Hybrid cars

Is hybrid cars Dangerous?-Hybrid cars hit more pedestrians-A study

Written by monimtw on 6:06 PM

Is hybrid cars Dangerous?-Hybrid cars hit more pedestrians-A study

According to a National Highway Traffic Safety Administration  study, hybrids are twice as dangerous to pedestrians because they are sneaky-quiet. This has provoked debate in the auto industry, with manufacturers trying to pick a noise to warn pedestrians of the vehicle’s presence.
HEV’s are most dangerous in the city, when they are almost silent. A rumbling V-8 lets you know it is coming but electric vehicles offer no such warning. The American Council of the Blind has issued a number of press releases in recent months warning of the danger that HEVs pose. There is also a bill with 139 lawmakers on board that would force the Department of Transportation to establish safety standards around “non-visual warnings” for vehicles.
Out of the vehicles in the study:

• 8,387 were hybrids, of which 77 had struck a pedestrian — this works out to a 0.9 percent incidence rate
• 559,703 vehicles were traditional gas-burners, which struck 3,578 pedestrians, which works out to a 0.6 percent incidence rate

Electric vehicles are thus determined to be 50 percent more dangerous to pedestrians. Of the pedestrian accidents, it was almost a fifty-fifty break on under or over 35 mph, with one-third of accidents not including speed limit information.
In accidents involving bicyclists, the numbers get worse:

• 0.3 percent of standard cars on the road hit a bicyclist
• 0.6 percent of HEVs hit a bicyclist
• Out of the speed limit data available, 25 of 34 collisions were in a 35 or under zone, suggesting that city streets are the most dangerous places to be a cyclist

Pressure from the ACB and others has spurred a new controversy in the electric-vehicle field. Nissan, Ford and Chevrolet are all trying to determine what, if any, “non visual signals” will be included in their EV models. Tesla has said that it has no intention if implementing “fake noises,” as it has delivered 700 vehicles and the quiet power train is consistently noted as a plus. The Fisker Karma will include a “distinctive audio signature … reflective of the car’s advanced technology.” Whether this means a Jetsons like bubbling whir or cutting-edge dance beats remains to be seen.
Nissan and Ford are still on the fence, not having firm plans either way. According to Ford’s hybrid division head Nancy Gioia, “if we all do it differently, we will confuse the heck out of the consumer.”
Representative Edolphus Towns, a New York Democrat, has introduced a bill that would require the Department of Transportation to establish non-visual warning requirements for HEVs. So far it has 139 supporters.
Public reception for the idea has been mostly negative on the Internet, with people citing the quiet of EV power trains as a decisive advantage not to be canceled by artificial noises.

2010 Green Car of the Year:-Audi A3 TDI

Written by monimtw on 12:35 PM

2010 Green Car of the Year:-Audi A3 TDI 

The Green Car Journal has named the Audi A3 TDI as the 2010 Green Car of the Year. This is the second year in a row that a clean diesel has won the honor (last year’s winner was the Volkswagen Jetta TDI). Other 2010 nominees included the Honda Insight, Mercury Milan Hybrid, Toyota Prius and Volkswagen Golf TDI.

The Green Car Journal says, “Green Car of the Year jurors appreciated the Audi A3 TDI’s rakish styling, upscale appointments, and 42 mpg highway fuel efficiency – a 50 percent improvement over the gasoline A3 variant that makes the car very economical to operate with low relative CO2 emissions.”

Autoblog comments on the awards ceremony, which took place at the L.A. Auto Show: “During the award ceremony, Green Car Journal editor Ron Cogan said that the five finalists are notable because they are all mainstream vehicles that are available today. They exist because that's what the market is asking for.”

The Green Car of the Year awards jury included six environmental and automotive experts as well as Green Car Journal editors.

Are you interested in a green car? Check out the U.S. News rankings of the best hybrid cars as well as this month's best car deals

2010 Toyota 4Runner:Bianco On Cars

Written by monimtw on 9:29 AM

2010 Toyota 4Runner:Bianco On Cars

Cars By Todd Bianco, West Hollywood, California (November 30, 2009) - I think Toyota has finally made a car I don't hate and it's a truck.
The new 4Runner has undergone major surgery and come out looking something like a downsized Sequoia with a slick, Lexized interior.

The humble Tacoma pickup truck platform donates the basic DNA for the new new 4Runner; but this is no four door Tacoma with a covered bed. Although it's still a traditional SUV (body-on-frame architecture), Toyota bestows the Limited version with something they call X-REAS “sports enhancement suspension.”

Each shock absorber is linked on the diagonal to its counterpart in an “X” arrangement via a gas/hydraulic chamber that distributes fluid from the cross-linked shock bearing the least amount of force to the shock bearing the greatest amount of force. It all sounds very complex, but it works.

During my extended test drive in a Blizzard Pearl new 2010 4Runner Limited 2WD, the bumps and uneven surfaces of both surface streets and freeways were absorbed with barely a hint of the bucking bronco live rear axle. It's not the numb silence a Lexus; but it's a quantum leap over the previous new 4Runner and easily a comfortable daily driver. Hallelujah!

Of course, if you want an off-road new 4Runner, Toyota stuffs the stocking full: Hill Start Assist Control, Downhill Assist Control, Active Traction Control, Electronic Locking Rear Differential, a Multi-terrain Select 4-wheel drive system with “mud and sand,” “loose rock,” “mogul” or “rock” modes. It even has a “crawl control.”

On the Trail model, a new technology Toyota calls “Kinetic Dynamic Suspension System” (KDDS) is available. The KDSS helps increase the articulation of the suspension when approaching a hill and boosts the new 4Runner towing creds to 5,000 lbs.

But who cares? Only a small percentage of new 4Runner buyers will opt for the full Trail package, probably because most people will never take their 4Runner off-road.

The worst it might see around LA is sand in a parking lot or mud on the road during rainy season. The exterior isn't what I'd call handsome; but its chunky shoulders and chiseled mug wrap around a very comfortable interior. You fall in love with the overall package.

The Limited, at $42,000 ($44,000 for the 4WD) isn't cheap; but you do get a lot for your money. Goodies include: voice activated touch-screen navigation with real-time traffic and iPod/iPhone integration, automatic headlights, dual zone automatic climate control, 8-way power driver's seat, leather surfaces, back up camera, HomeLink, Bluetooth, XM Satellite radio, Smart Key entry/ignition system, Party Mode sound system, one-touch up/down window controls, Vehicle Stability Control, Traction Control, Anti-lock Brakes with Electronic Brake-force Distribution and Brake Assist and a compete airbag array including Roll-Sensing side curtain airbags.

The 2010 4Runner is one of the first Toyotas to get the new corporate 4.0 liter V6 engine with a souped-up version of Toyota's variable valve timing system.

The new mill churns out 270 hp with 278 lb-ft torque. The only transmission is a 5-speed automatic with sports shift mode. The 4x2 version is EPA rated at 17 city/23 highway; average 19 mpg.

That's only 1 mpg less than the crappy 4 cylinder engine offered on the base SR5 4Runner, so the V6 option is a no-brainer. And there is almost no penalty for the 4x4 version: 17/22; 19 average.

The turning circle of the 189.9 inch-long new 2010 4Runner Limited 2WD is a very respectable 36.1 feet – identical to Toyota's Camry. Nissan's Pathfinder needs a whopping 39.5 feet to whip around while a slightly shorter (3.2 in) Jeep Grand Cherokee needs another half foot. A tight turning circle can make a big difference in a narrow intersection.

But the new 2010 4Runner has a couple of “stealth” features that I just love. First, the 4Runner is one of only two vehicles in the US that has an electric roll-down rear window.

You can't get it on a BMW, Mercedes or Audi wagon. You can't get it on a Cadillac Escalade or Ford Flex. Jeep? No. Even the 2010 Lexus GX460, a rebadged 4Runner, doesn't have it! You can get it on an $80,000 Range Rover; but that's it. And for 2010, Toyota put rubberized up/down window controls on the outside of the rear tailgate. LOVE it.

The other stealth item is the new 2010 4Runner’s class-leading 24 gallon gas tank. You have to step up to a monster like a Chevy Tahoe with a 26 gallon gas tank to beat that. It may cost $75 to fill it up; but on the highway, you have a range of 500+ miles – an easy non-stop ride to Las Vegas or San Francisco. That's hidden luxury!

My nit-picks are few. With all the electronic gadgets, why not rain-sensing wipers? I felt that the seats could have a bit more thigh support (I have long legs) and I don't know why Toyota couldn't have put a couple memory buttons with the 8-way power seat.

The power window/door lock controls are located too high for lazy fingers. The Limited model comes standard with the third row seats (good for very small children) and you can't opt out of them. I'd rather have the hidden cargo space under the rear floor and the slide-out rear cargo deck you can get on the “lesser” versions.

What I like best about the new 2010 4Runneris that you can get it in rear-drive which is a rarity in the mid-size SUV/CUV market. The only other competitors are the Nissan's Pathfinder and Xterra and Jeep's Grand Cherokee and Liberty.

The inherent balance and neutrality of rear-drive is a pleasure. Of the bunch, the new 4Runner is the hands-down pick. The 2011 Grand Cherokee (based on the current Mercedes-Benz ML) may change that game.

Is Hybrid Cars Dangerous?

Written by monimtw on 2:48 PM

Is Hybrid Cars Dangerous?

CENTRAL VIRGINIA - Hybrid vehicles are everywhere. They're great on gas and great for the environment. As a result, more and more of them are popping up around Richmond but hybrids have a hidden danger; you can't afford to mess with these cars - unless you know what you're doing.

"Lady lost control and it was straddling a deep ditch," recalls Lieutenant Al Thompson of Chesterfield County's fire department, "We had to open the door and almost climb into the vehicle. The first thing I told my crew was that it was a hybrid vehicle."

You can't treat a hybrid like any other car. Under the hood, these high voltage cars can be dangerous.

That's why Jordan Hendler with the Washington Metropolitan Auto Body Association has been training area firefighters about hybrids and how to handle them in violent crashes.

Hybrid vehicles use a lot of electrical power and that can be a problem if firefighters need to use the jaws of life, or cut into a car to get someone out.

Cutting into a hot car, would be like cutting into a power line. So rescuers need to know what they're looking at. Hendler tells them to look for a large wire, usually blue or orange and emergency crews need to make sure the engine is off. That can be hard to do because the cars are so quiet when they're turned on. So, you might think it's already turned off.

So, if you're coming up to the scene, you need to physically turn off the ignition key, but there could be a catch.

"A lot of these hybrid vehicles use a key that's not an ignition key," explains Hendler. "It's actually something the owner of the vehicle can carry around in their pocket."

Hendler warns the firefighters she's training that if the fab or remote key is in a victim's pocket and they've just gone through an accident "how can they get it?"

The key is wireless and acts like Blue tooth. If it's too close to the car, the car could start moving if the victim takes their foot off the break or the car is put into gear.

You also have to wait 10 to 12 minutes to ensure the electrical system is completely shut down. If you don't, says Hanover Battalion Chief Willie Jones, the airbags might deploy. "If we apply pressure to the seats, it could cause harm to firefighters or a person in the vehicle."

During the past two years, firefighters have responded to more than 200 hybrid vehicle crashes in Central Virginia. Hybrid car owner Bob Adams says he's relieved and glad the training is out there.

"That's a great thing," says Adams. "And really I was not aware that there were special precautions that had to be taken, special knowledge that emergency personnel had to have."

Special knowledge Lieutenant Thompson says he is glad he has."If we end up getting hurt," says Thompson, "We do the patient no good, because now we have two emergencies, the crew member and that patient."

Top 2 hybrid cars on consumer report

Written by monimtw on 12:04 PM

Top 2 hybrid cars on consumer report
The 2010 Toyota Prius and the Ford Fusion both rank high on a Consumer Reports scale, but for different reasons.

The Toyota Prius dominates the market for hybrid cars, and for the last eight years has been Consumer Reports' top-pick "green" car.

Now there's a redesigned Prius, as well as another promising new hybrid, the Ford Fusion.

Consumer Reports and Eyewitness News just tested both cars, and it looks like the Fusion may give the Prius a run for the money. We found that both cars did very well, although for varying reasons.

The Prius hybrid was first sold in America in 2001. Three years later, Toyota introduced the second-generation Prius. And now, for 2010, the Prius has once again been redesigned.

Steve Bennett is one of more than 700,000 Americans who has purchased a Prius.

"When we decided we wanted to get a hybrid, or at least seriously consider it, the word Prius came to mind. It was the one we were most familiar with," said Bennett.

Consumer Reports just tested the 2010 Prius. Toyota's made some changes with this third generation.

"It's still the most fuel-efficient car you can buy, getting 44 miles per gallon overall, but it's tuned a bit differently. City mileage isn't as good but highway mileage is better," said Jon Linkov, a Consumer Reports tester.

The Prius now gets 32 miles per gallon in the city and 55 miles per gallon on the highway.

But wait, there's a new "green" on the scene, and it's the hybrid Ford Fusion. While impressive, the Fusion's mileage isn't as high: it gets 25 miles per gallon in the city and 40 on the highway. Also, the Ford Fusion hybrid is more expensive, with a base price of more than $27,000, while the base price for the Toyota Prius is as low as $22,000.

So what does the hybrid Fusion give you for the money?

"It handles better, it's more comfortable, and the Fusion is actually enjoyable to drive. That's something you don't expect with a hybrid," said Linkov.

Bottom line is, Consumer Reports says both the new Toyota Prius and the Ford Fusion are good choices if you want a hybrid for your next car.

The Toyota Prius consistently has had excellent reliability, and so have other front-wheel-drive versions of the Ford Fusion. So Consumer Reports expects that both these hybrids will continue to have very good reliability.

In addition, Motor Trend Magazine announced Tuesday that the Ford Fusion is its 2010 car of the year.

Here's how to get the best deal -With car rental rates up

Written by monimtw on 8:03 PM

Here's how to get the best deal -With car rental rates up

Travellers have been able to score decent deals on hotel rooms and airfares over the last year. But car rental prices have increased dramatically despite the weak economy.

"It's the one area of the travel industry where you have not been able to get a break," said Nina Willdorf, editor-in-chief of Budget Travel magazine, which plans a story about car rentals for its December-January issue.

Compared with a year ago, rental prices increased nearly 50 per cent on daily rates for midsize cars booked a week in advance, according to the Abrams Travel Data Rate Index, which tracks major car rental brands. The Abrams Index found an average daily rate of US$93.06 on the fourth Monday in October this year, compared to $64.56 on the same day a year earlier.

Prices were also up more than 50 per cent for a compact car booked a week in advance, with an average weekly rate of $289.14 on the fourth Monday of October, compared to $188.46 on the same day in 2008, according to the Abrams index.

"Why do they charge these rates? Because they can get them," said Neil Abrams, president of the Abrams Consulting Group in Purchase, N.Y.

He said car rental companies responded differently to the weak economy than hotels and airlines. "When you have a 30-storey hotel and demand falls 20 per cent or more, you can't lop off some of the floors, but you can reduce prices," he said. "And it takes airlines months to shut down routes and get planes out of service. But the ability of a rental company to scale down a fleet of cars is much more nimble."

Car rental companies have cut the number of new cars they buy for rental fleets 25 to 50 per cent, Abrams said. Demand for cars is down, too, but reduced supply is what really drives rates up, he said.

So to get the best rates possible, consumers need to do their homework. Here are some tips:

-Look for discounts. "There are hundreds of membership programs and professional associations that offer discounts," said Paula Lyons, who lists 350 discount codes for eight car rental companies on her website, http://www.Best-Car-Rental-Tips.com.

Sources for car rental discounts include AAA, CAA, unions, frequent flyer and loyalty programs among others. Your employer may also have a corporate discount rate with one rental company that workers can use for leisure trips.

Joining a car rental company's loyalty program is free and not only gets you a discount, but lets you skip the line at the airport to get your car right away as a preferred customer, Willdorf said.

-Search for car rentals on travel-booking websites. "You can quickly and easily see how the prices compare," said Willdorf. But know the terms. Does the quoted price include taxes and fees?

Priceline.com in particular is known for offering deals. "The general rule of thumb is bid 40 per cent less than what you're seeing advertised," Willdorf said.

Just remember that prepaid reservations on Priceline are "non-modifiable, non-refundable and non-cancellable. That's the reason they give you such a great rate," said Lyons.

-Book in advance. "You can book a car two months in advance, then call back every three or four weeks, give your reservation number, and see if the price has gone down," Lyons said. "You can usually rebook at whatever the lowest price is. I would even call the day before to see if there are any last-minute specials."

-Check out alternatives to the big car-rental agencies.

Willdorf said many Toyota dealers and some Ford dealers rent out cars by the day from their lots for as low as US$36 a day. Check websites for dealers in your destination area.

And Rent-a-Wreck is "an unfortunate name for a very useful service," Willdorf said. The company has lots near 38 airports. Just know that their vehicles are not new - they have between 40,000 and 80,000 miles (65,000 and 130,000 kilometres) on them, Willdorf said.

Willdorf said Budget Travel's price comparison showed a daily rate from Hertz at $106 a day compared to Rent-a-Wreck for $28 a day.

A car-sharing service like ZipCar might be an option if you only need a car for a few hours during your trip. But the costs add up - membership fee, hourly rates, and substantial penalties for returning a car late.

-Airport-related taxes add about 10 per cent or more to the price of a car rental, Willdorf said.

"Just leaving the airport and picking up a car in the city can save you money," said Willdorf.

If you have to take a cab into town, of course, you lose any savings you might realize, but if you're taking a free van to your hotel or public transportation, it could be worth it. She added that some rental companies will also drop a car off to you.

-If you have collision and liability on the car you own, you probably won't need additional insurance for a car rental for a leisure trip, Willdorf said.

Some credit cards also provide car rental insurance if you use the card to pay for the rental. But call your credit card company to be sure, and ask about the terms. The credit card insurance may not cover a period longer than a 30-day rental, for example.

Credit card companies may also require extensive documentation from the car rental company before making good on a claim. For example, some car rental companies charge "loss of use" fees, which means you'll be charged a fee for every day that a damaged car is in the repair shop, because the company is losing money keeping it off the road. A credit card company may demand fleet vehicle logs before paying that fee, Lyons said.


Lyons said she and her husband always buy insurance from rental companies because "for us, it's worth it to know that if something happened, you can just walk away."

-Hybrid cars are more expensive to rent than conventional cars, but if you're taking a cross-country road trip, you could save money on gas.

Willdorf said Kayak.com has the most comprehensive listings for hybrids, and Enterprise and Hertz have the most hybrid cars in their fleets.

Australian made hybrid first with Toyota

Written by monimtw on 11:48 AM

Australian made hybrid first with Toyota

Toyota Australia is set to make history in just over three months when it launches the first hybrid car to be built in this country – Hybrid Camry.

A limited number of pre-production cars have already been tested on public roads and closed tracks with insiders saying the Hybrid Camry out performers the standard car in terms of handling, ride, performance, and of course, fuel economy.

Engineers have tuned the car’s suspension and steering specifically for Australian conditions so that it meets the demands of local drivers and their families.

New features include advanced computer technology that links on-board systems to enhance driving enjoyment and safety.

Hybrid Camry will use significantly less fuel – around 30 per cent less than the petrol Camry, according to latest indications.

The standard petrol Camry is already the most fuel-efficient car produced in Australia, consuming just 8.8L/100km on the official combined cycle.

This first official glimpse of the unmasked Hybrid Camry exterior reveals styling that is progressive and aerodynamic.