Posts Tagged prius

CalCars’ First DIY Plug-In Prius Catches Fire, Burns Completely

Posted by Benji Jerew in Hybrid vehicles on March 13, 2013

In 2004, CalCars modified a standard Toyota Prius hybrid electric vehicle, not only because they could, but also to prove a point, that a plug-in vehicle could hit the 100 mpge mark. There have always been tinkerers and inventors who tried to improve things, but sometimes the results are disastrous, such this week’s unfortunate DIY Plug-In death by [...]

Toyota Prius Backup Power – An Aftermarket Solution

Posted by Benji Jerew in Energy Storage, Hybrid vehicles on February 1, 2013

Modern society depends on electricity, and without it, most everything ceases to function, including heating and cooling, refrigerators, mobile phones, computers, and the list goes on. In emergencies, such as Hurricane Sandy knocking out power for millions of people, some for weeks, backup power generators make all kinds of sense to have on hand. Backup [...]

Toyota Announces Prius Price Cuts by December 3

Posted by Benji Jerew in Hybrid vehicles on November 29, 2012

Synonymous with ‘hybrid,’ Toyota Prius hybrid electric vehicle [HEV] is the most popular HEV in the US, and according to global sales numbers, the third-most-popular vehicle in the world for the first quarter 2012. Having sold nearly 10,000 Prii in October alone, Toyota isn’t resting on its laurels. Prius’ newest neighbor in the hybrid segment [...]

Toyota’s Next-Generation Magnesium Battery Technology

Posted by Benji Jerew in Energy Storage on November 29, 2012

Thousands of electric vehicles [EV] have been sold in the US, all with the same problem, range and expense. True, current battery technology, lithium-ion [Li-ion] has come leaps and bounds past its predecessors, nickel-metal hydride [NiMH] and nickel-cadmium [NiCad] and even lead-acid. Each step in battery technology increased the capacity and reduced weight. Still, current [...]

Your Prius Unlikely to Get Stolen in US, Report Says

Posted by Benji Jerew in Hybrid vehicles on November 27, 2012

Prius drivers often have one thing on their minds when they’re signing the papers and taking their new keys in hand, that is, reducing fuel consumption. Reduced fuel consumption, of course, is better for your wallet as well as for the environment. Every gallon saved is another twenty pounds of carbon-dioxide eliminated from the atmosphere. [...]

Toyota Prius to Get a New Look and All-Wheel Drive by 2015

Posted by Benji Jerew in Hybrid vehicles on November 21, 2012

Toyota Prius, although not the first hybrid, is certainly the most well-known and best-selling hybrid in the US. While sporting class-leading fuel economy, some people are still a little put off by its appearance and lack of all-wheel drive, especially in the northeast US, where the winters are harsh, and the fuel is expensive. A [...]

Toyota to Launch 2012 Facelifted Prius in Europe

Posted by Ovidiu Sandru in Hybrid vehicles on January 16, 2012

Toyota’s flagship hybrid, Prius, has received a new facelift at the beginning of 2012. What has once been world’s first commercially-available hybrid car now received new multimedia systems, but the performance figures stay the same. The front bumper has been revised, the air intake is now bigger, and the headlights feature daylight-visible LEDs. The rear [...]

Toyota Undergoing Hybrid Coolant System Repairs on 650,000 Priuses Worldwide

Posted by Ovidiu Sandru in Hybrid vehicles on November 30, 2010

After the floor mats that have been trapping accelerators, or the faulty gas pedals, defective braking systems and stalling engines, now the automaker has to perform repairs to the pumps that cool the hybrid system.

Toyota's Hybrid Cars Attacked By New Pollution Figures: Scoring Higher Than Average

Posted by Ovidiu Sandru in Car industry, Hybrid vehicles on October 21, 2010

The Toyota Prius has been one of the most driven cars by Hollywood movie stars and green lovers. Even I would love to drive one, and I’m not much of star myself. The advertisements of low CO2 emissions and low fuel consumption are tempting enough to take you to the showroom and buy one.

Prius Breaks Silence With Add-On Noise Generator for Pedestrian Safety

Posted by Ovidiu Sandru in Hybrid vehicles on August 24, 2010

I had been glad to hear that you couldn’t hear Priuses as they passed by. I even stopped my engine once (I have a diesel) to hear the electric motor’s humming – it sounded differently than others, something I had never experienced before. That was in 2007.

GM Cancels the 53mpg Hybrid Chevrolet and Proceeds to PHEVs

Posted by Cristi in Car industry on December 22, 2009

Even though electric vehicles seem to be the future, some car manufacturers do not rush into changing to green, alternative energy sources. There is some incertitude when it comes to changing so fast from fossil fuels and some automakers just take their time to see what is best for the market.

Prius Plug-In Hybrid (PHEV) Present at Tokyo Motor Show

Posted by Cristi in Electric Vehicles, Hybrid vehicles on October 18, 2009

A long time ago, Toyota Motor Corporation has started its green thinking trend with hybrid cars which revolutionized fuel consumption. Now they found a way to combine electric vehicles with hybrid ones and they presented their concept just days before the Tokyo Motor Show.

Remarkable Lifetime Results for EV Batteries

Posted by Cristi in Energy Storage on June 10, 2009

Scientists from Southern California Edison (SCE) have developed an tested for two and a half years a lithium-ion battery sub-pack with very encouraging results. The battery tested survived 180,000miles with no significant deterioration.

In My Prius: Funny Hip-Hop Video About Toyota's Car

Posted by Ovidiu Sandru in Hybrid vehicles, Video on May 27, 2009

It’s time for some fun once in a while on The Green Optimistic. I wish I could do that a habit and, once a week, present some funny environmentally-related video. If there are lots of them, I’ll even make a category.

Toyota Preparing to Launch a Cheap Hybrid Vehicle

Posted by Mike Sandru in Hybrid vehicles on March 27, 2009

Toyota has announced that plans to develop a cheaper hybrid vehicle, a competitor for the Insight model which just entered the U.S. market. Toyota officials have revealed that their hybrid will be developed on the current Yaris platform.