Lamborghini is known for many things; sexy sounding V12 engines, outrageous, egregious bodykits, and low fuel efficiency (often in the single digits). But a hybrid?
Even supercar makers are getting into the green game. Hot on the heels of Mercedes announcement that the famous gullwing would return as an all-electric supercar, and Ferrari’s plan to unveil a hybrid of their own at November’s L.A. Autoshow, Lamborghini is now planning a hybrid of their own.
The Toyota Prius is among the most popular cars under the Cash For Clunkers program right now. But many people who want one will have to wait, as production of the popular hybrid has slowed because of a battery shortage. The supplier of Prius batteries, Panasonic EV Energy, can not keep up with Toyota’s 500,000 annual Prius capacity. While Panasonic EV says it should have its production capacity ramped up to a million units annually by mid-2010, this begs the bigger question;
Will battery packs hold back hybrid production and development?
Shelby SuperCars, makers of the “World’s Fastest Supercar” the Ultimate Aero, is diversifying its lineup quite a bit. After announcing earlier this year that they would be unveiling the world’s “fastest EV” this summer, SSC is hoping to market more than just outrageously fast (and expensive) supercars.
It seems they want to get into the hybrid motorhome market and plan to offer an RV with an all-electric range of 150 miles. They also have ambitious plans of providing over a quarter of the engines needed to meet Obama’s goal of a million plug-in electric cars by 2015.
It was an interesting week to say the least. By the time the Lexus pick-up team arrived to retrieve their prototype, I was clear that I would likely measure all hybrid vehicle test drives by this first one. This was not my first hybrid test ride, nor do I hope it is my last, but I found myself more attached than I wanted to be as I saw its sleek yet short silver body reflect brilliantly for the last time. Yes, I am waxing (or waning perhaps) poetic for a car . . .
I come by it naturally as my father had a love for cool cars and gadgets - the Lexus HS 250h hybrid presented a satisfying blend of both.
A few of the ergonomic and gadget-type features that I loved had little to do with the hybrid or eco-factor. However, a couple of things in particular stuck with me and I suspect will be incorporated to some degree in most hybrid cars - or they should be for at least one model generation:
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Rumors are gathering pace that Toyota is working on a two-door coupe version of its ultra-popular Prius hybrid, possibly scheduled to hit the market sometime in 2012.
The latest reports suggest that the Japanese outfit is currently developing a compact 2+2 Prius-based hybrid sports coupe featuring a beefed-up version of its 1.8-liter 2ZR-FXE four-cylinder engine, capable of achieving around 134 hp – 36 hp more than the sedan counterpart.
Although the higher power levels are likely to affect the Prius’s impressive fuel mileage, insiders are speculating that the company’s Hybrid Synergy Drive system will keep this to a minimum.
Japanese luxury car-maker Lexus has announced plans to launch a five-door compact hybrid hatchback. The new model looks set to be a major competitor to the BMW 1-Series and Audi A3 in the hot-hatch segment.
The new model will be showcased in September at this year’s Frankfurt Motor Show and is due to go on sale in the UK by autumn 2010.
On day 4, I was inspired to actually lift the hood (or bonnet, depending on what type of english you speak) to see if the engine was as new and space-age as the interior of the vehicle and to see what a 187 horsepowered hybrid engine looked like.
Day 3 was painful because I had to go to work and my ability to drive was severely limited for most of the day.
Still loved the ride.
Hooked up my phone to the built-in bluetooth, hands-free system, which was a fairly painless process, but friends on the receiving end of these hands-free calls complained about the volume and my sounding ‘far away’ (which could be attributed to my lack of height – perhaps I am at a greater distance than the average person who would be driving the car?).
Using the USB port, I hooked up my iPod and prepared to rock myself to work. While it seemed to play okay, it locked up the device controls and I was unable to make any changes from the iPod itself. It seems I have to preset the music and then plug it in. Perhaps it is better with an auxiliary plug, which is also available, but I don’t have one of those cords handy. Will have to work on that one more.
Otherwise, the sound system is very good and as you can tell, a priority to me. I’m kind of superficial in being less concerned about what is under the hood than I am about the ergonomics of the experience.
Speaking of ergonomics, I read in the press release that some of the materials used for the dashboard are made from natural castor seeds and renewable kenaf plants, rather than petroleum-based sources. VERY cool.
I promise I’ll get into what is under the hood . . . that’s tomorrow’s post.
eat. blog. be merry!
gd meg
Sorry about the blue tint . . . even photoshop couldn’t fix this one! Anyway . . .
Day 2 was Sunday. It was a gorgeous day - a good day to have the sunroof open as I found more reasons to drive around and play with this new shiny eco-toy. While cruising on a major interstate bouncing in our seats to the rather good sound system, my daughter noted with alarm we were going 80 mph. Yikes. We gently applied the breaks and discussed how smooth a ride the vehicle was. We also noted that when the music was off or very low, there was not much exterior road noise. You are kind of cocooned in your own little peaceful, sci-fi environment.
I don’t do this ‘green diva’ thing for the financial rewards (slim pickins these days), but there are times when a special event or product review opportunity comes along and I experience a sense of purpose and well, it is just flat out fun!
This week is one of those times when I love being a green diva. The smart PR folks for Lexus found me and decided I should test drive this beautiful not-available-till-2010 HS 250h hybrid sedan. Unfortunately, I’m on lock-down at my office most days and couldn’t get to the event in NY back in June. I whined a little by email with this sweet PR rep about how my man, Wayne drives a Lexus 400h and he rarely shares it.
She indicated that the cars would be back on the East Coast in July and she could hook me up with a ONE WEEK test drive! I asked her to repeat that message and she confirmed that they were offering to drop off a car anywhere I needed them to and let me play with it for a week and then pick it up at my convenience at the end of a week. Hmmmmmm? I played along, but expected a catch, like a huge deposit or ransom to include one of my children or something.
Apparently there are no catches and it’s all real and I aim to give you a daily account of my experience in fostering this car that I will want to adopt at the end of this week . . .
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Nissan has announced plans to sell compact hybrid vehicles based on its own technology in Japan, starting from 2011.
The Japanese outfit intends to make a low-cost, compact powertrain featuring an integrated electric motor providing supplemental power to the main gasoline engine. Energy will be provided by high-performance lithium-ion batteries.
According to Nissan the hybrids should be more than twice as fuel efficient as the equivalent gas-powered offerings.
Coming 12 years after the introduction of the Prius in Japan, Hyundai may be extremely late to the hybrid party, but they’re hoping to play catch up quickly.
Hyundai’s new Elantra LPI will be sold only in South Korea. It runs on liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) and uses lithium-ion batteries. Although Hyundai has no immediate plans to export the Elantra LPI overseas, the company plans to release a gasoline electric hybrid version of the Sonata in late 2010. Presumably the hybrid Sonata would be marketed in the US to compete directly with offerings from Toyota and Honda.
The latest Japanese car sales figures reveal that the Toyota Prius hybrid has now become the top selling vehicle in Japan.
According to the Japan Automobile Dealers Association, in June the company sold 22,292 units of its flagship hybrid vehicle, a sharp rise of almost 400% over the same month last year (when 6,231 cars were shifted) and more than twice as much as the 10,915 sold in May.
Cargo ships are notorious for their noxious fumes, and California is hinting at finally introducing tough legislation requiring that shipping clean up its act.
So, sooner or later, you would expect to see a solar powered ship come chugging in to the Port of Long Beach in Southern California.
Well, here it is. A test case, at least:
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It seems that in the quest to sell the cheapest hybrid they possibly could — a “hybrid for everyone” as Honda’s tagline goes — Honda has majorly skimped on some truly essential bits. Have they made a critical strategic error?
As detailed in the just released August issue of Consumer Reports magazine, out of a crop of 22 small hatchbacks and wagons, the Insight — Honda’s much-touted all new Hybrid — came in 21st on the road test with one of the worst performances CR has seen from Honda in longer than many of the editors at the venerable publication can remember. The only car in that group to fare worse on the road test was the Dodge Caliber.
Gas 2.0
Gas 2.0 digs into the viscous world of biofuels and the fast-paced transit arena, exploring the technologies and substances that are the future of transportation.
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