EV Reviews

You had to fight your way through a scrum to get into a few of the cars at the Michelin Challenge Bibendum green car summit in Berlin earlier this year. Porsche's electric Boxsters, the Monaco-bred Venturi supercar, Citroen Survolt and Peugeot EX-1 concepts were all mobbed. And so was a Volvo station wagon. The drawcard was the V60 PHEV, the Volvo's prototype of what will be the world's first plug-in hybrid diesel-electric system. Even then, a single short run around Templehof airstrip didn't really give a thorough idea of what the vehicle was like - but we weren't game to risk bodily harm by hogging the keys. However we've had a second, and slightly longer, chance with the vehicle at Volvo's Gothenburg headquarters in Sweden. And while it was again in one of the prototypes - with some elements that will be changed for the final model - it gave us a clearer idea of what's in store for most aspects of the car, and Volvo's vision of a plugged-in future. "Electrification is necessary to reach sustainable mobility," says V60 PHEV technical project leader Per-Arne Reinholdsson. "Volvo aims to secure a leadership position focusing on customer needs and lifestyle without compromising performance. The V60 PHEV vision is that it would be a real car that could be used without compromises." VALUE One unknown is the bottom line. While the V60 PHEV will go into production late in 2012 - initially for markets in Europe -- there's no confirmation yet of whether it will go no sale or be obtainable only as part of a lease program in its first years. "The price will be higher than a normal car, but we are still negotiating to keep it down as much as possible," Reinholdsson says, adding that prices will improve over time as increases in production bring economies of scale. The current V60 range starts at $54,950 here, and Volvo Australia believes that while the PHEV will be at a premium price when it arrives here in 2013, it will still be competitive at somewhere between $75,000-$80,000. "I think $80,000 will be the upper ceiling," managing director Matt Braid says. "But it's so much early days, that we haven't even had discussions about material costs for the technology that we can base our price on." With no other plug-in diesel hybrid around, we can't really make a close value comparison for the Volvo, except to shop it against other medium-sized diesels - including its own V60 D5 at $60,950. Other choices in terms of practical space, upmarket fit-out and frugal engines include the 5.4L/100km BMW 320d at $62,600 – although it’s looking very tired – and the 5.5L/100km Mercedes-Benz C200 CDI Avantgarde at $67,150. But if you can stretch to $69,900, there’s the powerful and frugal 5.3L/100km Mercedes-Benz C250 CDI Avantgarde, which is proof that you can have it all, if you’re prepared to pay for it. TECHNOLOGY The V60 is powered by a 160kW/440Nm 2.4-litre five-cylinder turbodiesel driving the front wheels, with the rear wheels driven by a 52kW/200Nm electric motor that draws its power from a 200-cell 12kWh lithium-ion battery pack. It's operated via a six-speed automatic transmission and three driving modes - offering what  Reinholdsson refers to as "three cars in one" -- depending on how frugal or feisty you're feeling. The electric-only Pure mode will give a range of 50km and fuel economy and emissions of, well, zero. In this mode, the system conserves electric charge by fending off 'drains' like airconditioning. Hybrid mode has a less stringent attitude but aims for overall efficiency. Largely alternating between the electric motor and the diesel engine, the range will be 1200km, but Volvo claims that in normal combined driving, the fuel economy will still be a miserly 1.9L/100km with CO2 emissions of just 49g/km. Power mode pulls in combined extra help from both the diesel engine and the electric motor's push to the rear wheels, delivering a total output of 212kW - and a 0-100km/h time of 6.9 seconds with a top speed of 200km/h, Volvo says. However they haven't been able to tell us the fuel economy and emissions for this mode. The car can be charged in 4.5 hours with a 10-amp household socket, with that time cut to three hours with a 16-amp supply. The battery pack has an integrated cooling system - which operates during charging to optimise the 'refuel' and longevity - with a computer system monitoring the temperature and charge in each of the 200 cells. DESIGN It looks like any other V60, except for the charging socket behind the front wheel - on the left-hand side for the initial roll-out, but likely to be offered on the right-hand side for our market. With the diesel engine driving the front wheels, the weight of the two battery packs and the electric motor is distributed through the centre tunnel area and under the boot floor - which has been raised about 6cm to accommodate it. However, the system adds about 300kg in the prototype, although Volvo says some optimisation work should reduce this for production. The only other external difference on the prototype was the addition of 'blades' to give a better aerodynamic flow over the wheels, reducing drag and aiding fuel economy. The main changes in the cabin are the new instruments and switchgear to control the plug-in hybrid systems, with driving modes and levels of charge indicated by a refreshingly simple animation in the central cluster behind the steering wheel. SAFETY It's a Volvo signature to offer five-star safety, and they've gone to great lengths to ensure this one shouldn't be any different. That includes stringent consideration of what could happen in a crash to the heavy lithium-ion battery packs. This has meant strengthened body structures to secure the pack and hold it separate from the fuel tank. They recently crashed a PHEV to demonstrate the ability to keep the pack - and its gases and 400 volts - contained, and are also training European rescue workers on how to approach a PHEV after a crash. That new technology aside, you can expect the usual Volvo arsenal of airbags, safety systems, crash avoidance, pre-crash warnings and post-crash protection. DRIVING We're usually a bit skeptical about marketing-tinged statements like "three cars in one. But in this case, they're onto something. While you don't really feel the changes back and forth from electric to diesel when you're running at good speeds in Hybrid mode, what you can see is the differences between that and the other two modes. Pure is very quiet except for the tyre roar and wind rush - although Volvo is working on amplifying the noise of the electric motor as a pedestrian safety strategy - with more relaxed steering and pedal characteristics. Hybrid mode feels like a normal vehicle, albeit still a somewhat torpid and heavy one despite the wheel and accelerator maps hardening up. And while it's not transformed into a track day weapon, Power mode gives the PHEV a fairly satisfying response to the boot, with even sharper steering and throttle response - and the increased surefootedness of both axles coming into play. However in every mode you're aware of the extra weight of the vehicle in every corner, and losing some of that extra poundage will be crucial to making the V60 plug-in a more comfortable drive - even a pleasure, with a bit more work. VERDICT While the prototype still has some issues, we can see where it's headed - and what's headed our way. If the price is competitive and there's enough supply, we can see this being a winner. VOLVO V60 PHEV Price: from about $75,000 Engine: 160kW/440Nm 2.4-litre five-cylinder turbodiesel 52kW/200Nm electric motor and 12kWh lithium-ion battery pack. Transmission: six-speed auto, FWD/AWD Safety: five-star (est) Thirst: 1.9L/100km; 49g/km Co2 (Hybrid "Solid, sensible, signature Volvo. But a bit overweight at the moment."

Road rage will be a thing of the past when electric cars rule.

Imagine being able to travel through time. To jump forward to the future and see what sort of cars we will all be driving in the years to come. That's exactly what we did this week when we travelled from Homebush to Penrith in Sydney's west behind the wheel of Nissan fully electric car — the Leaf. If that's what the future holds, then bring it on because the Leaf was so much better than expected. Nissan hopes the car will become the Prius of electric vehicles. Running costs are negligible. Fully charging Leaf during the off peak period costs as little as 10 cents per kWh — or $2.40 for a full charge. This could put a lot of service stations out of business, not to mention the environmental benefits if you pay a little extra for green power. Nissan hopes to offer the for sale to the public by May or June next year, with the price to be revealed closer to launch. It won't be cheap, but then Leaf is a premium vehicle with lots of luxury inclusions — think around $49,990 and you're probably in the ballpark. It's a large, comfortable five-door hatch with plenty of rear legroom that will seat four adults comfortably — five at a pinch. Looks can be deceiving because it looks like there is an engine under the bonnet but the electric motor is actually located further back. You don't really notice the lack of engine noise, because there's plenty of other noise to compensate — but as a precaution below 40km/h it generates an artificial warning for pedestrians. Powered by an 80kW electric motor that generates 280Nm of torque (same as a Golf GTI), Leaf offers surprisingly strong performance. Switch to Eco mode and it takes the punch out of the throttle but gives the car a 10 per cent greater range. Range, the big drawback with electric vehicles, is a claimed 170km — but this varies greatly depending on the weather and the way in which the car is being driven. At 110km/h on the motorway, for instance, the 24kWh lithium-ion battery pack is quickly depleted and, if the remaining charge falls below 4kWh — power output is cut by 50 per cent and speed capped at 20km/h. Maximum speed is 145km/h. With the trip computer showing just 20km to empty after our brief sojourn on down the motorway, we began to get anxious about whether we'd make it home — but the situation never reach crisis point. This is called "range anxiety" and Nissan is trying to change this to "awareness", with standard satnav for example that tell you where the nearest charging station is located. Leaf is an impressive car and one that could easily take the place of that petrol guzzler in the driveway, provided you don't travel long distances. But Nissan is up front about the fact that it is not the car for everyone. Unless your have two cars, drive less than 100-120km each day and have off street parking, Nissan will recommend against buying the car. Nissan also recommends installing a proper charge point at home. The car comes with a special cable but at the very least requires the installation of a special wall socket on a dedicated 10amp circuit — the full monty will cost about $2000 but allow you to fully exploit the car's green potential. Quick charging the battery to 80 per cent capacity takes less than 30 minutes, but a full trickle charge takes up to eight hours. Nissan recommends against fast charging more than once a week of it could reduce battery life. If you're caught short so to speak Nissan's roadside assistance will send a flat bed truck to collect the car or give provide a quick charge to get you going using a portable generator. You can't just plug in to someone's extension lead.

Sports cars made the Porsche name, but what made its fortune was an SUV and a sedan. The Cayenne offroader and the Panamera ‘family car’ have been two of the best decisions the brand has made. And they’ve kept remaking them with a continuing roll-out of variations. So, following in the trail of the five Panamera variants already here, and the diesel arriving in August, comes the hybrid version. Or two. VALUE You can knock $5300 off the $298,300 price by shelling out a mere $290 for the set of low rolling-resistance tyres that drop fuel consumption to 6.8L/100km -- bringing it in under the Luxury Car Tax 7L/100km discount barrier for a final price of $292,927. But with the standard wheels and tyres, the car’s economy is still claimed to be a low 7.1L/100km – so if you want to show green cred but not give up speed or luxury, it’s just as viable. For that you also get a stack of luxury equipment, including the touchscreen ‘comms’ and Bose audio system, adaptive air suspension that adjusts ride firmness and height, dynamic cornering lights, bits of leather, 14-way power-adjustable heated front seats and two-zone climate-control airconditioning. But no spare tyre – there’s a sealant kit instead. TECHNOLOGY The drivetrain is from the Cayenne S Hybrid: a 245kW/440Nm 3.0-litre petrol V6 supported by a 34kW/300Nm electric motor connected to a nickel metal hydride (NiMh) battery that stores energy captured while braking. It’s the first Panamera to get the Cayenne’s 8-speed sequential auto, with gearchanges adapted to better suit hybrid driving and the top two gears set for reduced revs to help economy. The fuel-saving story also includes a stop-start system and the separating clutch that at speeds up to 165km/h disengages the engine when you lift off the accelerator, allowing you to ‘sail’ (as Porsche calls it) without drawing on the fuel tank. It gives an electric-only range of 2km on flat ground – not a great distance, but enough to make for a guilt-free run to the corner shop, thumbing your nose at cyclists and walkers along the way. But the Panamera still has Porsche bloodlines under its greenish skin, so there are performance tricks like the boost mode triggered by accelerator kickdown, which combines the engine and electric motor’s outputs and delivers a total 279kW and 580Nm for a brief few seconds. And it’s no slouch at 6.0 seconds for 0-100km/h, with a top speed 270 km/h. To bring the go back to whoa, there’s a dual-circuit brake system with separate circuits for each axle, with six-piston anchors at the front and four-piston at the rear. DESIGN The Aston Martin Rapide and Maserati Quattroporte both succeeded in adding a couple of doors to a largely coupe design, and coming out stunners. Panamera… not so much. Its bulbous butt looks awkward attached to what is essentially a 911-themed nose. But it’s form following function: in the Panamera’s back seat you get usable space and comfort for two adults. In the Brit and Italian you get leg cramps. SAFETY It hasn’t been crash-tested yet, but with a strong body and arsenal of safety features, it should rate the full five stars. DRIVING With our initial drive an economy challenge on the ‘green’ tyres, running the Panamera on the electric side was surprisingly pleasant. The changes as it switches from engine to battery are barely perceptible – although you notice when it changes back again – and the sailing mode is nearly seamless. Unless you have the ‘E-power’ mode activated to suppress the swap to engine, it tends to flick over there on the slightest accelerator input. On an economy run, we managed to hit 6.9L/100km at one stage, and bring it in at 7.1L at the end of 90km. So the claimed fuel figures are achievable, but only if you keep constant watch on the instrument panel – and nobody wants to drive like that. Or at least, not in a Panamera. The ride is firmer than you’d expect for a luxury sedan, but that isn’t helped by the low rolling-resistance tyres, which clatter over patchy bitumen. But while you’re not going to push the car to track limits on that kind of rubber, they perform better than expected, holding on well enough for mildly enthusiastic driving even on a damp road. What works against their fuel-saving is that the Panamera is so smooth that it’s too easy to have the speed creep up without you noticing – which could be a danger to your wallet in other ways too.

The battery-powered Leaf is a real car, not just a science experiment, and surprisingly nice to drive. We don't know yet about the price, which could easily jump beyond $60,000, and you have to ask serious questions about electric cars in a land of brown coal power stations. Still, Nissan has done an impressive job and, after driving a whole range of electric cars in recent years - including the Mitsubishi iMiEv, Subaru Stella, MiniE and even the Chevrolet Volt - it currently leads the field. Then again, you cannot buy one yet and any talk about the Leaf must include the dreaded words 'range anxiety', which apply to any form of transport that relies solely on juice from a battery. Nissan says it will have trucks ready to rescue a Leaf that runs out of charge. VALUE This one is impossible to answer. We don't know the price, except it's likely to be around three times more than the sticker of the similarly-sized, petrol-powered Mazda3, and we also don't know how much it will cost to charge or replace - if necessary - the battery pack. Still, Nissan is pushing ahead fast with the Leaf and says the car is a commercial reality. It is also transferring the technology across to its global alliance partner, Renault, and has a number of Leaf spin-off models on the drawing boards including a sporty coupe. TECHNOLOGY Everything about the Leaf is new and unique, from the basic body through to the lithium-ion battery pack, low-energy air-conditioning and seat trim made from recycled plastic bottles. More than 90 per cent of the car is claimed to be recyclable, and the bumpers are made from ... recycled bumpers. The Leaf has clever low-drag bodywork and tyres - not really new, as they are similar to the Toyota Prius - but has a 250-kilogram lithium-ion battery pack under the floor that feeds an electric motor with high-tech transmission. It means 280 Newton-metres of torque for realistic real-world performance. The technology never seems to stop, right down to special sat nav that automatically tracks the location of the nearest plug-in recharge points. It would be easy to write a book on the technology in the Leaf, and someone is probably doing it now. DESIGN The Leaf looks good - slightly tasty, slightly different, but not weirdoid and definitely more than just a golf cart with a big battery pack. The size is Mazda3-Corolla compatible and, unlike the Volt that has a very cramped rear seat, most people would not pick it as a battery car by the shape or cabin. Design work includes a nice plug-in point hidden in the nose, a special charger cable that comes with the car, and the high-tech dashboard display that allows the driver to track every system in the car for maximum efficiency and to prevent the disaster of a flat battery. SAFETY Nissan promises five-star NCAP and the Leaf should deliver. It has all the usual safety systems - ABS brakes, ESP stability control and airbags - as well as a special electrical cut-off for a crash and a metal safety cell around the battery, which is housed below the floor in the middle of the car for maximum impact protection. DRIVING Nice. That's the one-word verdict on the Leaf. It is comfy and quiet, idiot-proof to start and drive - although you must keep a wary watch for pedestrians who don't notice the silent newcomer - and has impressive suspension, steering and brakes. Most people would not pick it as a battery car, except for the lack of noise from an internal combustion engine in the nose. And the lack of noise they would enjoy in the cabin when the car is driving. This Leaf is one of two that have been rushed to Australia for an electric-car trial by the Victorian government, and Carsguide only has a 30-kilometre drive for a taste test in suburban Melbourne. The Leaf is a long way down the electric road from a Mitsubishi iMiEV or Subaru Stella, or even the MiniE, which I have driven in the past. It is more practical than a Volt, although the GM car has an onboard petrol engine that extends the range and eliminates fears of a total battery drain. It's a genuine production car, which means all the touch-and-feel stuff is just like every other Nissan. The ride and handling, too, is impressively 'normal'. The Leaf has an impressive turn of pace and easily keeps ahead of most traffic away from the lights. It is very very quiet up to 80km/h and the air-con works well. The high-tech displays take some learning, but the computers say there is 130 kilometres of driving range and that falls only marginally during my 20-kilometre run. Switching to Eco mode and killing the aircon stretches the distance to a planned plug-in by around 20 kilometres. This is only Day One of the Leaf story in Australia, and it's very hard to make a genuine assessment without a price tag - estimated at $60,000, or roughly three times the price of a Corolla - but the signs look good. Now, if only Australia had more sources of green power to fuel this green machine. "This car is real," the boss of Nissan Australia, Dan Thompson, says simply. He is right. But the reality includes a lot more questions that need answers before the world slides across from oil to electric, including the start date for sales to ordinary Australians and the crucial price tag. VERDICT A real-world electric car that sets the benchmark. NISSAN LEAF Price: estimated $60,000 Engine: 80kW AC synchronous motor Transmission: single-speed reduction gear, front-wheel drive Fuel: electricity, 8-hour trickle charge or 3-hour fast charge Battery: 24kW-hour lithium ion Range: claimed 130km Body: five-door hatch Emissions: zero (car)

Windows up, aircon off, the only noise to be heard from this Toyota is the faint rumble of its tyres on the roads around Sydney’s Darling Harbour. This device looks like a Prius, feels numb like a Prius and sounds like one – which is to say it barely makes a sound. In fact Toyota’s Plug-in Hybrid Vehicle (PHV) takes the Prius game to the next level, one that takes us one step closer to running our cars off the same power source as our toasters. While the Prius alternates between battery and petrol power – in the manner of what now must be called a “conventional hybrid” – the PHV can run for some 20km purely on its electrically rechargeable lithium ion battery before reverting to normal hybrid operation. It is touted as the answer to what Toyota call “range anxiety”, which sounds like one of those conditions of which you were happily ignorant until the cure was announced. One of five PHVs humming about Australia as part of a three-year trial on three continents, the PHV could be in local showrooms by the end of 2012. It depends largely on whether the ability to do 20km on wattage alone is deemed an adequate distance for this country as it has been in Europe, where some 55 per cent of car trips are of 10km or less.  Practically, the more powerful and bulkier underfloor lithium ion battery adds 135kg to Pruis’s kerb weight and reduces its load space to 391 litres from 445, but takes its combined cycle fuel consumption down to 2.6 litres per 100km and emissions to 59g of Co2 per kilometre.  Yet the PHV’s output is identical to the third generation Prius – 100kW combined, or 73 from the petrol engine and 60 from the electric motor at any one time. The charging point is on the front passenger wheel guard covered by a push-in flap. The demo model’s power cable requires a 15 amp socket, but those on commercially released PHVs will be able to go into the wall next to the kettle.  “It’s a trade-off,” Toyota corporate manager Greg Gardner says. “The greater the battery capacity, the greatr the EV driving range. But more range means a longer charge time and a heavier battery means which increased weight, which harms fuel efficiency and therefore C02 emisions.  “And there is also a cost perspective because, frankly, lithium ion batteries are more expensive to manufacture.” Possibly Prius drivers are immune to auto envy, but it’s hard to imagine someone who spends their own money on such a public proclamation of their eco-coolness not going slightly green at a PHV being parked on their same block of solar panelled houses. The plug-in has what is essentially a reverse cycle air conditioner that uses a hand held remote to activate either heating or cooling up to 30 minutes before you drive using household electricity. To the riot of colour and movement that is the Prius’s instrument display, the PHV ads a readout indicating when the car is in Plug-in EV Mode. When the start button is pressed while the battery is being charged from the external source, the plug-in connection status is displayed, as is the time required to fully charge. Driving in EV mode after charging, the energy monitor displays charge level in green for Plug-in EV mode and white for Hybrid, plus EV driving range. If this isn’t information enough, it also, when in Plug-in mode, guides your use of the accelerator via the Hybrid System Indicator. Indeed, though our drive of the PHV was basically a four kilometre doddle around a few blocks, it was enough to grasp that it makes you even more self-conscious than the Prius of driving within constraints that would make Bob Brown beam. The plethora of readout guidance makes it almost impossible not to. Although the petrol engine will kick in over EV mode if you accelerate sharply enough, this act seems utterly foreign in the PHV. Not that you’re going to get off the mark in a particular hurry with that extra heft. But then if you’re among the PHV’s likely buyers, anxiety about performance is one to which you’re immune.

ONE day Nissan’s powerful Nurburgring-blitzkrieging GT-R might be an electric vehicle.  At least that is the hope of Nissan chief operating officer Toshiyuki Shiga. “EV is fun to drive,” the company’s number two says, pointing out that the 180km/h Japanese Bullet train uses an electric motor.  “One day GT-R will be an EV. It’s my favourite car,” he says at the world media preview of the Nissan Leaf electric vehicle in Japan this week. “The weight is low in this car because of the battery under the floor so it handles well,” he says, making joyous “whooshing noises” as he mimics driving a car.  Shiga may be enthusiastic about the driving dynamics of the Leaf, but like all electric cars it feels as exciting as stepping on to an escalator. Certainly there is instant throttle response because of the flat torque curve of an electric motor and there is linear acceleration, but after the initial punch it feels lifeless.  There is simply no sensation of speed or acceleration. This is not only due to the linear response and lack of explosive power, but also because there is so little sound and no engine vibe. The Leaf looks like any five-door hatchback, not some goofy space-age golf buggy like other electric cars and concept models.  The only telltale signs that this is something different are the small hatch at the front which conceals the plug-in charging points, the bulbous but aerodynamic blue LED headlights that divert air over the door mirrors to reduce wind noise by 3dB, and the solar panel on the rear wing which helps charge the supplementary battery that powers the auxiliary equipment such as the audio, satnav and cabin lights. Like most aerodynamically designed vehicles, there are the usual problems with vision through the A and C pillars while the neat rear end is sawn-off so there is only a small cargo area and no spare tyre under the floor. The only clues in the cabin that this is an EV are the smaller-than-usual transmission knob and the instrument pods.  One instrument binnacle above the steering wheel supplies time, speed and ambient temperature. Another binnacle inside the steering wheel shows battery charge and temperature, odometer, trip meter, transmission selected and a meter that shows how economically you are driving. The seats are velour and cushy, there is plenty of leg and headroom front and back and the steering wheel includes cruise and audio controls, but is adjustable for height only, not reach and feels a little off-centre to the driver.  Leaf doesn’t have a luxury feel, but it’s a comfortable cabin atmosphere. Nissan Australia CEO Dan Thompson said it was too early to comment on specification levels for us, except to say that it will arrive in 2012 in one trim level. It is powered by an 80kW/280Nm electric motor with a stack of flat, laminated lithium-ion batteries under the floor.  The Leaf battery stack is integrated into the chassis so it is not suitable to battery swap technology. The car weighs 1.6 tonne, but with that low and central mass of heavy batteries it gives the car a very balanced feel.  The battery can be charged in about eight hours on 240V or quick-charged to 80 per cent capacity in 30 minutes. The car will communicate with Nissan HQ via satellite, internet and mobile phone to help users remotely turn on the airconditioning before they get in the car, check on their battery charge status and set a timer to charge the battery. Nissan provided four pre-production vehicles for the first media test drives on its Grandrive proving ground circuit at Yokohama.  However, with more than 500 motoring journalists from around the world given a short drive on the smooth circuit, drive time was limited. Drive impressions were also hampered by Nissan representatives who were in the car to answer questions and act as a ‘human handbrake’ on enthusiastic driving.  Despite limited drive time, it feels nimble enough for normal driving duties. It has light steering that gets markedly heavier off-centre, yet it feels stable at speed and changes direction quickly.  EV senior manager Shigetoshi Tokuoka says the handling is effected by centrally located batteries, electronic stability control and a rigid chassis that integrates the battery. Cars with heavy internal combustion engines in the front have difficulty moving that mass in a corner. However, with the 250kg battery in the centre of the car, Leaf turns lightly on its axis improving change of direction, cornering and lane-changing. As for the motor, Leaf chief product specialist Tooru Abe explains that the driver will have ‘a different kind of relationship with EV to a conventional petrol engine’.  “Compared to a gasoline engine, the electric motor is more suitable for driving with instantaneous torque and you don’t have to shift the gears. “Our electric motor has a Nissan-specific control system that enables a quick response for smooth driving and acceleration.”  A drive impression wouldn’t be complete without comment on the eerie lack of noise. The engineers were so concerned that the lack of noise would draw attention to other sounds, they devoted their energy toward muting wind buffeting around the roof-mounted antenna, tyre howl and even the wiper motor hum. When the driver hits the start button they are greeted by a chiming melody like booting up a Windows PC.  As you pull away there is a muffled whistling sound in the cabin and a slight jet whine outside to alert pedestrians. It can be switched off manually or will automatically turn off over 30km/h. In reverse it gives off a feint beeping sound to warn pedestrians.  In normal transmission mode there is instant acceleration and a coasting feel when off the throttle. Eco mode feels like it has changed up a gear. It also reduces the airconditioning effectiveness and when you take your foot off the throttle, it activates more regenerative braking to recharge the battery.  If you floor the ‘loud’ pedal in Eco mode, it reacts the same as in normal mode. Leaf picks up speed imperceptibly and because it is so quiet it is easy to drift over the speed limit.The world’s first mass- market EV is a refined and well-thought-out package. But it still feels like driving a vacuum cleaner.  

"Oh, this is the hybrid?," he asks. "Yes."  Silence. Because, in truth, that's all he really needs to know. It's a hybrid and it's made in Australia and it's a Toyota and at less than $37,000, it costs the equivalent of a base-model six-cylinder sedan from Ford or Holden and runs on only two-thirds of their fuel consumption.  Basically, what's stopping you? Hybrids have been around ever since Mendel split his time between prayer and propagating peas.  It's not a bit scary. It drives like any other Camry though its trick of turning off its petrol engine when coasting or at a stop sign is initially freaky.  Unlike the high-tech Prius on which the Camry is mechanically and electrically based, nothing is unusual. Appearance It looks like a normal sedan car - true, too much like a normal sedan car - and has a conventional dashboard and switches and dials.  The gearshifter looks like a normal automatic shifter, even though it's attached to an unconventional transmission. It seats five adults, the boot is large-ish - but space is crimped a bit by the battery pack - and aside from a tidy up on the outside that greatly improves the Camry donor, it's invisible in the parking lot.  You will look at the Camry Hybrid and consider buying it because it is relatively easy on petrol and is practical. There's no doubt it will accept the family in comfort and almost whisper-quiet operation, even with the engine on, and really the only downers are a slightly shorter boot with only a small through-hole for skinny cargo, and the more serious inability to take a tow bar. Fuel economy Toyota claims 6 litres/100km which is 32 per cent more economical that the four-cylinder Camry petrol version and any housewife will find 32 per cent a seductive discount, no matter what the product.  And it is seductive until you figure that though it will save you about $500 a year in petrol bills (at 15,000km and $1.20 a litre), the Hybrid costs $3000 more than the mid-spec Sportivo with which it shares many features. Be warned: It will take you six years to make up the difference - if you still own the car by then.  But it's not about the money, is it? This is a clever piece of engineering and there's a piece of me that quietly puffs out my chest at my ability to allow the Federal Government to give Toyota $35 million to build the car in Australia. As a taxpayer, part of that money, you see, is mine - so I have an attachment.  You can also feel tinged with green while pulling away from the lights or reversing out of the underground carpark - the car in motion but no noise from under the bonnet. It's a bit creepy and its silent motion will shock pedestrians habitually operating on their ears to manoeuvre around the city. In fact, the US association for the sight and aural-impaired are quite worried about the potential injury to members as the trend to noiseless vehicles takes hold. Damn environmental concerns! Drivetrain You will marvel at its ability, seemingly at random, to switch off its polluting engine and run on the electric motor.  The motor is charged by the petrol engine and, cleverly, by connecting the onboard generator every time the Camry brakes. It's called regenerative braking. The Camry Hybrid doesn't have a plug-in capability - and thank the heavens for that! Plug-in electric cars have a place but they require more expensive and usually bulkier batteries and have only enough juice for 100km or 150km. The Camry idea, where every thing is onboard, is neater. Toyota's greenest locally-built car comes in two versions - base at $36,990 and Luxury at $39,990. The latter gets leather, sat-nav, sunroof and an upmarket audio and is the affluent way to help the environment eke out a few more centuries. Driving On the road it drives like a conventional Camry and once you get used to the engine occasionally napping, only the dull lightness of the electric power steering clarify the difference.  Handling feels a bit better because the battery is on the boot and helps balance out the front-wheel drive car. The Hybrid is heavier but it's also more powerful. This translates into a faster time to 100km/h but because of the continuously-variable transmission's wishy-washy lag, it doesn't feel like it's going anywhere for the first few milliseconds.  Something weird happened while I was out there behind the wheel - I didn't enjoy punching it. I felt, I don't know, dirty. Here was a car designed to skimp on fuel to save its owner money while helping the planet limp forward on its intergalactic Zimmer frame and I'm trying to drag OPEC into ruin.  But, of course, it's quite difficult to make the Camry Hybrid guzzle fuel. Then again, I couldn't match Toyota's 6 litres/100km average, either. I returned 7 l/100km. That's fine. Not anywhere near as good as some Europeans - Volkswagen's petrol 118TSI Golf and diesel TDI models, for example - but better than equivalent petrol-fuelled sedans.  A mate got closer, finding an average at about 6.5 l/100km. The difference wasn't anything with our right feet. Rather, I used the freeway and he used a coastal road. I was locked in to 100km/h with the engine never pausing and he was against a string of traffic lights and lots of undulations where the engine could be switched off and electric power used. It's sufficient to make you consider where you live and how you get to work.  And if someone asks, tell them with a smug smile that yes, it's a hybrid.

The starting price for Australia's first green car is $36,990.  That's the showroom tag for the basic Toyota Camry hybrid, which finally hits the road today.  The hybrid is being pitched as the flagship in the Camry range, from the way it looks to a cabin that is claimed to set a new standard for quietness in a locally-made car. The basic details of the Camry hybrid have been public since the car was introduced in 2006 in the USA, but there has been a lot of work on 'Australianising' the car, both for production and driving.  "Right from day one we knew that the American version wasn't going to work," says Phil King, who headed local chassis tuning work. The result is a car which is claimed to be more responsive, as well as packing a full suite of safety gear. But it still misses a five-star ANCAP rating because it does not have a driver's knee airbag or an audible seatbelt warning. Engine and economy The Camry hybrid picks up the vast majority of its mechanical package from the third-generation Prius, which went on sale last year, although it has a 2.4-litre engine (up from 1.8) and still has a drive belt for the water pump, unlike the Prius. In fact, the car is really just a family-ised Prius. The hybrid bottom line is fuel economy of 6 litres/100km, compared with 9.3 for the Holden Commodore V6 or 9.9 for Toyota's own Aurion, with performance that trims a full second from the petrol-powered Camry's 0-100km/h time. The CO2 number is 142 grams/kilometre, while Toyota claims a huge advantage in NOX and particulates over diesel powerplants with similar economy. Price and equipment The $36,990 pricetag compares to $29,990 for a basic Camry Altise, or $39,990 for a Prius hybrid.  But Toyota Australia says the real cost of the hybrid upgrade is just $2000. The extra fat in the hybrid pricetags is down to extra equipment, from TFT instruments to a special windscreen. Toyota Australia is trumpeting plenty of equipment in the hybrid, which it says lines up with the Altise-model Camry with six airbags, ESP stability control, active steering assistance and a special power cut-off. There is also a Luxury model at $39,990, with option packs for both models _ at $3000 for the base car and $4500 on the Luxury - including satnav and premium sound. But the Camry's boot has taken a hit to fit the onboard battery system.  "This hybrid can walk, and chew gum," says Peter Evans, technical chief for Toyota's imported cars.  Toyota made some very big claims for the Camry hybrid today, from a five-star green rating, to a four-star ANCAP, and the potential for 7000 kilometres of free motoring every year - compared to a Commodore. Driving The hybrid is still a Camry, but now with a twist.  Even the best efforts of the team at Toyota Style have done little to change the overall look of the car, apart from a slightly more aggressive nose with blue headlamps. Inside, the big change is the loss of the tacho, in favour of a green driving monitor, and a TFT screen with familiar Prius driving readouts. First up, the Camry hybrid has a silent start. And you move away under battery power, although the car will only go two kilometres before it needs a top-up.  It feels a little firmer in the suspension, particularly over broken bitumen, and there is a familiar whirring sound under brakes as the generator works to recover energy for the batteries. Overall, the car feels a lot quieter and a little tauter. But it's a matter of degrees, not a wholesale change. And the loss of boot space will be significant for families, even if Toyota says it will still carry four sets of golf clubs.

The remarkable thing about the Toyota Camry hybrid is how unremarkable it is. And that's not meant to sell the clean and green sedan short either. The efforts of Toyota Australia's local engineering boffins have delivered a car that is fun to drive and economical, yet has practical real-world space for a family and kids. Compared to the regular 2.4-litre petrol model, the hybrid feels more secure on the road, quieter, and more confident when pushed through corners. Toyota's operations manager, engineering, Phil King, says the company took the best from the Thai-built version of the car and engineered it for Australian conditions. The suspension settings are not quiet Sportivo but a cut above the entry Altese petrol model. "We did discuss at the start of planning what a hybrid should be, in the sense of whether it should be a comfort car or sporty," King says. "We decided we were not going to do a Sportivo and the car will be highly specced, not a bare bones vehicle." King and Toyota chassis engineer Paul Diamandis were among the team who fine tuned the car, throwing some Australian dynamic know-how to the suspension, steering and handling. The move has transformed the car into what King describes as the best execution of the global Camry hybrid. "We've tried to get more control with the body, which makes it a more pleasant drive," King says. The new electric power steering, recalibrated suspension and better weight distribution all contribute to greater on-road poise. "It's certainly better than the American version," King says. The addition of the 50kg battery pack in the boot has added some weight but it now helps the car's balance. The hybrid is between 60kg and 70kg heavier than the standard petrol car, depending on the spec. With the battery pack in the boot Toyota has almost achieved the holy grail of vehicle dynamics - perfect weight distribution. The standard 2.4-litre four cylinder front wheel drive petrol version's weight split is 60/40, while the hybrid is closer to 55/45. This translates into a more secure turn-in into corners and the extra weight evens out the ride over rougher roads. In side-by-side standing starts the hybrid accelerates as quick, if not quicker than the petrol car, thanks to the seamless power delivery of the CVT gearbox. There's 30 per cent more torque on tap which translates into better zero to 100km/h acceleration. The bonus of a better ride and more dynamic feel through the steering and suspension does come at a cost though. The battery pack eats into boot space. You can still load through items but the opening is restricted. The petrol fuel tank has also slimmed down in size from 70 litres to 65 litres. King is clearly proud of Toyota's efforts with its version of the global green car. "It's a green car but still a family car," he said. "I suspect there are some large-car buyers who wouldn't be seen in a Camry but this will change their minds," King says. The fuel-miser sedan arrives in showrooms next February with pricing from around $33,000. It is tipped to be available in two models, an entry Altise-based model and a luxury version, similar to the Prius i-Tech.