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Featured Threads Archive
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Wankle range extender
Source: Mazda Seems Serious About Turning The Rotary Engine Into A ‘Range Extender’
We’ve heard this might be a new application of the rotary for a while, but here’s some more concrete news. It won’t be powering a sports car for now, so hold off on your dreams of seeing a new Mazda Cosmo anytime soon. Mazda plans on having an electric vehicle sometime around 2019 with a pure electric model in the Asian and European markets while North America will get the rotary range extender.
Small size, light weight, it looks like a good solution to me.
Bob Wilson -
Toyota to study Mirai-derived fuel-cell tech for heavy-duty trucks
Toyota to study Mirai-derived fuel-cell tech for heavy-duty trucks
Well in my mind, it's better than diesel and has the torque that these trucks need. -
Prius (and all Toyota vehicles) & the Kobe Steel Revelations
I'm not wanting to raise any alarms where not warranted, but, just as an FYI ...
Yesterday, it was publicly announced that Kobe Steel falsified QA inspection results for aluminum and copper that they produced.
Of particular relevance to Toyota (taken from yesterday's NY Times article on the Kobe Steel situation):
Kobe Steel said on Sunday that employees at four of its factories had altered inspection certificates on aluminum and copper products from September 2016 to August this year. The changes, it said, made it look as if the products met manufacturing specifications required by customers — including for vital qualities like tensile strength, a measure of stiffness — when they did not.
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All of Japan’s major carmakers — Honda, Mazda, Mitsubishi, Nissan, Subaru, Suzuki and Toyota — are looking into their use of Kobe Steel materials. Toyota called the data falsification a “grave issue” and said it was looking into the problem and considering how best to respond,... -
Is this (not so) "smart" product Prius compatible?
In a recent article I saw a mention of a "smart" product called Phrame. It looks like a SKSK incompatible security nightmare to me.
Phrame is a smart license plate frame that serves as a “safe box” for your car key. It is equipped with sensors and a security system that you can easily install on your car around your existing car’s license plate frame and then connect to your smartphone.
From there, Phrame can communicate with your smartphone, enabling the ability to share access to your car via storing your car key inside Phrame’s compartment. This way, Phrame gives you full-control over providing access to your car to whomever you wish via the Phrame app. Moreover, the app provides real-time information directly to your smartphone such as your car’s location, outside temperature and any unusual activity related to your car.
The original article said you could give others access to the "hidden" key. I doubt it is compatible with full SKS.
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Morgan Stanley predicts 1B EVs on the road by 2050
Bad news for ICE power train component makers, good news for battery makers, chip makers, and maybe harder for automakers to maintain branding differentiation and profits.
Morgan StanleyVoice: Auto Industry Braces For Electric Shock
Posted via the PriusChat mobile app. -
Automakers and Fuel Efficiency Standards
Source: Automakers Supporting Revision of Fuel Efficiency Standards | TheDetroitBureau.com
Automakers Supporting Revision of Fuel Efficiency Standards
Move comes despite public support for tougher mandates.
by Michael Strong on Oct.09, 2017
EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt reopened the review of tougher CAFE standards going into effect for 2025.
Automakers want federal regulators to revise fuel efficiency mandates because meeting the standard for 2025 of 54.5 mpg would be cost prohibitive and, perhaps more importantly, U.S. consumers do not care about the mandate anyway, according to two trade association groups representing automakers.
The revelation, which comes two months after automakers said they were onboard with the tougher rules, was unveiled in testimony submitted in advance of meetings being held by the Environmental Protection Agency and the... -
GM SURUS platform
Source: GM Shows Off A New Autonomous Fuel-Cell Truck Platform Called SURUS And Its Pretty Damn Cool
. . . I was surprised by GM’s announcement of their new robotic fuel-cell-powered all-terrain utility-truck platform, SURUS. Most automaker reveals aren’t this confidently utilitarian, and it also seems to be a rebirth of a GM concept I thought was long dead, the Hy-wire fuel-cell concept that featured a self-contained, skateboard-like platform. The surprise is good, because the concept seems very promising.
. . .
GM is pitching the SURUS concept to utility and military applications, and their press release describes the vehicle’s potential abilities:
SURUS will deliver highly... -
SEMA Ioniq claims +80 MPG
Hyundai Ioniq for SEMA Nets More Than 80 MPG - Motor Trend
The SEMA-bound concept features a Bisimoto Dream Aero kit with a special front splitter, TA wing, side splitters, and rear wheel covers. Along with a Bisimoto pulse-chamber exhaust system, the model also gets enhanced e-generators, optimized inertial supercharging during valvetrain overlap, and a Progress Performance coilover suspension that reduces ground clearance. Also look for low-rolling resistance tires on Carbon Revolution 19-inch carbon fiber wheels, Buddy Club aluminum brake calipers, and NGK spark plugs. Inside the cabin, there are Recaro Pole Position racing seats.
“The HyperEconiq Ioniq takes the Ioniq where we always knew it could go, without sacrificing drivability,” said Bisi Ezerioha, president of Bisimoto Engineering, in a statement. “Leveraging the outstanding Ioniq electrified platform and powertrain,... -
Legislative Update: California HOV for Plug-Ins
Apparently California HOV users are waiting for Gov. Brown to sign bill AB544 which extends free HOV for most plug-ins (those with stickers dated after 2017). I believe many are confused about details, so all I know is what's in the article below. Sounds like PiP owners and other older plug-ins might be out of luck after 2018. I suppose this bill could increase CA plug-in sales, since you might need a new plug-in to keep the free HOV.
California Lawmakers Allow Clean Cars to Stay in Carpool Lanes | KQED Science -
Solid State Battery - next generation EV?
Here are a few links that all point to a Solid State Battery being the next generation for electric vehicles and that Toyota is intending to base their next generation EV on that technology.
Toyota teases solid state battery to be in production in early 2020(s):
Toyota Teases Battery Breakthrough; Elon Musk Doesn’t Believe It | News | Car and Driver | Car and Driver Blog
And, others are saying they will also have solid state battery technology in production within three years:
Bill Joy (venture capital):
https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.wired.com/story/bill-joy-finds-the-jesus-battery/amp
Dyson investing $1B in an EV solid state battery to be in production in 2020:... -
The EQUA Index - real world testing results
Source: http://www.freep.com/story/money/cars/mark-phelan/2017/10/06/gas-mileage-fuel-economy-window-stickers/730153001/
U.S. car buyers now have access to real-world fuel economy and emissions data on new vehicles, courtesy of a research group that helped reveal that Volkswagen was evading European emissions regulations in addition to cheating on U.S. tests.
Source: EQUA Index - Independent real-world driving data
- 58.5 MPG - 2017 Prius Prime
- 54.6 MPG - 2014 Plug-in Prius
- 50.0 MPG - 2014 Prius
- 47.2 MPG - 2014 Prius c
Bob Wilson -
Cars With the Most Dangerous Infotainment Systems Include Ford, GM
Audi, FCA, Honda, Nissan, and Volvo once you get past the headline.
The AAA had conducted a study on the workload the infotainment system put on the driver. Inputing destinations into a nav system was the biggest, taking an average 40 seconds to do. All 12 of the worse models in the list had Nav. Toyota likely avoided inclusion by simply locking the nav input up while the car was in motion.
Cars With the Most Dangerous Infotainment Systems Include Ford, GM - 24/7 Wall St. -
Toyota to Premiere Tj CRUISER at Tokyo Motor Show 2017
Toyota to Premiere Tj CRUISER at Tokyo Motor Show 2017 | TOYOTA Global Newsroom
I didn't actually notice that this one was a hybrid until I saw Jalopnik's article mentioning it. The engine being a 2.0... -
Toyota to Debut Next-generation Century at Tokyo Motor Show 2017
![[IMG]](proxy.php?image=https%3A%2F%2Fattachments.priuschat.com%2Fattachment-files%2F2017%2F10%2F133529_001.jpg&hash=871b706dfaa0f592bf45def902e6f1ea)
Toyota to Debut Next-generation Century at Tokyo Motor Show 2017 | TOYOTA Global Newsroom
Looks like this is the outgoing Lexus LS 600h's powertrain, which is a quite old one, but given how...
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