April 17, 2011
Lexus LF-Gh Revealed
Way ahead of the New York motor show debut, Lexus have revealed their new LF-Gh hybrid concept car, although it appears to be simply a design exercise at the moment.
When it comes to production models, it is expected that the detail of the front will be toned down as at the moment the LF-Gh gives an exaggerated aggressive impression.
The car suggests what the next generation GS may look like, with sharp edges on the front grille and boomerangs in the rear lights, indicating a new styling direction for Lexus.
June 23, 2010
Experts say that EVs will be ‘worthless’ in just five years
After examining the latest additions to the electric vehicle range, experts have made some shocking predictions for a market that is supposedly set to ‘take off’.
Glass’ Guide – who specialise in estimating the value of used cars – predict that, based on the lifespan of the new electric batteries, EV’s such as the new Nissan Leaf will only be worth 10% of their original value after five years.
One of the main arguments against this analysis is that it is based on the presumption that the battery will have little or no value after its life in the car. However, EV supporters believe that the batteries could serve a range of functions outside of the car.
Currently, one of the main arguments against buying any new vehicle is that they lose a substantial amount of their initial value the moment you drive them off the lot. If these presumptions about the future value of EV’s stand true, then the predicted depreciation could stunt the EV market’s growth before it really gets growing.
April 21, 2010
Toyota’s Graham Smith says Plug-in hybrids ‘better solution than Electric Vehicles’
The managing director of Toyota Motor Erurope told delegates today at the international Automotive Conference in Scundeland “it will take time” for consumers to adapt to the idea of driving a car that you can plugin to a socket.
But he still thinks “Hydrogen powered cell vehicles” are the answer and new hybrids will “bridge the gap”.
He thinks that it will be the better solution for the consumer as electric cars won’t work for long journeys. But reckons “they will have a role to play but not a major one.”
Toyota will launch a 36-month trial of plug-in hybrids this summer in London using 20 vehicles. The trial has already started in France, he said.
The advantage of plug-in hybrids is that for journeys under 10km they run of electric power only and are zero emission. For journeys under 25km – which represent 80 per cent of trips -the vehicle will run in hybrid mode using the petrol engine, with CO2 emissions 60 per cent less than the Prius Mild hybrid, he said.
Toyota will launch a 36-month trial of plug-in hybrids this summer in London using 20 vehicles. The trial has already started in France, he said.
April 16, 2010
Toyota recall programme passes 80 per cent completion as new car sales continue to rise
So, it would seem that the Toyota brand is a lot stronger than we first thought, according to statistics released today – their sales are up and they’re 80 per cent of the way through their recall programme.
And a story that broke this week that suggested that their US SUV the Lexus GSX 460, might be prone to rolling. Doesn’t seem to have dented consumer confidence this side pf the pond. Their sales in the UK have seen a 15.5 per cent increase compared to the same month last year.
The full hybrid Prius seems to leading the sales for Toyota with sales of 4,000 already this year. So it remains the world’s most popular hybrid model.
And it seems that they are not resting on their laurels, because they just announced that they will be offer a five-year warranty or three years’ free servicing on all new retail and small business cars.
They’re calling it “your choice, our promise”, it should deliver peace mind for motorists when making their new car purchase decision.
March 3, 2010
Volkswagen Touareg hybrid announced
Volkwagen’s Touareg Hybrid has been unveiled at Geneva Motor Show today, and it looks lower, curvier and lighter than the previous model.
They have announced that this new model will be a hybrid and will look to go head to head with the popular Lexus Hybrid 4×4.
UK deliveries start in August 2010.
March 2, 2010
Ferrari 599 Hybrid at Geneva 2010 – the red cars are going green
Ferrari is going green at Geneva – literally.
And there’s certainly no missing the fact, shocking green paintwork on the 599 GTB Fiorano hybrid prototype on the stand is letting everyone know in no uncertain terms the eco bandwagon has rolled into Maranello.
But the hybrid technology in the 599 here doesn’t signify a Prius chasing version of this car any time soon. Indeed, the HY-KERS system it debuts is purely experimental and simply represents Ferrari’s first step towards a more efficient future.
it’s not looking to make a Prius rival after all. What the HY-KERS system does is help future Ferraris meet stringent new CO2 and fuel efficiency targets.
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