger.com
Video tips: Austrian Milan Milic owns a cab fleet of 200 hybrid Toyotas. He recently billed 1 million kilometres in a Prius taxi. For Toyota Austria, he publicly displays his love for the car in a 4-part series with subtitles.
youtube.com: part one, part two, part three, part four
Read and watch: Daniel Sparks spent three days with a Tesla Model S P85D, mainly to see if the company’s ambitious sales targets stand chance in real life at all. They do, he happily informs his fellow investors.
fool.com (with video)
Danish lightweight chassis: ECOmove produced a carbon-fibre chassis specifically designed for EVs. The so called Qstrung technology will be used in a Porsche 356 Speedster replica which was converted to electric by German Turn-E.
ecomove.dk, turn-e.de (Speedster in German)
Local Motors found funding for its electric drift trike on Kickstarter easily, so expect to see grown-up men sliding past on very low bikes very soon. The Verrado is said to go 45 minutes on a charge.
green.autoblog.com (with video)
Prius battery replacement: The Prius is dead, long live the Prius was Tony Bradley’s motto, who did not want to give up on his hybrid Toyota when the battery died. Instead of going for a 4,000 dollar replacement, he went for a much cheaper, reconditioned battery.
forbes.com
