Electric Vehicles

Runaway Toyota Prius incident in California now under federal investigation

Toyota said its nspectors are also trying to determine what caused the 2008 Prius to surge uncontrollably as it was being driven by owner James Sikes, age 61. The high-speed incident, which involved a dramatic pursuit by a highway patrol car, has raised new questions about the automaker’s damaging string of recent recalls and whether Toyota has done enough to address consumer complaints about unintended acceleration that have damaged its reputation and sales. The Prius was taken to a Toyota dealership in El Cajon, California, where Toyota investigators were examining the car, Toyota spokeswoman Celeste Migliore said. A CHP spokesman in San Diego said the cause of the runaway car incident remains under investigation. “We do not have any initial

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Runaway Toyota Prius reaches 94 mph, CHP helps driver safely stop (video)

The incident occurred in the same county where an off-duty CHP trooper and three family members were killed last August in an incident that brought the issue to national attention and led to the first major recall over unintended acceleration. Sikes said he had received a recall notice to take his car into a Toyota dealership, but upon arrival he was told his car was not on recall lists, the San Diego Union-Tribune reported. The automaker has not recalled the 2008 Prius. During his incident, Sikes overtook another car on Interstate 8 near San Diego, and then the Prius accelerated beyond his control, according to his report filed to the California Highway Patrol. Sikes said he sped 30 miles along

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Ferrari hybrid images leaked, but few other details before Geneva Auto Show

Ferrari has tried to keep its much-anticipated debut secret. But images are now appearing in various publications. The car has an unusual “green” green exterior and the interior features the high-voltage setup that stores braking energy for an extra boost of power via a push of the steering-wheel mounted button. It’s the KERS (Kinetic Energy Recovery System) used in Ferrari‘s Formula 1 cars during the 2009 season. The Geneva Auto Show will be held March 4-14. James RaiaA sports, travel and business journalist for more than 45 years, James has written the new car review column The Weekly Driver since 2004. In addition to founding this site in 2004, James writes a Sunday automotive column for The San Jose Mercury

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Honda three-wheel concept vehicle will debut at Geneva Motor Show

According to Honda, the electrical powertrain consisting of a motor and a battery pack will be housed in a front storage cell ahead of the driver’s seat. The power cell will be provided with a lock in order to ensure enhanced safety of the battery pack. The enclosed capsule of the auto will make the Honda 3R-C an all-weather motor option. With the introduction of the third wheel, physically challenged persons will also be able to experience the thrill of biking using the Honda 3R-C. European designers created the concept at the Honda’s R&D facility in Milan, Italy; however, there is no information yet about post-production marketing of the vehicle. This new sci-fi design of the Honda three-wheeler is certainly

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Bloom Energy bloom box debuts, hailed as 'future of American energy'

Fuel cells rely upon chemical reactions to generate energy rather than fossil fuels, and as such are considered cleaner, more affordable, and more reliable than the traditional energy sources. Bloom Energy’s national public debut after years of secrecy occurred Feb. 22 when the Dr. KR Sridnar, the compmay’s principal co-founder and CEO, was featured in a 60 Minutes interview with Lesley Stahl. The segment generated global response, but conspicuously absent from the interview was any relationship or potential application of the “Bloom Box” to the automotive industry pursuit for cleaner omissions and improved efficiency. Dr. Sridhar repeated the same enthusiasm in the press conference in San Jose, Calif., he did during his 60 Minutes interview. The technology has roots in

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Toyota Hearings: Akio Toyoda, 'We will invest heavily in quality' (part 3)

Here is the third of three parts of Toyoda’s prepared text: “Since last June, when I first took office, I have personally placed the highest priority on improving quality over quantity, and I have shared that direction with our stakeholders. As you well know, I am the grandson of the founder, and all the Toyota vehicles bear my name.” “For me, when the cars are damaged, it is as though I am as well. I, more than anyone, wish for Toyota‘s cars to be safe, and for our customers to feel safe when they use our vehicles.” “Under my leadership, I would like to reaffirm our values of placing safety and quality the highest on our list of priorities, which

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Toyota Hearings: Akio Toyoda, 'Priorities became confused' (part 2)

Here is the second of three parts of Toyoda’s prepared statement: “At Toyota, we believe the key to making quality products is to develop quality people. Each employee thinks about what he or she should do, continuously making improvements, and by doing so, makes even better cars.” “We have been actively engaged in developing people who share and can execute on this core value. It has been over 50 years since we began selling in this great country, and over 25 years since we started production here.” “And in the process, we have been able to share this core value with the 200,000 people at Toyota operations, dealers, and suppliers in this country. That is what I am most proud

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Toyota Hearings: Akio Toyoda, 'Our customers feel uncertain' (part 1)

“I am Akio Toyoda of Toyota Motor Corporation. I would first like to state that I love cars as much as anyone, and I love Toyota as much as anyone. I take the utmost pleasure in offering vehicles that our customers love, and I know that Toyota‘s 200,000 team members, dealers, and suppliers across America feel the same way.” “However, in the past few months, our customers have started to feel uncertain about the safety of Toyota‘s vehicles, and I take full responsibility for that. Today, I would like to explain to the American people, as well as our customers in the U.S. and around the world, how seriously Toyota takes the quality and safety of its vehicles.” “I would

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Honda Fit, Toyota Prius get top value honors, Lexus best overall in Consumer Reports annual auto issue

The Honda Fit and the Toyota Prius each earned a value score of 2.08 and provided the best overall value despite being very different cars. Scores are expressed in relation to the value of the average vehicle (designated 1.00). A score of 2.00 represents twice the value of the average model. In total points, based on the magazine’s average road test scores and predicted reliability scores, Honda and Subaru tied for first with an overall score of 77 out of 100 points in Consumer Reports’ ranking. Toyota and Hyundai finished second and third while Nissan and Volkswagen tied for fourth. The ratings were calculated despite the recent recall issues for the Prius and Fit. AUTOMOTIVE RESOURCES Auto Shipping Quote, Car

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Toyota recall hearings: Akio Toyoda testimony key to carmaker's future

According to a report on AOL Autos, what is expected to occur is that Toyoda will be asked four primary questions about the Toyota recall. 1. Why didn’t Toyota‘s quality-control measures prevent the problems that now affect millions of cars?; 2. How quickly will the automaker be able to bring in and fix those cars?; 3. Why was Toyota so slow to make the decisions to recall them?; 4. Did Toyota cover up any early knowledge about the defects, or put its finger on the scales of research meant to find problems with its vehicles? Toyota U.S. Chief Operating Officer Jim Lentz, who will also appear before the House committee, has said the issues that caused many of the recalls

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BMW named official vehicle for 2012 London Summer Olympics

The London Organizing Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Games (LOCOG) set targets for CO2 emissions – which BMW met with its Olympic fleet of cars, beating the target average CO2 output of 120g/km. AUTOMOTIVE RESOURCES Auto Shipping Quote, Car Financing, Car Insurance Quotes, Car Loans, Online Car Insurance, Rental Cars, Used Cars BMW will showcase electric vehicles with its 2012 fleet, the company already running a number of electric Minis in three countries to collect data on their usage. Wheelchair-accessible vehicles will be provided, as will BMW bicycles in the Olympic Village. BMW will also use its motorcycle range to support certain events. LOCOG Chairman Sebastian Coe commented: “Operationally, an automotive deal is vital for any organizing committee and

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Bloom box: Fuel-cell technology's Holy Grail or its Holy Hype?

On 60 Minutes tonight a brand new energy company unveiled what was billed as a potentially revolutionary energy technology called Bloom Boxes. Based on fuel-cell technologies, Stahl unveiled the formerly secret company Bloom Energy thusly: “The idea is to one day replace the big power plants and transmission line grid, the way the laptop moved in on the desktop and cell phones supplanted landlines.” The Bloom Box is said to be a device that can power approximately 100 houses. According to a press release, the Bloom Box was developed by NASA scientists and can be used in different ranges of temperatures which makes the way it can be used more expansive. Several competitors are also trying to develop similar devices

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Bloom Energy: Could it replace current electric and other alternative fuel cars?

“The idea is to one day replace the big power plants and transmission line grid, the way the laptop moved in on the desktop and cell phones supplanted landlines.” Based in Sunnyvale, Calif., Bloom Energy has operated for the past eight years. According to the 60 Minutes report, it has raised about $400 million from venture capital firm Kleiner Perkins, and its early clients include Google, eBay and Walmart. Additional investors in Bloom Energy are diverse and its business relationships are posted on the company’s web site. But what was conspicuously absent from the 60 Minutes report was if the fuel cells could have a potential application in auto industry. The Chevy Volt, Nissan Leaf and Tesla Roadster are auto

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Winter Olympics car commercials: Nissan raking up publicity for the green LEAF

Scheduled for launch in late 2010 in Japan, the United States and Europe, The LEAF, according to Nissan, “ushers in a new era of mobility.” Pricing details will be announced closer to start of sales. But Nissan expects the car to be “competitively priced in the range of a well-equipped C-segment vehicle.” The Nissan LEAF is powered by laminated compact lithium-ion batteries, which generate power output of over 90kW, while its electric motor delivers 80kW/280Nm. Unlike internal-combustion engine (ICE) equipped vehicles, Nissan LEAF’s power train has no tail pipe, and thus no emission of CO2 or other greenhouse gases. A combination of Nissan LEAF’s regenerative braking system and innovative lithium-ion battery packs enables the car to deliver a driving range

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Tesla Roadstar Sport tests the Rocky Mountains (Video)

But that’s what Roman Mica, editor at-large of The Weekly Driver had in mind. and he had only question: Can you take an electric car across country and across the great Continental Divide in the winter and not be worried that it will run out of juice before you get home? Mica’s answer? Yes and no. To view for new car reviews and video content, visit: www.tflcar.com. James RaiaA sports, travel and business journalist for more than 45 years, James has written the new car review column The Weekly Driver since 2004. In addition to founding this site in 2004, James writes a Sunday automotive column for The San Jose Mercury and East Bay Times in Walnut Creek, Calif., and

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Nissan Leaf orders will begin in April for electric car's December debut (Video)

Nissan received $1.4 billion in federal government loans to build the Leaf and its the battery packs in Tennessee. It will go on sale in Nissan showrooms simultaneously in the U.S., Japan and Europe. Nissan, which is anticipating about 20,000 potential customers to sign-up to purchase the vehicle, will announce the price for the Leaf in April. It’s expected the Leaf will cost about the same as the base-level Toyota Prius hybrid, which starts at $22,800. The Leaf’s pricepoint will make it more accessible to the general public than other electric cars on sale today, like the Tesla Roadster, the battery-powered sports car that retails for $109,000. Nissan will build the Leaf in Japan until 2012. Then production of the

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