Tag Archives: hybrids

Toyota Motor US Sales off -31% in December, +10.4% in 2021

Based on early sales reports, TMNA was the leading seller of electrified vehicles for the 22nd consecutive year with electrified powered vehicle – hybrids, plug-ins and fuel cells – at 583,697or +73.2% in 2021. EPV sales now make up one-quarter of total volume. There now are 18 total EPVs available in dealerships between both the Toyota and Lexus brands, the most among any automaker, with two more in showrooms by middle of 2022. Continue reading

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Ford Police Interceptor Claws Back the Profitable Business that Dearborn Abandoned by Killing the Crown Victoria in 2011

As of last year, The Explorer based Police Interceptor accounted for nearly two-thirds of police vehicle sales in the United States. The limousine business also abandoned when Ford Killed the Lincoln Town car is another losing matter. Continue reading

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Volkswagen and Ford Alliance Under Study

Against this backdrop and with a possible shakeout as devastating as occurred more than a century ago as the automobile emerged, it’s not surprising that long established car companies are seeking collaborative agreements to share the risks, cut the cost of research, development and production and survive as an entity when taking an individual road appears one paved with doom. Continue reading

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Honda Kills Insight Hybrid Production this Summer

During 2013 Only 4800 Insights were sold, a 20% decline year-over-year. By comparison, Toyota sold 234,000 of its multi-bodied Prius line. Total Honda and Acura hybrid sales of all types were less than 15,000 in 2013. Continue reading

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Toyota to Retail Hydrogen Fuel Cell Hybrids in U.S. by 2015

Carter told AutoInformed that he has seen and driven the Toyota fuel cell hybrid. The ultimate timing for U.S. retail sales is dependent on California’s hydrogen infrastructure program that aims to put in place 35 hydrogen-refueling centers in the Los Angeles area by 2015. Continue reading

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Alternative Powertrains to Remain Technical Curiosities

The market share of battery electric vehicles’ (BEVs) of U.S. light vehicle sales is expected to remain below 1% through 2020. If plug-in hybrids (PHEVs), such as the Chevrolet Volt and the Ford Fusion Energi are included, share will only increase to 3% by 2020. Continue reading

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Toyota Best Global Green Brand Again

This assessment from Interbrand is not without self-interest since it makes money from its consultancy, which it boasts is the world’s leading supplier of advertising campaigns. Each brand’s perception score is determined through a consumer study covering over 10,000 respondents; over 1,000 in each of the 10 largest economies, including the US, Japan, China, Germany, France, UK, Italy, Brazil, India, and Russia. Continue reading

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Global Sales of Toyota Motor Hybrid Vehicles Pass 5 Million

“We had to develop a hybrid system from scratch, making our task extremely difficult,” said TMC Vice Chairman Takeshi Uchiyamada, who was responsible for development of the first-generation Prius, the world’s first mass-produced hybrid passenger vehicle. Toyota had been excluded from participating in a multi-billion dollar U.S. Government program that subsidized the national labs and GM, Ford and Chrysler to develop 80 mpg cars. The so-called partnerships for a New Generation of Vehicles ended in failure with no cars other than a few prototypes produced. Continue reading

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Volvo Says Flywheel Energy Recover Ups Fuel Economy 25%

An experimental 4-cylinder Volvo equipped with flywheel energy recovery has the potential to increase fuel economy by as much as 25% when compared to a six-cylinder engine with the same performance level. Continue reading

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2012 Record Year for U.S. Hybrid Sales, But EVs Remain Insignificant

The U.S. auto industry posted a record year for hybrid sales during 2012 as almost 500,000 hybrids were sold, or 3.4% of the overall new vehicle market. Continue reading

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Honda Hybrid Sales Top 1 Million. 3M More to Catch Toyota

Honda Motor Company said today that worldwide sales of hybrid vehicles have now surpassed 1 million units. This milestone was reached at the end of September after the start of sales of the first generation Insight in Japan during November 1999. At the time, Insight fuel economy was rated at 35km/liter, then the world’s highest fuel efficiency among all mass-production gasoline-powered vehicles. Continue reading

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Cadillac ELR to be Built at Detroit-Hamtramck

Development of the Chevrolet Volt-based Cadillac ELR is now underway, and GM has just confirmed that the ELR will be built at the GM’s Detroit-Hamtramck plant. The on again/off again program is based on the Converj concept first shown at the 2009 North American International Auto Show as General Motors was hurtling toward a bankruptcy reorganization. Converj, err ELR, will be GM’s second hybrid after the Chevrolet Volt/ Holden Volt/ Opel Ampera when it appears late in 2013 as a 2014 model. Continue reading

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More than 75,000 Electric Buses Will Be on Roads by 2018

While the slow sales of electric cars are in the headlines, there is one segment of vehicles – e-buses – that are adopting electric drivetrains at a rate that makes for a healthy business. In North America, hybrid models have captured 40% of new transit bus purchases in recent years. Continue reading

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Fisker Appoints New CEO – Tony Posawatz from GM’s Volt Program

Fisker Automotive today named Tony Posawatz, the former head of the Volt program at General Motors as its new Chief Executive Officer, its third CEO this year. The current CEO Tom LaSorda will stay with the company in an “advisory” role. LaSorda was only appointed CEO in February 2012 after joining Fisker two months previously. Continue reading

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Ford C-Max Hybrid EPA Rated at 47 MPG in all Categories

The all-new Ford C-Max Hybrid that goes on sale this fall is now EPA-certified at 47 mpg city, 47 mpg highway and 47 mpg combined. This makes it the first hybrid without a window sticker decline in highway fuel economy ratings. Whether this is real or the product of carefully calibrating the C-Max to the test cycle awaits independent verification. Continue reading

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