Even though it would have been rather cool to see an army of Priuses in military camouflage, the fleet of 50 Toyota hybrids obtained by the British Army are to used for administrative purposes. They belong to the army's so-called "White Fleet", branch of Headquarters Land Forces that manages the army's 6,600 non-deployable administrative vehicles. The fleet of the fifty second-generation Prius Hybrid replaces 50 Vauxhall Vectras. The army's goal is to drive down CO2 emissions of its non-operational cars.
You'd think that the Dodge Challenger R/T with its 376HP 5.7-liter V8 Hemi would be one of the least obvious candidates for an electric drivetrain. We mean, it's a damn muscle car - if you want economy, go fiddle around with a Prius or a 20 year old Honda Civic. Nonetheless, there is some logic behind this project that is featured on a type of advertising microsite for Popular Mechanics. See, the ECO + Challenger R/T uses a separate electric drivetrain for everyday driving and a modified V8 Hemi that's equipped with a nitrous system when the driver calls for performance.
"With inexpensive aerodynamic aids, a state-of-the-art electric drive system and some other helpful bits, we'll turn our potent Challenger into a parallel hybrid plug-in/solar/electric that burns no fuel at all in everyday driving," say the creators of the ECO + Challenger R/T. "We think this is a spectacular way to please both environmentalists and enthusiasts. Eco+Muscle. What's not to like?"
Before the addition of the electric drivetrain, the modified Challenger R/T ran the 0 to 60mph (96km/h) sprint in 3.95 seconds and the quarter-mile in 12.4 seconds at 114 mph. That's compared to the stock Challenger R/T's 5.5 seconds and 13.9 seconds at 103 mph respectively. Other upgrades include a sport suspension, Brembo brakes and 20-inch alloys wrapped in Michelin rubber.
The electric drivetrain consists of an 125HP and 176 lb-ft of torque electric motor, 28 batteries that replace the rear seat bench, a fuel cell system and a separate, aircraft-like hand throttle to control the electric motor. The Hemi V8 is controlled by the stock foot pedal.
The creators haven't disclosed acceleration numbers for the electric drivetrain, but they say it can provide a top speed of up to 100mph (160km/h) and a range of around 40miles (60km). In theory, the driver could use both drivetrains to accelerate but that of course would mean he'd have to handle both throttles.
The dual-powered Eco + Challenger R/T will be on display at the NASCAR Pocono 500 race in June, at the San Bernardino Route 66 Rendezvous in September and at the Las Vegas SEMA Show in November. According to the site, it will be auctioned off in Scottsdale next January.
Only three months after its market debut in Japan and Honda's Insight mild-hybrid managed to become the best-selling vehicle (excluding the so-called kei cars with engines under 660cc) in the country in the month of April with sales of 10,481 units. This is the first time in Japan's history that a hybrid model has topped the tables for any monthly sales period. In the previous two months, the Insight sold 4,906 and 4,088 units in February and March respectively.
The Insight took the crown from the Fit, also known as the Jazz in Europe, which was the best selling car in Japan in the month of March, its fourth consecutive month at the top since December 2008. In April, the Fit finished second behind the Insight with sales of 9,443 units. According to the automaker, this is the first time ever that Honda has occupied the top two best-selling car positions in Japan for any monthly sales period.
Despite the looming bankruptcy and the other serious issues facing the company, General Motors' global product development chief, Tom Stephens told journalists on the sidelines of an event at the University of Michigan that the American automaker is on plan with the development of the Chevrolet Volt plug-in hybrid. "At this point in time, I know of no reason why we can't be in production by November of 2010," Stephens said.
Stephens, who replaced Bob Lutz as GM's vice chairman of global product development on April 1st, 2009, also told reporters that the automaker has not made a decision yet on which of the remaining three brands (Cadillac, Buick and GMC) after the axing of Pontiac and the sale of Saturn and Saab would get a vehicle based on the Volt's plug-in hybrid drivetrain.
"It's best utilized in urban vehicles," said Stephens. "We have to consider what is the usage of the person buying the vehicle. For a commuter who drives 40 miles a day and takes it shopping on weekend, it's the perfect application.".
That said, we reckon that that one of the most obvious and less inexpensive options in terms of development costs would be a Buick model based on the small sedan that the company is currently working on as it uses the same Delta platform as the Volt (as well as the new Astra and Chevy Cruze).
Carscoop's spy photographers recently captured a camouflaged prototype of the Astra/Cruze/Volt-based small sedan during testing in Germany, however it's not clear if the sedan is designed only for the Chinese market or if it will also head to the States.
In a prepared statement concerning the Bavarian firm's first quarter results, Dr. Norbert Reithofer, Chairman of the Board of Management of BMW AG, revealed that the new X1 SUV will hit showrooms this fall followed by the hybrid variants of the X6 SUV and 7-Series limo. BMW's new entry-level X-Series model, which will occupy the space under the X3 rivaling compact SUVs like the Toyota RAV4 and VW Tiguan, is the production version of last year's X1 concept and it will be offered with numerous 4-cylinder and 6-cylinder gasoline and diesel engines.
Both the X6 Hybrid and 7-Series hybrid models have been teased in the form of concept studies in the past. It is expected that they will share the same two-mode hybrid system that combines electric motors with an advanced automatic transmission and a conventional gasoline engine, most likely the 407HP 4.4-liter twin-turbocharged V8.
The hybrid system allows the vehicles to be powered either exclusively by the electric motors (like the Prius) or in tandem with the gasoline unit. BMW has yet to publish any official figures, but the system is said to boost fuel-economy by around 10 to 15 percent over their conventionally-powered siblings.
The boys in blue are going green in New York as the police department announced it will replace 40 of its squad cars with Nissan Altima Hybrids. They're the first gas-electric hybrids to be used as regular patrol cars by the largest police department in the U.S. The 40 hybrid vehicles -18 marked and 22 unmarked- will be used in patrol precincts and other units in all five boroughs of the city.
At $25,391 per vehicle, the Altima hybrids cost about $1,500 more than the conventional Impala. However, due to the fact that the hybrids return 35mpg for city driving compared to the Chevy's 16mpg, NY Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg said that they will cover the difference in a short period of time.
"These new patrol cars will help fulfill the PlaNYC goal of reducing City government's carbon footprint," said Mayor Bloomberg. "Through savings in fuel, these Altimas can quickly cover their additional cost, from then they will save taxpayers money – another example of how going green is good for our environment and our pocketbooks."
New York City officials said that after a after a year of monitoring the Altima Hybrids performance the Department will determine whether or not to further expand them into the fleet.
Honda's all-new Insight hybrid is off to good start in Britain having sold 229 units since it went on sale in the market on April 4, 2009. That's compared to 198 units of the current generation Prius - always according to Honda's data. Besides the fact that the Insight is a newer model than the Prius (the third-gen Prius will be arriving on British shores in July 2009), another benefiting factor for Honda's hybrid is that it is priced significantly lower than Toyota's hybrid.
In the UK, the Honda Insight starts from £15,490 (US$22,900) on-the-road whereas the second-generation Prius begins from £18,370 (US$27,100). The Japanese automaker said that it expects to sell around 7,000 Insights in the UK this year while the annual global sales target is in the region of 200,000 units.
According to the Japanese grapevine, Toyota is developing a sporty, or rather a sportier, version of the new 2010 Prius Hybrid that will initially be available in the Land of the Rising Sun beginning from next year. Provided that the information is true, it remains to be seen if the so-called Prius GT will feature any mechanical and electronic upgrades or if Toyota will be content with a bodykit and maybe a lowered sport suspension as seen in the computer generated image above that was created by the folks over at Japan's Best Car magazine.
The CGI depicts the Toyota Prius GT with a more aggressively designed front bumper that features larger air vents and a lip spoiler along with side skirts and a set of multispoke alloy wheels wrapped in chunkier, low profile tires.
The difficult economic environment in the U.S. seems to have 'forced' Lexus to take a more aggressive approach on the all-new 2010 RX450h Hybrid SUV's pricing which at $41,660 for the front-wheel drive (FWD) model and $43,250 for the all-wheel drive (AWD) version, is $460 and $230 respectively cheaper than the outgoing '09 RX400h model. Set to arrive at Lexus dealerships in mid-summer, the new RX450h introduces an updated version of Lexus Hybrid Drive, featuring a 3.5-liter V6 Atkinson-cycle engine, lighter electric motors and a smaller and lighter power-control unit.
In terms of fuel economy, this translates to an EPA-estimated 32 mpg city and 28 mpg highway (30 mpg combined) for the front-wheel drive model and 30 mpg city, 28 mpg highway (29 mpg combined) for the AWD, meaning that it achieves 16 to 20 percent better fuel economy than its les powerful predecessor.
The all-new 2010 Toyota Prius will go on sale in the U.S. in late May carrying a base sticker price of $22,000 (plus $750 for delivery and handling), or the same exact price as the entry-level version of the outgoing 2009MY Prius. However, Toyota announced that later in the year, it will launch a stripped-down base model of the Prius that will be priced even lower, at $21,000 MSRP. The Japanese automaker did not disclose details on the basic version's standard equipment.
The third-generation model of Toyota's popular hybrid car will be available with a total of five trim levels, the most expensive being the so-called 'V' spec model at $27,270 MSRP. For more details on the 2010 Prius plus a huge gallery with more than 100 high-resolution photos, click here.
Standard Equipment
MSRP
Prius I
To be released at a later date
$21,000
Prius II
1.8-liter Atkinson cycle engine
$22,000
P195/65 R15 all-season tires with alloy wheels & covers
Smart Key (driver's door) and Push Button start
EV, Eco, and Power modes
Multi-Informational Display with energy monitor and fuel consumption history
AM/FM/MP3 CD player with six speakers and satellite radio capability and auxiliary audio jack
Cruise control
STAR Safety System and active front headrest
Seven airbags including driver knee airbag
Four-wheel disc brakes
Tilt/telescopic steering wheel with audio and HVAC
Controls with Touch Tracer Display
Six-way adjustable driver seat
Auto up/down on all windows
Color-keyed foldable power heated side mirrors
Prius III
In addition to Prius II features:
$23,000
JBL AM/FM/MP3 six-disc CD changer with eight speakers
Integrated satellite radio capability
Hands-free phone capability via Bluetooth® wireless technology
Prius IV
In addition to Prius III features:
$25,800
Three-door Smart Key system
Leather-trimmed interior
Heated front seats with driver lumbar support
Driver and front passenger water repellant windows
If there was ever a totally plausible speculative rendering, then this is it. Created by the CGI-loving crew from Japan's Best Car magazine, this computer generated image depicts a proposal for a Toyota Prius Minivan (MPV) based on the latest generation of the automaker's family-sized hybrid model. Although Toyota has not announced any plans for a new variant of the Prius, it's no secret that the Japanese firm wants to extend its lineup of hybrid vehicles in the very near future.
Creating a minivan version of the Prius would make plenty of sense as due to its size, it could find a place in the car maker on both sides of the Atlantic as well as in Japan. What do you think?
Motorists in the UK could receive financial incentives between £2,000 and £5,000 to buy electric and plug-in hybrid cars from 2011, the Government has announced as it attempts to 'kick start' the green car industry over the next five years. The strategy also includes plans to provide £20 million for charging points and related infrastructure to help develop a network of 'electric car cities' throughout the UK and an expansion of an electric and ultra-low carbon car demonstration project on the UK's roads.
"The scale of incentives we're announcing today will mean that an electric car is a real option for motorists as well as helping to make the UK a world leader in low carbon transport," said Transport Secretary Geoff Hoon.
"Cutting road transport CO2 emissions is a key element to tackling climate change. Less than 0.1% of the UK's 26 million cars are electric, so there is a huge untapped potential to reduce emissions," he concluded.
While fooling around on IED's (Istituto Europeo di Design) official website we stumbled upon an interesting project with ten proposals for the Toyota Prius of the no so far-away future created by the students of the Transportation Design Course of IED Turin in 2007. Even though the students were supposed to design the Prius of 2010-2015, the resulting hybrid vehicles look more like the Prius of 2035, but then again, artistic minds do have the tendency to drift away in time...
Even though it would have been rather cool to see an army of Priuses in military camouflage, the fleet of 50 Toyota hybrids obtained by the British Army are to used for administrative purposes. They belong to the army's so-called "White Fleet", branch of Headquarters Land Forces that manages the army's 6,600 non-deployable administrative vehicles. The fleet of the fifty second-generation Prius Hybrid replaces 50 Vauxhall Vectras. The army's goal is to drive down CO2 emissions of its non-operational cars.
