Honda Zest Spark: New version of Honda's Zest in Japan
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Thursday, 4 December 2008
Wednesday, 3 December 2008
Wednesday, 26 November 2008
Tuesday, 25 November 2008
Friday, 21 November 2008
Honda to close Swindon plant for two months
Honda, the Japanese carmaker, today said it will close its factory in Swindon for two months, leaving nearly 5,000 workers with only basic pay during February and March.
Today's move by Honda means that production in Swindon will be cut by a further 21,000, reducing overall output at the plant by 53,000. Honda's announcement follows similar inititatives in the UK by other carmakers, including Ford, who are struggling with spiralling sales.
Cash-strapped consumers are putting off large purchases such as cars as the economy shrinks and unemployment rises while cautious banks are unwilling to grant motor finance deals to borrowers.
Yesterday, Richard Lambert, the CBI Director-General, risked the wrath of Britain's biggest industry when he said that UK carmakers should not receive large American-style bailouts.
His comments to The Times come after the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) petitioned the Government for a range of support, including loans to the industry.
Fears are growing for the future of Vauxhall's Ellesmere Port plant because its parent, General Motors, could go under next month. The unions have called for £13 billion in state support for the industry.
Since the beginning of October, Toyota has halted the night shift at its Derby works, Ford announced it will move to a four-day week at its Transit van plant in Southampton until Christmas, and Land Rover did the same at its plant in Solihull. In Crewe, Bentley’s factory has moved to a three-day week.
Ford announced earlier this month that it will cut 10 per cent of its workforce as it attempts to combat the slump in worldwide sales.
Honda's move today is part of a wider move by the company to cut production.
Output in Japan will fall by 40,000 vehicles, bringing planned domestic production to 1.278 million units in the business year to March 31, down 1 per cent from last year.
It said yesterday that it would reduce production in the US by cutting at two plants in Alabama and Ohio.
Honda sales in the US, the world’s biggest car market, fell almost 4 per cent through October, compared with a nearly 12 per cent decline for Toyota and a 7 per cent drop for Nissan.
Source: Times Online
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Today's move by Honda means that production in Swindon will be cut by a further 21,000, reducing overall output at the plant by 53,000. Honda's announcement follows similar inititatives in the UK by other carmakers, including Ford, who are struggling with spiralling sales.
Cash-strapped consumers are putting off large purchases such as cars as the economy shrinks and unemployment rises while cautious banks are unwilling to grant motor finance deals to borrowers.
Yesterday, Richard Lambert, the CBI Director-General, risked the wrath of Britain's biggest industry when he said that UK carmakers should not receive large American-style bailouts.
His comments to The Times come after the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) petitioned the Government for a range of support, including loans to the industry.
Fears are growing for the future of Vauxhall's Ellesmere Port plant because its parent, General Motors, could go under next month. The unions have called for £13 billion in state support for the industry.
Since the beginning of October, Toyota has halted the night shift at its Derby works, Ford announced it will move to a four-day week at its Transit van plant in Southampton until Christmas, and Land Rover did the same at its plant in Solihull. In Crewe, Bentley’s factory has moved to a three-day week.
Ford announced earlier this month that it will cut 10 per cent of its workforce as it attempts to combat the slump in worldwide sales.
Honda's move today is part of a wider move by the company to cut production.
Output in Japan will fall by 40,000 vehicles, bringing planned domestic production to 1.278 million units in the business year to March 31, down 1 per cent from last year.
It said yesterday that it would reduce production in the US by cutting at two plants in Alabama and Ohio.
Honda sales in the US, the world’s biggest car market, fell almost 4 per cent through October, compared with a nearly 12 per cent decline for Toyota and a 7 per cent drop for Nissan.
Source: Times Online
Honda Booth @ 2008 LA Auto Show
Following the posts in Japanese Green Cars blog regarding the FC Sport Design Study concept and Ecological Drive Assist System, here are some photos from Honda's booth at 2008 LA Auto Show.
Source: Vtec.net
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Source: Vtec.net
Thursday, 20 November 2008
Civic Type-R FN2 (EUDM) in Japan, next spring release
Honda Japan has announced that the three-door Civic Type-R FN2, which is available in Europe, will make its way to Japan next spring. It will be available in limited volumes.
The Civic Type-R FN2 is being produced by HONDA UK Manufacturing Co. Ltd. and it is on sale in Europe since March 2007. F1 team driver Jenson Button is scheduled to run a demonstration of the car in Japan.
Source: Honda Japan
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The Civic Type-R FN2 is being produced by HONDA UK Manufacturing Co. Ltd. and it is on sale in Europe since March 2007. F1 team driver Jenson Button is scheduled to run a demonstration of the car in Japan.
Source: Honda Japan
Honda @ 2008 LA Auto Show
Honda revealed the FC Sport Design Study concept and presented also the Ecological Drive Assist System, which will feature on the new Honda Insight.
I have already posted information and photos in Japanese Green Cars blog, but due to limited time available, I have provided the links below instead of posting them in this blog.
FC Sport Design Study concept
Ecological Drive Assist System
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I have already posted information and photos in Japanese Green Cars blog, but due to limited time available, I have provided the links below instead of posting them in this blog.
FC Sport Design Study concept
Ecological Drive Assist System
Wednesday, 19 November 2008
Honda NSX See-Through Technical Illustration Leaked
Honda was never going to take Nissan's GT-R or the ever-elusive Lexus LF-A lying down and the next NSX was the most natural way to break that current GT-R tidal wave. What you observe here are leaked pictures of its see-through technical makeup, the stuff under the skin as it were. Thanks to contributing artist, Larson, a pretty accurate rendering completes the picture.
NSX hits the dealership network in late 2009 after numerous test sightings and spy shots published on WCF. Just from the figures it is evident that sardines aren't on the target menu; only the really big fish interest NSX, names like Ferrari F430 and Porsche 911 GT3 come to mind. For this to happen the NSX will employ the power of a 5.5-litre V10 whose cylinders will fire up an entire 560bhp/ 417kW through a sequential gearbox with steering wheel-mounted paddleshifters.
Honda's Super-Handling All-Wheel Drive (SH-AWD) should ensure 0 - 100km/h times of under 4 seconds and a top speed approaching 200mph or 322kh/h. Pricing may begin from the £100,000 mark.
Source: Worldcarfans
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NSX hits the dealership network in late 2009 after numerous test sightings and spy shots published on WCF. Just from the figures it is evident that sardines aren't on the target menu; only the really big fish interest NSX, names like Ferrari F430 and Porsche 911 GT3 come to mind. For this to happen the NSX will employ the power of a 5.5-litre V10 whose cylinders will fire up an entire 560bhp/ 417kW through a sequential gearbox with steering wheel-mounted paddleshifters.
Honda's Super-Handling All-Wheel Drive (SH-AWD) should ensure 0 - 100km/h times of under 4 seconds and a top speed approaching 200mph or 322kh/h. Pricing may begin from the £100,000 mark.
Source: Worldcarfans
Tuesday, 18 November 2008
Honda launches first ever Diesel Automatic
Honda will launch its first automatic transmission for a diesel engine in the New Year, with the new gearbox debuting in the latest Accord.
The eagerly-awaited auto ‘box for Honda’s i-DTEC engine means the Accord will appeal to a new segment of customers, particularly in the corporate market, where high mileage user choosers often will only consider an automatic transmission.
“Company car tax legislation has driven much growth in diesel sales and resulted in traditional ‘petrol heads’ re-assessing their choice of powertrain,” said Graham Avent, Manager – Corporate Sales, Cars, Honda (UK). “For many of these drivers, the final hurdle in their transition to driving a diesel is whether or not it is available as an automatic.”
Since creating its first diesel engine in 2004, Honda’s intention was to produce a high quality automatic gearbox in-house, rather than compromise the performance of its i-DTEC engine by mating it with an externally supplied transmission.
The result is a responsive ‘box that’s smooth and sporty with practically zero lag between kick-down and gear shift – especially when using the steering-wheel mounted paddles. In the saloon, top speed is 129mph with 136PS at 4000rpm and torque of 350Nm at 2000rpm. By comparison, the Tourer manages a top speed of 126mph.
The Large Project Leader for Accord, Hiroyuki Ikegami commented: “Having equipped the Accord with a newly developed engine, it would have made no sense to compromise the exceptional flexibility of the i-DTEC by mating it with an externally supplied transmission. Therefore, despite it taking more time, we have undertaken an extensive development programme for our gearbox in order to bring an automatic diesel to market.”
The new 5-speed unit uses the same straight gate layout and paddle shift system as seen on the Accord petrol automatic earlier this year. CO2 emissions are 170g/km (saloon) and 173-174g/km (Tourer) depending on model grade, while fuel economy is 44.1mpg (combined) for the saloon and 42.8mpg (combined) for the Tourer.
The Accord i-DTEC automatic will go on sale in January 2009 priced from £22,400 (Accord 2.2 i-DTEC ES saloon) and £23,700 (Accord 2.2 i-DTEC ES Tourer).
All engines in the Accord line up are designed to meet Euro 5 legislation.
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Honda’s clean diesel journey
i-CTDi: Honda’s began developing its own diesel engine with Kenichi Nagahiro, the company’s chief engine designer and the inventor of the celebrated VTEC engine. Nagahiro hated diesel engines – he thought they were noisy, smelly and dirty.
When asked to design Honda’s first diesel he flatly refused – unless he was allowed to start completely from scratch. The result is one of the cleanest, most refined diesel engines on the market today, the 2.2 i-CTDi that is used to power the UK Civic, CR-V and FR-V.
i-DTEC: At the 2007 Frankfurt Motor Show in September, Nagahiro proudly presented the next exciting stage of diesel engine technology the i-DTEC.
This second generation, cleaner diesel features in the latest Accord and exceeds Euro 5 emissions standards thanks to the latest fuel injection technology, more efficient exhaust gas recirculation and a particulate filter to reduce air quality emissions (NOx).
Source: Honda UK
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The eagerly-awaited auto ‘box for Honda’s i-DTEC engine means the Accord will appeal to a new segment of customers, particularly in the corporate market, where high mileage user choosers often will only consider an automatic transmission.
“Company car tax legislation has driven much growth in diesel sales and resulted in traditional ‘petrol heads’ re-assessing their choice of powertrain,” said Graham Avent, Manager – Corporate Sales, Cars, Honda (UK). “For many of these drivers, the final hurdle in their transition to driving a diesel is whether or not it is available as an automatic.”
Since creating its first diesel engine in 2004, Honda’s intention was to produce a high quality automatic gearbox in-house, rather than compromise the performance of its i-DTEC engine by mating it with an externally supplied transmission.
The result is a responsive ‘box that’s smooth and sporty with practically zero lag between kick-down and gear shift – especially when using the steering-wheel mounted paddles. In the saloon, top speed is 129mph with 136PS at 4000rpm and torque of 350Nm at 2000rpm. By comparison, the Tourer manages a top speed of 126mph.
The Large Project Leader for Accord, Hiroyuki Ikegami commented: “Having equipped the Accord with a newly developed engine, it would have made no sense to compromise the exceptional flexibility of the i-DTEC by mating it with an externally supplied transmission. Therefore, despite it taking more time, we have undertaken an extensive development programme for our gearbox in order to bring an automatic diesel to market.”
The new 5-speed unit uses the same straight gate layout and paddle shift system as seen on the Accord petrol automatic earlier this year. CO2 emissions are 170g/km (saloon) and 173-174g/km (Tourer) depending on model grade, while fuel economy is 44.1mpg (combined) for the saloon and 42.8mpg (combined) for the Tourer.
The Accord i-DTEC automatic will go on sale in January 2009 priced from £22,400 (Accord 2.2 i-DTEC ES saloon) and £23,700 (Accord 2.2 i-DTEC ES Tourer).
All engines in the Accord line up are designed to meet Euro 5 legislation.
------------------------------------------------------------------
Honda’s clean diesel journey
i-CTDi: Honda’s began developing its own diesel engine with Kenichi Nagahiro, the company’s chief engine designer and the inventor of the celebrated VTEC engine. Nagahiro hated diesel engines – he thought they were noisy, smelly and dirty.
When asked to design Honda’s first diesel he flatly refused – unless he was allowed to start completely from scratch. The result is one of the cleanest, most refined diesel engines on the market today, the 2.2 i-CTDi that is used to power the UK Civic, CR-V and FR-V.
i-DTEC: At the 2007 Frankfurt Motor Show in September, Nagahiro proudly presented the next exciting stage of diesel engine technology the i-DTEC.
This second generation, cleaner diesel features in the latest Accord and exceeds Euro 5 emissions standards thanks to the latest fuel injection technology, more efficient exhaust gas recirculation and a particulate filter to reduce air quality emissions (NOx).
Source: Honda UK
Monday, 17 November 2008
Civic Type-R JDM (FD2): Sports Modulo
Honda revealed Sports Modulo program for Civic Type-R in Japan (FN2). The body kit looks similar to one presented in SEMA 2008 for the American Civic Si.
Source: Honda JP
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Source: Honda JP
Friday, 14 November 2008
More Details on Spoon Signature NSX-R GT
The Spoon Signature NSX-R GT is set to be formally announced at the 2009 Tokyo Auto Salon in January. Spoon will be racing a specially prepared version of the NSX-R at the Macau Grand Prix this coming weekend. According to GTChannel.com, Spoon's race-prepped NSX-R features a 450hp naturally-aspirated 3.5L V6 capable of turning 9800rpm, all in a 950kg package.
Pricing of the roadgoing version is expected to come in at around $150,000. Spoon plans to manufacturer five of these in 2009. Total potential quantities are unknown but are thought to be limited to around 20 to 25. Opak Racing (based in Northern California) will also offer kits to convert existing NSXs to Type-R specs. "The kit contains all the Type-R parts for conversion, including Spoon-prepped engine and transmission, with Spoon aero kit. TypeR parts: interior, door panel, dash, gauge cluster, steering, seats, carpets, accessories,etc. Wheels, (brake and suspension system by Spoon)."
Pricing of the roadgoing version is expected to come in at around $150,000. Spoon plans to manufacturer five of these in 2009. Total potential quantities are unknown but are thought to be limited to around 20 to 25. Opak Racing (based in Northern California) will also offer kits to convert existing NSXs to Type-R specs. "The kit contains all the Type-R parts for conversion, including Spoon-prepped engine and transmission, with Spoon aero kit. TypeR parts: interior, door panel, dash, gauge cluster, steering, seats, carpets, accessories,etc. Wheels, (brake and suspension system by Spoon)."
| Engine | NA 3.2 L , Approx. 300HP Turbo 3.0L Approx. 450HP Spoon Balanced and Blue printed Spoon Yellow valve Cover All internals are Spoon balanced |
| Transmission | 6-speed manual Option: Automatic |
| Color | White, Black, Yellow, Blue Available Type R colors |
| Seats | Type-R Red or Black |
| Wheels | F: TypeR 17”x 7 ½” R: TypeR 17”x 8 ½” |
| Tires | F: 215 40 17 R: 255 40 17 Bridgestone or BF Goodrich |
| Air/Heat | Type-R Standard |
| LSD | Type-R Standard |
| Exhaust | Spoon Dual Exhaust for NA Spoon Single Exhaust for Turbo |
| Brake system | Spoon Monoblock Calipers Spoon Large Rotors Spoon Brake pads Spoon Brake lines |
| Suspension | Spoon Custom Dampers |
| Air duct | Spoon Unicorn and sides air duct |
| Front Bumper | Spoon aero |
| Rear Bumper | Spoon aero |
| Carpet | Type-R Red or black |
| Instruments | Type-R |
| Door interior panels | Type-R |
| Lighting and lens | Type-R |
Options:
* Turbo Charge
* Dry carbon Fiber trunk
* Dry Carbon Door panels
* Driver’s side airbag
Not included in the price:
* Shipment from Japan to US by Container ship.
* Tax – Homeland Security
* DMV Registration
The Spoon NSX will be tuned prior to shipment. Spoon warranty applies to engine and transmission.
For more info: Email: info@spoonsports.us or call Edmun Laurea at (650) 204 9483
Source: Spoon Sports/Opak Racing via Vtec.net
Monday, 10 November 2008
Honda Unveils New Experimental Walking Assist Device
Honda has unveiled a new walking assist device that supports bodyweight and could reduce muscle and joint fatigue for people who stand for long periods of time or perform repetitive tasks that put strain on the lower body.*
The new device reduces the load on leg muscles and joints in the hips, knees, and ankles by supporting a portion of the user’s bodyweight when bending and stretching the knees during actions like walking, going up and down stairs and crouching.
It comprises of a seat, frame, and shoes which can be fitted easily without being fastened to the user. Using one of the motors, the seat lifts to take the user’s weight as the frame between the shoe and seat bends and extends like real knees. As a result, the load on leg muscles and joints is reduced.
Two unique Honda innovations enable the device to provide natural and effective assistance – a mechanism that allows the seat and frame to follow the movement of the body and legs, and the ability to support the user’s centre of gravity in tandem with leg movement.
Natural walking is achieved by changing the amount of assistance applied to the right and left legs. This is accomplished by controlling the two motors based on information obtained though sensors embedded in the shoes.
The latest device features technology used in Honda’s advanced humanoid robot, ASIMO and benefits from the extensive study of human walking patterns carried out by Honda engineers in the development of ASIMO.
Honda began research into walking assist devices in 1999, with an aim to provide mobility to more people. This research has been conducted by the Fundamental Technology Research Center of Honda R&D Co., Ltd. in Wako, Saitama.
Honda will now begin testing the device in real-world conditions.
Key specifications
Weight: 6.5kg (including shoes and batteries)
Drive system: Motor x 2
Battery pack: Lithium ion battery
Operating time per charge: 2 hours (including walking and in a semi-crouching posture, etc.)
Suitable height of the user: Within plus or minus 5cm of the set height
(Example: set height for medium size is 170cm)
* This device is designed to support people who are still capable of walking on their own.
Source: Honda UK
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The new device reduces the load on leg muscles and joints in the hips, knees, and ankles by supporting a portion of the user’s bodyweight when bending and stretching the knees during actions like walking, going up and down stairs and crouching.
It comprises of a seat, frame, and shoes which can be fitted easily without being fastened to the user. Using one of the motors, the seat lifts to take the user’s weight as the frame between the shoe and seat bends and extends like real knees. As a result, the load on leg muscles and joints is reduced.
Two unique Honda innovations enable the device to provide natural and effective assistance – a mechanism that allows the seat and frame to follow the movement of the body and legs, and the ability to support the user’s centre of gravity in tandem with leg movement.
Natural walking is achieved by changing the amount of assistance applied to the right and left legs. This is accomplished by controlling the two motors based on information obtained though sensors embedded in the shoes.
The latest device features technology used in Honda’s advanced humanoid robot, ASIMO and benefits from the extensive study of human walking patterns carried out by Honda engineers in the development of ASIMO.
Honda began research into walking assist devices in 1999, with an aim to provide mobility to more people. This research has been conducted by the Fundamental Technology Research Center of Honda R&D Co., Ltd. in Wako, Saitama.
Honda will now begin testing the device in real-world conditions.
Key specifications
Weight: 6.5kg (including shoes and batteries)
Drive system: Motor x 2
Battery pack: Lithium ion battery
Operating time per charge: 2 hours (including walking and in a semi-crouching posture, etc.)
Suitable height of the user: Within plus or minus 5cm of the set height
(Example: set height for medium size is 170cm)
* This device is designed to support people who are still capable of walking on their own.
Source: Honda UK
Sunday, 9 November 2008
Japanese Green Cars blog
Following the “Honda Hybrid Cars" blog which is up and running since September 2008, I thought that it would be a good idea to create a blog covering a wider range of Japanese "green" cars. The current blog will continue to cover Honda related news only and it will provide up to date information as always.
The question though is on what basis can a car be characterised as “green”? Two of them can been found below:
A characteristic of Japanese cars is that they have led the world in producing mature technology for the shift to alternative energies. The three different approaches are electricity, hydrogen-powered fuel cell, and hybrid systems that use either gasoline or electricity according to requirements.
The most straightforward way to reduce the impact of cars on the environment is to make smaller cars. Simplicity is the starting point for Japanese aesthetics, and Japan has a distinct category of mini-vehicles - also known as light cars, kei cars, or micro-cars. Tiny cars can be found around the world, but those in Japan are distinctive for being tightly packed with sophistication and advanced performance.
On both blogs there is a “My blog list” in order for you to be able to check if the other blog has been updated.
Some sneak previews of sports cars will also be available (...of Japanese origin of course), as a true car enthusiast can always keep dreaming!
If you would like to visit my new blog, click here: Japanese Green Cars blog
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The question though is on what basis can a car be characterised as “green”? Two of them can been found below:
A characteristic of Japanese cars is that they have led the world in producing mature technology for the shift to alternative energies. The three different approaches are electricity, hydrogen-powered fuel cell, and hybrid systems that use either gasoline or electricity according to requirements.
The most straightforward way to reduce the impact of cars on the environment is to make smaller cars. Simplicity is the starting point for Japanese aesthetics, and Japan has a distinct category of mini-vehicles - also known as light cars, kei cars, or micro-cars. Tiny cars can be found around the world, but those in Japan are distinctive for being tightly packed with sophistication and advanced performance.
On both blogs there is a “My blog list” in order for you to be able to check if the other blog has been updated.
Some sneak previews of sports cars will also be available (...of Japanese origin of course), as a true car enthusiast can always keep dreaming!
If you would like to visit my new blog, click here: Japanese Green Cars blog
Tuesday, 4 November 2008
Honda Reveals Civic HFP Concept in SEMA 2008
Honda revealed a Civic Honda Factory Performance (HFP) Concept sedan that represents a new approach on performance improvement. With more consumer concern about fuel prices, future customers may want to maximize the performance of their vehicles without compromising fuel economy. Honda Access America, Honda's accessory development company, took on that challenge. Through aerodynamic improvements to the next generation HFP body kit, super-light alloy wheels with aerodynamic covers, a lighter HFP exhaust system and an upgraded HFP suspension kit, this concept offers the possibility of improving both fuel economy and performance. In fact, a very similar package has proven its worth on the race tracks of Japan on the Civic Type R race car, which campaigned in a spec series called the Super Taikyu Series.
Source
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Source
"How do Diesels Compare to Hybrids?"
Toyota Open Road Blog published an interested article on how diesels compare to Hybrids, which you can read below:"If you follow what’s happening in the automotive scene, you probably know that Volkswagen is bringing the latest in what it calls "clean diesels" to its U.S. dealerships for 2009. You may also know that several publications have lauded the ’09 VW Jetta diesel for its fuel economy.
So we thought it might be interesting to take a look at the Jetta and its numbers to see how they compare to those of hybrids. Using numbers from a terrific site by the federal government’s Environmental Protection Agency, here’s what we found.
We found that the EPA rates the Jetta at a combined mpg figure of 34. Based on that, the EPA calculates that the Jetta’s annual fuel cost would be $1,746, that it would use 11.6 barrels of petroleum per year and that its carbon-footprint number – i.e., tons of CO2 emitted per year – would be 6.2.
Great, but what does that mean? To find out, we dug up some comparative numbers. We checked out the EPA’s figures for the Honda Civic Hybrid, the Chevy Tahoe hybrid, the Ford Escape hybrid, the Prius and the Camry Hybrid.
What we found is that according to the EPA, the Jetta diesel has a larger carbon footprint than any of the vehicles we looked at, except for the Chevy Tahoe hybrid. Here’s how they stacked up:
The Civic Hybrid turned in an EPA rating of 42/combined and its annual fuel costs are listed as $1,328. The EPA says it will burn 8.2 barrels of petroleum annually and that its carbon-footprint number is 4.4.
Chevy’s Tahoe hybrid is, like the Honda hybrid, what’s called a mild hybrid. What that means, in short form, is that it delivers some, but not all, of the goodness of which full hybrids are capable. (For a discussion of hybrid families and types, click here.) And that’s born out in the numbers. The Tahoe hybrid is rated at 21 mpg/combined and an annual fuel cost of $2,656, 16.3 barrels of petroleum per year and a carbon-footprint number of 8.7.
Ford’s Escape hybrid, meanwhile, is rated at 32 mpg/combined, an annual fuel cost of $1,747, 10.7 barrels of petroleum annually and a carbon-footprint number of 5.7
The Prius leads the league in mpg numbers at 46/combined. The EPA calculates its annual fuel cost at $1,211, barrels of petroleum used at 7.4 and its carbon footprint at 4.0 – another league-leading number.
Our Camry Hybrid doesn’t quite match those numbers but still does pretty well. Its mpg is rated at 34/combined and an annual fuel cost of $1,641. The EPA calculates that it will burn 10.1 barrels of fuel per year with a carbon-footprint number of 5.4.
You can make of these numbers what you will – we’d remind you that they’re the federal government’s, not ours. What we make of them is that manufacturers are working hard on economy, efficiency and a reduced carbon footprint, and that’s terrific. But we also see that the term "clean diesel" is relative, and that the technology appears to use more fuel, at greater cost, than hybrid technology does, and appears to leave a larger carbon footprint.
That said, we certainly understand that there are situations in which diesel is the fuel of choice. For that reason, we offer, in markets outside the U.S., diesels in a number of our vehicles. For now, though, at least in the U.S., diesel carries two premiums about which buyers apparently remain wary - the additional cost of the diesel powertrain over a standard powertrain and the elevated cost of diesel fuel.
The lesson we take from this is that our Hybrid Synergy Drive continues to look like a pretty good way to go. - Ron Kirkpatrick, Corporate Communications"
Source
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Sunday, 2 November 2008
Toyota Prius Brand: "Another Rumor, Another Dose of Truth"
"The roumors regarding the future Prius brand proved to be false with the following reply posted on Toyota Open Road Blog: "Prius brand a ‘go’ for Toyota," trumpets the headline. Well, we suppose this will generate traffic for LeftLaneNews.com, the site that carried the story. But it also proves that you just cannot believe everything you read on the Internet.
The LLN post tells us, "You can now file this one under ‘confirmed’ as Toyota’s new green brand has been given the green light."
The trouble with this report is that it’s completely false. A reader might suspect that, actually, since the post doesn’t contain the name of a source – or even suggest that there was a source, other than what the post calls "the rumor mill."
What I can confirm is that the possibility of a separate Prius brand is something that we’ve been studying and discussing internally here at Toyota. But no decision about this has been made, no product has been identified, and there certainly has been no timetable established for the rollout of such a brand.
- Irv Miller, Group Vice President, Corporate Communications"
Source
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The LLN post tells us, "You can now file this one under ‘confirmed’ as Toyota’s new green brand has been given the green light."
The trouble with this report is that it’s completely false. A reader might suspect that, actually, since the post doesn’t contain the name of a source – or even suggest that there was a source, other than what the post calls "the rumor mill."
What I can confirm is that the possibility of a separate Prius brand is something that we’ve been studying and discussing internally here at Toyota. But no decision about this has been made, no product has been identified, and there certainly has been no timetable established for the rollout of such a brand.
- Irv Miller, Group Vice President, Corporate Communications"
Source
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