Featured Threads Archive

2018 will see the release of the 20th Anniversary Edition Prius based on the A Premium Touring Selection. Thanks to @ea8631 to alerting to the new 2018 model year change in Japan. (Pictures are taken from Toyota Japan News website)

• 17" alloys with special black paint finish and black plastic inserts
• Black-finished lower chin
• Attitude Black Mica roof paint w/ black sharkfin antenna (I think Attitude Black is called Midnight Black in the US)
• Black mirrors
• "Touring" lower rear valence
• Smoked headlight housing
• LED foglights and clearance lights
• Leather-wrapped steering wheel with piano black inserts (can we get this on ours?)
• Special SKS key fob (red decoration) with white Nappa leather key fob case
• Premium all-white Nappa leather seats
• Piano black shifter decoration
• Red shift knob
• Red side vent...

Looks like there's a new RAV4 Hybrid LE model to compliment the XLE, SE and Limited Hybrid models. (Canada already has the LE+ Hybrid trim level since inception)


Starting price is US$27,135 compared to the regular RAV4 LE AWD starting price of $25,810 ($1325 difference)

Here are the differences between the two. The $1,325 looks like a decent value, especially when you include the extra features.

	Feature	LE AWD	LE Hybrid AWD-i
1	MPG	22/28/25	34/30/32
2	Dynamic Torque-Control AWD	X
3	Centre Differential Lock	X
4	Electronic On-Demand AWD		X
5	17" Steel Wheels w/ Wheel Covers	X
6	17" 5-Spoke Alloy Wheels		X
7	Front/Rear Silver-Painted Bumper Garnish		X
8	Heated Mirrors		X
9	Mirror-Mounted Turn Signal Indicators		X
10	Intermittent Wipers	X
11	Variable Intermittent Wipers		X
12	Roof Rails (You can remove it on the hybrid and get credit back)		X
13	Dual Zone Auto Climate Control		X
14	Front Sport Seats		X
15	Power Windows with Driver Auto Down	X
16	Power Windows w/ Driver Auto Up/Down		X
17	Remote Keyless...

Source: http://m.wardsauto.com/engines/honda-s-best-yet-hybrid-powertrain

Source: http://wardsauto.com/ideaxchange/environmental-downside-bevs#comment-66561

Source: Green Car Congress: Enel acquires eMotorWerks to provide grid balancing solutions and tap into US e-mobility market

The E-Fuso Vision One is a heavy-duty truck promising a range of 217 miles and a payload similar to a conventional diesel truck. Making this possible is a massive battery array with 300 kilowatt-hours of capacity.

Fuso says the electrification of long-haul trucks will still need considerable time due to insufficient battery technology, so the brand sees something like the E-Fuso Vision One being used to transport goods between regional cities until more range is possible.

Fuso’s long-term goal is to electrify its entire lineup. This initiative will be backed by access to parent company Daimler’s know-how in the fields of battery and charging technology, Fuso says.

E-Fuso Vision One heavy-duty electric truck concept with 217-mile range debuts in Tokyo

Posted via the PriusChat mobile app.

Toyota: CEO wants its autonomous cars to know how you feel

“As far as green cars go, vehicle powertrain electrification is a must,” said Soichiro Okudaira, president of Daihatsu Motor Co, a fully owned subsidiary of Toyota Motor Corp, which showed its concept of the “Pro Cargo” multi-use mini electric van at the show’s first media day on Wednesday .

“EV (technology) is a great match with small cars people use everyday to commute, go shopping, because it’s easy to charge and maintain.”

As advances in lithium ion battery technology improve charging times and lower production costs, some automakers and suppliers expect increased demand will boost EV sales within the next decade, lowering their price towards gasoline vehicles.

“We see this tipping point happening around 2025. By then for the customer to buy petrol or EV it will be practically same cost,” Nissan Executive Vice President Daniele Schillaci said.

“And then ... if you have the same price for EVs and petrol why would you buy traditional technology?”...

Switch from MobilEye to Nvidia the issue?

"Perks such as rain-sensing wipers have yet to be added, but more operational tasks, such as the ability to read speed limit signs and differentiate between vehicle types on the road, are also absent. Other features, like automated lane changes on the highway, better steering on tight roads, and auto-summon, were promised by the end of 2016, but have yet to be rolled out. Tesla has since removed the date from its website.

But “Enhanced Autopilot,” as it was called, wasn’t complete. As a result, Tesla vehicles built since October 2016 have many fewer safety and convenience features enabled than in older models. Musk acknowledged as much during his announcement, noting that “it will probably sometime next year” when Tesla cars with the newer hardware suite caught up to the previous versions in functionality. In early 2017, Musk tweeted that most of those features would be rolling out soon, but months later, many are still missing....

“We believe our solid-state battery technology can be a game changer with the potential to dramatically improve driving range,” Executive Vice President Didier Leroy said at the Tokyo Motor Show, which opened to media on Wednesday.

Toyota plans to roll out a new electric vehicle in the early 2020s powered by solid-state batteries, which also promise to reduce the long charging times currently required.

Toyota: Committed to hydrogen cars despite potential 'game changer' EV battery | Reuters

Posted via the PriusChat mobile app.

Source: http://wardsauto.com/engines/nissan-stretches-e-nv200-electric-van-s-range-60?NL=WAW-04&Issue=WAW-04_20171023_WAW-04_251&cl=article_6&utm_rid=CPENT000000095975&utm_campaign=14997&utm_medium=email&elq2=6272b816060a4c61a8f44750463653ae

Source: Quickest-selling used cars in America

1. Fiat 500e
2. BMW i3
3. Lexus IS 200t
4. Toyota Prius Plug-In
5. Hyundai Veloster Turbo
6. Nissan Leaf
7. Scion FR-S
8. Mercedes-Benz GLC
9. Ford Fusion Energi
10. Tesla Model S

Fastest selling to slowest.

Bob Wilson

Toyota Rolls Out New Model for "JPN Taxi" | TOYOTA Global Newsroom



Looks like it's a new propane variant of the 1NZ-FXE, the 1NZ-FXP.

Wall Street Journal sources claim that Tesla has a deal to build a factory in Shanghai's free trade zone. Tesla would still have to pay the 25 percent import duty, but it would retain full control and could likely offset the tariff with lower production and shipping costs.

Tesla reportedly lands deal to build an EV factory in Shanghai

Posted via the PriusChat mobile app.

I bought a 2010 prius for $6200 Salvaged title from a 20 year old girl. She said the salvage was from a rear collision, the car looked & felt great driving it. everything seemed normal could'nt even tell it was salvaged. everything seems to be great on the car but 2 days after buying it the check engine light went on.. I personally asked if that would happen when negotiating the price of the car, they said it wouldn't. when I saw the light I got upset & asked if they disconnected the battery & cleared the code to sell us the car under false terms. The smog certificate they gave us was older then 90 days from the sale of purchase of the car, CA law is very explicit in the laws that the seller of the car is required to have & provide a certificate 90 in the time line of selling the car or responsible for the repairs I think.
the father got involved & basically told me bad luck & its not their problem
I can't smog the car.. the check engine light was a P0420 cadilatic converter its...

Source: Huger Blitzes Indiegogo to Bring Electric Skateboards to Production

Mitsubishi has unveiled what they call the world's first mass-produced electric truck.

3 tons of cargo and 100 Km (62 miles) on a single charge.

I did not realize 7-Eleven was so big in Japan.

First mass-produced electric truck unveiled - News - NHK WORLD - English

https://mondaynote.com/teslas-new-car-smell-315c72c955d3

It's an interesting read, fairly long but worth the effort IMHO. Here is the the brief reference to Toyota.

"I couldn’t help check off the sins against the “Toyota Bible”, prescriptions for car manufacturers that are lucidly detailed in The Machine That Changed The World (a great and, in parts, sad read)."

Posted via the PriusChat mobile app.

Source: Bosch Announces New 48-Volt Battery Pack


On a recent Autoline After Hours...