Toyota to Introduce Hybrid Tech to Lineup

[deadparrot]

TOKYO - Toyota plans to introduce energy-efficient hybrid technology across its entire lineup and target global sales of 1 million hybrid vehicles by 2012, a news report said Saturday.

Toyota Motor Corp., global leader in the new market for energy-efficient hybrid cars, initially developed its hybrid system for the Prius compact car. It has said its new luxury-class Lexus GS450h, due out later this year, will also be powered by an electric motor and gasoline engine.

The Japanese automaker now plans to introduce hybrid technology in all classes of vehicles, from luxury cars to compacts, and aims to top annual global sales of 1 million hybrid cars by 2012, according to the Nihon Keizai Shimbun.

Toyota will concentrate on lowering production costs so the technology can be used in cheaper models, and aims to keep the retail price differential between hybrid and conventional cars to under 300,000 yen (US$2,550; euro2,106), according to the report.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060401/ap_on_bi_ge/japan_toyota

[The_Casual_Observer]

1. Where is GM's hybrid?

Or were they too busy tooling up for next years Suburban?

[MadisonProgressive]

2. The 2006 Tundra!

[pdurod1]

3. They're too busy designing a new plant to build in Mexico...

[Skink]

4. It's amazing Toyota thinks this will work. Are they crazy?

Who do they think they are?

[NEOBuckeye]

5. Not Detroit n/t

[IChing]

10. The new hybrid is for the army only ...pictures included

April 5, 2005 General Motors and the U.S. Army yesterday announced they are partnering to introduce the world's first fuel cell-powered truck into U.S. military service. The U.S. Army took delivery of the crew cab pickup at the GM research facility outside of Rochester, NY, where the vehicle's two fuel cell power modules were made. Marking the occasion was Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton, who was instrumental in securing the funds in the 2005 Department of Defense appropriations on behalf of GM's experimental truck.>>>>snip

http://www.gizmag.com/go/3910/

[Orsino]

32. Doesn't seem to be a hybrid...

...e.g., no mention of an extra battery for regenerative braking.

[B3Nut]

12. Detroit is asleep, as usual

to the detriment of American workers. Even the South Koreans are ahead of them. Hyundai Automotive Group will be introducing the Kia Rio and Hyundai Accent hybrids later this year. They will sell for 19K or so, the most affordable hybrids yet. If the hybrids are as nice as the '06 Rio and Accent on which they're based, they'll be a great new low-cost hybrid. I just bought an '06 Kia Rio5 hatchback w/automatic, and I love it. Great little car. The redesign is a big improvement over last year's Kia Rio and Hyundai Accent, they're now based on a common Hyundai platform and they got the chassis tuning right, and increased the fuel efficiency (EPA 29city/38hwy with auto, 32/35 with stick). I'm itching to see what the MPG figures for the hybrid version are going to be.

C'mon Detroit...get with the program! A Ford Fiesta hybrid hatchback would be way cool, but they won't even let Americans have the Fiesta at all, or the real new Focus that Europe gets, just a nosejobbed rehash of the old one. Thanks for giving your own countrymen your table scraps, guys...way to treat your native country.

Todd in Beerbratistan

[freethought]

19. Would you believe that GM designers put together a hybird diesel!

I remember reading the article from a link posted here at DU. The vehicle actually achieved slightly better mileage than a Prius. Instead of one electric moter this vehicle used two.

Do you think that GM has any plans to produce and market the vehicle?

SHIT NO! According to CEO Mr. Waggoner, hybrid vehicles are for hippies and granola freaks.
GM is the prime example of the American approach to running a company, solve your problems through lobbying, regulatory backpedaling, and political influence buying. God forbid you should embrace technollogy and innovation!

[Chovexani]

24. The Maibatsu Monstrosity. (n/t)

[Triana]

25. Exactly. THAT is why they're going out of business....

...they refuse to get with the program. Good enough for 'em.

[Hekate]

6. Good. Our Tercel is getting a bit elderly (20+ yrs)

We'll have to retire it one of these days, and what better than another well-made, long-lasting, even more fuel-efficient car from Toyota?

>sigh< I would buy American if only GM and Ford would do the same. They can. They should have done so decades ago.

My heart goes out to their workers -- but the corporate fat-cats' lack of responsibility and non-existent ethics are best summed up in their disgusting ad campaign after 9-11 to sell the biggest fuel-guzzling road-hogs in the history of automotive design. The workers, the foolish American people who swallowed the ads, the environment, and the rest of the world got screwed so the rich could become even more obscenely rich.

Toyota hybrids, here I come.

Hekate

[DarkmoonIkonoklast]

11. What I'd LOVE to see is some progressive entrepreneur...

..... or venture capitalist, do a worker-owned (co-op?) start-up dedicated to designing, building and marketing a 50-MPG AMERICAN hybrid!

..(are you listening George Soros? anyone got his phone number or email address?)

[wordpix]

14. Geo. Soros c/o MoveOn.org. Good idea

[MalachiConstant]

26. i wouldn't worry about "buying american"

toyota actually has many plants in the US and continues to build more. so, sure the american execs won't be taking your money but middle class working americans still will. besides, at the rate gm keeps outsourcing it won't be too much longer before toyota employs more americans than they do.

[Samurai_Writer]

7. YES!

I would definitely buy a Toyota Tacoma hybrid (hopefully 4WD, I live in the mountains). I have a 2WD Toyota Tacoma now. Great little trucks.

[NickB79]

8. The new Toyota Yaris already does 34 city/40 highway

And is significantly smaller than the Prius, which is rated at 60 city/50 highway. A hybrid Yaris, 70 mpg anyone?

[kestrel91316]

13. I don't think the Yaris is available in the US.

[NickB79]

21. Toyota is releasing the 2007 Yaris in the US, sedan and hatchback versions

I just sat in one at the Minnesota Auto Show, and it was pretty decent for $12,000:

http://www.toyota.com/yaris/index.html?s_van=GM_TN_YARIS_INDEX

If you throw a hybrid in there and only increase the cost a couple thousand, I would buy one easily :-)

[kestrel91316]

23. Oh, ok. It's like the Honda Fit - same niche in the market.

[cyberpj]

9. We've had our Prius since 2001 - can't say enough good about it! nt

[wordpix]

15. what's your actual mileage?

[cyberpj]

16. Last calculation - 46-47mpg - Husband drives about 1 hr each way from

Wilmington DE to Valley Forge PA, half highway and half rural roads.

[Boxturtle]

17. According to Consumer Reports,

the Prius' actual mpg is not as good as the EPA's estimate (can't remember the actual numbers). It's still really good, but most drivers won't actually achieve the gas savings they thought they would get.

[Beaverhausen]

20. No car's actual MPG is as good as the EPA's estimate

Consumer Reports just retracted their early "dissing" of the Prius, saying that owners do in fact save money by driving hybrids in the long run.

[angryxyouth]

22. Yea but it is one of the coolest looking cars on the road

[Lorien]

29. Do you have a link? My friend has learned to drive his so that he manages

100 mpg on some long stretches (much of the change in mileage comes from driving style, weather, and terrain). His Prius averages about 46-50 mpg.

[Orsino]

27. 55.8 mi/gal, nearly 400 miles into the current tank.

Mileage fell to 51-52 in the coldest weather, but since spring hit, it's been climbing steadily. My best tanks, in high summer, will be 58+.

It all depends upon how you drive. The first five minutes' mileage is always 20-30 (as the cold engine does its best to recharge the battery), but if your trips are thirty or more minutes each and you aren't a leadfoot, it's easy to hit the EPA "pocket."

Toyota hybrid tech is weird in that city mileage is rated higher than highway, so the road one travels can also be a big factor. In any case, the Prius' computer will teach you to drive economically.

Also, the Prius is not a compact. My '05 weighs about the same as the '05 hybrid Accord.

[Lorien]

30. Also, the Prius has slightly more interior space than the Camry

It's narrower, but taller and longer with much more leg room.

[Orsino]

31. Yep. When I, at 6'2" was able to sit up with inches of headroom...

...to spare in the front and back seats, I was sold. Well, I was sold before I ever saw a Prius--just needed to know I could fit in one.

Yes, it's taller and narrower than the hybrid or any other Accord. The contrast is a bit startling.

[derby378]

18. All Toyota needs to do is build more diesel-powered cars...

...so we can buy more biodiesel from Willie!

[tammywammy]

33. Do you have a diesel?

I have a VW Beetle TDI, I love it. And I do use biodiesel when I can. Hey, some weeks I can't make it out to Ft Worth to fill up and I end up using straight dino. I only run B20, since the TDI PD engine isn't truly tested with B100 (I'm talking about people using it, not VW testing).

The engines that will be coming out on the 2008 will be much better with biodiesel, since these are the engines that are currently being used in Europe.

And also, there's a lag in all manufacturers for the 2007 year. I know VW won't be importing any diesels that model year, due to the low-sulfur change over and EPA restrictions.

[ihelpu2see]

35. I agree a diesel hybrid would be great where is VW and there TDI

My TDI golf gets 48-50 mpg. I would love a vehicle for my family like the VW EuroVan, that was discontinued, Build it light and roomy put the 120 hp TDI with a hybrid set up the family with 3 kids like me would flock to them...

[tammywammy]

36. VW is currently working on a diesel-hybrid

And there may be a Jetta hybrid available for 2007.

I haven't heard when a diesel-hybrid would be available.

[corporate_mike]

28. Ford announces zero-percent financing on Escape/Mariner hybrids

http://www.autoblog.com/2006/04/07/ford-announces-sales-incentive-program-for-hybrids/

[SKKY]

34. Well, at least business are doing something about the environment...

...BECAUSE THE F'ING GOVERNMENT ISN'T!!!!!!!

[DS1]

37. Dear GM,

You're fucked.

Regards,
Reality

[Orsino]

38. Dear America,

So are you.

Love,

GM