Toyota Hybrid Cars - The first auto alternatives for the 21-st century

Finally – after a long time wait and see, Toyota automaker announced its plans to produce and market a plug-in hybrid – version of the Toyota Prius in significant numbers. Takeshi Uchiyamada, the Executive Vice President, explain that Toyota will sell several tens of thousands of hybrids plug-in a year globally starting in 2011.

Nissan and General Motors – other global automakers, also announcement to promote their plug-in hybrids, which go on sale in late 2010. And when this happens, the consumers will have at least three options or choices of plug-in hybrid cars – from Prius, Nissan, and General Motors. Moreover, the consumers can compare the price of plug-in hybrid cars prices – according to electric driving range and a range of costs.

And General Motors with their Chevy Volt likely become the most expensive – for about $40,000 – with offering up to 40 miles of all electric range before an on-board engine sustains the batteries charge for an additional 300 miles.

Nissan automaker with their Nissan Leaf will offer 100 miles of driving range – this pure electric will driving 100 percent of electric. The Nissan Leaf will not have an engine – would recharged after in range to about 100 miles. The company expected to sell it about $32,000.

The Toyota Prius plug-in hybrid will cost about -$20,000s and it will likely be the least expensive, but this plug-in hybrid will offer just 14.5 miles at speeds up to 60 mph – the least of all electric range. But Toyota Prius plug-in hybrid will rely on its gas engine more than the other cars – although you will be fully to charge it quickly.

All three of the vehicles will be eligible for tax credits, as high as $7,500. The Prius Plug-in Hybrid, which will use a 5.2 kWh lithium ion battery pack—compared to the Leaf’s 24 kWh pack and the Volt’s 16 kWh—will not qualify for as high a tax credit as the other vehicles.

In the race for electric and plug-in hybrid cars, Toyota will be able to leverage its commanding lead in conventional hybrids. In September, the company announced that cumulative global sales of the Prius topped 2 million units—far more than all other hybrid cars combined. Yet, GM, Nissan, Ford and others recently have taken aggressive steps to take a leadership role in the next generation of alternative vehicles, the plug-in hybrid and electric car. Toyota’s announcement about the Prius Plug-in Hybrid indicates that the company will not easily relinquish its market advantage—and perhaps more importantly, its image—as the leader in green cars.

Another articles you may be interested in reading: Audi Q7, BMW X6, The Disadvantage of Hybrid Cars, and Lithium Ion Batteries.

source: hybridcars.com

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The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration or NHTSA has received a few dozen complaints about the braking performance of 2010 Toyota Prius from their users lately. They are complaining about a feeling that the vehicle lurches forward when hitting a pothole or bumpy roads.

Some of the Prius owners believe that the problem is happen when the system makes a transition from regenerative braking, which helps to recharge the battery of this hybrid, to standard braking when its need more aggressive stopping. The system is adjusted to use one kind of braking or the other for maximum efficiency or optimum braking performance. The sensors and calibration are apparently has not well to respond the potholes or uneven surfaces, and thereby makes an unpleasant driving sensation and a safety hazard for walker or pedestrians.

An unhappy owner of a 2010 Toyota Prius, Robert Becker, told the Detroit Bureau site that he has a bad experienced with a 2010 Prius. He had loss of braking power or braking momentum when hitting a manhole cover, pothole, or the like, so the driver need to press again harder on the brakes to slow or stopping the car. The other owners explained it as a feeling of losing control for a very brief period – less than a second. In 2009, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety or IIHS gave ‘Top Safety Pick’ awards to the Honda Insight and Toyota Prius based on front, rear, and side crash testing.

Until now NHTSA has not yet opened an official investigation about the issue of braking system of the 2010 Toyota Prius. Toyota company is aware of the complaints, but says that it’s too soon to speculate about the cause or, if needed, a possible remedy.

Another articles by Johan Young you may be interested in reading: Hybrid Car Insurance, Audi Q7, BMW X6, Plug-in Car Supporters, Esure Car Insurance, and 2009 Green Cars, and Car Insurance Rate Quotes.

source:hybridcars.com

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Toyota Prius, JPN. Recently, if you look at the history of Toyota Company since the company was founded in 1937, Toyota is in the midst of its worst recession – but in other side it’s raising the price of the 2010 Toyota Prius by about $400. This seeming contradiction appears to be part of Toyota’s core ‘rotate’ strategy: blow up the volume on marketing, and lead with the Toyota Prius.

The base Manufacturer Suggested Retail Price or MSRP of the new third generation of Toyota Prius will currently range from $22,400 to $27,670, depending on the trim package. The revolution will be effective in late October.

In spite of the recession in its sales and the slightly higher price, Toyota is showing little concern about selling Priuses. Actually, Toyota had only 3 days of provide of Toyota Prius in mid September.

In the fourth quarter of 2009 the supply might get even thinner, as the company plans to pay out $1 billion on marketing. That spend is more than 40 percent of the carmaker would typically spend in the quarter. The campaign will contain funding for more incentives and advertising, while dealer will granting more higher profit margins. Irv Miller, the vice president for Toyota’s US sales unit, at a meeting with its dealers in Las Vegas said, “”We see the economy is starting to strengthen a bit, we’ve stopped playing defense. It’s time to go on the offense.”

A Family of Toyota Prius

Miller also said that Toyota plans to add more variants to Toyota Prius line up. He not describe when the timetable. For about two years, the company has hinted at the idea of a family of Priuses, ranging in size from compact to small sports utility or a wagon. The idea has been openly discussed first time in front of top Toyota brass and dealers in Las Vegas meeting.

One of the participants who attended the meeting said, “The Camry hybrid and Highlander hybrid do OK, but calling it ‘Synergy Drive’ never resonated with customers.” Stewart told to Automotive News that Prius it’s a magic name. When you tell anybody that you drive a Toyota Prius, everybody knows what you mean. Stewart said the Priuses will not be a separate sub-brand like Scion.

Additionally, Nikkei, the Japanese business daily report that Toyota plans to start in on commercial production of plug-in hybrids in 2012, and in the first year Toyota will producing between 20,000 and 30,000 units. Toyota expected to sell its plug-in hybrid for about $48,000. Toyota also enlarges its evaluation of plug-in hybrids by leasing five hundred of its third generation of Prius in Japan, the US, and the whole of Europe – government agencies and corporation.

The Main Reason Why Expanding Toyota Prius

The main reasons why Toyota expanding the Prius brand beyond one vehicle is to dominate global hybrid car market. The Ford Fusion Hybrid was marketed as a better more fuel-efficient alternative to the Toyota Camry Hybrid. And Honda is aiming for greater hybrid affordability with the Honda Insight and other future small hybrids. At the same time, a long list of established car companies—as well as a growing number of start-ups and Chinese manufacturers—have announced plans for electric and plug-in hybrids. Last week, BYD –Chinese auto company, said that it to overtake Toyota as the world’s largest automaker in about 15 years, using electric cars, hybrids and other plug-in cars as a key strategy.

2008 Hybrid Cars

Source: HybridCars.com

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2012 Toyota Highlander Hybrid is really a visual rerun from the 2011 Toyota Highlander Hybrid. The idea carries forward the small styling modifications that will dressed up the 2011 model simply experienced no more impact on dimensions or even overall ratios. As a result of it’s kind of long nose, 2012 Toyota Highlander Hybrid presents the ‘2 box’ profile of the sports utility vehicle. However its lengthy wagon body talks about minivan-similar interior volume. Withal, with out sliding side doors, this distinctly no minivan. Is actually no more pretense associated with off-road power, the idea is lacking in difficult-core-sports utility vehicle credential.

The 2012 Toyota Highlander Hybrid

Nevertheless, Toyota Highlander Hybrid does an excellent occupation bridging both the genres. It seems more muscular when compared to a minivan and also drives with an extra precision and road feel, excessively. Its much less threatening like a trucky sports utility vehicle, although it’s all-wheel-drive can tackle deep snow as well as rutty backroads. Toyota Highlander Hybrid is fairly simple to manoeuvre and also garage due to the fact it’s body is no larger overall compared to the distinctive 5-seat midsize crossover. Toyota Highlander Hybrid does, nevertheless, squeezing in the 3rd-row seat. This tighter backward there in comparison to a minivan, however quite a handy. And Toyota Highlander Hybrid’ first-and second-row lodging are equally nice just like any midsize SUV’s.

This is the true hybrid because it’s body and also frame certainly are a single unibody construction much like that relating to an automobile’. Unibody styles benefit gas mileage, drive, as well as handling simply because they are lighter than the truck, separate-body-as well as-framing construction conventional previous-school SUVs, like the 2012 Toyota 4Runner.

The 2012 Toyota Highlander Hybrid precedes inward Base, SE, as well as Limited designs. The 2012 Toyota Highlander Hybrid returns inward Base and also Limited shape. Toyota provides the 2012 Toyota Highlander Hybrid its very own grill and front bumper as well as tints it’s headlight and taillamp handles blue.

Completely 2012 Toyota Highlanders Hybrid come with fine-looking alloy tires, 17 inch diameter on Base as well as SE versions, 19 inch diameter on the Limiteds. Entirely have darkened rear side glass plus a rear spoiler. SE versions are grand through Base variants by body-coloured mirrors, standard roof load rails, fog lights, as well as a good antenna in the rear side windowpane as opposed to around the front fender.

Highlander Limited versions dress up using chrome door handles as well as roof track plus come with leather-based upholstery and also plastic wood grain interior trim rather than cloth seats along with silver cabin features. An electrical liftgate which can be closed and opened through the key fob or perhaps a driver-side controller is actually standard on SE and Limited versions as well as elective around the Base 2012 Toyota Highlanders Hybrid.

2012 Toyota Highlander Hybrid Pictures

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