Toyota Prius: A chick magnet?

The ultimate lady-killer?

Forget the treehuggers. The biggest consumers of hybrid cars, such as the Toyota Prius, might soon become players trying to woo the ladies according to a recent survey, which finds that those with hybrids are now the cool kids at the party. While I love hybrids and I want to see as many as possible in hybrids, I still feel a little sick. (WOT)

Camry hybrid: Best hybrid for the money?

Payback in just 18 months?

According to Edmunds, the Toyota Camry hybrid recovers its costs compared to the the base 4 cylinder Camry in just 18 months. The Chevy Malibu hybrid was second at 2.7 years, although it won't save as much money over the long run as other hybrids. Thus, the Toyota Prius at 3.5 years will save more money than the Malibu hybrid if you keep the vehicle for at least 5 years. The Honda Civic hybrid takes 4.8 years to recover its hybrid costs.

Because of large price increases in the last year, the Ford Escape hybrid, now priced more than $2,300 more than last year, and the Toyota Highlander hybrid, now up $5,482 over last year, take 7.3 years and 12 years respectively to recover their hybrid costs. Ouch!

Obviously, some hybrid vehicles are a great hedge against high gas prices, but the Toyota Camry hybrid is beginning to look like a steal.

Like the US, UK Prius drivers love their hybrids

Prius tops JD Power rankings

According to the latest JD Power & Associates customer satisfaction survey, the Toyota Prius was the highest rated vehicle in the UK. Based upon quality and reliability, vehicle appeal, dealer service satisfaction, and ownership costs, the Toyota Prius scored 901 points on a 1,000 point scale according to Motor Authority.

Hypermiling versus racing: It's a real gas

Getting the most out of every mile

Yesterday I came across an article noting that some Americans are starting to drive differently in order to save gas, such as no jack rabbit starts or excessive highway speeds. And while these techniques can make conventional vehicles more efficient, hybrid cars provide the ultimate tool for such hypermiling.

Hybrid testimonials demonstrate that drivers can have a huge impact on the fuel economy of their hybrid vehicles. Instead of racing, many hybrid drivers do everything possible to achieve the best mileage possible. Thus, someone whom races their Toyota Prius hybrid around might achieve an average 42 mpg, whereas someone whom hypermiles might achieve well over 50 mpg.

Certainly, for some, blowing somebody away at a stoplight might be the ultimate thrill, but its a cheap thrill that hypermilers can laugh at all the way to the bank.

Do you hypermile?

Volt v. Tesla: Angus manages revolutionary expectations

"One of the most fascinating decades" in automotive history

When it comes to diesel vehicles, I think Angus MacKenzie of MotorTrend has inhaled a few to many fumes. From well-to-wheel, I just don't see much advantage with diesel over gas vehicles - let alone hybrid vehicles - at least in terms of oil consumption, since it takes more oil to make a gallon of diesel compared to gasoline.

Nonetheless, I think Angus has an unbelievably keen sense of automotive trends, and I think his recent column Tesla v. Volt: Balancing the Weight of Expectations provides some great insight into the revolution emerging in today's automotive world.

However, while Angus focuses on vehicles like the Chevy Volt and the Tesla Roadster, I do think he, and much of the auto industry, is in a bit of hybrid denial.

Finish: Volt v. Tesla: Angus manages revolutionary expectations

Mercedes S Class hybrid closer to reality

Set for 2009 production

"German parts supplier ZF Friedrichshafen will begin building electric motors destined for a hybrid version of the Mercedes-Benz S-Class at a plant in Schweinfurt, Germany, late this year," according to AutoWeek.

Thus far ZF is on schedule to build 35,000 motors per year, but is capable of producing 200,000 motors per year.

The S-Class Mercedes hybrid will be followed by a number of other hybrid vehicles launching through 2012.

Camry hybrid price increase announced

Still a good deal?

Earlier this week Toyota announced that prices on the Toyota Prius would be increased by 1.8 percent on all new Prii delivered as of Monday. That announcement has been updated with pricing for the Toyota Camry hybrid. The new price for the base Camry hybrid will be $25,650, an increase of $300.

Don't wait for a plug-in hybrid?

Why you should just buy one of today's hybrids

There are many out there very interested in plug-in hybrid vehicles. Some won't buy another vehicle until they can buy a plug-in hybrid. And, while I understand this view, I say buy one of today's hybrids.

Already, hybrid cars such as the Toyota Prius can be converted into plug-in hybrids, but such conversions aren't cheap. The important thing is that it's technologically feasible. So, for now, just leave your hybrid as is, but in the future you can replace your NiMH pack with a lithium pack. Or, add a removable pack or two to your trunk to extend electric range and fuel economy.

Ultimately, today's hybrid cars can be a long term investment, or at least a long term hedge against high energy costs. And, if the battery pack does clonk out after the warranty is up, you'll be able to replace it with a cheaper and more efficient battery anyway.

If oil is going to $200, how does a gas tax holiday help?

By summer of 2010 oil prices could be $200?

So, let's say America is able to enjoy a gas tax holiday this summer and we all save $30.00 over the summer. Does that mean that big oil will have learned its lessons, and gas prices will slide back down towards $2.00? Will NOCs decide to give America some especially cheap oil, just for America?

If there is a good chance that oil prices are going to $200 (more), aren't gas prices probably going to go up in the future, not down? If so, shouldn't America be coming up with real solutions for the future? Shouldn't America be taking real action today to prepare for the future?

Instead of a gas tax holiday, why not new tax credits for fuel efficiency for the summer? Give consumers credits for buying smaller vehicles, hybrid cars, etc. Couldn't the auto industry use a little help anyway? Wouldn't that be a proactive way to help the economy, rather than promoting ideas that sound great, but cause more problems than we already have?

Make your hybrid a plug-in with a removable MIRA battery?

Plug-in hybrids can park on the street?

It's 2011 and you're ready to go shopping for your first plug-in hybrid vehicle. Suddenly, however, you realize your biggest problem isn't whether you should buy a Toyota Prius plug-in hybrid or a Chevy Volt. You don't have a driveway, so where are you going to plug-in?

No worries. Buy a hybrid that accepts a MIRA removable battery pack and take it into the house and charge it at your convenience. For about $4000.00 you can achieve about a 60 percent improvement in fuel economy with a MIRA lithium-ion battery pack according to InsideLine.

America and its loser Presidential candidates

A pathetic panderer?

OK, so both John McCain and Hillary Clinton want a gas tax holiday for this summer that essentially every economist calls STUPID. Now, Hillary, however, is going to make oil companies pay the gas tax to differentiate herself from John McCain.

First, how is Congress going to enact such a plan? It would take all summer and probably lead to endless litigation, but who cares about reality? Second, even if Congress enacted such a plan, lower gas prices still mean greater foreign oil dependency, which ultimately means higher gas prices. Just the other day, Bill Clinton's Secretary of Labor, Rob Reich, called Hillary's plan the "worst kind of pandering". And yet Americans are starting to buy Hillary's pathetic pandering because it might save them $20 over the summer. How stupid are we America?

While I wish I could jump on Obama's band wagon, how can Barrack criticize Detroit for SUVs when he's been an SUV driver for many years?

Hypocrisy or pandering - pick your President. Any good write-in candidates out there?

Highlander hybrid seatbelt recall

Don't put your baby in the third seat

If your Toyota Highlander hybrid was built between May 2007 and March 2008, then you might be receiving a recall notice in June. According to the AP Toyota needs to "fix a problem that could prevent the seat belt in a third-row seat from securing a rear-facing child seat."

Prius price increase coming

More expensive some time this month

Toyota is going to raise prices on most vehicles this month to make up for rising production costs in North America. According to the AFP, Toyota Prius prices will be increased by 1.8 percent on Prius hybrids delivered as of today. The Camry hybrid will also see a price increase later this month.

Volt on schedule, pricing might not be

"optimism is building"

According to Rick Wagoner, the Chevy Volt is on schedule for 2010. However, as the company has provided every and all resources necessary to the Volt development team to help meet the Volt's aggressive deadline, the price could increase - by as much as $18,000. Still, not long ago, Wagoner wasn't as confident that the 2010 deadline could be met, so his increase in confidence is noteworthy. (Reuters)

Utilities hold the keys on plug-in hybrid success

If done right.....

There have been a lot of studies on plug-in hybrid vehicles and the ability of the grid and utilities to power tens of millions of such electric vehicles. In a perfect world the electric grid can handle plug-ins in a cleaner, more cost-effective way than oil.

Today, however, the grid is far from perfect.

Plug-in hybrids "will make utilities more important than the oil companies" reports a WSJ article, and billions in updates will be required for utilities to correctly manage electric vehicles. That means noble corporate intentions in some cases and/or Congressional help in other cases. It also means utilities and automakers need to develop a great relationship.

So, can utilities, automakers, and government work together to create that perfect world?

Prius sales keep cruising in April

Becoming Toyota's go-to car

Toyota Prius sales were up 54 percent in April, as Toyota truck and SUV sales dropped 8 percent. Boy, if oil prices hit $200.00, as Opec has suggested as a possibility, the Prius might just become America's best selling vehicle. Hopefully, such success pushes more and more automakers to develop hybrid cars that can truly compete with the Prius. (AP)

Two peas in a pod: EV fans and Maximum Bob

The father of the modern electric car?

GM's Bob Lutz is a favorite in the auto writer's circuit. Anytime you're near Bob Lutz, you know you're about to get your pen on a golden quote. Last week, Manny Lopez had a chance to get a few golden Lutz quotes, but these quotes weren't about Lutz's views on global warming. Instead, Lutz defended the glories of electrification.

Regarding the EV1, however, Lutz stated, "The only things that were wrong with the EV1 (GM's first electric car) was that it was way too expensive to make; it was only a two-passenger; and the battery technology was not ready. It was a noble effort, but it was a technological force job and at a time when nobody cared. We could not find more than 800 buyers for that thing no matter how hard we tried or no matter how much we dropped the price. Finally we had to lease them out."

The Chevy Volt, on the other hand, is the perfection of the EV1 according to Lutz.

Now, many EV1 fans - showcased in the movie Who Killed the Electric Car - have disagreed with Lutz, and many of those EV1 fans have seen Bob Lutz and GM as public enemy number 1. Yet, ironically, Bob Lutz is a huge fan of electric vehicles. In fact, much like EV1 fans, Bob Lutz is a fuel cell/hydrogen highway skeptic. Then again, he's also a huge proponent of nuclear power.

So, what's my point?

How do EV fans feel when the greatest proponent of electric vehicles in the Big 6 automakers just happens to be their biggest enemy, Bob Lutz?

Auto industry spends $70 million on Congress

Save our guzzlers

The auto industry spent $70 million in 2007 trying to influence Congress, up from $59 million the year before. All in all, lobbyists spent $2.70 billion to lobby Congress last year. (DetNews)