The auto world is already abuzz over the new and improved Toyota Prius, and this week the plug-in posse got a charge as the new plug-in hybrid version was unveiled at the New York Auto Show. The 2017 Toyota Prius Prime, as the new PHEV is called, will have an 8.8 kWh battery pack and… Read more »
It’s safe to say that car dealers aren’t a particularly beloved bunch. Shopping for a car may not be as bad as going to the dentist, but for many people, it’s right up there. Technically-minded buyers find it frustrating to try to glean some factual information from the typical rambling sales pitch, while more gentle… Read more »
Toyota will begin verification testing of its newly developed wireless charging system in late February. Toyota developed the system in cooperation with WiTricity, an MIT spin-off that the automaker has been cooperating with for several years. Toyota Managing Officer Satoshi Ogiso announced in August that the next-generation Prius Plug-in Hybrid would include a wireless charging… Read more »
The Prius Plug-In is going wireless, and WiTricity will be providing its resonant power transfer technology. This week, the Massachusetts-based MIT spinout announced an intellectual property license agreement with Toyota, which has been an investor in WiTricity since 2011. Toyota announced plans to add wireless charging to the Prius line in August. “We have heard… Read more »
In a sign that the world’s largest automaker may be getting more charged, Toyota has announced that it will carry out verification tests in Aichi Prefecture, Japan to “assess the practicality of the widespread deployment of chargers for plug-in hybrid and electric vehicles.” The tests are a continuation of a similar program implemented in 2012,… Read more »
Toyota is the latest automaker to pare its plug-in prices, announcing a reduction of over $2,000 in the MSRP for the 2014 Prius Plug-in Hybrid. Starting MSRP will be $29,990 for the base model and $34,905 for the Advanced model. The Advanced model will offer an optional Technology Package that includes a couple of autonomous… Read more »
With the entire collection of 23 Toyota and Lexus hybrid models as a backdrop, Toyota Managing Officer Satoshi Ogiso delivered an inspiring overview of the past, present and future of the Prius family at the “2013 Toyota Hybrid World Tour event in Michigan. Ogiso was one of the engineers who began developing hybrid technology at… Read more »
US plug-in sales set no new record in May, but the total of 7,554 units wasn’t too far behind the all-time monthly sales record of 8,559, set in December of 2012.
Toyota and Panasonic plan to build a new $194-million production line to produce Li-ion batteries, with a capacity of 200,000 units per year.
Is it a milestone in automotive history, or just an odometer moment? Who cares? Let’s celebrate! According to the latest estimates, the 100,000th plug-in vehicle was sold in the US some time this week. This total includes only “highway-capable” vehicles, not “neighborhood electric vehicles,” which number over 60,000 in California alone. The first of the… Read more »