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Toyota & Tesla – It’s Electric!

Jimmy — Fri, 06 Aug 2010 18:15:20 +0000

Japanese auto maker Toyota has joined forces with Tesla Motors to produce a next-generation of all electric vehicles. Tesla, which has made it big producing the all-electric sports car Roadster over the past few years, will partner with Toyota to enhance the auto maker’s plug-in car technology. Originally, the two planned on producing a combined electric car.

According to The New York Times, “Late last month, the companies — to much fanfare in California — went public with plans to build an auto plant in Fremont, Calif., with Toyota committing its expertise to help San Carlos-based Tesla with electric drive chain technology and building its Model S electric sedan.”

“We intend to use this facility for the production of our planned Model S and future vehicles,” explained Tesla officials, adding that they are still “in an early stage of planning for this facility.”

Tesla and Toyota had to go public with some of the plan’s details in order to submit offerings to the Securities and Exchange Commission. Though neither the SEC nor Tesla will post an exact date of when shared production will begin.

Toyota will lend parts and support (which probably means money) to the production of Tesla’s new plug-in electric car, the Model S, which they hope to sell for the 2012 fiscal year.

Toyota Prius – The Hybrid Plug-In

Jimmy — Mon, 07 Dec 2009 15:38:57 +0000

Toyota is a little late jumping in the plug-in game, but with the Prius Plug-In Hybrid now introduced it looks like everyone’s ready to play catch up. Plug-In Prius popped up (enough p-words for ya?) at the 2009 LA Auto Show, and rumors suggest it will be a production (p!) reality by 2012. But Hybrid drivers have been “plugging-in” their Priuses for years – Toyota is finally making it a standard feature.

About 350 of the Plug-ins are headed to Japan, for testing and use by fancy Toyota Execs who always receive new models for personal enjoyment. Toy will slowly start rolling out the make for US audiences next year.

According to officials, “Toyota says the battery is good for 13 miles and a top speed of 60 mph. That’s up from one mile and 25 mph from the NiMH pack in the standard Prius. It’ll charge in three hours at 110 volts and 90 minutes at 220. The company has spent more than three years developing the pack and racked up more than 1 million miles testing them.”

via Wired

Toyota Prius Plug-In Launched!

Jimmy — Fri, 12 Sep 2008 15:51:26 +0000

It’s a banner day in the United Kingdom for Toyota, as the Japanese auto maker introduces their Plug-In-Hybrid-Vehicle (PHV) to the public. The car is able to recharge using a typical household electric supply, and compared to gas fueled cars it would get over 100 miles to the gallon. These first release vehicles were given to test subjects and will be monitored over the next year. The Plug-In Prius is going to have a little help as it moves along the roads – EDF Energy company has placed 40 recharge stations throughout the ares test subjects will be commuting.

The PHV’s top speed is only about 60mph right now, although this is up quite a bit from the old Prius Hybrid, which only makes it up to 25 mph when running on battery/electric mode. Toyota will continue to create more powerful batteries to increase speed and duration of power.

Great Scott! Barack Wants 1 Million Plug-In Hybrids by 2015!

Jimmy — Tue, 05 Aug 2008 13:36:24 +0000

In a Lansing, Michigan speech yesterday presidential candidate Barack Obama laid out a number of energy policies for his first term in office, including a hope to have one million plug-in hybrid cars on U.S. roads by 2015. The Illinois senator said people who purchase such vehicles can expect up to $7000 in tax credit.

The plan seems ambitious, but given that fact that there is a growing need for alternative energies, and that one-million conventional Toyota Prius hybrids hit the road between 1999-2007 it seems realistic. Senator Obama also declared by 2012 he would require half of all government vehicles purchased be hybrid or all electric cars.

Additional investments will be pumped into research and development for the batteries of rechargeable vehicles. Advancement in these technologies are needed not just for consumer safety, but to also calm the nerves of hesitant auto makers who have yet to jump on the alternative energy team.