article thumbnail

Toyota broadly outlines next-generation Prius; developing wireless inductive charging for the plug-in model; bullish on hydrogen

Green Car Congress

Toyota’s next-generation Prius will deliver significantly improved fuel economy in a more compact package that is lighter in weight and lower in cost, according to Toyota Motor Corporation (TMC) Managing Officer Satoshi Ogiso. The next Prius will feature improved batteries with higher energy density. —Satoshi Ogiso.

Prius 277
article thumbnail

Toyota Previews Generation III 2010 Prius Hybrid

Green Car Congress

The 2010 Prius. Toyota also previewed the vehicle this weekend in Los Angeles via its “Prius Connection” program for select early adopters and enthusiast forum participants, attracting potential buyers from across the US and Canada. The 2010 Prius 1.8L The 2010 Prius features a new 1.8-liter Click to enlarge.

Prius 186
article thumbnail

Toyota To Buy Lithium-Ion Batteries From Sanyo

All Cars Electric

According to a source close to the matter, Toyota will buy batteries from Sanyo Electric Co. The announcement is not official, but in lieu of recently released stories regarding Toyota's choice to stick with NiMH batteries and Toyota's secretive testing of lithium-ion Priuses , to keep up with the growing demand for hybrid vehicles.

article thumbnail

Tell Toyota to Get With the Program!

Plugs and Cars

Of course, Toyota could do it today with larger NiMH battery packs. I'd wager there is more than one plug-in Prius hidden away at Toyota's skunkworks in Japan. Of course they both already produced electric cars with over 100 mile range using the same NiMH chemistry in every hybrid , but they don't talk about that.

Toyota 100
article thumbnail

Soot and Spin: Two Plug-in Paradoxes

Plugs and Cars

Required reading: Bill Moore's EVWorld review and Martin Zimmerman's LA Times piece about their test drives of the Toyota Plug-in Prius and the hydrogen fuel cell Highlander FCHV. UPDATE: Felix Kramer of Calcars informs me that the vacuum bottle is standard on 2004-2008 Prius.) To take one example, batteries.

Plug-in 100
article thumbnail

How to Get a Plug-In Hybrid

Tony Karrer Delicious EVdriven

Conversions are mostly for the Prius, with a few for the Ford Escape/Mercury Mariner hybrid SUVs. At these prices, people are buying the "environmental feature" -- they want to be among the first owners of the worlds cleanest extended-range vehicles. They are early adopters, buying "Version 1.0"

Plug-in 41
article thumbnail

Toyota Concerned About Market Viability of Plug-ins, Sees Clear Path to Commercialization of Fuel Cell Technology in 2015

Green Car Congress

As Toyota learned with the introduction of the Prius and its efforts on the 2002 RAV4 EV, O’Brien said, it is difficult to force technology adoption by consumers. It is not enough to build niche vehicles that only a few can afford to buy or fulfill only a small subset of customer needs. Michael O’Brien.

Plug-in 236