[zdubyadubya]

Jaguar overtakes Porsche in the hybrid race to be the most expensive hybrid.

Autotopia reveals 1.1M hybrid

 

[IH8Rice]

no turbine engines. no care

 

[slyfink]

stumbled on this via the youtube extravaganza thread:

 

[IH8Rice]

want a Volt for cheap? wait a few years

The 2011 Chevrolet Volt will have a resale value of a tick over $17,000 after 36 months, the length of an average lease, according to Kelley Blue Book. That's only 42 percent of the plug-in hybrid's $41,000 MSRP. KBB's projection assumes that the going rate for a gallon of gas will hold steady at $4/gallon 36 months from now.

http://www.autoblog.com/2011/05/17/chevy-volt-may-be-worth-only-17-000-after-36-months/

 

[IH8Rice]

 

[stevew]

it's a shame he liked wrecking.

 

[Toshi]

I'm in a 2010/2011 Prius this week while on vacation in the Pac NW. Keep in mind that my wife's car is a 2006 Prius, not to mention that my dear mother also has a 2006 Prius.

Good things about the new-gen Prius:

- Mileage is excellent. In mixed driving I'm averaging just a hair under 55 mpg, and that includes coming over the mountains to the Oregon coast. It's almost exactly the same whether city or highway. For comparison purposes I get 44-45 mpg in mostly city driving and get anywhere from 45-55 mpg on the freeway in our old-gen Prius. The new one is 15-20% more efficient overall given the same driver, in other words.
- Electric assist feels stronger and more aggressive than in our last-gen Prius, and the EV mode is nice for silently creeping up the driveway/alleyway, etc.
- Driving position is improved, with adjustable height on the seat (our top-spec last-gen doesn't have this!) and a telescoping steering wheel. I'd like more latitude from the wheel but it's much better in any case.
- Front seats are more comfortable. No longer do I feel as if I'm sliding off of it after a while.
- Handling and braking response are both sharpened up. It feels much more "normal" now, for what that's worth.
- Aux in on the stereo even on the base model!

Bad things about the new-gen Prius:

- Lots of tire noise at freeway speeds, quite a bit more than on the last-gen model.
- Plastics are weird. While I don't think they're outright cheap feeling, they're definitely unusual. They're not the usual shiny hard plastic but have a fine grain to them.
- Base model rental trim interior colors are pretty dismal, with grey mousefur. Not as bad as a domestic stripper but not something I'd buy at that trim level.
- I hit my head on the roof in the rear seat, which has a nice, high, otherwise-comfortable cushion. I also had to lower the driver's seat quite a bit to feel comfortable with the drawn-down-tight upper margin of the windshield, which is raked even more for aerodynamics.
- Car feels much more comfortable at 60 mph than at 70 mph.
- The split rear window really means a backup camera is necessary, IMO, yet the stripper rental model doesn't have one, of course.
- Silver plastic bits on bottom spokes of steering wheel feel cheap, and the useful feature of having the defrost controls on the wheel has been scrapped.

Overall it's not bad, and certainly an excellent choice for a rental car that we've been driving all over Washington and Oregon given the price of gas--again, 55 mpg on regular! I can also see where Toyota has improved on the old model. On the other hand, there are definitely things that I prefer about our generation model, namely the road noise, steering wheel controls, and better outward visibility.

 

[IH8Rice]

direct injection, non hybrid ftw.

The new direct-injection 1.3 liter SKYACTIV-G unit comes with 84 PS/62 kW and 112 Nm of torque and features a remarkable consumption rating of just 3.3 liters/100 km (71.2 mpg US / 85.6 mpg UK). The gasoline power plant is naturally aspirated and achieves a remarkable compression ratio of 14.0:1.......
The new power plant will debut in the facelifted JDM Mazda Demio model in Japan this summer - sold as the Mazda2 around the world.

Read more: http://www.worldcarfans.com/111051933522/mazda-introduces-new-13-liter-skyactiv-g-engine---70-mpgs#ixzz1MplKQaMV

ridiculous compression ratio too

http://www.worldcarfans.com/111051933522/mazda-introduces-new-13-liter-skyactiv-g-engine---70-mpgs

 

[jdcamb]

I'm in a 2010/2011 Prius this week while on vacation in the Pac NW. Keep in mind that my wife's car is a 2006 Prius, not to mention that my dear mother also has a 2006 Prius.

Good things about the new-gen Prius:

- Mileage is excellent. In mixed driving I'm averaging just a hair under 55 mpg, and that includes coming over the mountains to the Oregon coast. It's almost exactly the same whether city or highway. For comparison purposes I get 44-45 mpg in mostly city driving and get anywhere from 45-55 mpg on the freeway in our old-gen Prius. The new one is 15-20% more efficient overall given the same driver, in other words.
- Electric assist feels stronger and more aggressive than in our last-gen Prius, and the EV mode is nice for silently creeping up the driveway/alleyway, etc.
- Driving position is improved, with adjustable height on the seat (our top-spec last-gen doesn't have this!) and a telescoping steering wheel. I'd like more latitude from the wheel but it's much better in any case.
- Front seats are more comfortable. No longer do I feel as if I'm sliding off of it after a while.
- Handling and braking response are both sharpened up. It feels much more "normal" now, for what that's worth.
- Aux in on the stereo even on the base model!

Bad things about the new-gen Prius:

- Lots of tire noise at freeway speeds, quite a bit more than on the last-gen model.
- Plastics are weird. While I don't think they're outright cheap feeling, they're definitely unusual. They're not the usual shiny hard plastic but have a fine grain to them.
- Base model rental trim interior colors are pretty dismal, with grey mousefur. Not as bad as a domestic stripper but not something I'd buy at that trim level.
- I hit my head on the roof in the rear seat, which has a nice, high, otherwise-comfortable cushion. I also had to lower the driver's seat quite a bit to feel comfortable with the drawn-down-tight upper margin of the windshield, which is raked even more for aerodynamics.
- Car feels much more comfortable at 60 mph than at 70 mph.
- The split rear window really means a backup camera is necessary, IMO, yet the stripper rental model doesn't have one, of course.
- Silver plastic bits on bottom spokes of steering wheel feel cheap, and the useful feature of having the defrost controls on the wheel has been scrapped.

Overall it's not bad, and certainly an excellent choice for a rental car that we've been driving all over Washington and Oregon given the price of gas--again, 55 mpg on regular! I can also see where Toyota has improved on the old model. On the other hand, there are definitely things that I prefer about our generation model, namely the road noise, steering wheel controls, and better outward visibility.

Tell us more about the Stripper.

 

[Toshi]

Toyota Prius V first drive by Autoblog: http://green.autoblog.com/2011/05/23/2012-toyota-prius-v-first-drive-review/

Looks much less ugly inside and out than I had feared. I quite like the red/tan/black combo on their tester, even though the previous press photos of the interior had made me gag. They logged nearly 40 mpg, too.

 

[IH8Rice]

click on the closed caption

 

[zdubyadubya]

I would like to try the NG powered Tundra.

 

[woodsguy]

Dyno charging stations?

 

[IH8Rice]

new smaller Prius C prototype

Because the Prius C is so much shorter than the standard Prius hatch – about 20 inches has been chopped from its overall length – our spies believe that these prototypes ride on either a brand-new chassis or on modified Yaris underpinnings. Under the skin, we expect the Prius C to use a 1.5-liter hybrid powertrain, or perhaps a version of the 1.8-liter unit found in the larger Prius.

Regardless, Toyota has long said that the Prius C will be the most efficient non-plug-in hybrid on the market when it launches next year, with prices expected to fall around the $20,000 mark. Get ready, Honda Insight and CR-Z. This one's coming right for you.

 

[Toshi]

 

[Toshi]

http://cityroom.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/06/12/battery-power-gives-deliverymen-a-boost-at-a-cost/

Cliffs Notes: Electric bikes are illegal in NY state yet ubiquitous amongst Manhattan food deliverymen, and cops are actually handing out $65 tickets to their riders.

 

[CBJ]

I never see them pedal their electric bikes. I guess the pedals are just a back up system.

 

[Toshi]

This is why I continue to have 0 sympathy whatsoever for Americans whining about gas prices.

 

[IH8Rice]

the F-series from Ford has been the #1 seller in America for over 30+ years. this wont change for a very very long time

 

[jonKranked]

the F-series from Ford has been the #1 seller in America for over 30+ years. this wont change for a very very long time

f stands for fail

 

[syadasti]

This is why I continue to have 0 sympathy whatsoever for Americans whining about gas prices.

Of those new vehicles only the Sierra, Ram, Silverado, and F-series are actual truck chassis. Most vehicle sales on that list from are 4 cylinder cars and crossovers.

 

[IH8Rice]

f stands for fail

in Ford's book, it stands for Winning. their sales continue to rise month by month thanks to their trucks.
the day a hybrid outsells a truck in the US is when hell will freeze over

 

[CBJ]

the day a hybrid outsells a truck in the US is when hell will freeze over

Because of the lowering of CO2 and green house effect due to less emission?

 

[IH8Rice]

despite pickups being the #1 and #2 vehicles in the US, Coral Gables could care less

Starting this month, the city of Coral Gables will issue warning notices to owners of pickup trucks who do not park their trucks inside their garages at night.

Since the 1960s, the city has banned people from parking their pickup trucks in their driveways or on city streets from 7 p.m. to 7 a.m.

After Aug. 8, Coral Gables will start issuing tickets to people who violate the parking ban.

The city has resumed enforcement of this controversial law because last month, the Florida Supreme Court decided not to consider an appeal by Lowell Kuvin, who sued Coral Gables in 2003 after code enforcement officers cited him for parking his pickup truck on a residential street.

http://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/local/mh-gables-pickup-truck-ban-20110615,0,7905761.story

 

[Whoops]

Land of the free?

WTF?

 

[Toshi]

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/06/27/science/earth/27traffic.html

A nice piece showing the polar opposite attitudes to transportation in the US and Europe. Who's going to be whining when gas prices inevitably continue to rise? That's right, we will be. And, eventually, it'll actually hurt us.

Oh well. Enjoy the free parking for now!

 

[valve bouncer]

Have been casting a lazy eye over the Honda Fit Shuttle Hybrid.

Was delayed in release by the quake but on sale now. Same mileage as the Insight, CRZ etc. Have calculated at present petrol prices a saving of about US$5000 over 10 years. Purchase price about US$20,000.

 

[Toshi]

congratulations!

you are scheduled to be one of the first to drive the 100% electric Nissan LEAF!
below are your drive details.

While my initial enthusiasm for it has been tempered, clearly, I'm still somewhat psyched to get a chance to drive the Leaf. Nissan's "drive electric tour" (yes, all lowercase ee cummings style) is swinging by Long Island in a few weeks, and my time with it in a parking lot is going to be July 8.



Update: Didn't drive the Leaf on July 8 after all, because my _other_ "alternative personal transportation" method, my motorcycle, broke down on the parkway on the way to the site.

Update 2: Didn't drive the Leaf on July 17, either, because the decidedly non-alternative fellow cars made traffic crossing Manhattan on the way to the Holland Tunnel (and ultimately to Jersey City) a total ****show. I gave up after moving about 3 blocks in just under half an hour and headed back home without seeing or driving the "beast."

 

[stevew]

 

[Toshi]

Two pieces of relevant info tonight:

1) Green Vehicles, vaporware makers of the TRIAC three wheeled EV that I wrote about earlier in this very thread, have folded. The real news in this is that Salinas, California is now out their $500k investment in the company. Whoops.

Source: http://www.allcarselectric.com/news/1063336_start-up-electric-car-company-green-vehicles-folds-costs-city-500000

2) Toyota has supposedly confirmed that the 2012 RAV4 EV will be available for sale to the public. Note "for sale" as opposed to the lease-only Mini E, and distinct from the crush-some-sell-some policy they had with their first-gen RAV4 EV so many years ago...

I'm actually a bit psyched about this vehicle as a possibility for my wife in a few years, as she maintains her green/white person's conscience despite my own recent cynicism. It'd be bigger and more practical yet than a Nissan Leaf, especially in rear legroom (38.3" vs. 31.1" is a HUGE difference), and I have faith in Toyota's engineers to not release a turd on the marketplace.

 

[gonefirefightin]

I have literally owned only 4 wheel drive pickups all my life. the only difference has been duallys for the last 10 years due to the things I haul. for a get around I always have the harley.

but recently I have wanted a rig that is getting laughs from everyone who knows me.

it will fit a full size motorcycle and gets great mileage and I can sleep in it

 

[IH8Rice]

how about a full-size Nissan

 

[gonefirefightin]

how about a full-size Nissan

too big, defeats my point

 

[Toshi]

Nissan Leaf insights: http://news.consumerreports.org/cars/2011/07/plug-in-2011-conference-nissan-shares-leaf-insights.html

(I'd have my own from test driving it except that I was stymied twice in the past month when trying to get to scheduled test drives. Gah.)

- 4k sold in US, 10k globally so far
- Mean income $140k and "well-educated" to boot
- 80% coming out of a Toyota Prius
- 30% using it as their one and only car (talk about true range anxiety!)
- Few cross-shopping it with the Chevy Volt

 

[Toshi]

Our very own ohio going for the bigtime:

BRD RedShift. Supermoto and MX versions tipping the scales at 250 and 240 lbs, respectively. 40 hp water-cooled AC motor. 5.2 kWh of battery. $15k. Built in San Francisco.

ohio speaks:

“We just want to make faster motorcycles,” said CEO Marc Fenigstein in the company’s press statement. “We’re a team of riders and racers with high-performance gas machines in the garage. We’re building the bikes we’d rather be riding.”

Coverage on asphaltandrubber.com: http://www.asphaltandrubber.com/news/brd-redshift-sm/

Company site: http://www.faster-faster.com/

 

[CBJ]

it will fit a full size motorcycle and gets great mileage and I can sleep in it

Do it - love the utility of cars like that. Would be such a perfect road trip car. Amazing how much fit inside one and its locked away and out of sight when you are on the road.

 

[bdamschen]

Our very own ohio going for the bigtime:

 

[IH8Rice]

Top Gear's editor responds to claims that their "review" was bad for Nissan

In response, I’d like to say:
1) We never, at any point in the film, said that we were testing the range claims of the vehicles, nor did we say that the vehicles wouldn’t achieve their claimed range. We also never said at any time that we were hoping to get to our destination on one charge.

2) We never said what the length of the journey was, where we had started from, nor how long we had been driving at the start of the film. So again, no inference about the range can be gleaned from our film.

3) We were fully aware that Nissan could monitor the state of the battery charge and distance travelled via onboard software. The reporter from The Times seems to suggest this device caught us out, but we knew about it all the time, as Nissan will confirm. We weren’t bothered about it, because we had nothing to hide.

4) The content of our film was driven by the points we were trying to explore. As James stated in the introduction, you can now go to a dealer and buy a ‘proper’ electric car, as in one that claims to be more practical and useful than a tiny, short-range city runabout. That’s what the car company marketing says, and that’s what we focused on in our test: the pros and cons of living with one as an alternative to a petrol car.

So yes, when we set off, we knew we would have to recharge at some point, because that was an experience we wanted to devote part of the film to. Now granted, James and Jeremy’s stopover – which included brass rubbings, adult scrabble and tattoos – was more knockabout than an average motorist would experience, but the consumer points coming out of the film were quite clear:

1) Electric cars are still very expensive.

2) The recharging infrastructure is patchy.

3) The range readout varies enormously, unlike the information given by a petrol gauge.

4) The Leaf is a very good car per se, and there’s nothing wrong with electric motors, but the battery, in our view, remains the Achilles’ heel of the whole package.

In the story in The Times Andy Palmer, Nissan’s Executive Vice President, was quoted as saying that our film was misleading. Well with respect to Mr Palmer, Nissan’s own website for the Leaf devotes a fair amount of space to extolling the virtues of fast charging, but nowhere does it warn potential customers that constant fast charging can severely shorten the life of the battery.

It also says that each Leaf battery should still have 80 percent of its capacity after five years’ use, and that, to a layman, sounds great. But nowhere is it mentioned that quite a few experts in the battery industry believe when a battery is down to 80 percent capacity, it has reached End Of Life (EOL) status. Peugeot, for example, accepts 80 percent capacity as End Of Life.

Now I also know, to be fair to Nissan, that when you go to buy a Leaf they do warn you about the pitfalls of constant fast charging. But the website is the portal to the Leaf world, it’s their electronic shop window. Is it misleading not to have all the facts on display? I’m only asking.

In conclusion, we absolutely refute that we were misleading viewers over the charge/range, and we stand by the consumer points raised in the film.

http://transmission.blogs.topgear.com/2011/08/02/electric-cars-charges-answered/

 

[Toshi]

While Clarkson and May do bring up important points regarding limited range and recharging time, the way that they approach it is quite boneheaded. Starting from less-than-full charges without stating so, parking in handicapped parking spots deliberately, and intentionally choosing a route without any charging infrastructure... One might as well test a gasoline car starting out on 1/4 tank and driving into a desert devoid of gas stations.

 

[stoney]

While Clarkson and May do bring up important points regarding limited range and recharging time, the way that they approach it is quite boneheaded. Starting from less-than-full charges without stating so, parking in handicapped parking spots deliberately, and intentionally choosing a route without any charging infrastructure... One might as well test a gasoline car starting out on 1/4 tank and driving into a desert devoid of gas stations.

Concur. For anybody living in an urban/suburban area with a regular commute, there is no reason to not have an EV. Unfortunately they are expensive and installing the at-home infrastructure requires that you own the home. It really limits the eligible market for the product.

Plus, you need a smart meter and wired house to adjust for that potential electricity spikes. Washer/dryer, dishwasher, car and heating/cooling if applicable need to be on a central grid to prevent you from spiking into high rate energy costs. I'm not against it by any means, but it requires that you have a pretty capital intensive electrical network and appliance investment.