Toyota Motor Co. has released the first official photos of its Me.We (pronounced “mee-wee”) concept car, an electronic oddity that employs 100 percent recyclable body components. The crossover, multi-purpose Me.We features an aluminum chassis, a polypropylene exterior, and a feather-light total weight of just 1,650 pounds. The bamboo floor is low-tech and low maintenance too. [...]
Results of a three-year trial show that plug-in hybrid cars can have a significant impact on fuel economy, perhaps causing as much as a 45 percent drop in fuel usage overall. Toyota Prius plug-in hybrid cars were given to city employees in Strasbourg, France, in order to collect detailed data about usage, fuel consumption, personal [...]
A recent review by Consumer Reports reveals that when it comes to fuel efficiency in cars, smaller does not always equal better. The study looked at non-hybrid, non-diesel cars. In many cases, sedans deliver better mpg and lower operating cost, over a five-year period, than small cars. In fact, both Nissan’s Altima and the Honda [...]
Ford’s hybrid sales hit a quarterly high through the first three months of 2013, with the U.S. automaker posting a record 21,080 hybrids sold. That is the first time Ford has reached past the 20,000 mark in the segment. Now looking to make significant gains on arch-competitor Toyota, the nation’s most successful hybrid car seller, [...]
At last week’s Rallye Monte Carlo des Energies Nouvelles, Canada’s entry, a Toyota Prius plug-in hybrid, placed fifth overall and was named the most fuel-efficient hybrid car of the entire event. The four-day rally takes place on roads in Monaco, Italy and France. This year’s competition was host to 113 vehicles. The primary goal for [...]
This week at the Atlanta International Motor Show, Toyota’s Avalon Hybrid walked away with honors as Best Green Car of the year. The Greater Atlanta Automotive Media Association, who noted the Japanese car’s fuel economy, luxury and size, presents the award. Avalon’s Hybrid Synergy Drive, low weight and improved aerodynamics contribute to the fuel efficiency [...]
Toyota Motor Co. announced that it would update its highly successful Highlander SUV for the 2014 model year. The Japanese automaker also revealed that it would show the fresh-faced SUV at the New York Auto Show in late March. The hybrid version of the Highlander has been a big seller for Toyota, which also makes [...]
Toyota Motor Co. will unveil its super-secret i-Road concept car at the 2013 Geneva Motor Show. The electric three-wheeler looks like an insect in the overhead shot provided by Toyota. Besides that graphic, and a no-content short video of the car, virtually nothing is known about the i-Road. Because the car utilizes its 2-front-1-back wheel [...]
The annual Consumer Reports car picks are out, and Honda walked away with bragging rights in the Minivan, Small SUV, and Midsize categories. On an historic note, the Toyota Prius won the Green Car category for the tenth consecutive time, a feat unmatched by any other vehicle in any category. Korean automaker Hyundai snagged the [...]
This week, Toyota Racing took the wraps off its latest version of the now famous TS030 hybrid race car, set to carry the team in a hotly contested 24 Hours of Le Mans event in 2013. Unlike last season, when the team got off to a late start, this year will see the Toyota Racing [...]
Grammy winner for Best Pop Vocal Album, Kelly Clarkson had a busy year, which featured an unusual musical gig as the driver of a Toyota Camry in a commercial for the Japanese automaker. The spot featured Clarkson’s smash single, “Stronger,” which she and her car mates sang as they tooled down the road. Toyota’s Camry [...]
Toyota has announced that it will begin selling electricity systems that use recycled Prius batteries for power. The units will work in conjunction with overall electrical management systems in buildings, solar generating stations, and lighting circuits The recycled nickel-metal hydride batteries will allow for storage of significant amounts of electricity, to the tune of about [...]
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