Toyota Prius 2009 News

A Sydney university team has developed Australia's first hybrid-electric car that can both be charged from a household plug and help supply electricity to the grid. The SWITCH — developed by the Institute of Sustainable Futures at University of Technology Sydney — can charge its batteries from a household supply using cheap off-peak electricity and feed any spare power it stores back into the grid at peak demand times. "This is very, very exciting," project director Chris Dunstan, of UTS, says. "There are only a handful of V2G (vehicle to grid) examples around the world but the potential is enormous. "Being able to go out and buy one of these vehicles is not going to happen next month ... it's not going to happen next year ... but when there are thousands of these out there the effect on renewable energy will be huge." Dunstan says the SWITCH prototype, the next step in the electric vehicle revolution, was adapted by the UTS research team from a standard Toyota Prius by adding extra batteries, controls and connections. While the prototype does not have the capacity to recharge its extra batteries with recovered energy — as the factory-fitted Prius system does — it is something they are working towards. "At the moment it is purely a storage system for extra electric charge which can extend the pure electric range of the Prius, but we are certainly interested in being able to gather charge from the car," Dunstan says.  

Honda and Toyota had been set for a petrol-electric punch-up in the second half of the year but runaway prices and Japanese demand has meant a delay on the dream match-up in Australia.Toyota will still get its third-generation Prius into showrooms, but the price pressure from the new Insight will not arrive until early in 2010.Until then, Honda Australia will have to soldier on with its under- done Civic Hybrid against the might of the new Prius.It is still planning a sub-$30,000 starting price for the Insight - the second Honda hybrid to wear the badge, but a vast change from the original - but arrival is so far in the future that nothing is confirmed."The plan is to introduce it as soon as possible. We are still hoping and planning for the first half of 2010," says the managing director of Honda Australia, Yasuhide Mizuno."There may be a delay. The reason is that it went on sale in Japan on the sixth of February and in the first four weeks they have taken 18,000 orders. That's against a target of 5000 for the month."Honda has taken aggressive price point in the USA, setting the Insight at the equivalent of $31,256, and Mizuno says he still wants it below $30,000 in Australia."In terms of pricing, we've always said our goal is below $30,000.Depending on exchange rate, obviously," he says."But at the moment the exchange rate would not allow that. Still, we will be pricing it below the Civic hybrid. And volume will be determined by price."While Honda is still battling to get a plan for the Insight, Toyota is much closer with the new Prius."Prius is coming in July. That's always been the timing," says Mike Breen, spokesman for Toyota Australia.But he cannot comment, yet, on how it will be priced."Anything we would say now would be premature. It's too early to say."We want to be competitive. That goes for everything we sell, obviously, but that's true with the Prius."The current starting point for the Prius is $37,400 and Toyota had hoped to undercut it, but that was without the uncertainty in the Australian dollar.But Breen rules out any chance of Toyota going with a two-Prius strategy to cover the price point for the Insight.Toyota is going to run the old and new cars side-by-side in Japan but has ruled out any copycat strategy in the USA or America."There is no plan for that. And there is no plan in the USA, so far as we are aware," Breen says.So, while Australia waits the Prius is being primed and Honda is still waiting."We are delighted with the acceptance of the car into the marketplace, but if that popularity continues in America and Europe that could mean a delay for Australia as they satisfy demand," says Mizuno. 

Australia’s favourite car brand went all sparky to open the action at the 2009 Melbourne International Motor Show.Toyota revealed the all-new Prius and a concept version of its local Camry hybrid as it put the focus on the future.The Prius will be in showrooms before the end of the year and the Camry hybrid will be in production at Toyota Australia’s factory at Altona in Melbourne in 2010.The two cars helped celebrate the 50th anniversary of Toyota Australia, although company president Max Yasuda said it would be one of the toughest in its history.“Our short-term focus is to weather the storm. (But) even in these tough time, Toyota will continue to invest in our long-term vision,” Yasuda said.“By 2020, Toyota intends to offer a hybrid variant for each model in our vast range. The momentum is building. Hybrid technology is the future.” The 2009 Melbourne International Motor Show... 

...the Japanese carmaker is revealing three new cars, the 1/X, third-generation Prius and Hybrid Camry Concept Vehicle. Each in their own way presents Toyota's vision of the future, according to Toyota marketing chief, David Buttner. "It's no coincidence that all three cars have hybrid drive technology," he said. The 1/X presents a vision of tomorrow while the Prius hybrid and Camry concept hybrid point to just what's around the corner. The Prius goes on sale later this year for under $40,000 and the Camry hybrid, to be built at Toyota's Altona plant, hits showrooms next February. The Camry hybrid will be built alongside the 2.4-litre petrol Camry and is expected to cost between $3000 and $4000 more. Using the Camry sedan as the base, the HCCV gets more streamlined aerodynamics to improve fuel economy. The third-generation 1.8-litre Prius showcases some new technologies, including a solar-powered ventilation and remote air conditioning system that works when the car is parked. The car will also be the first car in Australia with C02 emissions below 100grams a kilometre. The 1/X, pronounced one-Xth, gets its name because it uses hybrid-powered technology that has a fraction of the environmental footprint of today's cleanest cars. Buttner describes it as a car for "post 2020". Toyota is already developing the car's potential, looking at sustainable seaweed as a source of materials. The 500cc rear drive 1/X is made from light-weight carbon fibre and weighs just 420kg, less than half the weight of a Corolla but delivers similar performance to the 1.8-litre petrol hatch. "But carbon fibre is oil based and oil is a finite resource," he says. "Post-2020 it is likely vehicles like the 1/X will be made of plant-based plastic, which has just been invented." Buttner says the car is realistically a decade away but some of the innovations could make it to market earlier. Toyota expects to replace the carbon fibre body with one made of plast-based plastice, called eco-plastic. By 2020 Toyota has vowed to have a hybrid powertrain available across all its models, from the Yaris right up to the LandCruiser. * The Melbourne Motor Show starts at 5pm on Friday at the Melbourne Exhibiton Centre.   The 2009 Melbourne International Motor Show...  

While many others are talking about mass-market hybrids, the Prius hatch pioneered volume production more than 10 years ago.More than a million have been sold, including 12,000 in Australia. Now the third-generation Prius is just months away, to be joined early next year by the locally built Camry hybrid.Toyota showcases both cars at Melbourne, as well as the 1/X concept car, which provides a glimpse of the future.About the same size as the Prius, it is 430kg lighter than its predecessor. It has lightweight materials and a 500cc plug-in hybrid engine.These three will be joined by a purpose-built Camry hybrid concept car created by Toyota Australia chief designer Paul Beranger.Beranger’s team has taken a production hybrid Camry and enhanced the car’s on-road presence. The idea is to showcase Toyota’s hybrid story today, but show off tomorrow’s generation of new cars.The third-generation Prius gets a 1.8-litre four-cylinder engine mated to Toyota’s Hybrid Synergy Drive system. Fuel economy has improved 9 per cent over the existing model’s 4.4 litres/100km rating.The 73kW/142Nm 1.8-litre engine is the first Toyota engine that has no belts under the bonnet. This innovation in turn leads to better fuel economy and lower maintenance costs.The Prius has three driving modes, an all-elective mode that works for up to 2km, power mode for sportier response, and eco mode, which delivers better fuel economy.In terms of appearance, the car has evolved from the previous model’s classic aerodynamic shape. The overall height is the same, but the roof profile has been moved back 99mm to emphasise the car’s distinctive wedge shape.The new Prius shares the same wheelbase as the current car but it has grown by 15mm in length. One of the car’s neatest features is a glass sunroof packed with solar panels that power a new ventilation system.The solar-powered ventilation system does not need engine power to operate. Using solar power, the interior can be cooled, even remotely, before the driver returns to the car. The 2009 Melbourne International Motor Show... 

First look: Audi Q5Mazda3 MPS: world debut in MelbourneFirst look: Toyota PriusFirst look: Holden CruzeFirst look: 2009 Ford Focus rangeFirst look: Ford Fiesta ECOnetic turbo-dieselFirst look: 2009 Ford TerritoryFirst look: Ford Mondeo Zetec wagonHSV E-Series Senator SignatureFirst drive: Subaru Stella electric carSubaru Stella joins plug-in pushToyota Prius, Hybrid Camry and 1/xCareers for car fansHolden Monaro from HALSuzuki Alto hatchFR1 to be auctionedFR1 the new heroBentley Continental GTC: amazing graceRenault Koleos an off-roads scholarSales make for testing times ‘09Future motoring explainedSafety advances on showHyundai i30 blue and i10 blueNissan 370Z …good sportsMitsubishi I MiEV …Power playIt’s electricVW Golf gets new stylePeugeot 308CC back in the foldMazda3 …small is beautifulLotus Evora No.1 for sports car enthusiastsLexus LF-A Roadster coming to MelbourneLamborghini Spyder LP560-4 and Murcielago LP640FR1 concept hotrod from a metal masterBMW M1 homageAudi Q5 and RS6 set paceNew 2009 Ford Territory Melbourne Motor Show wrapby Paul GoverSupermodels and colourful supercars blew the grey clouds away from the Australian motor industry yesterday.A sales slump and gloomy profit forecasts were forgotten as more than$15 million worth of shiny new cars, from exotic dream machines to tiny city runabouts, was unveiled at the opening of the 2009 Melbourne International Motor Show.There were more than 20 newcomers on the show stands, from the Audi Q5 SUV and BMW's smooth new Z4 coupe-convertible to the family-focussed Subaru Exiga wagon.The lineup at the Melbourne Exhibition Centre is a reflection of the diversity and complexity of the Australian motoring scene, as well as the commitment from companies to push ahead despite the global economic uncertainty."I wouldn't say the mood is exactly optimistic, but there is great resilience. There are a lot of good news stories here," the former head of the Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries, John Conomos, said.The three Australian carmakers all had important newcomers, from the Holden Cruze and Toyota Prius hybrid to the updated Ford Territory, but they resisted the temptation for an over-the-top splash."This show is about much more than cars, it's about Holden's future,"said company chairman, Mark Reuss."We could easily have shown you a wild concept or show car, but this is not the show for that. Today it's about providing real solutions."Holden used the show to also make another value push with its Commodore sedan and Sportwagon, introducing an 'International' value pack.The show is also the last in Melbourne until 2011, as a joint-venture deal has recently been struck which will see an all-new Australian Motor Show alternating with Sydney from 2010."We are expecting a good turnout. There is a lot to see and people are still interested in cars," said show boss, Russ Tyrie of the Victorian Automobile Chamber of Commerce.The motor show runs each day until Monday, March 9. 

News cruisers are parked-up and beaming pictures before 6am as the temperature hovers around minus 10 and snow flurries drift through the pre-dawn blackness.By 9am there are union workers carrying placards in support of the Big Three outside Cobo Hall in downtown motown, as the great and the good from the world's motor industry arrive for the first major event of 2009.The buzz is down from recent years, with less security and fewer journalists jetting in for the action, but still there are major unveilings, technology, important speeches and so much more over the first two days.The North American International Motor Show is more than just glitz and glamour for General Motors, Ford and Chrysler in 2009 - this is the day when they have to deliver for the first time on the promises in Washington which have earned a government-backed rescue package.That means GM opens the action with a rolling cavalcade of 17 models which promise exactly what the government wants - hybrids, electric cars and regular production models which do better than 10 litres/100km in fuel economy.The headliner once again is the Chevrolet Volt, except this time it is wrapped in Cadillac bodywork and called the Converj - with the added bonus of a plug-in connection to its onboard battery system.Lexus is next and does its number around the brand's first dedicated hybrid, the HS250h, which was originally only planned for America but will now go to more than 80 countries.Then Ford becomes the second of the Big Three to present its position for 2010 and beyond, with an all-new Taurus family car - perhaps a pointer to something on the Falcon front - and the promise of an all-new electric car with a 160-kilometre range by 2011.Company chairman Bill Ford takes the stand to deliver on the company's promises to Washington, even though it was the only local not to take a multi-billion dollar loan."Ford is heading in the direction America and our customers want us to go, which is a green, high-tech and global future. I think that is where society would like to see the entire industry go, and Ford is going to lead that charge," Ford says.Then Chrysler, which many American analysts believe cannot survive the global economic meltdown, gets its turn and does a top job with the great looking new 200C family car and a range of electrics which shows it has not given up hope.It's best looker is the Dodge Circuit, which is most like a battery-powered Lotus sports car."The Dodge Circuit EV offers an extremely fun-to-drive, expressive sports car without fuel consumption and with virtually no impact on the environment,” says the vice-president of design at Dodge, Ralph Gilles.By now, after just two hours of the first press preview day, the pattern for Detroit '09 is set.The home team is going big on the cars it needs to make - even if Americans are still buying BIG with the drop in pump petrol prices - but there is more sizzle than steak because they have started way behind the Japanese and Europeans.And Cobo Hall looks sparse. There are fewer brands, fewer cars and none of the bold-and-brassy unveilings - Chrysler has always led the world in motor show stunts - which have been a signature of the Detroit show.“All I know is we took about 50 per cent out of the cost of our stand,” says the car boss at General Motors, Bob Lutz.“We took away a lot of the structures, such as salad bowl-shaped Saturn stands, and towers with holographic displays.”But he still applies some positive spin as everyone talks up the chances for the Big Three, even in the face of a selloff of the Hummer and Saab divisions at GM.“The fact that we don’t have any of that stuff gives our stand a much more businesslike and cleaner appearance. I think they cluttered up the stand. I imagine it’s going to be much the same around the show," Lutz says.As usual, the 80-plus former fighter pilot is right.BMW joins the hybrid rush at Detroit with news of its petrol-electric X6, thankfully with the all-new Z4 sportster to provide some glamour, as Volkswagen provides the best looking car of the show with its Concept BlueSport.The gorgeous VW is most like a Mazda MX-5, but promises Prius-buster fuel economy in the 4.3 litres/100km range and, without any promise of production, it clearly could have a future.“The Concept BlueSport is evolving into a car that that is a lot of fun to drive and at the same time makes an unmistakeable statement in terms of sustainability," says Volkswagen.“The Concept BlueSport is evolving into a car that that is a lot of fun to drive and at the same time makes an unmistakeable statement in terms of sustainability.”The next big mover in Cobo Hall is Kia, which shows a funky pick-up built on its baby Soul. The Soul'ster is never going to be an Aussie workhorse but will hit the Gen-Y button for America, and California in particular.As the first day in Detroit winds into darkness and more frigid weather, Subaru kicks the action with a preview of its new Liberty - called the Legacy in the USA - Jaguar runs out its high-performance R version of the landmark XF and Volvo shows the most adventurous concept car in its history, pointing to the next S60."The sporty design gives visual promise of an enthusiastic drive and I can assure you here and now that the all-new S60 will live up to that promise," says Volvo boss, Stephen Odell.Ford goes again to start day two at Cobo, with its Lincoln-Mercury models, then its back to Maserati and then GM pushes the home game hard with an announcement that the batteries for its Volt will be built in the USA. It's a boost for local jobs, more hard news on the Volt, and just what Washington will want before the Big Three report back on their survival plans at the end of March.And then there is a shock - at least for the Americans - as Chinese cars make the mainstream in Detroit for the first time and little-known BYD confirms it will be selling the world's first production plug-in electric car by 2010.The last big event of Detroit '09 is the one everyone already knows about - the new Toyota Prius.The list of 'firsts' is impressive as the car is unveiled, from its drag co-efficient to more luxury and a more-efficient battery system. But Honda has already undercut the third-generation Prius on price with its Insight, which is headlining for the brand in Detroit, and there is no sign of a cutting-edge lithium-ion battery pack.But the Prius has solar-powered air-conditioning to cool the car when it is parked, is bigger and quieter inside, and is certain to become the world's best selling hybrid. The car comes with more than 1000 new patents on technology and a claim of 3.9 litres/100km economy."Prius is more than a hybrid, it’s a solution. No longer is it a second car or a passing fad. In many households, it has become the primary family car," says Bob Carter of Toyota USA.There is other stuff to see in Detroit, and some things are obviously missing _ the Mercedes E-Class was an invitation-only event and Rolls-Royce is holding its all-new RR4 for the Geneva Motor Show in March - but the overall verdict on 2009 is surprisingly positive.Cars are still big news, look good and make promises of a better and more enjoyable life on the road.But the big question remains. Did the Big Three do enough, and show enough in Detroit, to convince the American government that they deserve the support it will take to get them through the biggest crisis in the history of the automobile? 

Icy winds and snow are blowing across Motown, dumping on the auto capital of the world at a time when American politicians are applying relentless pressure for a major shift in the way that General M

The Toyota Prius is heading for full-on brand status as it increases its cult following in the US. Toyota is working on a plan that would see all of its future hybrid models carrying the Prius badge.

The world's first mass-produced hybrid vehicle, the Toyota Prius, was launched in Japan in 1997. It reached North America, Europe and here in 2000. The company now makes hybrid minivans, SUVs, rear-wheel-drive sedans and other vehicles. Last month, Toyota announced the sale of its one millionth hybrid worldwide while Toyota Australia set a monthly record of 380 Prius sales. Toyota Australia's senior executive director of sales and marketing, David Buttner, said increased availability of the Prius, along with greater environmental consciousness was a key driver for sales. In Australia, the only hybrids we see are the Honda Civic, Toyota Prius and Lexus RX400h SUV and GS 450h saloon. The LS 600h comes later this year. Lexus is the luxury arm of Toyota. So far this year, only 2081 hybrids have been sold here out of a total market of 419,279 or just 0.5 per cent. Of these, 1290 (62 per cent) were bought by governments. The Queensland Government recently announced sales tax increases on new vehicles, but kept the level at 2 per cent for hybrids. It is one of the few state or federal government incentives for hybrids in this country. That compares with a raft of hybrid incentives in the US, Europe and the UK such as personal and company tax rebates, free parking and transit lane use regardless of occupant numbers. While hybrids are an economic boon in LA's stop-start and slow-moving traffic, they are no more fuel miserly than a diesel in moderate or highway traffic. Apart from fuel economy, the other selling factor is the lack of greenhouse gases. But diesels with particulate filters can be just as environmentally sound in certain conditions. Toyota has calculated that as of April 30, 2007, worldwide sales of its hybrid vehicles since 1997 have produced about 3.5 million fewer tonnes of CO2 compared with petrol-powered similar vehicles. However, some point out that the “whole-of-life” environmental impact of hybrids is affected by disposing every 10 years of the large battery with its lethal contents. Also, according to the latest NRMA running costs surve; hybrids not only have higher initial costs but also depreciate faster. Meanwhile, LPG car sales and conversions have outpaced Federal Government expectations, since the launch of their subsidy scheme last August. The scheme provides a $2000 rebate for private motorists, who convert a petrol-powered vehicle to run on LPG Autogas and a $1000 rebate for the private purchase of a new LPG vehicle. Despite more than $100 million in grants being paid out to more than 52,000 motorists, Federal Industry Minister Ian Macfarlane said the subsidy would continue until 2014.