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Hyundai set to release a gasoline/electric hybrid plug-in hybrid vehicle by 2012 
Hyundai is jumping on the plug-in hybrid bandwagon and it’s going after the Toyota Prius and the Chevrolet Volt. It’s on.  If Hyundai does push through with it, its plug-in car, which it expects to roll out by late 2012, is set to give the Prius and the Volt a run for its electricity. According to Hyundai’s research & development president, Yang Woong-Chul, the new plug-in hybrid will be based on a concept car it introduced at the Seoul Motor Show last April : the Blue-Will. Releasing plug-in hybrids is fast becoming a trend these days with most automakers racing to create their own version lest they get left behind by their contemporaries. Toyota, one of the first companies to release a hybrid car, has said that they plan to release 30,000 plug-in hybrids in 2012. Likewise, the Chevrolet Volt, which will be released at the later stages of 2010, is widely expected to be the car that will jumpstart General Motors’ reinvention. Continued after the jump. Full story Toyota set to produce 30,000 plug-in hybrid cars in 2012
The plug-in hybrid revolution has begun. Toyota Motors Corp., one of the foremost authorities on hybrid technology is planning on producing about 20,000 to 30,000 plug-in hybrid in 2012. We all know that if there’s a manufacturer that can make this claim and back it up, it’s Toyota. After all, their very own hybrid car, the Prius, was the first hybrid vehicle to appeal to the mainstream audience. Plug-in cars are different from the standard hybrids because they can be charged at home through an electric socket, although by running on electricity, these cars come with batteries that can be heavy on the wallets, and that’s not even counting the electric consumption bills you’ll have to come face-to-face with every month. Nevertheless, the future for these cars remains promising, especially considering that the world’s supply of oil won’t last forever. Continued after the jump. Full story
Toyota in talks with GM about the prospect of a ’GM-badged’ Prius
General Motors and Toyota may have ended their 25-year run as production partners at the NUMMI plant in California. Yet despite the split, the two auto giants are still in the works on a new partnership. We’ve heard that Toyota is in talks with GM about the possibility of supplying a rendering of Toyota’s popular Prius hybrid vehicle to its Detroit-based counterpart. While the plan has yet to be finalized, sources have said that the two heads of both companies - Toyota president Akio Toyoda and GM top dog Fritz Henderson - are expected to convene at the GM headquarters in Michigan sometime in August. Full story
The 2010 Toyota Prius has a new market: the dead
If you had a choice on what car you’ll most likely want to bring you to the doorstep of the Pearly Gates, why not go take the eco-friendly route? The Japanese – ridiculously awesome trendsetters that they are – have outdone themselves once again. Their latest brainchild is a 2010 Toyota Prius hearse, and by all accounts, it’s going to be making the rounds in funeral homes all over Japan anytime soon. Now we’re not exactly sure how the Japanese people perform their funeral services over there, but at the very least, you can say that they’re making every effort in providing their dead the chance to ride in the finest of posthumous eco luxury one last time. Anybody who might want to own their own Prius hearse will have to dole out $80,000, which, by all accounts, does not include a coffin inside. But hey, at least you’re getting your money’s worth with this car. It’s not too often you see people stopping for gas in a hearse, let alone a Toyota Prius hearse. The bewildered looks you’re almost certain to get should be enough reason to grab one of these bad boys. And if you can’t afford them, you can at least tell your loved ones that when you die, you’d want to make a good impression and score some points with St. Peter by ‘going green’ one last time – even if you won’t live long enough to see it. A hit in Japan, Honda Insight fails to make same impact in US
There’s no place like home for the Honda Insight. That sentiment has apparently become more legitimate as the days go by for Honda’s hybrid vehicle. You see, it didn’t take long for the Insight to become an instant hit in Japan; it actually topped the list of best-selling vehicle in Japan for April and in doing so, became the first hybrid car to be place number one on a monthly sales list. But despite the overwhelming success it has enjoyed in its homeland, the number haven’t necessarily translated on the other side of the Pacific. It may have been hot in Japan, but if early forecasts hold true, the Insight would be lucky to even get a lukewarm reception in America. After going on the market last March, sales of the Insight have dragged to a crawl with the numbers suggesting that it would all behind by as much as 33% of the predicted number of sales by the end of the year. Continued after the jump. Full story
Demand for 2010 Toyota Prius forces Toyota to bring out a Wait List
It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to figure out that with the current state of the economy, businesses the world over – including the auto industry – would plummet in ways never before seen in history. If there are any cars that are actually in demand these days, then they’re the few fortunate ones because the rest of their brethren have been sitting idly in showrooms. One of the said cars that’s actually in-demand, so much so that it’s even got its own wait list, is the 2010 Toyota Prius. Despite having already beefed up its personnel in its production plants in Japan, the demand for the Prius has forced Toyota to open their plants 24 hours a day with the added benefit of overtime pay for its employees just to meet its soaring demand. Can you imagine that at this time? Neither could we. Continued after the jump. Full story 2010 Toyota Prius
The third generation Prius made its world debut today at the Detroit Auto Show. With better mileage ratings, enhanced performance, and innovative design features, the 2010 Prius will go on sale in the spring.  The new Prius is powered by a new 1.8-liter Atkinson-cycle, four-cylinder engine that delivers 98 hp and a peak torque of 105 lbs-ft. Prius has been a "full" hybrid since introduction. This allows it to run on engine alone, battery alone, or a combination of both.  The design of the new Prius’ front and rear corners are sharp, sporty and aerodynamic. Strong side character lines, rising from front to rear, define the glazed geometric shape. Viewed from the rear, wider rear treads provide a solid, firmly rooted stance. Dimensionally, the new Prius has the same wheelbase as the current generation. Overall length is slightly increased by 0.6 inches, in part by moving the front cowl forward. Press release after the jump. Full story
Video: 2010 Toyota Prius previewTop Speed recently had the pleasure of speaking with Southeast Toyota representative Mike Herring about the third generation, 2010 Toyota Prius. The all new hybrid features a larger 1.8 Liter engine, a more shapely figure and a very trick solar panel that will cool your car down for you. Check it out. Honda Insight tops Toyota Prius in car sales in Japan – for a month
When you’re an upstart vehicle determined to topple the industry leader, you take any advantage over your competitor any way you can get it. For the Honda Insight, there’s no more gratifying challenge than to outsell the Toyota Prius in Japan. And for at least a month, the Insight was able to do that, garnering the distinction of becoming the very first hybrid car to top the monthly sales charts in Japan. While the Prius has long been regarded as one of the most popular hybrid cars in the market, the Insight was able to move up the charts by selling 10,481 units, doing so mostly because it comes at a cheaper price tag ($19,000) – 1.89 million yen) than the Prius. Continued after the jump. Full story
Hybrids in demand: Toyota receives 75,000 orders for the 2010 Prius
Everybody’s favorite hybrid, the Toyota Prius goes on sale later this month, but the Japanese automaker is already facing strong demand for their compact gas/electric vehicle. Toyota has already received 75,000 orders for the 2010 Prius, making it the clear favorite over Honda’s more affordably priced Insight that received only 20,000 orders. The 2010 Prius is powered by an all-new 1.8 Liter Atkinson-cycle, four-cylinder engine that delivers 98 hp and a peak torque of 105 lbs-ft. The new Prius features more aggressive styling and a trick remote air conditioning/solar panel sunroof combination and starts at around $21,000. By the way, those 75,000 orders, are only for the Japanese Market. | Find us on Facebook | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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