Toyota Announces Prices For 2008 Highlander Hybrid

 Toyota Motor Sales USA announced manufacturer’s suggested retail prices (MSRP) for the 2008 Highlander Hybrid.The 2008 model is larger and quieter than its predecessor, and will be offered in Base and Limited grades, powered by a 3.3-liter V6 with four-wheel drive with intelligence (4WD-i) that delivers 270 hp (201 kW). A new EV Mode, ECON Mode and Hybrid System Indicator assist the driver to enhance fuel economy and driving experience.

Highlander’s advanced Hybrid Synergy Drive system has been upgraded for 2008 for both power and economy. The new Highlander gained about 500 pounds, growing significantly in every dimension and receiving extensive body and chassis reinforcement, aimed specifically at achieving best-in-class crash ratings. Engineers were able to increase output to 270 net horsepower—the same as that produced by the 3.5-liter engine in the conventional hybrid—with no fuel economy penalty.

EV Mode allows the driver to operate the Highlander Hybrid in electric mode for a limited distance at low speeds, or in stop-and-go driving conditions. ECON Mode activates a throttle-control program that smoothes out throttle response; thereby, limiting excessive acceleration. A Hybrid System Indicator provides the driver with a visual guideline for optimizing fuel economy.

Highlander Hybrid rides on an all-new chassis derived from the current Camry and Avalon. It is nearly four inches longer, three inches wider, and has three inches of additional wheelbase than the Highlander it replaces.

With new standard equipment and convenience features, the 2008 Highlander Hybrid base grade 4WD-i model will carry an MSRP of $33,700, a decrease of $190, or 0.6% over the previous generation comparably-equipped Highlander Hybrid.

The Limited grade 4WD i-model will carry a base MSRP of $39,950, an increase of $3,400 or 9.3%. The Highlander Hybrid will arrive in dealerships in early October.

The Army's first hybrid tank

Oh, yeah! Now, that's a hybrid. BAE Systems demoed the first hybrid drive for a ground combat vehicle. It's a part of the Army's Future Combat Systems (FCS). The army is also developing a hybrid Hummer. They are even going to Detroit looking for batteries. You might think: the Army, embracing this hippie crap? Don't be surprised.
Fuel efficiency means fewer supply lines. Fewer supply lines mean fewer troops in danger. The Army wants green power too. It's about saving lives. Well, our troop's lives. The Army is not the Red Cross. The army's hybrids are not going to do the environment much good either.
Pictured is the first vehicle it will be used which should begin production in 2008. Non-Line-of-Sight Cannon (NLOS-C), the lead FCS ground combat vehicle with a fully automated, 155mm self-propelled howitzer. That thing does not plant trees! YEEHAW!

[Source: http://www.autobloggreen.com/2007/08/17/the-armys-first-hybrid-tank/, Green Car Congress]

Amazing - 1,562 miles on s single Prius tank!

(originally posted on PriusChat):

Kazu Tochigi achieved 1,562 miles/tank (2,513 km). The computer mileage was 104.2 mpg (44.3 km/L).

Even with the larger tank in the Japanese Prius, this is still an amazing feat.


As noted on PriusChat, this would be the equivalent of going from NYC to Dallas, on a single tank of gas!

--- Oren

Ikea switches to hybrid company cars

Ikea, the Swedish furniture and homeware brand that has brought Scandinavian design to the masses, has announced that all management team in Spain, or at least those (lucky ones) who have company cars, will have hybrids. The model is a Toyota Prius, and some would say "of course".
The switch to the popular hybrid model will be performed as the lease of current vehicles expire until they reach 44 at the end of this year. The plan is part of Ikea's announcement to reduce greenhouse gases emissions on transport 9 percent before 2010 and reducing waste from packages.
A recent Ikea campaign celebrating Madrid's third shop included giving away free metro (subway) tickets for shoppers.
Now, what if they could team up to make a foldable and recyclable car? Maybe I've seen too many reruns of Dragon Ball...

[Source: Europa Press, http://www.autobloggreen.com/2007/08/10/ikea-switches-to-hybrid-company-cars/]

Toyota Delays its Next Generation Hybrid

It seems that Toyota is still trying to figure out its next generation plug-in hybrid strategy. I guess my 2nd generation Prius will retain its value over the next 2-3 years...

[source: Wall Street Journal]

Toyota U.S. Hybrid Delay
Could Help Rivals Close Gap

Lithium-Ion Worries Will Scale Back Plans For Slew of New Models

By NORIHIKO SHIROUZU August 9, 2007

Toyota Motor Corp., which exploited the green image of its gasoline-electric Toyota Prius to propel a U.S. sales surge, has decided to delay by as long as two years the launches of new high-mileage hybrids using lithium-ion battery technology. The slowdown could offer General Motors Corp. and other rivals a chance to close the gap in the race to define future clean-vehicle technology.

Until recently, Toyota was preparing to unleash an aggressive hybrid-product blitz, rolling out a dozen new and redesigned hybrids using new lithium-ion battery technology in the U.S. between 2008 and 2010. Its current hybrids use nickel-metal-hydride batteries. But problems with the lithium-ion technology have forced Toyota to back away from that timetable, people familiar with the company's strategy say.

That marketing push -- critical to Toyota's goal of selling 600,000 hybrids a year in the U.S. by early next decade -- is now on hold, according to Toyota executives knowledgeable about the company's hybrid-product plans for the U.S. market.

Moreover, Toyota postponed plans for hybrid versions of its big and fuel-thirsty Tundra pickup and Sequoia sport-utility vehicle, though the executives added there is a chance Toyota would revive big-truck hybrids and come out with them by 2013 or 2014. GM and Chrysler LLC plan to launch hybrid large SUVs next year, using a system developed jointly by GM, DaimlerChrysler AG and BMW AG.

Toyota hit the brakes on the newer-technology hybrids because of problems with the safety of lithium-ion-battery technology, which the auto maker was counting on to make hybrids even more fuel-efficient and affordable. Because they pack more electricity in the same space and weight, those batteries are expected to allow auto makers to halve the size of the current hybrid-propulsion system using nickel-metal-hydride batteries. That would also make the hybrids substantially cheaper and capable of achieving about 25 to 30 kilometers a liter in normal operation.

Toyota had bet on batteries based on lithium-cobalt-oxide technology. But such batteries have shown a tendency to overheat, catch fire or explode in some cases. Similar concerns have bedeviled laptop-computer makers using lithium-ion batteries made by Japan's Sony Corp.

The batteries Toyota is trying to develop use particles of lithium cobalt oxide. The technology risks a phenomenon called "thermal runaway," when it suffers an electrical short in the system, which could be caused by physical damage to the system in an accident. Experts say lithium-ion batteries in general tend to perform poorly in extreme low or high temperatures.

Tomomi Imai, a Toyota spokesman in Tokyo, declined to comment. But, according to Toyota executives, Sony's experience with lithium-ion batteries for laptops sounded an alarm because the chemistry of the Sony batteries was similar to batteries Toyota was trying to use for future hybrids.

Toyota had planned to use lithium-ion batteries starting with the next-generation Prius, originally scheduled for launch in late 2008. But because of safety concerns, Toyota has decided not to use those batteries in the new Prius, say Toyota executives familiar with the company's plans. The company will use instead the conventional nickel-metal-hydride batteries it has been using in the Prius since its launch in the mid-1990s. The next-generation Prius, using conventional batteries, is now expected to launch in early 2009, a delay of about six months.

The first Toyota hybrid that uses lithium-ion battery technology won't arrive in the U.S. until early 2011 when a derivative of the Prius, a wagon, comes out, company executives say. The Prius wagon had originally been scheduled to hit the market in early 2010, which means it could be delayed by at least a year.

By that time, GM has said it wants to have started production of lithium-ion hybrids. Tony Posawatz, GM's vehicle-line director for the Chevrolet Volt and related hybrid vehicles, said the first of GM's lithium-ion hybrids will be the Saturn VUE Green Line plug-in hybrid, which individuals knowledgeable about GM's product plans say could hit dealer showrooms as early as late 2009. GM also plans to launch by 2010 a plug-in hybrid car called the Volt, based on a design GM unveiled earlier this year at the Detroit Auto Show. GM has selected two supplier groups that are expected to deliver battery packs for testing later this year, Mr. Posawatz said.

Mr. Posawatz, in an interview, expressed confidence that GM's lithium-ion hybrid strategy is on track toward a 2010 launch date, though he said the company isn't ready to commit to that date. Still, GM appears to have a chance to beat Toyota to market with a lithium-ion, extended-range hybrid by more than a year.

Behind GM's confidence in being able to deliver lithium-ion hybrids faster than Toyota is suppliers like A123 Systems, a Watertown, Massachusetts, start-up. A123 has come up with a different kind of lithium-ion battery, based on iron phosphates, that it says is more chemically stable and less likely to overheat and catch on fire. The company is one of a handful of likely candidates to supply lithium-ion batteries to GM. Another possible supplier of such batteries is Compact Power, a unit of South Korean chemical company LG Chem Ltd., which also has come up with batteries with a chemistry that is different from the kind Toyota is pursuing.

"Toyota certainly is a very, very credible and capable company. We view them as just a top-drawer competitor," Mr. Posawatz says. "But we also recognize technology is evolving so fast that the amount of capability any individual company and their partners and supply base can muster is limited."

Lithium-ion hybrids -- including so-called plug-in hybrids that recharge batteries by plugging into the electric grid and that run for 32 to 64 kilometers on electricity alone -- won't likely be high-volume models soon, given their relatively high cost.

Still, if GM can field a plug-in hybrid ahead of Toyota, it could burnish the Detroit auto maker's image as a technology leader. For nearly two decades, GM and its brands have suffered in the U.S. from a reputation for old technology and poor fuel economy -- an image GM executives say is now undeserved.

A senior Toyota executive said the timing for the launch of Toyota's first lithium-ion-battery hybrid model is being decided as part of a medium-term hybrid-product plan, which he said is -- while close to being finalized -- "still very, very fluid in some aspects." The final plan is due before the end of this year. The executive noted that the Prius derivative, most likely Toyota's first lithium-ion hybrid, will hit the market in early 2011 but that there is a force within Toyota's engineering and product-development division that is insisting on launching the model by the end of 2010. In that case, it could be a horse race between Toyota and General Motors.

Delays to the next-generation Toyota hybrids also offer an opportunity for rivals that have bet on clean diesel as a response to demands for more-efficient cars.

Honda Motor Co., for example, is pursuing a multipronged approach to alternative technologies, including a bet on a newly developed diesel engine. As Toyota grapples with lithium-ion technology, John Mendel, a senior Honda executive in the U.S., said the delays will likely provide Honda and others "a big break to build up awareness of an alternative to hybrids, like diesels, that has tremendous benefits in efficiency."

"We think diesel has a real opportunity," Mr. Mendel added.

Honda remains favorable to the long-term potential of lithium-ion technology, said company President Takeo Fukui. But Mr. Fukui said he is skeptical the technology can be made reliable enough for vehicles in the next few years. Mr. Fukui said he and his wife recently bought an electrically assisted hybrid bicycle for 100,000 yen ($842) in Japan, but its lithium-ion battery failed after only six months. The couple had to dish out 40,000 yen to replace it because it wasn't covered by the bike's warranty. "That wouldn't cut in the auto industry," Mr. Fukui said.

By 2009, Honda plans to launch in the U.S. a subcompact hybrid with improved nickel-metal-hydride batteries. A hybrid version of the Civic now costs about $4,000 more than a comparably equipped gasoline-engine Civic model. With the new subcompact, Mr. Fukui says Honda is trying to cut the hybrid premium to less than $2,000 -- about what a consumer pays for a satellite-based navigation system as optional added equipment.

European auto makers, including Volkswagen AG, BMW and the Mercedes-Benz unit of Daimler AG, also plan to field modern diesel engines in U.S. models starting next year. In long-distance highway driving, modern European diesels can often outperform a gasoline-electric hybrid. The challenge for diesel is meeting tough U.S. clean-air rules. European auto makers say they now have the technology to do that, although it will be costly at first.

Toyota doesn't have diesel engines that meet air-quality standards in all 50 U.S. states. Fearful of being left behind if diesels gain in popularity, Toyota last year bought a 5.9% stake in Isuzu Motors Ltd. to gain access to the latter's clean-diesel technology.

Toyota's move to slow hybrid launches comes as the company's president, Katsuaki Watanabe, is starting to decelerate the company's breakneck expansion pace, which vaulted it past GM to be the world's No. 1 auto maker by vehicle sales volume this year.

Mr. Watanabe has expressed concern that Toyota's rapid expansion has strained the company's human and technical resources and undermined the quality of Toyota vehicles.

Last year, Mr. Watanabe told The Wall Street Journal that the company would slow the overall pace of product development by as many as six months to shore up vehicle quality and reliability after a string of recalls and other quality gaffes in recent years. But delays are turning out to be longer when it comes to more technologically complicated hybrid vehicles.

According to a tentative, medium-term hybrid-product plan reviewed by The Wall Street Journal, in addition to the next-generation Prius, Toyota will likely have to delay other new hybrid models as well, by more than one year in most cases and as many as two years in others.

"The delays show the company has been too focused on one type of technology," said Masaki Taketani, a senior analyst at CSM Worldwide, an auto-industry research firm in Michigan. "Toyota would be in big trouble if other types of lithium-ion batteries, or a new breed of clean-burning diesel engines, gained steam as a better fuel-saving proposition to the American consumer."

Toyota still outstrips GM by other measures, such as market capitalization and profitability. Toyota earlier this month reported quarterly net income of $4.1 billion, nearly five times GM's result for the same period. Toyota's financial resources give it a huge advantage in the competition to develop more-fuel-efficient vehicles.

Toyota executives stress that they have only delayed, not abandoned, plans to use longer-range lithium-ion batteries in hybrid vehicles.

Aside from the new lithium-ion Prius wagon, Toyota also plans to launch in the 2011-12 time frame as many as nine other lithium-ion-battery hybrids. Among them are a new wagon-style crossover with three rows of seating based on the Japan-only model called the Wish; a wagon derivative of the Camry; a sporty coupe code named FT-HS, which was shown at the Detroit Auto Show earlier this year as a concept car; and possibly a hybrid version of the redesigned Corolla.

Toyota, according to the knowledgeable executives, is also mulling developing a lithium-ion-battery hybrid version of the RAV4 crossover SUV and the Estima minivan hybrid, currently sold only in Japan, launching them sometime in 2012. But those projects are still "very fluid," one of the executives says.

How the Prius is changing How I Drive

You would think that after +16 years on the road, my driving habits would be set in stone. Not so. Ever since I started driving my Toyota Prius hybrid, my driving style has changed dramatically.

Some of it has to do with the hybrid features of the car - For example, I find myself breaking sooner, and more slowly, in order to maximize the benefits of regenerative breaking.

But it's not so much the hybrid nature of the car that is affecting how I drive. Rather, it is the amount of information it makes available to me, in real time, that has completely transformed my driving.

With the Multi-functional display (MFD), the Prius provides me with real-time fuel consumption information. I can now correlate my behavior with the car's fuel consumption. The result?

- I no longer exceed the speed limit,
- I no longer accelerate as fast as I can,
- I hardly touch the gas pedal, unless it is for a short burst of acceleration,
- I try to anticipate and plan ahead. Whereas before I used to keep my speed until just before a red light, now I let the car slow down on its own, even if I'm 300-400 yards away.
- I'm much more relaxed, sticking to the right lane.

Again, this has nothing to do with the car being hybrid - even with a regular vehicle you'll realize significant fuel savings if you apply these methods. But with no real-time indicators, we simply don't see the immediate benefit.

Imagine the gas savings we could realize if all cars would benefit from this immediate bio-feedback mechanism!

--- Oren

Hybrid Marketing - Prius Rules...

Karl Greenberg posted a great article on MediaPost, titled:  "Hybrid Marketers Might Take A Lesson From Toyota"

Here are some of the highlights - clearly the stats support the notion that people who buy hybrids want to make a personal statement:

AUTOMAKERS, BOWING SEVEN NEW HYBRID vehicles this year, might want to think of ways to make gas/electric cars and trucks scream: "Hey, look, I'm a hybrid." A big visible difference from non-hybrids, big fuel economy gains and a small price difference have determined winners and losers in the growing segment, say market observers.

...with a profusion of hybrid cars in market now and more coming, Toyota's Prius rules, and consultancies say the car will continue to do so: Toyota sold a record 16,062 Priuses last month--a dizzying 50% increase versus the month last year. Year to date, the company saw an 85% increase through July versus the period in 2006. Toyota reported that among all of its hybrids, it saw a 59% increase in sales in the period.

Toyota, which plans to offer hybrid-powertrain versions of its entire portfolio by 2012, now sells gas/electric versions of four other vehicles, but all of those combined don't come near sales of Prius.

"Prius is a stand-alone car--it makes a statement on its own," says George Magliano, director of automotive research for the Americas at Global Insight, Lexington, Mass. "You see it on the road and know it's a hybrid. And the issue with this type of vehicle is that people want you to know they have a hybrid."

Dan Gorrell, president of Auto Stratagem, a research and consulting firm in Tustin, Calif., concurs. "Consider the hybrid Highlander (SUV). It hasn't sold well, partly because it violates a major issue: you need to look different. A lot of why people are buying hybrids has to do with being noticed; it's a self-esteem issue."

Gorrell says the efforts are driven in no small part by publicity and automakers' desire to position themselves as progressive. "There's been a lot of me-too's. Press has put pressures on manufacturers, and it's gotten into the image arena because if one isn't offering a hybrid then one is an evil gas guzzler. Toyota has played the hybrid card in an interesting way to promote its corporate image."

Toyota has been moving hybrid metal by offering incentives earlier this year--to offset the government's rescinding of the federal consumer tax break on hybrid purchases--on a car that used to have a six-month waiting list. Although there are now 11 hybrid models for sale in the U.S. market, Prius still accounts for over 50% of all new hybrid vehicles bought in the U.S. According to J.D. Power & Associates, it will continue to dominate.

...

Among current hybrid-version models sold in the U.S.: Toyota's Camry, Highlander, Prius and Lexus GS car and RX SUV; Ford's Escape and Mercury Mariner; GM's Saturn Vue and Aura; Honda's Civic and (for now) Accord; and Nissan's Altima hybrid. The latter uses Toyota technology, but Nissan hasn't marketed the vehicle and has only sold 2,800 units this year.

On the domestic side, Ford has sold over 11,000 units of its Escape hybrid in the first half of this year.

Indeed, not all hybrids are selling well. Honda has seen a modest 6% increase in sales of its hybrid-version Civic this year--but is discontinuing the hybrid version of the Accord sedan, of which it has only sold 2,304 this year, as it sells down inventory.

"The hybrid Accord was the wrong price and the wrong concept," says Gorrell, who says Honda's mistake was marketing the car for performance. "People buy hybrids for fuel economy, and they clearly weren't getting that with the hybrid Accord."

General Motors' Saturn division has hybrids under the Green Line sub-brand of the Vue crossover and Aura sedan. The latter is touted as the lowest-priced hybrid on the market. "I think that GM is doing well with lesser technology partly because the vehicles aren't priced at a premium either, so it's a step in the right direction," he says.

Mike Omotoso, senior manager, Global Powertrain at J.D. Power, says GM's price premium is between $1,000 and $1,500. GM has sold less than 1,000 of its Aura hybrids since it went on sale in April.

Omotoso says Prius has done so well because it fires on all cylinders with a unique look and a pure hybrid powertrain (versus hybrid-assist versions) and market adjustments offering lower-priced versions. "You can see from a hundred yards away, it is the only one of the group that can run completely on electric, and it has the best fuel economy out of all of them. Honda sells 300,000 Civics per year, and the hybrid portion is 10% of that--and from a distance it looks like a Civic," he says.

According to J.D. Power, people are willing to pay a price premium of $2,400 for a hybrid. "One of the reasons the Accord hybrid failed is that it carried a $3,700 premium," he says, adding that it would take ten years to recoup that cost if one were saving $350 per year in gas costs using the car.

He says the Camry hybrid is the second-highest-selling hybrid car, followed by the Civic hybrid. Among hybrid-powered SUVs, the Toyota Highlander is the top seller, says Omotoso. "Toyota has credibility. They have done a great job of marketing themselves as hybrid leaders, and the Highlander--the non-hybrid version--is already a high-selling truck."

J.D. Power says the industry will get an infusion of 65 hybrid models--28 cars and 37 light trucks--by 2010, with sales expected to reach nearly 775,000 units, or 4.6% of the total U.S. new light-vehicle market. Both Toyota and GM are testing plug-in hybrids.

Among the seven new hybrids coming into the market are hybrid versions of Ford Fusion and Mercury Milan sedan; Chevy Malibu; Hyundai Santa Fe; and Toyota Sienna minivan. General Motors will also offer full hybrids on its Yukon, Escalade and Tahoe trucks. Lexus is the first to launch an ultra-premium hybrid with the $104,000 LS 600h, on sale this summer.

Gorrell says the winners in the hybrid wars will be the ones offering the whole package. "The key will be--do they look different, how are they priced and do they offer that much of an advantage? It had better offer gasoline advantages and look different. That's what's required."

 

--- Oren

Are Diesels more popular than hybrids?

It looks like another case of tell me which side of the argument you're on and I'll give you the statistics to prove you're right. A few weeks ago we reported on a survey by J.D. Power and Associates that indicated that interest in hybrids was beginning to wane in favor of diesels. While potential car buyers may have increasing motivation towards oil-burners aside from heavy duty trucks, there aren't a lot of these vehicles available to US buyers at the moment.
With a flurry of new hybrid models coming later this year including the Chevy Malibu and Tahoe, the Ford Fusion and Mercury Milan and others, Power is now saying 2007 will be a record year for hybrid sales. This should come as a surprise to no one as gas prices across most of the country remain at or above $3 a gallon. While the numbers were down more than half of respondents still wanted a hybrid. That's all part of why they are predicting that hybrid sales will increase thirty-five percent this year to 345,000 units. As more diesels become available in 2008, things may change, but sales will probably still continue to climb.
[Source: J.D. Power and Associates, AutoblogGreen]

US Sales of Hybrids Up 12% in July

While overall light-duty vehicle sales in the US fell about 12% in July 2007 from July 2006, sales of hybrids increased by about 12% for the same period, according to July sales reports from Toyota, Honda, Ford and Nissan. GM does not break out its hybrid sales. The month’s results also saw the combined US market share of GM, Chrysler and Ford drop below 50% for the first time.

Monthly US sales of hybrids. Click to enlarge.

Reported hybrid sales increased to 28,585 units in July 2007, up from 25,626 in July 2006. Hybrids represented 2.2% of the new vehicle sales in the month.

Toyota continued to lead, with the Prius posting its own July record of 16,062 units, an increase of 44.5% from July 2006. (Comparisons are based on total sales volume, not day sales rate.) Camry Hybrid turned in 4,329 units, a drop of 13.8% from July 2006, and representing 10.4% of all Camry models sold. Highlander Hybrid sold 1,205 units, a 56.7% drop from July 2006, and representing 13.6% of all Highlander sales.

The Lexus Rx 400h posted 1,385 units, a 13.5% increase from 2006, and representing 16.5% of all Rx 350/400h models sold. The GS 450h posted 142 units, a 9.6% decrease from July 2006, but representing 91% of all GS 430/450h models. The GS 450h accounted for 7.3% of all GS models, including the GS 350.

Nissan broke the four-figure mark for the first time with its limited sales of the Nissan Altima Hybrid. The monthly total of 1,131 does not include the 500 units that Avis announced it will purchase. The July results represented 4.6% of all Altima models sold.

Nissan was also the only one of the top six automakers in the US to post an overall sales increase in July.

Honda sold 2,493 units of the Civic Hybrid, a decrease of 6.7% from July 2006, representing 9.0% of all Civics sold. The Accord Hybrid came in with 260 units, a 48.4% drop from July 2006, and representing 0.7% of all Accord models sold.

Combined sales of Ford’s Escape and Mariner hybrids dropped 23.4% to 1,578 units, representing 10.5% of total combined Escape and Mariner sales. Overall, sales for the redesigned 2008 Escape and Mariner vehicles were up 2% compared to last year. While Ford’s total sales dropped 19%, sales of crossover utility vehicles were up 40%.

ForbesAutos.com on Plug-in Hybrids

ForbesAutos.com published a very interesting article about the future of plug-in hybrids.

Here is a snippet from the article, asking all the right questions:

"If more than half of U.S. motorists switched to plug-in hybrid vehicles, the country’s greenhouse gas emissions would plummet by the middle of this century, according to a July 19 study from the Electric Power Research Institute and the Natural Resources Defense Council.

Several automakers are gearing up to their part, but major obstacles remain.

Could the power grid handle such a widespread switch to vehicles that guzzle from electric sockets instead of gas pumps? Opinions differ.

And are millions of consumers willing to plug their cars into a wall outlet just like they would a toaster? Not quite yet, industry insiders say."

Personally, I can't wait to get my hand on a plug-in Prius. Only two minor problems - I don't have a garage at home, and no access to a plug while parked at work...

--- Oren

Hybrid Sales on the Rise

It's always nice to note you're not alone.  I love my Prius (and the MPG I'm getting).  I also love the fact that more and more people now consider a hybrid vehicle.  With rising fuel prices on one hand, and the recently announced Prius price drop, everyone should be looking at the hybrid option.

Here are the most recent hybrid sales stats (US) from J.D. Power and Associates:

An estimated 187,000 hybrids were sold in the first six months of 2007, accounting for 2.3 percent of all new vehicle sales. Although a sales slowdown is expected in the second half of the year, J.D. Power is forecasting total sales of 345,000 hybrids for the year, a 35 percent increase from 2006.
The Toyota Prius continues to be the best-selling hybrid model, accounting for just more than half of all hybrids sold. J.D. Power said Prius sales also got a boost this year from incentives of up to $2,000 per vehicle, which helped offset a decrease in federal tax breaks for hybrids.

Competition in the segment will intensify in the coming years. There will be as many as 65 hybrid models, more than half of them trucks, in the market by 2010, with projected sales of nearly 775,000, J.D. Power said.

 

--- Oren

Plugin hybrid TV ad by a power company

AutoblogGreen wrote about the Plugin hybrid vehicle trials the power company Edison International plans with Ford. Seems Edison likes plugin hybrids so much they are singing their praises in TV ads. Here is a synopsis of an ad they ran on CNN's Larry King Live.

The commercial has Earth rolling by big text; Renewables, Clean Coal and Plug-In Hybrids. There is a white background and boxes with video like a lady in a pink blouse plugging in a car. Throughout there is a voice over that says "Small planet. Big challenges and a future that rests on our thinking about energy in new and better ways. Like the wider use of cost effective renewables. Clean coal technologies to transform a plentiful American resource into a greener energy source and plugin hybrid electric vehicles working as powerful engines for change. All aimed at making the electricity we use more cost efficient and environmentally sound. Edison International. Life powered by Edison."

This is probably the first time plugin hybrids have turned up in a commercial for a power company. It's great to see them high on the list of solutions. Plugin hybrids have the potential to be a great contributor to a cleaner energy future and it's about time someone said it.

[Source: AutoblogGreen]

Kids say the darnest things...

My 3 year old was playing with his toy cars yesterday, as I was coming back from work.

"Dad, look at me, I have a hybrid car, look, it's hybrid!" - (he was holding a tiny 60's Chevy Impala replica).

"umm... Son, what does 'hybrid' mean?"

"It means the car is electric. Look, I have a hybrid car!"

- How cool is that? :)

We spend the next 15 minutes learning all about hybrid cars and why they're important.

I think the Prius is rubbing off on us...

--- Oren

2008 Prius price drop with the new standard model

 

If $1,225 is all that's been holding you back from buying a new Prius, August could be your month. Toyota announced today a new expanded line-up for the 2008 Prius, and the new standard model has a low MSRP. Toyota suggests that the 2008 Prius versions sell for between $20,950 (the standard model) to $23,220 for the Touring model.

While Toyota says the total Prius average MSRP increases by $150 (0.7 percent), the low-end 2008 Prius is quite a bit cheaper ($1,225, to be exact) than the lowest-priced 2007 version.The MSRP for the 2007 Prius is $22,175 - $23,070.

You can find the 2008 Prius in dealerships in August. Toyota also announced prices for the 2008 Avalon, Yaris, RAV4, FJ Cruiser, 4Runner, Tacoma and Sienna.

[Source: Toyota, h/t Linton/Hugg]

[Source: autobloggreen.com]

Lexus announces price for the 2008 RX 400h

Lexus Announces Prices on 2008 RX 400h, SC 430, GX 470, IS 250/350, ES 350 and LS 460
TORRANCE, Calif., July 27/PRNewswire/ -- Lexus announced manufacturer's suggested retail prices (MSRP) today for the 2008 RX 400h hybrid luxury utility vehicle, SC 430 luxury hardtop convertible, GX 470 premium luxury utility vehicle, IS 250/350 luxury sport sedans, ES 350 luxury sedan, and LS 460 premium luxury sedan. Each model will go on sale in September.
For 2008, the RX 400h hybrid luxury utility vehicle receives several styling enhancements including a restyled front grille design, new exterior chrome door handles, a new finish on the five-spoke, 18-inch wheels, and a color-keyed rear spoiler. The world's first luxury utility hybrid also receives seven new exterior colors including Smoky Granite Mica, Golden Almond Metallic, Classic Silver Metallic, Breakwater Blue Metallic, Brandy Wine Mica, Desert Sage Metallic and Matador Red Mica.
The base MSRP for the RX 400h with front-wheel-drive will remain unchanged at $41,180. The price of the all-wheel-drive RX 400h also remains unchanged from 2007 at $42,580.
The SC 430 luxury hardtop convertible carries over unchanged for the 2008 model year. The base MSRP for the 2008 SC 430 also remains unchanged at $65,455.
The 2008 GX 470 also receives additional styling upgrades including a new dark metallic finish on the front grille, chrome roof rack side rails, liquid graphite on the standard 17-inch alloy wheels, a clear rear combination lamp turn signal lens cover, and two new colors -- Salsa Red Pearl and Desert Sage metallic. Inside, the GX 470 receives a new Brown Walnut wood trim and a chrome finish on the front door speaker grilles. Additional changes were also made on the optional Sport Package where the carpeting, third-seat latch and cargo hook will now be black.
The 2008 GX 470 will carry a base MSRP of $46,815, an increase of $180, or 0.4 percent. Additionally, the price of the popular Third Row Seat with Rear Air Conditioner option significantly reduced by $1,545 and will now be offered at $485.
The 2008 IS 250 and 350 features a new finish to its standard 17-inch wheels for a sportier appearance. Additional upgrades include backlighting on the outside power mirror control, white illuminated scuff plates and an additional coin holder.
The base MSRP for the IS 250 with a manual transmission will be $30,455, an increase of $200, or 0.7 percent. The IS 250 with an automatic transmission will carry a base MSRP of $31,625, up $200, or 0.6 percent. The IS 250 with all-wheel-drive and an automatic transmission will carry a base MSRP of $34,085, a price reduction of $200, or 0.6 percent. The IS 350 will be base priced at $35,905, an increase of $200, or 0.6 percent.
For 2008 the Lexus ES 350 receives restyled outside rear-view mirrors for a sleeker look. Inside, the ES adds two rear personal lamps for added passenger convenience.
The ES 350 will carry a base MSRP of $33,720, an increase of $250, or 0.7 percent.
Launched in the fall of 2006, the all-new LS 460 and LS 460 L have received overwhelming accolades and enjoyed spectacular consumer acceptance. For the 2008 model year, the LS will carry over unchanged with the exception of one new exterior color, Opaline Pearl. The long wheelbase LS 460 L offers a new Air Suspension package that includes 19-inch five-spoke alloy wheels with 245/45R19 all-season tires, Variable Gear Ratio Steering and Adaptive Variable Air Suspension.
The 2008 LS 460 will have a base MSRP of $61,500, an increase of $500, or 0.8 percent. The base MSRP for the LS 460 L will be $71,500, an increase of $500, or 0.7 percent.

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Honda and Lexus to introduce new hybrids

Hybrid vehicles are hot these days. Factors like constantly rising fuel prices, a growing concern about the environment and fear of tighter emission norms around the globe have spurred the production and sales of hybrids. Powered by this interest, great strides have been made in the field of batteries and associated technologies. All this made the hybrids more user friendly and evolved greater consumer interest in these vehicles. Major brands are now seriously considering the launch of dedicated hybrids.

Brands now offer hybrid versions of some of their very popular gasoline models. The market interest, however, is ‘going back in time’. Honda and Lexus are considering the production of new vehicles that will be ‘just hybrids’. The first hybrids were dedicated design and offered only as hybrids, not mere hybrid versions of popular gasoline models.

Reports say Lexus is at work on a vehicle that will be marketed only as a hybrid. Lexus currently produces a wide range of hybrids including the RX 400h and its costliest car, the LS600hL. A point in case; Lexus hybrids are not mere fuel misers, the focus is more on performance and refinement.

With its new hybrid speculated to be launched in the D-segment, Lexus wants to address some problems that have dogged hybrids since long. The focus will be more on trunk space, interior space and quality rather than on styling and looks. This new dedicated hybrid is expected to enter the market by 2010.

Notwithstanding its recent hitches with the Insight and Accord hybrid, Honda is all set to work on its dedicated hybrid. Honda’s hybrid will most likely target the entry-level segment. This hybrid will come as a family-car. Nearly 200,000 units of this car will come to the market each year. This vehicle is scheduled for a 2009 launch.

Going back to the dedicated hybrids is a good idea. Honda and Toyota pioneered the hybrid market years ago, but can they pull another revolution now?

Read

Porsche Cayenne hybrid: the fuel friendly Cayenne

SUVs are mostly referred to as gas-guzzlers; the Porsche Cayenne is no exception. Porsche AG, however aims to change things a bit with the introduction of the Cayenne hybrid, likely to be rolled out by the end of 2009.

Cayenne hybrid will cut the fuel consumption of the Cayenne by nearly a third. Porsche wants the hybrid to cover 100km in 8.9 litres of fuel, as compared to the 12.9 litres of the all-gas Cayenne. With such a high fuel usage, the Cayenne exhales 320 to 378 grams of carbon dioxide per km. There is no word on the CO2 output of the hybrid.

These high figures of carbon emission can land the Cayenne into trouble in the near future. Emission standards are tightening worldwide. The European Commission plans for new rules by mid-2008, that aim to reduce pollution from passenger cars to 130grams of CO2 per km by 2012. Upcoming CAFE standards in the USA are already causing car manufacturers to lose sleep.

Porsche is working with Volkswagen and Audi for development of hybrid powertrains that capture energy from braking and use it to drive an electric motor. The parallel-full hybrid lets the electric motor drive the vehicle at speeds upto 120kmph (now that’s something), with the gas engine first taking over at high speeds.

The age of gas-guzzlers is over. As the world gets more conscious of environment and people feel the pinch of high gas prices on their wallets, demand for cleaner and fuel economical vehicles is on the rise. Hybrids lead the way in this changing world.

[Image: Autobloggreen]

[Source: Reuters]

Importing a Prius Hybrid to Canada - Conclusion

Done!

Yesterday I had my new Prius inspected and licensed. Here is the remainder of the process (it’s BC specific, but should apply elsewhere in Canada).

(you can read the entire thread by following these posts: US/Canada Prius price comparison; US Customs forms; Step by step guide)

After coming home with the new car, I scanned and emailed the required documents (which included the Recall Letter AND printouts from Toyota’s recall database (provided by the US dealer) to RIV. About three business days later I called them up, and they emailed me my inspection form.

Just about the only modification required are daytime running lights.

I then got a temporary permit from ICBC for one day, and was off to Canadian Tire - I had them do the Federal & Provincial inspections, as well as installing DRL.

Even though they sell a DRL kit (which turns on ALL lights at 100%), this is NOT what they use when they install DRL themselves. On my (non-HID) Prius they installed DRL that run off the signal lights, not the main lights.

Costs:
Federal exam: free (included in RIV fee)
Provincial (BC) exam: $89.95
DRL parts: $40.93
DRL labor: $133.50
Gov’t inspection decal: $10

Once done with Canadian Tire, it was off to ICBC, and voila - it’s done.

Don’t forget, when you’re done with ICBC, to claim your PST refund. Here are detailed instructions (which were emailed to me by Ministry of Small Business and Revenue):

“To claim a PST refund complete and submit an Application of Refund for Social Service Tax Paid on a Vehicle form (FIN 413MV), which is available on our website at: www.sbr.gov.bc.ca/ctb/forms/0413MVFILL.pdf. For more information on the refund process, see GEN 008, Refunds of Overpayments of Tax, available on our website at: www.sbr.gov.bc.ca/ctb/publications/bulletins/gen_008.pdf.

When submitting the form, please remember to attach the relevant documentation including:

a) a copy of this email;

b) a copy of the registration certificate showing the make, model, year, and fuel type of the vehicle.

c) a copy of the bill of sale that indicates the date of purchase;

d) a copy of the ICBC receipt indicating the amount of PST that was paid when the vehicle was registered.

For more information see Bulletin SST 085, Alternative Fuel Vehicles and Alternative Motor Fuel Tax Concessions, available on our website at: http://www.sbr.gov.bc.ca/ctb/publications/bulletins/sst_085.pdf.”

That’s it! I’ll be happy to answer any questions regarding the import process. I highly recommend it.

— Oren

Importing a Prius hybrid to Canada - Step by Step Guide

Just got back a couple of hours ago from WA state with my brand new Prius.

Here is a step-by-step guide on how to import your Prius, based on my experience:

(a) Find a Toyota dealer who’ll deal with you. This is a lot more difficult than it sounds, since Toyota does not allow its US dealers to sell to Canadians.

(b) Finalize the deal.

(c) Send all the required info to US Customs (see my previous post) at least 72 hours before your pick-up time.

(d) On the day before you pick the car up, get a temporary insurance binder from ICBC (or your provincial authority). This will allow you to drive the car home, provided the dealer set you up with temporary US permits.

(e) Go across the border.

(f) Pick up your car.

(g) Go back to the border crossing. Present your MSO to US Customs. They’ll compare it against the information you had sent them, and then they’ll stamp your MSO. This took about 45 seconds.

(h) Go to Canada customs. They’ll fill out RIV Form 1 for you. You’ll pay $206 RIV fee + duty + GST. All can be put on a credit card.

(i) Go home (don’t collect $200…)

I picked it up from the dealer just in time - they told me that Toyota is applying more and more pressure, and that they (the dealer) have now suspended sales to Canadians. Up until now they were just about the only dealer in WA state to sell to Canadians.

— Oren

Importing a Prius hybrid to Canada - US Customs forms

I went ahead and bought a Toyota Prius in the US. As part of the import (or export, depending on your point of view), you are required to provide information to US Customs at least 72 hours prior to taking the car out of the US.

For those of you who are based in BC, here are the instructions from Blaine / Pacific Highway US Customs:

(1) - Information packet

(2) - Worksheet

(3) - Status Form

Make sure to use these documents when submitting your vehicle’s information.

By the way, I was unable to fax the forms over to the Customs office - it was constantly busy. Instead, I scanned them all and emailed them to the email address listed in the Packet. Within an hour I had received an email confirmation, with the date on which I’ll be able to export the car from the US.

I’ll be picking up my new car next week, as which point I’ll post all about the actual border crossing experience.

— Oren