Toyota Prius 2016 News

Toyota says it will the first carmaker to sell a hydrogen-powered car in Australia, using an onboard fuel cell to generate electricity, perhaps as soon as 2016.It claims the newcomer will be a bigger breakthrough than the first Prius, although its plans are dependent on developing a workable network of refuelling stations that can supply the hydrogen for the vehicle.Toyota is well advanced with its fuel cell development work and I have driven an impressive Kluger in California that is refuelled from the world's first dedicated high-pressure hydrogen refuelling station. It sounds and responds like an electric car, and Toyota says its giant hydrogen tanks and prototype fuel cell 'stack' will be shrunken considerably by the time it is ready with its first production car."We're aiming for a production fuel cell car in the USA in 2015. It's a car, not an SUV," says Greg Gardner, of Toyota Australia. "It will be an all-new model. Something like the Prius, at least initially. "As the environmental leader in Australia, hat's definitely a target for us. Yes, definitely, we want to be first."Toyota has shown several hydrogen concept cars including a four-door sedan that will have the space to package the new-era powerplant, which is similar to the one in the landmark Honda Clarity. The Clarity began as a concept car and is now being leased in small numbers in Japan and the USA, but is not regarded as a genuine production model.Toyota says its car will be sold, not leased, and will be a genuine production car and not a science experiment. Even so, Gardner says it will take time to get established. "It will be produced in the tens of thousands by 2020.It won't be like the Prius, which will hit one million sales next year," he says. But he promises a car that satisfies the needs of regular consumers, not just eco warriors, with the practicality of a Camry. "The good thing about hydrogen is that you only have to find space for the cell and tanks. It's about packaging," Gardner says."It can be applied to any vehicle. So in the future you could have a gasoline car, an electric hybrid and and hydrogen drive in the same vehicle. "The more that you do, and the longer you do it, the better the price will become. It's about the economies of scale." But he admits there is an elephant in the room, with no sign of a workable hydrogen fuel network any time soon in Australia."Refueling is the biggest challenge. But this is he future we're talking about," he says. "If we build it, they will come. When we introduce it, we'll have to work collaboratively with the liquid energy distribution companies and governments to make it work. It's a massive task." 

But it takes a government office to forget where they parked a fleet of 293 brand new cars. Let alone that they bought them in the first place. The Miami-Dade county office in Florida, US, has ‘rediscovered’ a fleet of Toyota Prius hybrids and other vehicles that have sat unused since being purchased five to six years ago. The $4 million worth of undriven vehicles only came to light after a story appeared in the Florida Spanish-language newspaper, El Nuevo Herald.  County commissioner Javier Souto is cited as saying that in 2010 a county employee had been told hundreds of new cars were sitting unused in a Miami-Dade carpark. Mr Souto says questions about the fleet had been put to the office of then - mayor Carlos Alvarez - who lost office last year amid controversy over county funding uses.  The county’s director of corporate services, Lester Sola, has reportedly confirmed the cars were being quickly put into service. He has also stated the vehicles are still covered by warranty.  However, warranties can be voided when a vehicle has been abused. And leaving one sitting unused - and unserviced - for several years could well wipe out any manufacturer guarantees. Get all the latest news and reviews in your newspaper's Carsguide section.  

The carmaker’s Australian divisional manager Peter McGregor says Gen-Y are expected to account for 40 per cent of new car sales within 10 years And to the brand that makes the Prius – and the baby Prius C launched this week – that means hybrid sales. Acknowledging that sales of the Prius have steadily dropped from 3400 in 2008 to just 822 last year, McGregor said there would be a turnaround from Australian baby-boomers’ five million Gen-Y progeny who are “now adults and have substantial economic clout”. “Our local research has shown that, apart from the innovators and early adopters who embrace hybrids, it is younger people – particularly Gen Y – who really understand hybrid technology and appreciate its benefits,” McGregor says. “They tend to view hybrid technology as proven and reliable – and they are generally willing to pay extra to get the fuel-saving benefits.” McGregor cites annual surveys conducted overseas by Deloitte that found the 59 per cent Gen Y preference for the fuel cost savings of hybrids could bring a tipping point for mass sales. “Gen Y could be the generation that leads us away from traditional petrol-powered cars,” he says. “They are looking for cars that are more economical to operate than traditional petrol-powered vehicles… until now, they just haven’t been able to afford them.” Prius chief engineer Satoshi Ogiso believes the tech-savvy thirty-somethings will find what they’re looking for in the Prius C. “We think they are looking for something small and nimble for urban driving and also a little more affordable,” he says. Ogiso says Gen-Y is looking for a combination of technology, fun, economy and advanced safety that “matches who they are”. And when will the change come? Any minute now, McGregor predicts, pointing to the $23,990 Prius C and the seven-seater Prius V due in May, which will add more troops to the hybrid ground currently held by the revised Prius and the new Camry Hybrid. “I think we will realistically see hybrid volume increase this year. It has been a little longer coming than what we originally hoped for and what we had anticipated.“I think one of the reasons hybrid has not fulfilled its destiny is that we have almost been a lone voice in the market with hybrid technology. “(But) we’re pretty much on that tipping point.”

The new hybrid hero is not technically part of the Prius family, but Toyota is using its TS 030 as a 320km/h labratory-on-wheels and a way to break down barriers against future cars. Toyota is not planning to win in France this year but does intend to lay the foundations for future success at Le Mans with a two-car coupe entry in full factory colours. But it will not be the only hybrid contender in June, as Audi has just confirmed plans to race a pair of diesel-electric versions of its latest R18 in a four-car effort at Le Mans. It is believed to use a flywheel, similar to the Williams F1 system already used by Porsche in a racing 911, for energy storage. The new Toyota 030 is also a full hybrid that combines a 3.4-litre V8 racing engine with a hybrid energy storage system to boost power to electric motors at the wheels. The biggest difference between the road and race cars is the storage system - a Prius uses a battery pack and the Toyota racer uses a high-tech capacitor that has greater storage potential and the ability to release energy in a more concerted burst. "The first year is a testing year, but at the same time, the whole team, including myself, has massive motivation. Even if it is the first year, we are there to win the race," says Kazuki Nakajima, a former Williams F1 driver who heads the driver lineup for Le Mans. Toyota has fielded cars many times at Le Mans, firstly with the TS 010 and 020 that made the podium in the 1990s, then the GT-One built in Germany by the team that would eventually take Toyota - unsuccessfully - into Formula One. The 030 hybrid has already been tested extensively ahead of Le Mans but Toyota says it is still assessing the potential drive system. Race rules mean a maximum of 500 kiloJoules of energy can be recovered under braking - although the capacity of the Toyota system is double that amount - and it can be fed to either the front or rear wheels. rand Prix cars use their kinetic energy recovery systems to boost drive to the rear wheels but Porsche has turned its 911 into an all-wheel drive racer with electric power to the front wheels, something also being trialled by Toyota. The Toyota 030 hybrid races for the first time at Spa in Belgium in May and, apart from Nakajima, the six-driver lineup also includes former F1 racer Alex Wurz.

Cheap and green is the name of the game, with the Yaris aiming to deliver the least expensive hybrid in the market, with the best fuel economy and emissions figures in the light car segment. Rather than relying on the 1.8-litre engine from the Prius, Toyota has downsized to a 1.5-litre and a smaller electric motor, inverter and battery pack, saving about 20 per cent in weight and avoiding having to cannibalise the Yaris cabin and 286-litre luggage space. The new system is tipped to deliver a maximum of 74kW with fuel economy nearing 3L/100km and emissions as low as 80g/km. This brings it under the Prius’ 3.4L/100km and 89g/km, and also makes it a contender against new ultra-light city cars such as the Volkswagen Up. Initially slated for Europe, the Yaris will make its international debut at Geneva Motor Show in March and hit the showrooms over there by May. And it will eventually hit our shores, but don’t expect to see it here for some years, Toyota Australia says. “For the Australian market we have the Prius C arriving towards the end of first quarter this year – within a couple of months -- and that will take the spot of the Yaris Hybrid here,” a Toyota spokesman says. “That’s for the interim. (TMC boss) Akio Toyoda’s vision is that every Toyota model will have a hybrid variant by 2020, so by then we will have one.” As the first full hybrid model in the B segment in Europe, Toyota’s newcomer will hope to build on the strength of Yaris being their top seller there – and snare younger buyers that can move up the model line as they mature.

M.I.G. Security relies on its nine-strong Toyota Prius fleet for security patrols around Mandurah and surrounding areas, about 75km south of Perth. Operations manager Paul Hiron said the longest-serving Prius, which has been used for patrols since 2005, is still going strong after 788,411km. Hiron says reliability is vital to their business as clients depended on the company to give them peace of mind. "Prius is ideal for our work, being quiet, economical and comfortable," he says. "It's ideal in stop-start traffic for fuel-efficiency and it performs on the open roads as well."

Feedback from show patrons will help determine whether the production version of the Prius c Concept is headed to Australia. The Prius c Concept is the inspiration for a future small hybrid with an entry price point and superior fuel economy. If approved for Australia, the city car will join the iconic hybrid Prius brand, broadening its appeal. Toyota Australia senior executive director sales and marketing David Buttner said the urban appeal of cars such as the Prius c would further increase the acceptance of hybrid cars in the market. "This car has the core Prius values based on Toyota's proven Hybrid Synergy Drive technology  strong performance, great fuel economy and ultra-low emissions," Mr Buttner said. "We are bringing it to the Australian motor show to test its appeal among buyers who we expect will come from a different group to those attracted to the current Prius. They are compact-car buyers, including young singles and couples, who want a mainstream city car that provides outstanding fuel economy while being fun to drive." The Prius c Concept, unveiled at this year's Detroit auto show, provides a surprisingly spacious interior in a compact package. It will include many advanced technology features, including some offered on the current Prius. The production car is due to be launched in the US during the first half of 2012. No timing has been announced for a possible Australian introduction.

Toyota's eco-friendly but buyer-cool Prius hybrid was the first to slash its price, down between $5000 and $7500 depending on the model.  Effective immediately, Prius is $34,990 and the upmarket i-Tech version is $45,990.Toyota Australia says the substantial drop is in answer to its hybrid technology becoming more popular. Indeed, global Prius sales have exceeded a pleasing two-million units but in Australia, sales have totalled a relatively minor 16,000 since inception.It has recorded a 63.7 per cent year-to-date plunge for 2011 compared with the same period in 2010 despite total hybrid private buyer passenger car sales almost doubling. It is believed the Toyota Camry Hybrid has taken a large slice of the Prius market.Toyota Australia doesn't believe Prius buyers are disadvantaged by the price cuts.  Its sales and marketing director, Dave Buttner, says Toyota Australia has offered "substantial cost-of-ownership benefits for a considerable period through low-interest finance, in anticipation of official approval for the price repositioning"."Customers who have taken advantage of these offers to buy a Prius from our dealers over many months have made substantial savings and are certainly not disadvantaged."National passenger car sales slipped 4.1 per cent in March on a year-to-date basis and down 6.5 per cent on March 2010. Some big losers included the Ford Falcon, Volvo V70 and S40, VW Passat Mazda RX-8 and BMW 3-Series, the latter down 31 per cent on the same three-month period in 2010.Coincidentally, BMW has taken a knife to the prices of its 3-Series models with cuts of up to 11 per cent.  It says the "sharpened pricing" is "a celebration of what has been the world's most successful premium model series".Price changes affect the 3-Series sedan, wagon, coupe and convertible models. The 325i gets the biggest discount, falling $9100 (11 per cent) to $71,900 from $81,000 previously and at the same time, picking up the "Exclusive Innovations" pack with an upgraded sat-nav, voice control and bi-xenon headlights.The M Sport version of the 325i sedan is also down 11 per cent, now $76,700 with a similar $9100 saving.  The 3-Series 325i Convertible with the "Innovations" pack is $9500 cheaper at $94,600.Toyota's price cut aims to create greater acceptance of hybrids. The company is licensing its technology to other car makers.  Toyota's Dave Buttner says new hybrid models "will revitalise the market and help to make eco-cars in general more popular"."A key factor in lowering the cost of any advanced technology is market acceptance, leading to strong sales," he says.  "The more popular hybrid cars become, the more affordable their prices and, therefore, the greater the impact on the environment."

The problem is that no-one knows the plural of Prius, a world originally chosen in Japan because it meant 'to go before'. It's a latin word with no previous plural. In the USA, where two new Prius models were previewed at the Detroit auto show, Toyota has taken the task to the people with a massive online poll that has drawn hundreds of thousands of votes from five Prius choices. It narrowed the field to five potential choices before the start of voting with Prius fans given a choice between Priuses, Prii, Prius, Prien and Prium. The poll closes on February 20 when Toyota USA will announce the result, as well as locking in a Prius plural for its work on the expanded model lineup. The first newcomer for the range - joining the current Prius and plug-  in Prius hatches 0 is a more family-focussed people mover revealed as the Prius V at Detroit. V, in this case and in the same way it is applied to Volvo's wagons, stands for versatility. The next new model is the smaller and slightly sportier Prius C. The Prius V is expected to be in American showrooms in the second half of this year, with the Prius C in the first half of 2012. The launch dates point to more Australian action in 2012. The two leading contenders in the Prius poll are Prii and Priuses, with Prien running last. As well as running the Prius vote, Toyota USA is using the arrival of the new models for an unusual online marketing campaign with a series of short films "featuring a notable expert exploring the etymology of words". Etymology is the study of the development of words and the historical verification of their meanings. PRIUS is likely to stay Prius in Australia. Despite the American push for a plural, Toyota Australia has a much more straightforward attitude to the name of its hybrid hero. "A Prius is a Prius. It's the same for one Prius or 20 Prius," says a Toyota Australia representative. The company is studying the results from the USA but is unlikely to be rushed into any decision or change in its sales program.

It has slashed the vehicle emissions of the News Limited national fleet by almost 30 per cent and put it in the enviable position of a carbon neutral company.  Critical selection of new fleet vehicles has, since News Limited embarked on its One Degree energy efficiency mission in 2007, resulted in 24 per cent of new cars purchased emitting less than 150 grams of CO2 per kilometre. In total, the company's fleet is emitting almost 30 per cent less CO2 compared with three years ago.  One Degree accurately demonstrates how energy efficiency - and in this case, careful fleet vehicle purchases - can make substantial changes to the environment. But it doesn't stop there. The chairman and chief executive of News Limited, John Hartigan, says the company is on track to achieve its goal of reducing its emissions by 20 per cent. Low-emission - and therefore low fuel consumption - vehicles added to the fleet since 2007 include the Australian-made Toyota Camry Hybrid. It also has Toyota Prius Hybrids, Honda Civic Hybrids and diesel passenger cars including Hyundai i30 and Mazda6. The trend to smaller, more efficient cars is reflected in new additions including the Ford Fiesta and Golf - in diesel and petrol - models.  New Ltd Manager, Environment & Climate Change, Dr Tony Wilkins, says it's not just diesel and hybrids that are reducing corporate emissions. "The Volkswagen Golf TSI petrol surprised us with its 149g/km CO2," he says.  "That has helped bring down the fleet's carbon footprint since 2007 by 24 per cent." In total, News Limited has reduced its emissions by 18.4 per cent in 2009-2010 and is expected to meet its 20 per cent goal in the 2010 calendar year, when figures are released. Efficiency measures introduced over the past three years had reduced carbon emissions by 8.4 per cent (from 146,166 tonnes of carbon dioxide to 134,880 tonnes) with an additional 10 per cent reduction coming from renewable energy certificates. "In June 2007 we launched One Degree, setting aggressive targets to cut carbon emissions across every part of our operations," Mr Hartigan says.  "We started with one idea and a singular commitment, auditing over 85 per cent of operations and identifying 179 carbon reduction projects to change how we approach every aspect of our business. "As a result we have cut almost 30 per cent of vehicle fleet emissions, business travel is down by 22 per cent through the use of video conferencing and we have invested in more energy-efficient equipment to reduce emissions from lighting, cooling and printing." Mr Hartigan says One Degree is proof that small changes can add up to a big difference.  "One Degree has become part of the way we do business, and that will continue.  We are saving money by using less energy; it's an issue our employees are interested in; and it's an issue our readers continue to want debated."