Ford and Toyota begin work on joint electric car powertrain
Car manufacturers Ford and Toyota announced today that the companies will collaborate on a hybrid-electric car powertrain for sport utility vehicles and light trucks.
Ford and Toyota will jointly develop a rear-wheel drive electric powertrain and then introduce the powertrain in separate vehicle lines for each company. The light trucks and SUVs should arrive sometime later this decade, the companies said in an official announcement.
“The companies are likely looking to reduce cost of the … Continue Reading
Google self-driving Prius gets into first accident, thanks to human error
For the first time, one of Google’s much-hyped self-driving cars has been in a car accident, according to auto blog Jalopnik. But it’s actually a mere human’s fault.
Google said the accident, in which a Google-owned Toyota Prius rear-ended another Prius, happened when a driver — rather than the car’s computer — was in control. The accident, which happened earlier this week, occurred not far from Google’s Mountain View, Calif., headquarters.
“Safety is our top … Continue Reading
2012 Toyota Prius V Station Wagon: First Drive Review
Toyota executives will go to extraordinary, absurd lengths to avoid defining the body style of the new 2012 Toyota Prius V.
Bob Carter, brand sales chief for Toyota Motors in the U.S., first responded with confusion over the question. Presented with a list of alternatives–sedan, hatchback, minivan, station wagon, sport utility vehicle?–he said, hesitantly, “Well, the government would define it as a station wagon.”
So let’s get one thing straight: The 2012 Toyota Prius V … Continue Reading
Toyota bets big on hybrids, no pure electric car in sight
Toyota has unveiled a new line-up of hybrid electric Prius cars designed to attract more mainstream buyers to the fuel-efficient cars. The new models include a hatchback Prius v and a cheaper compact hybrid-electric car called the Prius c.
But nowhere in that line-up is an electric car that is only powered by a battery. Other car companies like Tesla Motors and Nissan have made bets that environmentally conscious car buyers will want to abandon … Continue Reading
Toyota electric cars will tweet, friend you
Car manufacturer Toyota is working with Salesforce.com, a provider of web-based software for large companies, to create a private social network for electric car drivers that will connect them with Toyota officials and local dealerships.
The “Toyota Friend” service will let electric car and plug-in hybrid electric car drivers communicate with Toyota and other maintenance officials to exchange diagnostic information about their cars. That can include driving habits, various information about the car’s performance and … Continue Reading
By the numbers: the 2012 plug-in Prius
Over six days of driving—limited to around-town trips—we put about 103 miles on a fleet-test Toyota Prius Plug-In, averaging 90.8 miles per gallon. In that time, we gave the Prius Plug-In five full charges and two partial ones, and according to the trip computer, we covered 77.7 miles in EV mode.
As we’ve reported in prior driving impressions, the Plug-In, which won’t go on sale until spring of 2012, will move on—or primarily on—electric power … Continue Reading
Google Maps adds electric car charging station locations
Google will display the locations of electric vehicle charging stations on its Google Maps web and mobile applications in an attempt to push potential electric car buyers to take the plunge.
Google Maps users can search for “ev charging stations” plus whatever city they are in. Google Maps then marks all the relevant locations.
Many hybrid and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles already have maps with electric vehicle charging stations laid out, but the Google Maps … Continue Reading
My Hummer isn’t electric? IRS details false tax credit claims
During the first half of 2010, nearly 13,000 U.S. taxpayers wrongly claimed a staggering $33 million under the electric tax credit incentive scheme, a Treasury Department inspector general report has revealed.
The credits, designed to encourage the uptake of plug-in hybrid and electric-only vehicles under the American Clean Energy and Security Act of 2009, rewards taxpayers who purchased a qualifying vehicle during the year with a $7,500 federal tax rebate cheque.
Hummers, Cadillacs, Dodges: Are … Continue Reading
On the GreenBeat: BrightSource raises $1.75 million, Germany to keep cutting solar subsidies
Here’s the latest action we’re following on the GreenBeat today:
BrightSource Energy raises $1.75 million — According to an SEC filing, the solar thermal power company, which is a rumored IPO candidate this year, has raised a small round of cash. The money appears to have been raised from BrightSource’s executive officers and directors. Its technology uses mirrors to concentrate sunlight on a tower, using the heat to generate steam to turn electrical turbines. BrightSource … Continue Reading
Toyota, Tesla give China's rare earths the electric car snub
Looks like one company has had enough of the rare earth shortages.
Toyota is in the advanced stages of creating a hybrid car “induction motor” that doesn’t use rare earths, Bloomberg reported today. Rare-earth minerals are used in a number of clean technologies and consumer electronics. They can be found in magnets that power electric cars and hybrids like Toyota Prius, Nissan Leaf, Chevrolet Volt, as well as cell phones, wind turbines and hard drives.… Continue Reading
Green car makers uses social media to hawk new models
Toyota, maker of the best-known hybrid to date, announced today a new family of its Priuses, including a plug-in version slated for release in 2012.
Not unexpectedly, considering that a major industry auto show is happening this week in Detroit, Toyota took the announcement an extra step by using social media as part of its pitch. Executives answered questions about the new models of Priuses via a Twitter chat, and an announcement was also made … Continue Reading
Toyota Prius Plug-In: Can it measure up to Chevrolet, Ford and Nissan's offerings?
Last week, I wrote about how Ford and GM have staged comebacks that hinged in part on the carmakers’ embracing of new electronics, launching greener cars with smartphone apps and wireless and voice-command capabilities.
Toyota will soon be joining the crowd by offering all of the above. Toyota, maker of the best-known hybrid to date, announced a new family of its Priuses today, including a plug-in version slated for release in 2012. It is also … Continue Reading
Smart grid's Silver Spring to unveil Prius charging technology
In the latest example of the opportunities created by the rollout of electric vehicles, smart grid networking player Silver Spring Networks announced it will unveil a prototype tomorrow of a charging station enabled with its technology for the 2012 Toyota Prius Plug-In Hybrid (pictured).
The company will show off the charging station at its headquarters in Redwood City, Calif. The charging stations are made by ClipperCreek and are a part of a smart grid and … Continue Reading
Ding-ding-ding! Electric cars likely to be required to make noise
In one particularly hilarious scene in the TV show Weeds, Mary-Louise Parker’s soccer mom/drug dealer character inspires a scary drug lord to buy several Toyota Priuses after he successfully carries out a drive-by shooting while riding in hers. The selling point? The quietness of the hybrid.
“Good for sneaking up on mother******s,” he cackles.
That might no longer be the case with a piece of legislation that recently passed the Senate and looks to be … Continue Reading
Toyota to pay Tesla $60 million to electrify RAV4
Tesla has entered into a $60 million agreement to develop a powertrain system for the electrified Toyota RAV4, which is slated to go on sale in 2012.
The agreement, disclosed in an SEC filing, covers the development of a battery, power electronics module, motor, gearbox and software that will be used in the electric RAV4, which is planned to go on sale in 2012 and will be showcased at the Los Angeles Auto Show this … Continue Reading
Bad news for electric cars: consumers don't understand them
Despite the hype and the near-ubiquity of the Toyota Prius (pictured), most Americans remain leery of buying alternative-fuel vehicles. That’s probably because they don’t have the basic knowledge to understand it, according to a new survey conducted by Harris Interactive.
The survey, which sampled 2,242 adults in July, took a look at consumer opinions on alternative fuel vehicles on the market — hybrids, all-electric, hydrogen electric and diesel and biodiesel-compatible cars.
The good news: Almost … Continue Reading
Venture capitalist Khosla sour on electric cars at Disrupt green panel
Vinod Khosla, dynamic founder of Khosla Ventures and Kevin Skillern, managing director of GE energy financial services, both just spoke on the “GreenTech Gurus” panel at TechCrunch Disrupt. Here are some highlights of the discussion.
On investment in cleantech:
Khosla (pictured, above) said he sees similarities in cleantech and IT investing. Quick returns aren’t necessarily an issue. Some of the technologies might take 10 years to get to liquidity, “but there’s plenty of other startups … Continue Reading
On the GreenBeat: A123 opens battery plant, Siemens targets India
A123 opens largest lithium-ion battery plant in the U.S. The Livonia, Mich. plant will expand the company’s manufacturing capabilities by up to 600 megawatt-hours per year, with the goal of ramping up to a total 760M megawatt-hours by next year’s end. The announcement comes one year after A123 was awarded a $249 million grant as part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. As GigaOm notes, A123’s IPO last year opened at $17 per share … Continue Reading
Electric car crazy — Aptera, Hybrid Technologies, PG&E show their latest
A123 opens largest lithium-ion battery plant in the U.S. The Livonia, Mich. plant will expand the company’s manufacturing capabilities by up to 600 megawatt-hours per year, with the goal of ramping up to a total 760M megawatt-hours by next year’s end. The announcement comes one year after A123 was awarded a $249 million grant as part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. As GigaOm notes, A123’s IPO last year opened at $17 per share … Continue Reading
