And I'd still buy a Toyota Prius

Time to chillax?

OK. Recall. Recall. Recall. Tired of hearing those words yet?

I am, and I'm going to try to avoid them for the next few days. Besides, if I were going to write again on this issue, it would very much resemble MotorTrend's Wild, Out of Control Toyotas? Baloney. So, why rewrite what has already been said?

Thus, I'd just like to conclude my recall talk by saying that if I were in the market today, I'd buy a Toyota Prius without any hesitation, even a used third generation Prius without the braking software update.

And I'd still sleep soundly at night.

Toyota Prius interest on the rise

A good time to find a Prius deal?

According to some recent consumer data, Toyota Prius interest is on the rise, despite a recently acknowledged glitch in the regenerative braking system.

All new Prius hybrids sold today already come with the new software patch for the braking issue, so many are speculating that potential Prius buyers are hoping that all the recent bad press is driving deals.

No word yet on whether Prius buyers are actually finding any deals.

Prius unintended acceleration: Can Wozniak be wrong?

Next up, a cruise control glitch?

Over the last few days I've come across a few references to some problems that Steve Wozniak, Apple Co-Founder, has had with his latest Toyota Prius. This morning I finally read a story thanks to an e-mail from reader Steve.

Wozniak claims he can easily repeat a situation in cruise control when he can make the the Prius unintentionally accelerate. Fortunately, the situation can be controlled with braking, assuming the report is true. Ultimately, in Wozniak's professional opinion, the Prius cruise control software needs an upgrade.

Despite his claims of repeatability, Wozniak was not able to convince either Toyota or the NHTSA that there is a problem. Moreover, Toyota claims it investigated Wozniak's claim - an assumption I'm making as Toyota responded that they investigate all complaints - but was not able to find any evidence of such a problem.

I don't get it. If Wozniak can repeat the issue at will, how can neither Toyota nor the NHTSA find a problem? Is Wozniak tricking the system in a way that only one of the world's most infamous software engineers would attempt? Anybody have any more details on how Wozniak can force the Prius to accelerate unintentionally while in cruise control?

CNN's fair and balanced Prius, Fusion hybrid coverage?

Did Toyota act any differently than Ford?

So, Toyota knew there might be a glitch in their braking software for the 2010 Prius, but didn't offer a software update to consumers because they weren't sure it was really necessary since the brakes don't actually fail. Thus, CNNMoney ran the headline, Prius brakes: Toyota knew, didn't tell you.

Fair enough.

Interestingly, turns out Ford did EXACTLY the same thing. For months, Ford has also known about a very similar glitch in their Fusion and Milan hybrids, but also didn't tell consumers because the brakes don't actually fail. However, CNN ran the headline, Ford rolls out software fix for hybrid brakes.

That's balanced coverage?

Earlier this week, I cited another example of the CNN's over-eagerness to slam Toyota versus other automakers, including the Prius.

So, what's going on over at CNN? Two automakers have almost exactly the same problem, handle it almost exactly the same way, but only one is evil for doing so? Why the obvious bias? Some angles drive more revenue than others, and that's more important than the facts? CNN likes Ford and GM better than Toyota? What's the deal?

Fusion hybrid also needs a brake fix

Similar problem as the new Prius?

Just like the new Toyota Prius, the Ford Fusion hybrid is in need of a software update to fix a glitch in its braking system.

Much like the Prius, the Fusion hybrid can experience a lag, where it does not seem the brakes are working correctly. However, as long as the driver keeps depressing on the brakes, they will work after a possible, momentary lag.

Ironically, Ford, just as Toyota, has known about the problem for months, but since the brakes don't fail, wasn't sure a recall was needed. I guess it's not just big, bad Toyota.

Prius recall now official

In need of a software tweak

Toyota has acknowledged that the third generation Prius needs a software update to prevent a braking lag that can occur on bumpy or slippery surfaces. According to Toyota, the lag lasts for less than a second, but the brakes will work as long as the driver keeps pushing down on the brake pedal.

Toyota has already made the software update to all new Prius hybrids being sold.

Can the US handle Toyota's recalls objectively?

Heard about the 1,100 Cobalt complaints yet?

So, Toyota has sold several hundred thousand Toyota Prius hybrids and a few dozen drivers have complained about less than adequate brakes in icy and/or bumpy road conditions. Obviously, this is an important issue to be investigated, especially in light of Toyota's sluggish response to potential accelerator issues, but just how important is it really?

For instance, is it more important than more than 1,100 complaints of Chevy Cobalts losing their power steering? It seems so for much the media. For instance CNNMoney ran this headline on the Prius, Complaints pile up about Prius brakes and made it a lead story. CNN also ran the Cobalt story with this headline, About 900,000 Cobalts in probe, and they buried the story.

So, 1,100 complaints are irrelevant compared to dozens of complaints because it's the Prius? 1100 complaints and growing is a 'probe', but dozens of complaints are a 'pile' on?

Likewise, today Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood stated that Toyota drivers affected by the recall need to stop driving their vehicles until fixed. Of course, he later recanted that statement, but the damage had already been done. The fact that 99 percent of Toyota drivers affected by the recall have experienced NO problem made LaHood change his tune a bit.

For days now I've wondered, can the US government objectively monitor Toyota now that it has directly invested more than $100 billion into the US auto industry, while also loaning 10's of billions more to automakers? For example, in a court of law such a party would usually have to recluse themselves from such a case for having a vested interest.

And the US government certainly has a vested interest. Today, anything good for the US auto industry is good for the US government, and there is no doubt the Toyota recall has been GREAT for the US auto industry. In fact, the Toyota recall has been the best news Detroit has received in years.

Certainly, that doesn't excuse Toyota, a company that has seemed to have had its head up its ass for a while on this recall issue.

Still, there are almost 1 million cars on the road right now that could lose power steering at any moment. Who knows how many crashes and repair bills this has caused in the past as most complaints have only been received in just the last several months. We do know, however, that some Cobalt owners, minimally, have paid to have this problem fixed in years past without ever knowing that the problem was a defect. So, when did GM suspect there might be a problem?

Yet, most of the press doesn't care. It's 'pile' on Toyota time. Yet, I have to ask, does that have anything to do with the fact that, historically, GM has been critically more important than all other automakers for the advertising profits of much of the US media?

Again, that doesn't absolve or lessen Toyota's recall responsibility, but are Toyota's problems really that much different from problems that regularly face - and HAVE faced - most automakers at some point in time?

What do 100,000 Volts, Leafs or Prius hybrids per year really mean?

No impact on foreign oil dependence for 2 decades?

For several years now, Toyota has sold more than 100,000 Prius hybrids per year in the US. In fact, Toyota has sold more than 1 million hybrid cars in the US alone.

Yet, what effect have one million hybrids had on US foreign oil dependence? None.

Soon, GM will launch the highly-anticipated Chevy Volt, yet it might be a decade before GM is selling 100,000 Volts per year. Likewise, late this year Nissan will begin US production of the Leaf electric car. When Nissan's new production facility is fully operational, it will produce up to 150,000 Leafs per year.

Yet again, what impact will these vehicles have on foreign oil dependence?

Unfortunately, according to numerous studies, ALL electric vehicle sales in the US, combined, won't have any noticeable impact on foreign oil dependence for probably another TWO decades, and even then the effect might still be marginal.

Certainly, automakers have to start electrifying the automobile somewhere, and the Prius, Volt and Leaf are all noble and important products. Nonetheless, their impact upon the environment and foreign oil dependence will remain meaningless for decades.

Is this really the best that America can do?

Next recall: Toyota Prius

Funky brakes

Glad I don't own any shares of Toyota! As if the current recalls aren't bad enough, another could be in the works, this time on Toyota's ever more important Toyota Prius.

Toyota has received about 100 complaints about brakes on the third generation Prius. In most of these incidents Prius drivers complained that the brakes were "not so sharp", especially on bumpy or frozen roads.

Thus far Toyota has sold more than 1.6 million Prius hybrids and almost 90 percent of Prius owners would buy another Prius.

How will the Toyota Prius sell in February?

Less interesting because it's a Toyota?

When it comes to hybrid cars, the far majority of all sales come from Toyota, particularly from the Prius. Without Toyota, hybrid vehicles probably wouldn't even be on the average American auto consumer's radar.

Even though Toyota's hybrid technology has nothing to do with Toyota's recall scandal, they are still built by Toyota. Interestingly, as Toyota's recall problems have unfolded, I've noticed a greater increase in Prius commercials.

As the Prius sort of epitomizes Toyota's future - and it's not on the recall list - it serves as an interesting litmus test for confidence in Toyota. Certainly, one month of Prius sales will not predict the future, but it can certainly shed some light on Toyota's near term prospects.

So, will Prius sales take a nose dive in February or not?

Forget hybrids and EVs: Just make cars smaller and lighter?

Could it be this easy?

According to an Oxford Study the best path to decreasing emissions in autos, in the short term, requires a serious decrease in weight and size.

Over the medium term, however, the study finds that hybrid cars, such as the Toyota Prius, offer "significant savings" while helping electric drive trains evolve.

While EVs, plug-in hybrids and fuel cell vehicles offer interesting potential long term, all have serious issues to overcome in the short to medium term, such as raw material availability.

Finally, first generation biofuels offer some localized uses. Second generation biofuels show more promise, but will still probably be constrained by land availability. Algae shows some probability of overcoming the land availability issue, but massive innovations and breakthroughs are still required.

Toyota Prius a mistake?

Silly to have invested in NiMH hybrids?

So, at a press release yesterday, a Detroit-located reporter suggested that Toyota made a huge mistake by developing NiMH hybrid vehicles because NiMH technology is obviously the wrong battery technology according to the reporter.

So, the Toyota Prius was a mistake? Swapping out NiMH in favor of lithium won't be a seamless task when its cost-efective?

This isn't the first time I've heard such a sentiment coming out of Detroit, and I'm sure it won't be the last; however, doesn't this attitude demonstrate exactly why the Big 3 have struggled so significantly in the last few decades?

As Mamma always used to say, don't put off until tomorrow what can be done today.

Likewise, according to Argonne, a huge advocate and major lithium-ion researcher, current lithium-ion batteries, just like NiMH, are probably only an interim battery technology as well. Perhaps automakers should avoid battery vehicles all together until they have the perfect technology for every consumer?

But back to Toyota, can millions of hybrid consumers and thousands of patents built around electric drivetrains really be so wrong?

What if you can't afford a Chevy Volt?

A fantastic car for 5 percent of car consumers?

In recent months I've been criticized many times for being too critical of US automakers. Ironically, a year ago or so, I was criticized many times for being too supportive of the Chevy Volt.

So, what's my deal?

Ultimately, I became interested in hybrid cars after 9/11 because I decided that America's foreign oil dependence was beginning to cause far more harm than good for America and the world. Thus, hybrid cars presented a great way to take immediate action today, while investing in the potential of fuel cell vehicles and all other battery-powered vehicles for tomorrow.

For this reason, I was very supportive of the Chevy Volt at first. Yet, as time has passed from the debut of the Volt, I've realized that the Volt has almost become a distraction to my cause.

Finish reading: What if you can't afford a Chevy Volt. Thinking about foreign oil dependence

Will recall issues hurt Toyota, hybrid sales?

Funky brakes and sticky pedals

So, Toyota has added another few million vehicles to its recall list. Not much of a surprise. With the bad press Toyota has received and the talk of cover-ups a common thread in the LATimes, swift action was inevitable.

The real issue is how much this will these recalls affect Toyota's reputation for producing quality vehicles? Without a number of serious accidents making it to the front pages, will this just end up as a footnote in Toyota's history?

Or, will Toyota take a sales hit? More important, with claims of funky brakes on 2010 Prius hybrids, coupled with these recalls, will interest in Toyota's hybrid vehicles be affected?

Time for Honda to embrace full hybrids?

The Honda CR-Z hybrid

About a decade ago, when both Toyota and Honda were producing their first hybrid cars, each had very different visions for the future of hybrids.

For Honda, hybrids like the original Insight were simply an interim technology until fuel cell vehicles could replace them. Thus, until recently, Honda had no serious hybrid production plans.

For Toyota, on the other hand, hybrids were intricately linked to advanced technologies and to Toyota's future. Finish Reading: Time for Honda to embrace full hybrid vehicles?

Buying a used hybrid at CarMax

Forget the dealership?

Most people don't like buying cars. Dealerships seem to have every angle covered to ensure that the final deal favors them more than the consumer. Often, the situation seems even worse when buying used cars.

So, my friend Mary is looking for a used Toyota Prius, and she thinks she's found a good deal on one at CarMax, but she's a little unsure of buying a used hybrid from CarMax. Ultimately, Mary wonders whether CarMax has the knowledge to truly assess the condition of her potential new Prius.

Any CarMax hybrid stories out there?

Toyota FT-CH hybrid concept

The next member of the "Prius Family"

Toyota wants to capitalize on the success of the Toyota Prius. Consequently, a family of Prius hybrids is being developed, and the FT-CH hybrid concept could be the first new family member.

The FT-CH is about the size of a Toyota Yaris - almost two feet shorter than the Prius - and lighter as well as more fuel efficient than the Prius.

According to Jim Lentz, President of Toyota USA, the FT-CH is just one of a number of new Prius-based concepts. And, within the next 3 years, Toyota will launch 8 new hybrid vehicles.

Toyota Prius: Top selling vehicle in Japan in 2009

Japan goes green

While hybrid cars only make up about 2.8 percent of US new vehicle market share, they make up 10 percent of market share in Japan.

In 2009, the Toyota Prius was the top selling vehicle in Japan, where Toyota sold 208,876 of the hybrids.

The Honda Insight was the fifth best selling vehicle in Japan last year, selling 93,283 units.

Toyota hybrid sales CRUSH competition

The future looks bright

In the world of hybrid cars, there is Toyota and everybody else when it comes to sales. So, how can I spin this story for 2009 sales?

Well, Ford almost passed Honda as the number 2 seller of hybrid cars. Ford, thanks to the Fusion hybrid, sold 33,502 total hybrids in 2009.

Nonetheless, that wasn't enough to catch Honda. Despite seriously declining Civic hybrid sales, the Insight was able to help Honda sell 35,691 units.

But that's just chump change compared to Toyota.

Toyota sold 195,545 hybrids in the US in 2009, largely led by 139,682 Prius hybrid sales. Still, even without the Prius, Toyota still sold significantly more hybrids than did either Ford or Honda.

34,000 hybrid reasons for pause

The technologically impressive Ford Fusion hybrid

I've been dying to get my hands on December's auto sales to help me through my holiday hangover. I guess I'm not the only one a little off as most automakers have yet to report their numbers.

Yet, how exciting can the numbers really be? If you remove the sales data for the Toyota Prius, the numbers are depressing.

For instance, while Ford might be a little excited about possibly eclipsing Honda as the second best hybrid seller in the US, Ford will still probably sell less than 35,000 hybrid cars for all of 2009. Alone the Prius can achieve that in less than 3 months.

And, unfortunately, there isn't much reason to believe 2010 will be any different.

Cheaper and more fuel efficient than the Prius

Toyota's Prius contender

In less than 2 weeks Toyota will use the 2010 North American International Auto Show to debut a new dedicated hybrid that will probably be cheaper and more fuel efficient than the current Prius.

While Toyota has only officially released a few teaser shots of the headlight, for instance, it's obvious from the pictures that Toyota's next hybrid will be a small hybrid.

Likewise, over the weekend The Japan Times broke a story about Toyota's plans to produce hybrid vehicles based of its Vitz class - think Yaris in the US - at a new assembly plant in Miyagi Prefecture in 2011. According to the story the new hybrid will be cheaper and more fuel efficient than the Prius.

Cheaper and more fuel efficient than the Prius? That already sounds like a potential hit for today's economic-minded consumer. Moreover, the Vitz class offers Toyota a nice hybrid entry point for many other world markets.

2010: The big questions

The rubber finally hits the road

2010. Here we come.

While 2010 isn't going to be quite as significant for the hybrid market as I would have expected a few years ago, there are a few interesting stories developing:

1.) Will any hybrid, aside from the Prius, sell 50,000 units in one year?
2.) Can the Honda CR-Z hybrid reinvigorate Honda's hybrid sales?
3.) Will the Hyundai Sonata hybrid make it to America, and how will the Sonata hybrid compare to the Toyota Camry hybrid and the Ford Fusion hybrid in terms of price and fuel economy?
4.) What will be Toyota's next dedicated hybrid, and how many other hybrids will Toyota announce, debut, etc?
5.) Finally, after years of hype the Chevy Volt will go on sale. How many units will GM produce in 2010? Will there be any delays? Final pricing, options?

Toyota: How to take on the CR-Z hybrid

Bring back the MR2, as a hybrid?

Thanks to tax incentives, hybrid cars are hot in Japan. For the past several months, the 2010 Toyota Prius has been the best selling car in Japan, with the Honda Insight not far behind.

And, new survey data shows there is great Japanese interest now in hybrid sports cars, particularly the Honda CR-Z hybrid, which goes on sale in February in Japan.

For several years, Toyota has also been working on the concept of sporty hybrids, and the latest rumors suggest that Toyota might resurrect the MR2 for its new sports hybrid.

While the Prius Coupe also remains an option, something like the MR2 would give Toyota license to completely step away from any comparison to the Prius, particularly its relatively unique body styling. And what better way to overcome those boring Toyota perceptions than with an exciting, sleekly styled sporty hybrid with sprinter speed, yet fantastic fuel economy?

Honda Insight sales slump: There can be only one?

Forever just a niche, forever the king?

Why doesn't the Honda Insight hybrid sell nearly as well as the Toyota Prius, even though it costs less?

What does a lack of Insight sales mean for the future of the hybrid market?

Some have suggested that most hybrid buyers aren't looking for bargains. Instead, they are seeking to send a green message.

Yet, is the Insight really that much of a bargain compared to a Prius? Ultimately, isn't it cheaper because it comes with less features, such as ever important safety features? Also, isn't it cheaper because it isn't as fuel efficient as the Prius, especially in city traffic?

Certainly, today, hybrid cars are not a "budget purchase", but aren't there plenty of budget shoppers that would gladly buy cheaper, non-Prius hybrids if equally equipped and fuel efficient?

Time running out on some hybrid car deals

Great time to lease?

Car shopping. It's never fun. Prices and deals often vary by region and dealership. Of course, most often, the best deals usually exclude hybrid cars.

Still, there are a few interesting hybrid offerings available now.

The Toyota Prius can be leased at $249/month for 36 months, with $2,589 due at signing; and the Honda Insight can be leased at $199/month for 36 months, with $2,199 due a signing. Both deals, however, end on the 4th of January.

Likewise, the Honda Insight also qualifies for 1.9% APR for 36 months, or 2.9% APR for 60 months. These financing options also end on the 4th.

Toyota Prius braking problems?

Another problem for Toyota?

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's Office of Defects Investigation has received a few dozen reports of braking problems with the 2010 Toyota Prius. According to IL some of the complaints describe the problem as a "disturbing lag" or "jerky brakes".

Thus far the NHTSA has not opened an official investigation into the problems.

Car of the decade

Now that was easy

I've been reading through some of the Best of 2000 car articles in various auto magazines, so I decided to do my own version.

Except, when it comes to hybrid cars, the Toyota Prius so dominates the list that its not really worth pretending that there is any serious competition.

I would have liked to fit the Ford Fusion hybrid and the Honda Insight into this piece as serious contenders to the Car of the Decade, but how could I? In terms of sales, neither competes with the Prius - not even close.

So, picking the Car of the Decade was easy this decade. Fortunately, next decade should be a far more interesting story.

Still, will any other hybrid, including plug-in hybrids, outsell the Prius in the next decade?

Only 17 percent of consumers might pay extra to plug-in

Forever a niche vehicle at best?

Haven't had time to fully read the latest plug-in hybrid report by Pike Research, but I just finished CNET's review. Overall, the report suggests that only 17 percent of US consumers might be willing to pay a premium for plug-in hybrids and electric vehicles.

And, if plug-ins do 'take off', they will probably be short range plug-in hybrids, such as the Toyota Prius plug-in hybrid rather than the Chevy Volt, or short range pure EVs, as plug-in vehicles with smaller battery packs will be more cost-viable for the majority of consumers.

As I blogged early this week in Great hybrid hoax: Adding a plug to hybrid cars?, this report seems to also suggest that conventional hybrid cars will make a more appealing buying case to the majority of US consumers for at least the next few decades.

Along those lines, since full hybrids such as the Toyota Prius can so easily be converted into plug-in hybrids, wouldn't such vehicles more immediately tackle global warming and foreign oil dependency today, while providing a 'cash for plug-in conversion' option tomorrow?

Hybrid market share to top 3 percent in 2010

Can the Fusion hybrid keep pace?

According to Edmunds.com, hybrid cars will achieve a 3.2 percent market share in 2010 compared to about 2.7 percent share today.

Unfortunately, Edmunds doesn't go into much detail as to how their hybrid numbers were derived, but one can imagine that a slightly less recessed economy is probably the key ingredient. Hybrid sales were hammered in early 2009 before picking up the pace a bit in the 2nd half of the year.

Currently, the Ford Fusion hybrid and the Toyota Prius are the two best selling hybrids in America, with the Prius accounting for about 50 percent of hybrid sales. That scenario will probably remain unchanged.

Plug-in Prius in about 2 years

Still basically on track

Toyota will sell a plug-in version of the Toyota Prius in about 2 years. According to Toyota, the plug-in version will be affordable, and the automaker hopes to sell several tens of thousands of these plug-in hybrids.

The new plug-in Prius will offer about 12 - 14 miles of EV range, dependent upon road conditions before needing to utilize its gasoline engine. In contrast, GM's Chevy Volt will offer about 40 miles of EV range, dependent upon driving conditions.

However, the Prius will come with a cheaper price tag than the Volt. Still, initially, the Volt will qualify for a larger federal tax credit - at least the first 200,000 Volts - so pricing might be closer than real world costs thanks to the credits.

Toyota Prius a top used car buy

Go ahead and buy that old Prius

Since 2001 the Toyota Prius has consistently earned "much better than average" reliability ratings according to Kelly Blue Book. Thus, the average Prius retains 40 percent of its value after 5 years compared to the average car, which only retains 20 to 25 percent of its value.

That makes the Prius a 'best used car buy' according to Forbes.

Several hybrids on Intellichoice 'Best Deals'

Hybrids still offer value with lower gas prices

According to Intellichoice, the “Best Deals of the Month” rankings for December 2009 "illustrate the power of hybrid and diesel vehicles in delivering value for consumers, even with gas prices relatively flat."

For the month of December the Toyota Prius, Saturn Vue hybrid, GMC Sierra hybrid, and Chevy Silverado hybrid were Best Deals.

Likewise, the Prius, the Mercury Mariner hybrid, and the GMC Sierra hybrid are also 'Best Overall Values' regardless of month.

Fusion hybrid, Prius: Two of the best engines of 2010

It's not just about the battery

According to Wards, two hybrid cars offered the best engines for 2010. The 2.5L DOHC Inline-4 Hybrid, found in the Ford Fusion hybrid was 4th. The 1.8L DOHC Inline-4 Hybrid found in the Toyota Prius was 9th.

Fusion hybrid, Prius: Consumer Reports Buy Again Vehicles

Would you buy your car again?

Every year Consumer Reports asks its subscribers if they would buy their car again.

Pretty much every year, the Toyota Prius is one of the top 'buy again' vehicles, as it was again this year, coming in at number 5. But the Prius wasn't the top hybrid on this year's list.

Coming in at number 2 was the Ford Fusion hybrid.

Perhaps that helps explain why the Prius and the Fusion hybrid are the top two selling hybrid cars in the US?

US hybrid sales can't top 3 percent market share

Fusion hybrid sales up 73 percent

Compared to last year, this year's November hybrid vehicle auto sales were up 21 percent. Still, total new car market share was only 2.7 percent for hybrid cars.

Almost half of all hybrids sold were Toyota Prius hybrids, and almost three-quarters of all hybrids sold were made by Toyota.

The only real bright spot outside of Toyota was the Ford Fusion hybrid with 2,361 total units sold. For comparison the similarly-sized Toyota Camry hybrid sold 1,465 units. However, the Prius sold 9,617 units.

Toyota Prius still tops Japanese auto sales

7th Month in a Row

The Toyota Prius is again the best selling vehicle in Japan, as it has been for the last 7 months. In fact, one of every ten vehicles sold in Japan is a Prius. Overall, Toyota sold 26,815 Prius hybrids in November.

The Honda Insight came in at 5th at 9,413 units.

In the last year or so there have been some studies regarding the inability of tax credits to help move hybrid cars. Perhaps that's the case in Canada, but it certainly isn't the case in Japan.

When did Toyota pull the plug on plug-in hybrids?

Toyota the plug-in naysayer?

During a period of more than 3 years Toyota tested about 150 lithium-powered plug-in Prius hybrids - a fleet still larger than GM's current Chevy Volt fleet - logging more than 1 million real world miles in almost every type of driving condition imaginable. The lithium batteries used proved safe and reliable, but still cost-ineffective.

Next month, Toyota will produce another 350 plug-in hybrids, followed by another 150 early next year, for further testing. This time however, the goal isn't based on safety and reliability. Instead, Toyota's new goal is to provide the most cost-effective plug-in hybrid package based on real world driving needs and conditions.

Over the last few years Toyota has claimed that they would produce plug-in hybrids as soon as the technology was ready, and for Toyota 'ready' means cost-effective in addition to safe and reliable. Coincidentally, Toyota knows a little something about the cost-effectiveness of new technologies.

Today, about 70 - 80 percent of new car customers are interested in purchasing hybrid cars, a segment dominated by Toyota. With such high interest, why is market share still only about 3 percent? According to consumer surveys it all boils down to costs, and consumer surveys on plug-in hybrids tell a similar story.

So, why is Toyota bashed for stating the obvious?

Finish: When did Toyota pull the plug on plug-in hybrids?

Is Toyota hybrid complacent?

All about the Sienna today

Well, the new Sienna minivan will offer a fuel efficient 4-cylinder version next year. That's good news, but how about some new hybrid hype?

Rumors of new Prius-based hybrids, for instance, have been floating around for years. Why not step it up? This the LA Auto Show, the green showcase, for crying out loud.

Early next year Toyota will put 500 plug in Prius hybrids on the road, months before GM begins production. That's not news?

Is Toyota afraid? Embarrassed? Why so hybrid complacent?

Small car blitz at LA Show: Too little too late?

The Chevy Cruze

Tomorrow I'll be attending press days at the LA Auto Show, and the big theme at this year's show is once again 'green'. This year, however, things are a bit different than past years. Instead of hybrid cars or clean diesel vehicles, the path to green is small cars, particularly a number of new offerings from the Big 3.

While this is great news, I cannot help but wonder, is this too little, too late?

Toyota and Honda have always done a pretty good job selling small cars in the US, and they will probably continue to do well. However, both automakers have hinted that smaller, cheaper hybrids will be critical to their future small car plans.

For now certainly the Chevy Cruze, for instance, will sell. Still, a semi-loaded automatic version of the Cruze will probably list for $18,000 - $20,000. But, what happens if Toyota can sell a slightly smaller Prius for around the same price, or if Honda can sell an even cheaper Honda Fit hybrid?

Without question, the Big 3 should proceed with their small car plans. Nonetheless, are the Big 3 avoiding small hybrids today much the same way they avoided small cars in general for the last few decades? Ultimately, aren't the Big 3 simply chasing the small car US segment when they instead should be showing some real leadership and vision in this segment?

Hybrid shopping specials this Black Friday?

Any after Thanksgiving deals?

One of the biggest shopping days of the year is fast approaching, and the deals aren't limited to laptops or a new pair of socks. Often, Black Friday can be the best day to buy a new car.

Unfortunately, demand for hybrid cars has typically been too high to offer many deals on hybrids, but could things be different this year?

A few months ago, for instance, Toyota Prius supplies were tight. These days there is more selection. Perhaps that will lead to some Black Friday specials? Likewise, Happy Honda Days are going on now. Might they not be a little happier this Friday?

Anyway, I'll be hitting several dealerships on Friday. If I find any deals, I'll be posting them in the comment's section of this post. So, stay tuned if you're seriously in the hybrid market.

Prius, Camry hybrid gas pedals to be replaced

Ready for a trip to the dealership

Toyota has announced that it will eventually replace the gas pedals on all 2004-09 Toyota Prius and Camry hybrid cars. In the interim, owners can have their gas pedal shortened to prevent the possibility of the gas pedal catching under a loose floor mat.

Prius coupe a done deal?

A past Toyota hybrid coupe concept

For years now Toyota has brought up the possibility of expanding the Prius brand, and one such possibility that has been tossed around is a hybrid sports coupe. Toyota even showed off a hybrid coupe concept at the North American Auto Show in 2007.

According to rumors, however, this new sporty Prius is a done deal. Toyota has "been in touch with Italian designers, namely Carrozzeria and Italdesign," and the new Prius coupe will probably debut at the next Tokyo Motor Show.

Prius and Volt will share GoodYear Assurance Tires

The tire for hybrids

The GoodYear Assurance Fuel Max tire will become the standard tire of the 2010 Toyota Prius. Additionally, reports indicate the Assurance will also be the tire of the Chevy Volt.

Toyota floor mat issue almost resolved

Shorten the gas pedal?

If you own a 2004-'09 Toyota Prius or a 2007-'10 Toyota Camry hybrid then you've probably received your floor mat recall notice already.

Still, Toyota hasn't fully figured out its long term plan for dealing with this issue and negotiations with NHTSA are ongoing. Nonetheless, it seems that the final fix will include shortening the gas pedal in these vehicles. Reports indicate Toyota has already set aside money for this purpose.

Prius impresses MT judges

But can it win Car of the Year?

Later today MotorTrend will announce its 2010 Car of the Year Award, but I wouldn't put my bet on any hybrid cars winning the award. However, the 2010 Toyota Prius has a chance.

MT judges have released some of their notes on the cars reviewed and both the Honda Insight and the Lexus HS 250 h were reviewed rather harshly. The 2010 Toyota Prius, on the other hand, impressed the judges with its "single-minded devotion to high technology and its refinement".

Best Plug-ins: EVs, Range Extended EVs or Plug-in hybrids

Range extended EVs are better?

Just finished watching one of the latest Chevy Volt YouTube videos on the virtues of range extended EVs versus pure EVs, a topic that tens of billions in federal funds could soon be built around.

So, what's the best plug-in vehicle? Which plug-in vehicle is a legitimate game-changer?

Let's imagine it's 2012. Numerous plug-in vehicles are available for sale. Which one is best? A short range plug-in hybrid, such as a Toyota Prius plug-in, or a full electric vehicle, such as the Nissan Leaf? Or, how about a combination of the two, such as a Chevy Volt?

Finish: Best Plug-ins: EVs, Range Extended EVs or Plug-in hybrids

Lexus HS 250 h falls short on luxury?

Just stick with a loaded Prius?

This week MotorTrend has been providing notes on its car reviews for the 2010 Car of the Year.

Unfortunately, it's not looking good for hybrid cars. Earlier this week, MT staffers were critical of the Honda Insight.

Today, MT claims that the Lexus HS 250 h falls short on luxury. Ultimately, while the HS 250 provides better overall performance and a nicer drive at high speeds compared to the Toyota Prius, MT staffers felt the Prius is a better deal for the money.

Larger, lithium-powered Prius next year

The Prius family is set to expand

Starting next year, according to an unconfirmed report coming out of Japan, Toyota will begin producing a larger Prius-derived hybrid that will use a lithium-ion battery pack. Sources indicate the new hybrid will be either an SUV or station wagon and cost about $22,0000.

Toyota has brought up the idea of expanding the Prius line for years, so this news isn't that surprising. However, the fact that Toyota will utilize lithium is interesting.

Recently, Toyota claimed that 30 percent of all vehicle sales will be hybrid by 2020. However, Toyota has perpetually had a hard time producing enough NiMH batteries for its current hybrid cars. So, this seems to indicate that lithium will be integral to Toyota achieving its future production plans, and it won't just be lithium plug-ins, but lithium conventional hybrids as well.

Total hybrid sales up 11.4 percent in October

Fusion hybrid pushes Ford into second place

Sales of hybrid cars were up 11.4 percent in October compared to a year ago. Still, total market share was only 2.9 percent.

Once again, Toyota dominated the sale of hybrids with its sale's all-star, the 2010 Prius. The Prius moved 13,496 units, while the next closest competitor, the Honda Insight moved 1,739 units.

Despite the Insight's rank of second best selling hybrid in October, Ford still sold more hybrids overall than Honda.

Prius floor mat issue not an issue for 2010 Prius

Time to remove your Prius floor mats?

Do Toyota vehicles have an acceleration problem? Currently, there isn't any evidence that a deeper mechanical problem exists in any Toyota vehicles in terms of sudden acceleration.

However, both Toyota and the NHTSA agree that removing the floor mats is a good idea until this issue is further resolved.

Nonetheless, this issue does not apply to the current 2010 Prius, but only second generation Prius hybrids from 2004 - 2009.

4G Toyota Prius: A smartphone on wheels

The dash of the LTE Connected Prius

Here's a dashboard shot of the Alcatel-Lucent "LTE Connected Car," perhaps the world's most Internet-enabled, multimedia automobile.

Included inside this 2010 Toyota Prius are four touchscreens - two in the dash and two behind the front seats - that access numerous car features, as well as the Internet, numerous multi-media functions, etc. In all the LTE Prius offers more than 50 applications

"We wanted to show what is possible with next-generation mobile networks," Derek Kuhn, vice president of emerging technology, told TheStreet during a technology demo Tuesday in New York. The company has even described the tricked-out Prius as a "smartphone on wheels."

In a related story, Wired reported that while this vehicle is only a prototype, this technology should be available in the Prius within 3 years.

Toyota hybrid sales up 10.9 percent

Led by the Prius

In October Toyota sold 18,757 hybrid vehicles, up 10.9 percent over the same period last year according to the company.

The Prius posted October sales of 13,496 units, up 10.3 percent over the year-ago month.

Interestingly, Toyota light truck sales were down 10 percent.

Is fuel efficiency coming back in vogue?

Sudden acceleration in Prius, other Toyota cars?

Not a hybrid problem however

Since 2003 as many as 2000 Toyota owners have reported problems with sudden acceleration, including at least one Prius owner, reports ABC.

6 independent investigations by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, however, have not found any problems with Toyota's vehicles that would cause sudden acceleration.

Toyota, on the other hand, speculates that a combination of driver error and loose floor mats is responsible.

Regardless, very interesting how ABC chose the Prius as the centerpiece to this story when the problem, if there is actually a problem, appears independent of Toyota's hybrid technology.

Toyota Prius: 2,092 patents, but what about profits?

Can the hybrid king make money?

So far this year, the Toyota Prius accounts for 47.5 percent of all hybrid vehicle sales. The next closet competitor, the Toyota Camry hybrid, comes in at 8.3 percent.

Still, is the Prius profitable, wonders a recent Investors Business Daily piece?

With strong sales and 2,092 patents, many analysts predicted that the third generation Prius would be very profitable. Of course, that was before pricing on the Honda Insight, currently the third best selling hybrid at 7.2 percent share, forced Toyota to lower Prius pricing to just $400 more than the second generation Prius.

However, even if the Prius and Toyota's hybrid cars are not as profitable as expected just yet, many analysts see profits just around the corner thanks to Toyota's "compulsive patenting", 12 years of battery R&D and its controlling share of Panasonic EV Energy, Toyota's main battery provider.

Prius receives Popular Mechanics Excellence Award

50+ mpg

Popular Mechanics has released their Automotive Excellence Awards and the Toyota Prius took the award for innovation and foresight in fuel efficiency.

Considering that the Prius is easily the most fuel efficient mass-produced vehicle sold in America, I guess the award isn't too much of a surprise.

Prius versus Insight: A commuter's mileage challenge

The hybrid commute according to Kicking Tires

For many urban commuters, hybrid cars provide an excellent tool for saving money at the gas pump. So, Kicking Tires decided to test the Toyota Prius versus the Honda Insight on the same urban commute.

On a 23 mile commute in traffic, the 2010 Toyota Prius averaged more than 58 mpg.

On the same commute, the 2010 Honda Insight averaged 44 mpg.

Hybrid cars 30 percent of Toyota sales by 2020

Just the beginning

By 2020 Toyota will offer a hybrid option on every vehicle it sells, according to Takeshi Uchiyamada, Toyota executive vice-president in charge of product development.

Currently, hybrid cars represent 8 percent of all Toyota vehicles, largely led by the Prius hybrid. However, by 2020 Toyota expects that hybrids will make up 30 percent of all vehicle sales.

Still, don't expect the majority of them to be plug-in hybrids, Toyota's bearish view of plug-ins seems still intact. Uchiyamada noted “We don’t think electric vehicles will spread that fast.”

The perfect hybrid

And the winner is.....

Is the Toyota Prius the perfect hybrid? What if you added some extra batteries and a plug, would that make the Prius the perfect hybrid? How much electric range should it have, as much as possible?

Is 40 miles of electric range the key to plug-in hybrids, such as GM's Chevy Volt is expected to provide?

According to GM's research 90 percent of commutes average less than 40 miles. But, what does 'average' really mean? Isn't it possible that many people drive much shorter distances most days per week, but on one or two days per week, they drive much further?

If your average commute to and from work is only 10 miles or less, and the rest of your mileage is made up of much longer trips, what's the most efficient and cost effective hybrid to meet your needs? Is it a conventional hybrid, a short range plug-in hybrid or a long range plug-in hybrid?

Inevitably, it seems the perfect hybrid will be different for different consumers based on many different needs and wants. Still, is it simply premature to even discuss the perfect hybrid?

Plug-in Prius: The end of Toyota?

Simply too conservative?

The Chevy Volt will offer 40 miles of electric range. The plug-in Prius, on the other hand, will only offer 15 or 20 miles of electric range.

So, is the Volt twice as good as a plug-in Prius?

Transportation program director at the Natural Resources Defense Council, Roland Hwang, told the NYTimes, "From an environmental perspective, the more [electric] range the better."

So, what's Toyota's excuse for its lack of environmental commitment?

At this point in the development of plug-in hybrids, Toyota believes the key to success will be driven by cost-effectiveness. And lower range plug-in hybrids, Toyota believes, make it "easier to promise low cost and durability from the get-go," notes one expert in this informative Times article.

Is Toyota being too conservative with its plug-in hybrid technology?

Really, hasn't Toyota always been boring and conservative? Isn't that exactly what Prius haters dislike most about Toyota's top selling hybrid? Why would they approach plug-in hybrids any differently?

Surprise? Hybrids top gov's fuel economy guide

Easily the most fuel efficient vehicle sold in the US

Yesterday the government released its 2010 Fuel Economy Guide and, once again, hybrid cars dominated the list, led by the Toyota Prius.

To see the entire list, click Fuel Economy Guide.

GM's shock and awe campaign

Can GM move beyond its gas-guzzling image?

GM's new marketing campaign is going to "shock Americans into a new awareness about the competitiveness of GM products," according to Bob Lutz.

Via any method of comparison, GM believes, their products are as good as any other automaker. And, according to the latest quality rankings, etc., GM has a case.

But is marketing GM's best path to changing perception?

Several years ago, Bob Lutz claimed it would have been smart for GM to utilize just a fraction of one year's multi-billion dollar marketing budget to fund the production of a Toyota Prius-contender. Eventually, Lutz's realization evolved into the Chevy Volt, however, the Volt won't come close to challenging Prius sales for more than a decade, if ever.

While the Volt won't offer game-changing sale's numbers, it will drive a lot of green buzz, but will it bring new consumers to GM?

Ultimately, GM has made huge strides in quality, but according to a recent automotive supplier's survey, for instance, GM's innovation is still lacking. Obviously, the Volt will help address that issue, at least in terms of perception, but it seems to me that GM needs an innovative fuel efficient vehicle that can sell at least 100,000 units per year.

Possibly, the Chevy Cruze could be that product, however, the Cruze will never appear as innovative as the Prius. If GM can find a way to address that product gap, with a product and not marketing, I'd bet GM's perception problems would need far less marketing "shock".

The next big hybrid hit

You've come a long way baby

As battery powered vehicles gain market share over the next few decades, conventional hybrid cars, such as the Toyota Prius, are expected to gain the lion's share, as plug-in hybrids, EVs and fuel cell vehicles scale their way to cost-effectiveness.

So, what will be the next hybrid to hit 100,000 sales per year?

Based upon the auto show circuit and automaker announcements, I'm not sure the next big hit is near, at least not without a serious uptick in gasoline prices.

Even worse, my top contender would be Toyota, with Hyundai and Ford as my wild cards.

So, what's going to be the next big hybrid hit?

Prius still the best selling vehicle in Japan

An investment in Japan's future

For five straight months, the 2010 Toyota Prius has been the best selling vehicle in Japan.

Thanks to tax credits for buying fuel efficient vehicles, the Prius saw a 341 percent increase in September sales compared to the previous September. Likewise, the Prius picked up 10.8 percent market share for the month of September.

Can America dominate the world's automotive future when full-sized pickup trucks still top the list of best selling vehicles in the US?

Prius supplies down to about a week

Time to bring production to America?

Because of yen-dollar rates, it is becoming much more costly for Toyota to export vehicles from Japan to the US. As a result, Toyota is close to a decision on building the Toyota Prius in the U.S., company spokesman Irv Miller said on Toyota's monthly sales call.

Likewise, Miller noted that Prius supplies at dealerships are down to about a week's worth of supply, an amount far below the 50 days worth of supply that Toyota prefers to maintain.

3 hybrids up for Green Car of Year

The greenest of them all?

Three hybrid cars are up for this year's Green Car of the Year Award, at least according to Green Car Journal.

The Honda Insight, the Mercury Milan hybrid, and the Toyota Prius will join the VW Golf TDI and the Audi A3 TDI as the final nominees for this year's award. The winner will be announced at the LA Auto Show in December.

5 percent hybrid market share: What will it take?

Only with a legitimate Prius contender?

From August to September, sales of hybrid cars dropped a whopping 48.4 percent according to GreenCarCongress. Of course, car and truck sales declined by more than 40 percent, so a huge chunk of this decline is relative. Moreover, in September, the Toyota Prius was still the 11th best selling vehicle in the US.

Nevertheless, hybrid sales fell to just 2.7 percent of total vehicle market share.

So, what takes hybrids to at least 5 percent market share? An equal, but cheaper Prius contender? $4.00 gas? A breakthrough in lithium-ion battery mass production?

3 Hybrids up for 2010 North American Car of the Year

Ford's Car of the Year?

Three hybrid cars have been picked as candidates for the 2010 North American Car of the Year. The Toyota Prius, the Honda Insight and the Ford Fusion hybrid are among the 15 contenders picked by automotive journalists from the US and Canada.

The winner will be picked at the 2010 Detroit Auto Show.

Prius: 11th Best Selling Vehicle in September

A cash for clunker hang over?

According to Cars.com, the Toyota Prius was the 11th Best Selling Vehicle in September.

Will the Prius break into the Top 10 next month?

Toyota: It won't be easy to scale down lithium, plug-in costs

A Prius about to be converted into a plug-in

Since the launch of the first Toyota Prius, NiMH battery costs have dropped from about $10,000 per battery pack to less than $3,000. Size and weight have seen similar reductions.

So, won't lithium battery technology follow the same scalable trajectory?

Not according to Toyota.

After a few years of quietly testing lithium-ion technology in a number of Prius hybrids in real world conditions throughout the world, Toyota was able to validate that lithium-ion technology is safe. However, for the small fuel efficiency gains it provides, lithium is just not yet cost-effective.

Nonetheless, while Toyota believes that NiMH technology is the best technology for today's hybrid cars, the automaker still believes that lithium is the best technology for plug-in vehicles. Unfortunately, Toyota does not believe that mass production will scale down the costs of lithium technology nearly as fast as NiMH technology according to a presentation at the California Air Resources Board’s ZEV Technology Symposium in Sacramento, California.

Coupled with limited range, lack of infrastructure, etc., Toyota believes it will be hard for current lithium technologies to move plug-in technologies into the mass market.

However, at the same conference, representatives from Nissan and Tesla, for instance, were more positive on lithium technology.

Is Toyota a lithium and plug-in vehicle laggard? Does Toyota have the wrong lithium technology? Is Toyota too vested to NiMH? Or, is Toyota simply being honest about the realities of lithium and the plug-in revolution?

$6000 for 50 miles of EV power for your Prius

Let Jungle Motors convert your hybrid

So, you got a good deal on a used 2004 Toyota Prius and you want to convert it into a plug-in hybrid. Well, if you have an extra $6,000 in your pocket, Jungle Motors will convert your Prius (2004 - 2009) into a plug-in hybrid with up to 50 miles of EV range.

"Our new 10KW Lithium Iron Phosphate (LiFePO4) battery technology and BMS now enable the Prius to travel up to 50 miles at up to 52Mph without turning on the engine," says Brad Sachs, director of Jungle Motors.

Soon, kits will also be available for other full hybrid vehicles as well.

Sure the kit is still a bit expensive, but if you have a solar-powered home, for instance, such a kit might be well worth the cost. In fact, how about a free plug-in conversion, via tax credits, for homeowners that go solar?

The Toyota Prius v the Tata Nano

The world's most important vehicle?

Most Americans are interested in hybrid cars according to multiple polls. Half of Americans are even interested in plug-in vehicles.

Unfortunately, more than 90 percent of those interested in such vehicles are only willing to pay 10 percent more, or less, for such vehicles. In fact, a significant percent of those interested in such vehicles don't want to pay any extra costs for such hybrids compared to conventional vehicles.

And yet, those polls were taken in American and England.

What about in places like India, where the couple thousand dollar Tata Nano is a huge hit? Can the middle classes in such emerging markets catch up to American demand for hybrids and electric cars?

Today, Ford announced the Figo, expected to cost between $6,000 to $10,000, for the Indian market to help "offset tough global conditions". Yet, analysts are skeptical.

If emerging markets are the key to future profitability for automakers, which car is more important, the Toyota Prius or the Tata Nano?

Cash for Clunkers: Trucks outperform hybrids

Silverado outsells Prius

Boy, what's up with the government's cash for clunker data? For weeks, according to the government, the Toyota Prius was one of the top selling vehicles via the Cash for Clunker program. In fact, I believe it was 4th for at least a couple of weeks.

Yet, according to the latest data, the Prius was the 14th best selling vehicle, falling below 2 large pick up trucks, the Chevy Silverado and the Ford F150.

I guess hybrid cars weren't quite as hot as we were led to believe. Nonetheless, many buyers did at least choose smaller, more fuel efficient vehicles.

Can the Prius name sell more hybrids?

The city Prius?

For at least a couple of years, Toyota has been contemplating using the Prius name as a brand name for more than just the current vehicle. A smaller city Prius, or a larger Prius crossover, for instance, have been ideas for other vehicles to share the Prius name.

According to at least one report, Toyota has decided that the Prius name will be applied to more Toyota hybrid vehicles.

Is hybrid sale's success all in the name? Should Toyota rename Hybrid Synergy Drive to Prius drive?

Is expanding the Prius name to more hybrids the key to increasing Toyota's hybrid sales?

Toyota: Lithium still too expensive

A plug-in Prius at HybridFest

Since 2006, in the US, Japan, and Europe, Toyota has been quietly testing 126 lithium-powered Prius hybrid cars. In fact, there was a time when a few top Toyota executives announced that lithium would power the third generation Toyota Prius.

Then a few cell phone and laptop batteries exploded. Soon after, Toyota announced that lithium would not power the third generation Prius.

So, is lithium unsafe?

According to Toyota senior staff engineer for batteries, Kazuo Tojima, Toyota's tests demonstrated that lithium's “durability, stability and safety are assured.”

Unfortunately, while lithium also provided "small" fuel-economy gains, the costs of lithium still out-weighed the benefits.

Besides, is there any reason for Toyota to rush into lithium? On the other hand, isn't there every reason for US automakers to rush into lithium?

Toyota won't rush into plug-in Prius rollout

Plug-in leases coming soon

Toyota is on track to lease 500 plug-in Prius hybrids before the end of this year. According to Toyota, these plug-in hybrids will offer an electric range of 12 miles, afterwhich the Prius functions pretty much like a standard 3rd generation Prius.

Thus far, Toyota has claimed that its lithium battery production has proven reliable and that its manufacturing process appears sound. Hopefully that trend holds true as production scales upward.

Nonetheless, Toyota is not in a race to bring such technology to the mass market.

"Although we like to be first to market with these technologies, it's more important that we are best to market," says Irv Miller, Toyota's environmental and public affairs group vice president in the U.S.

Unfortunately, no real word on costs just yet, although the plug-in Prius should be a good bit cheaper than the Chevy Volt thanks to its shorter EV range and smaller battery pack. And costs, according to recent polls, will be critical to successful PHEV adoption.

Still, does Toyota's plug-in Prius really mean much until Toyota can replace the NiMH batteries in the the current Prius with lithium? Isn't that the best path to economies of scale for lithium production and, eventually, plug-in vehicles?

Can another hybrid top Prius sales?

What would it take to dethrone the king?

The Toyota Camry is far more popular than the Toyota Prius, yet the Camry hybrid has never come close to matching Prius sales. Why (and it's not just a supply issue)?

Is it simply the unique design of the Prius? The cheaper price? The greater fuel efficiency? All of the above?

Are small cars the only cost-effective platform for successful hybrid cars? For instance, could a unique hybrid truck or crossover compete? What about a unique Camry-sized hybrid?

What would it take to surpass the Prius?

Is the Toyota Prius irrelevant?

Is the Camry hybrid the ultimate barometer?

Toyota is now ramping up its lobbying efforts in Japan hoping to extend tax credits for environmentally-friendly cars, particularly hybrid cars, for another two years. Thus far these credits have pushed the Toyota Prius to the top of the sales list in Japan. Yet, what would Prius sales be without these tax credits?

Likewise, despite the fact the Prius was a top ten cash for clunker seller, the Prius still did not crack the 10 best selling vehicles list for August.

Until Camry hybrid sales outperform conventional Camry sales, for instance, aren't hybrid cars and the Toyota Prius basically irrelevant?

Auris hybrid more advanced than the Prius

Better than the Prius?

At the Frankfurt Auto Show there will be a good bit of hype around Toyota's plug-in Prius. However, there might be even more hype around the new Auris hybrid vehicle.

Unlike the Toyota Prius, the Auris hybrid will be based on Toyota's first HSD Full hybrid technology that enables the Auris to run solely on electric power, gasoline or a combination of the two. Likewise, according to early reports, the Auris hybrid will then be able to use the engine as a generator to recharge the batteries, or to power the Toyota's latest hybrid offering.

Expect more details in the next few weeks.

Prius: Biggest rare metal guzzler

Soon to face a rare metal shortage?

By next year, the Prius hybrid car could help Toyota sell 1 million hybrid cars per year, if there are enough rare metals available for such an output.

According to reports, the supplies of rare metals needed for the electric motors and batteries of hybrids is beginning to tighten. And, eventually, China - the biggest supplier of such metals - is going to reduce its exports. Fortunately, however, new mines in Canada and the US are set to open.

Does your dealership / service department understand hybrids?

How have you dealt with your hybrid problems?

Most hybrid owners are pretty happy with their hybrid vehicles. 90-some percent of Toyota Prius owners, for instance, would buy another Prius.

Still, there are consumers that are unhappy with the performance, usually fuel economy, of their hybrids. Sometimes these hybrid problems are bugs. Sometimes these hybrid problems are based on a misunderstanding of hybrid technology.

For instance, many hybrid drivers will start a cold hybrid and baby it a on a few mile trip and wonder why the fuel economy isn't better. In such conditions, I use more aggressive acceleration followed by coasting until the engine warms. While such a tactic seems counter-intuitive, it does lead to better short trip fuel economy.

Yet, many dealers - from the complaints I've read - never seem to discuss such tactics.

Does your dealership and service department fully understand hybrid technology?

Most Americans just don't want small cars

If only the F150 were a hybrid

Provide a lot of incentives for consumers to buy small and efficient cars and some will take advantage. Interest also rises with gas prices. No duh, right?

Nonetheless, Americans don't really want these vehicles according to BusinessWeek.

Instead, they want vehicles like the Ford F150, a vehicle that saw its first year on year increase in sales since 2006 according to recent data. In fact, Ford is lifting production on these vehicles, despite the horrific 15 - 17 mpg fuel economy of these pickup trucks.

Sure the Toyota Prius has been a hit and the plethora of plug-in vehicles on the horizon sound compelling, but what about solutions for the majority of Americans that want vehicles like the F150?

Have you experienced Prius markups?

Mark ups on the Prius, again?

There are some minor reports of a few Toyota dealers adding markups to the Toyota Prius. Fortunately, the markups are nothing like last year when dealers would as much as $5,000 or more to the price of the Prius simply because they could.

Earlier this year, several Toyota dealers told me that such a practice would not happen with the third generation Prius at the request of Toyota corporate. However, it seems as if a few dealers are not following protocol.

Have you experienced Toyota Prius markups at your local dealership?

2 door, sporty Toyota Prius on the way

Toyota must challenge the CR-Z hybrid

Sometimes when you sit atop the world, it's quite easy to become complacent. Well, when it comes to Toyota's hybrid kingdom, there certainly has been no complacency.

Not long ago there were rumors that the 2010 Third Generation Toyota Prius was going to cost more than the eventual sticker price. However, Toyota didn't want pricing to be too high, as it might provide a competitive advantage for Honda's Insight hybrid. Thus, Toyota reacted with new pricing and a new base model.

Likewise, now that Honda is preparing to roll out the hot looking CR-Z sports hybrid, AutoWeek is reporting that Toyota is developing a 2-door sporty hybrid, based upon the third generation Prius, to compete with Honda's next hybrid.

Also, according to the reports, the new design of the 2-door Prius will be developed by an Italian design studio. That could mean a vehicle that not only breaks out of the Prius design mold, but the design box of Toyota altogether. Than alone could be exciting.

Clunker hangover good for Prius buyers?

Time to go shopping soon

If you've been out shopping for a Toyota Prius recently, you might have noticed that supplies are thin, or that haggling for a better price was a wasted effort.

Now that Cash for Clunkers is over, however, traffic in dealer showrooms should wind down significantly. And, since many Clunker drivers traded in for Prius hybrids, demand for for the king of hybrid cars should also decline.

Nonetheless, if Toyota cannot secure more batteries to meet production capabilities soon, Prius supply issues could become far worse, not better.

Smart: And hybrids are expensive?

Is it really that cute?

Are hybrid cars cost-effective? That depends, but compared to the new Smart ForTwo Highstyle, I'd say hybrids like the Toyota Prius are a fantastic deal.

According to reports, the ForTwo Highstyle will begin at $22,461 for the 71-hp version.

I guess at that cost, a hybrid version is out of the question.

Is a Yaris hybrid a Prius-killer?

An instant top selling hybrid?

By 2011, if the rumors are correct, Toyota will launch a Yaris-like hybrid that might sell for as low as $15,650 and achieve as much as 70 mpg in the city.

On the other hand, VW is preparing to offer a 2 door Golf TDI in the US for $21,990. The standard, and much less efficient, Golf will cost $17,490.

So, a Yaris-based hybrid could be in a league of its own, especially if Toyota can come up with a hot new design rather than just a rebadged Yaris.

Would such a hybrid achieve most of its success by stealing Prius buyers, or would a Yaris-hybrid appeal to a whole new consumer segment?

Help: Best and worst tires for hybrid cars

Cooper Lifeliner SLE - The best tire for Prius hybrid cars?

There is nothing worse than buying a hybrid car to save money on fuel only to have to use that savings to buy new tires many hybrid buyers have complained.

Unfortunately, many hybrid cars were outfitted with low resistance tires that simply haven't performed well. In the post Toyota Prius hybrid and unusual tire wear, Prius owners have provided a number of tips for buying and maintaining tires.

Inevitably, however, it just seems that many of the Goodyear and Michelin tires that have rolled out with many hybrids simply aren't up to the task. Certainly, there might also be weight and alignment issues, but substandard tires appear to be a primary problem.

Nonetheless, some Prius owners have had great results with Cooper Lifeliner SLEs and there is a lot of hype around the Bridgestone Ecopia EP100, a low resistance tire largely designed for hybrid vehicles.

What are your favorite hybrid tires?

Will Toyota need lithium faster than planned?

Running out of NiMH batteries

Toyota is running out of batteries. Consequently, in Japan, the wait for a new Toyota Prius can be as much as 8 months. According to Toyota, Panasonic EV just can't keep up with demand, although plans are in place to increase production to 1,000,000 units per year by next year.

In the interim, however, Toyota is investigating the possibility of using batteries from other battery manufacturers. Moreover, according to reports, Toyota has already procured 10,000 lithium-ion batteries from Sanyo for use in 2011.

Of course, that procurement is probably for plug-in versions of the Toyota Prius. Nonetheless, might not Toyota need to consider putting lithium into some of its conventional hybrid cars as soon as possible? Why not put lithium into all Lexus hybrids, for instance?

Energy independence: Tax credits for the Volt forever?

What's the Volt worth to America?

What's a better deal, the Chevy Volt or the Toyota Prius?

The Prius, by a long shot according to analysis by CNNMoney. Even if a Volt driver were to use only electricity to power the Volt and gas were to hit $5.00, the Prius is a still a better deal, even after the government's $7500 tax credit for the Volt.

Of course, in the real world, most Volt drivers will use gasoline, as range will easily fall under 30 miles for many drivers. In fact, aggressive Volt drivers might only achieve 10 miles of electric range according to some battery experts. For such drivers, the Volt would become terribly cost-ineffective.

Then again, the Prius isn't always the most cost-effective option for those seeking to buy a small car and save money on gas CNN points out. Yet, the Prius has still become a pretty big hit.

So, the Volt will probably be a hit as well, at least initially, but what happens after the tax credits for the Volt expire, and early adopters have filled their new technology fix?

Moreover, if the Prius and similar hybrid cars are only able to achieve just a few percent of market share, how are even less-cost effective plug-in vehicles supposed to significantly increase this share?

Is America on a real on a path to energy independence?

Prius top 5 Clunker purchase

No production limitations?

The latest results on the Cash for Clunkers program are in and the Toyota Prius continues to move well. Currently, the Prius is the 5th most purchased vehicle under the program.

Only one vehicle made by the Big 3, the Ford Escape, made the top 10 list. According to GM, its Cobalt fell off the list due to production issues.

With a battery shortage inhibiting Prius production, it seems inevitable that a bottleneck in Prius supplies is inevitable.

New Toyota hybrid under $16,000?

Will cheap, small compact hybrids be a hit?

Rumors coming out of Japan indicate that Toyota could roll out a new $15,650 hybrid that achieves 94 mpg. Unfortunately, that 94 mpg is probably based on Japanese fuel economy estimates which are derived from a methodology that is entirely different than that used in the US. So, this new Toyota hybrid is probably a good bit more fuel efficient than the Prius, but certainly well below 94 mpg.

Still, $15,650. Now that seems like a car almost any American new car shopper can afford.

Obviously, such a hybrid would be smaller than the Prius, however, could such a hybrid - based solely on its sticker price - challenge the Prius for the king of hybrid cars sale's crown?

Prius and Insight: Top safety picks

Small and safe

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety has awarded both the new Toyota Prius and the Honda Insight Top Safety Pick Awards.

Small, safe and fuel efficient. Do you really need that huge guzzler to feel safe?

Lutz on Fast Money: Dodging questions on Volt viability?

The Vice Chairman at his best

Last night Melissa Lee of Fast Money asked Bob Lutz how many units of the Chevy Volt GM expected to sell. Instead of answering, Lutz switched the conversation to how much better the Volt is than the competition. Fine. Maybe it is on a technological level.

Lee then followed up by asking when consumers can expect to reap the benefits of the Volt. After a $7500 tax credit, Lutz claimed at $32,500 the Volt wasn't too much more expensive than Toyota Prius. Still, he never explained how long it would take the Volt to recover its additional expense compared to a Prius or a similarly sized conventional vehicle.

Yet, what happens when tax credits run out? Moreover, recently it was reported that even at $40,000, GM is still losing money on every Volt sold, as the first Volts will be sold below cost. On top of that, GM eventually - someday - needs to start recovering the $1 billion plus spent on production costs.

Thus, tax payers - now owing 60 percent of GM - are selling the Volt at a loss, at a time that the Volt program is already $1 billion+ in debt, and taxpayers are also going to provide a $7500 tax credit to help sell a vehicle that can't help GM's bottom line for at least a decade?

And, not too much more expensive than the Prius?

I don't know. $10,000 + a $7500 tax credit sounds a little expensive to me, especially considering that the Toyota Prius is already a tough sell for the far majority of Americans. Most Americans want an even faster payback, an even cheaper clean and green option.

And, while I agree with Lutz's sentiments about petroleum-free driving, without enticing a majority of Americans, EVs will have no effect foreign oil dependency even if they achieve 1,000,000 mpg.

In 10 or 15 years, the Volt might have a chance of becoming a profitable, top-selling vehicle in America. In the interim, competitors will be developing a plethora of Volt competitors. Yet, none of them mean anything until millions of reliable and cost-effective battery packs can be produced per year.

Until then - even as early as next year - Toyota could be selling 1 million hybrid cars+ per year.

So which car, the Prius or the Volt, will offer the greatest reduction in petroleum over the next decade?

Is the Volt a Leaf over the Toyota Prius?

Leaf to get 367 mpg!?

So, which vehicle is better: the Chevy Volt, the Nissan Leaf or the Toyota Prius?

Not long after GM announced that the Volt might achieve 230 mpg in the city, Nissan announced that its Leaf electric vehicle would achieve 367 mpg in the city. So, obviously, the Leaf is the best, followed by the Volt, then the Prius, right?

If 80 percent of US drivers only drive 40 miles or less per day, then the Leaf, with its cheaper upfront costs, seems the clear winner. However, 100 miles of EV range might only mean 80 or 60 miles in the real world. Can you feel that range anxiety kicking in? What if you live in a condo or an apartment, or you have to park on the street?

Then the Volt can you take you further, for a cost, but it's a pretty big cost, or is it?

While Nissan is hoping to price the Leaf at $25,000 to $30,000, the Leaf is also reported to require a battery lease. How much will the lease cost? Even at $50 a month for 10 years, Leaf battery costs could more than pay for a lifetime's worth of fuel for the Prius, and you're still left with those nasty anxiety attacks.

Of course, the Leaf will reduce foreign oil dependency more than the Prius, thus the government will offer a big juicy tax credit. That alone could wipe out the cost of the battery lease, but again, where will you plug-in? What about that Thursday drive to the beach that is 120 miles there and back?

Well, it's back to the Volt, then, right? EV range for every day driving backed by a range-extending flex-fuel engine? Perfect, except for the fact that after a $7500 tax credit, you could still buy a Prius, pay for a lifetime's worth of fuel and still have several thousand dollars to spare.

Is the Volt a Leaf over the Prius? Not yet, but we'll review again once either Nissan or GM starts producing 100,000 of their plug-ins per year.

Chevy Volt's mileage numbers to be released tomorrow

Yet, you can't buy one for at least another year?

Tomorrow, GM will release the Volt's EPA mileage results, which I'm sure will be well over 100 mpg. Still, real world mileage of the Chevy Volt will be heavily dependent upon driving conditions, frequency of charging etc. Thus, the range of real world fuel economy of the Volt will be far greater than any other vehicle in history.

Regardless, the Volt's mileage results will be impressive, and they will provide oodles of hype and PR opportunities, despite the fact that the Volt is still more than a year from launch; despite the fact that the Volt will face several years of limited production that will limit Volt availability to just tens of thousands of consumers for the first few years, minimally.

Many, including this blogger, have claimed the Volt is far more about marketing than it is about reality, at least in the interim. Of course, however, it could be argued that the Toyota Prius followed the same developmental path. Then again, Toyota didn't spend years hyping the Prius before it launched.

Obviously, GM can use as much buzz as it can to change the negative perception of GM amongst many consumers. Is the extreme amount of marketing developed around the Volt the right path to a positive change in the perception of GM?

Prius dominates Japanese car sales

So hybrid incentives don't work?

The Toyota Prius has now been the top selling vehicle in Japan for 3 months, thanks to government incentives to buy hybrid cars.

Wouldn't it be wonderful if an American-made hybrid was the top selling vehicle in the US, with or without tax incentives? If the Prius were made by Ford, instead of Toyota, might not the Prius be close? Wouldn't US consumers flock to an American-made foreign-oil dependency fighting hybrid if it were Prius-competitive in both performance and cost?

Will an American hybrid be the top selling vehicle in America for just one month any time in the next decade?

Lutz: GM must respond to demand for gas guzzlers

Lutz at the Volt debut

"It remains a fact that the American public buys big, high consumption, cars," claims GM's Bob Lutz in a recent interview. Moreover, Lutz goes on to state, "The mass movement towards 'green cars' is only taking place in the media".

Except for the Toyota Prius of course.

Lutz goes on to claim that the Obama Administration wants automakers to build more fuel efficient vehicles than will be achieved via the recent changes in CAFE. However, the only way to make such a move happen is by making gas prices reach European levels, and that would, according to Lutz, be too devastating to the economy.

So, I guess Congress and the White House will just pour money into GM et al to build enough 'green' vehicles to appease the press, while GM focuses most of their efforts on meeting the demand for gas guzzlers?

Cash for clunkers drives Prius sales

Cash for clunkers worked?

According to the National Transportation Safety Administration the 'Cash for Clunkers' program led to a sales surge in small vehicles and hybrid cars, particularly the Toyota Prius. The Prius was the 4th most purchased vehicle via the clunker program.

Now, I'm not calling the clunker program a success, but last week I predicted it would NOT lead to a spike in hybrid sales. It appears I was wrong.

I'm still not a big fan of the program, but I do believe the program has demonstrated the power of consumer-based incentives versus corporate-based incentives.

Battery grants: Tiptoeing around reality?

Will these save the US auto industry?

Just a short while ago, President Obama officially announced his plan to provide some $2 billion in grants to develop a battery industry in the US claiming that 'We failed far too long to invest in innovative technology'.

Such as the billion GM lost on the EV1? Such as the $1 billion + the Clinton Administration granted automakers to develop the next generation of fuel efficient vehicles? That's a couple a billion for innovative technology right there.

While I support these grants, other such efforts have been made in the past. They failed for one reason: cheap gasoline prices. Perhaps gasoline prices will be more supportive of such innovations this time around, but such a bet is still a significant gamble.

For instance, much of this gamble is being bet on plug-in vehicles, such as the Chevy Volt - a vehicle that is going to lose a massive amount of money for at least the next decade. According to the likes of JD Power, etc., such vehicles are going nowhere fast in the next decade. In fact, it will be decades before such vehicles represent at least 10 percent of America's auto fleet.

Even worse, ironically, according to the Volt's father, Bob Lutz, energy prices don't support hybrid cars like the Toyota Prius. Well, the economics of plug-ins like the Volt require significantly higher energy prices than conventional hybrids to achieve cost-effectiveness.

Are these battery grants really any different than what has been tried in the past? Ultimately, isn't innovative fuel efficient technology solely dependent upon energy prices?

New Prius hindered by battery production

Just not enough batteries

Toyota cannot keep up with Prius demand due to a shortage of battery packs according to Toyota senior managing director Takahiko Ijichi. Toyota has the capacity to produce 500,000 Prius hybrids per year, but so far Panasonic EV Energy Co has not been able to match Toyota's output. However, by next summer, Panasonic is hoping to be able to produce enough batteries per year to power 1 million hybrid cars.