Toyota Motor Corp. said Wednesday the number of orders for the fuel-efficient Aqua compact hybrid has reached about 120,000 as of the end of January, some 10-fold its monthly sales target in just about a month after its debut. The figure was the second-highest level for Toyota, following a record 180,000 orders for the third-generation Continue reading →
hybrid
In 2011, the first plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs) went into production to add the next level of electric-only drive to the steadily growing popularity of the hybrid assist vehicle. Large lithium-ion battery production facilities came online in a number of countries around the world to support the anticipated demand fueled in many countries by Continue reading →
With the cost of goods and fuel skyrocketing, drivers are looking for all available alternatives to cut down fuel consumption and therefore cut down monthly fuel expenses. That is why hybrid fuel-efficient vehicles that offer great gas mileage are the top choice for these drivers. Three hybrids that offer just this are the 2011 Toyota Continue reading →
If a tree falls in Boulder, will it hit a hybrid electric vehicle? It’s not that likely, in the big picture of things. But on the other hand, it’s about five times more likely in Boulder than in your average U.S. town. That’s because 4.8 percent of all vehicles registered in Boulder are hybrids, according Continue reading →
There is plenty of electric vehicle buzz at this year’s North American International Auto Show and Volvo just added to the green transportation hype by showcasing the world’s first (and second) plug-in diesel hybrid. The V60 and XC60 Plug-in Hybrids are being touted as two of the most technically advanced models in Detroit. They offer Continue reading →
Toyota wants to be part of the future. A future, specifically, where their new Smart Center helps the smart grid to manage how much electricity is consumed by your home and your plug-in hybrid/electric vehicle (PHV/EV), and how much energy is produced by your home, through solar panels. Toyota has developed this Smart Center as Continue reading →
Toyota is moving forward with its plan to dole out a small number of Prius Plug-in Hybrids (PHV) in the United States for testing this year, with Boulder, Colorado being the latest site chosen for a field study beginning this month. The company is supplying 18 PHVs to the University of Colorado’s Renewable and Sustainable Continue reading →
Ford’s (F) new Focus Electric Car and Plug-in Hybrid will be built in one of the auto industry’s greenest manufacturing plants. Ford is working with Detroit Edison (DTE) to install a 500-kilowatt solar photovoltaic panel system at Michigan Assembly. The system will be integrated with a 750-kw energy storage facility that can store two million Continue reading →
How things change. I recall chuckling just four years ago at a “South Park” episode in which town residents buy so many hybrid vehicles that they replace their smog problem with a smug problem. I’m not laughing today. Fortunately, hybrids can no longer be spoofed as cars reserved for the environmentally “smug.” Hybrids have gone Continue reading →
As part of a strategy to improve fuel economy and reduce CO2 emissions, Ford Motor Company has developed an intelligent communications and control system for its plug-in hybrid electric vehicles that enables the vehicles to communicate with the nation’s electric grid via smart meters provided by utilities through wireless networking. The new vehicle-to-grid technology, which Continue reading →
Electric Vehicles and the Smart Grid, two of the biggest pieces of the next generation of environmental technology. We’re ridiculously excited about both of them, and what they could mean for our future. But the interaction between the smart grid and electric vehicles could also be a really big deal. Which is why we’re excited Continue reading →
