Toyota Prius 20th Anniversary

 December 10^th , 2017-  Will be marked as the 20th anniversary of The Toyota Prius, the world's first mass-produced hybrid vehicle (HV)

Consisting of a gasoline engine and an electric motor, the fuel-efficient Prius has been successful in opening up the global eco-car market. However, as countries across the world start to switch their attention to electric vehicles (EV), Toyota Motor Corp. is poised to use the electric and battery technology acquired through developing its HVs to deliver in the EV market as well.

"We made it in time for the 21st century." It was slogans like this that were bandied around by Toyota when it launched the Prius back in 1997, having started development on it in 1994. The new-type Prius offered about twice as much fuel efficiency as Toyota's mainstay model, the Toyota Corolla -- at 28 kilometers per liter. As global awareness about the environment increased, the Prius's extraordinary fuel efficiency attracted widespread attention.

Aided by a steep rise in gasoline prices, sales of the Prius surged considerably following the launches of the second-generation and third-generation Prius models in 2003 and 2009, respectively. The fourth-generation Prius, which was released in 2015, boasts a fuel efficiency of 40.8 kilometers per liter, helping cumulative sales of the Prius reach 4.15 million units as of late October 2017.

To date, Toyota has launched 37 types of HV including the Prius in at least 90 countries across the globe. Cumulative sales of all types of HV hit 11.22 million by the end of October 2017. Furthermore, Toyota's electric cars including EVs made up for over 40 percent of the world market share in 2016. "We have succeeded in creating a new set of values," said Toyota Chairman Takeshi Uchiyamada, who oversaw the development of the first-generation Prius.

However, there has also been a recent backlash against HVs, as a result of EVs receiving preferential treatment over HVs under environmental regulations in western countries, China, India and elsewhere. This is why major auto firms across the world are beginning to concentrate more on developing EVs.

Recently, Toyota has placed emphasis on plug-in hybrid vehicles (PHV) that can be charged at home, as well as fuel cell vehicles (FCV). However, it has yet to produce EVs on a mass scale, which is a stance that has drawn criticism.

At a briefing aimed at the media in late November, Shizuo Abe, an executive general manager at Toyota, said, "Since launching HVs 20 years ago, we have succeeded in making auto components such as motors smaller, and increasing performance. We have even shown superiority in terms of electric car manufacturing technology."

Looking ahead, Toyota aims to use the technology developed from making HVs to produce an EV that can be mass produced in China in 2020. It also aims to develop a solid-state battery system for EVs by the first half of the 2020s.

In September, Toyota teamed up with Mazda Motor Corp. and Denso Corp. to set up a new company that will develop essential EV technology, with the aim of strengthening its commitment to EV development. However, some are worried about the potential of EVs. "Will EVs really take off, considering that they are inferior to HVs in terms of price and range?" a senior Toyota executive says.

So, will Toyota be able to keep maintaining and developing its environmentally friendly image that was built up by the Prius? Questions such as this, as well as the firm's capability to adopt a flexible approach and respond to changes in the market, will no doubt come under scrutiny.

Toyota Reveals Refreshed 2016 Avalon Including Hybrid Version

Toyota Reveals Refreshed 2016 Avalon Including Hybrid Version

Today Toyota unveiled its midcycle refresh of its Avalon including the hybrid version.
Unwrapped at the Chicago Auto Show, the fourth-generation vehicle that was all-new in 2013 gets styling updates while leaving powertrain intact.
Under the hood of the hybrids is A 2.5-liter Atkinson cycle four-cylinder engine paired with electric drive netting 200 horsepower. Efficiency is 40 mpg combined which compares favorably to V6 models netting 24 combined.

 
New for the 2016 Avalon is a retuned suspension, new LED headlights and tail lights, more convenience features, and of course, the latest look.
The Avalon Hybrid comes in five grades of V6 and hybrids come in three separate grades, from XLE Plus to XLE Premium and Limited.

 All models get wider lower front grille with narrow upper grille, new turn signals (replacing fog lights), chrome rear bumper accent, and gray accent stitching with light gray interior.
New standard features on XLE and XLE Plus grades include redesigned 17-inch alloy wheels, 7-inch Entune Audio Plus screen, woodgrain dash trim, and a Tire Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS).
Technology upgrades for the XLE Premium include Entune Premium Audio with Navigation and App Suite and the Qi Wireless Charging as standard.
The “performance-tuned” Avalon Touring adds to its sporty styling and standard are new 18-inch dark gray painted alloy wheels, sporty front fascia, new LED headlights with LED Daytime Running Lights (DRL), and a “Touring” badge.

The vehicle comes with a host of electronic safety including radar assisted crios and blind spot detecton.
It shares characteristics with the Lexus ES 300h, and it and the Camry Hybrid all share variations of the same hybrid powertrain.
Pricing was not announced but will be closer to release later this year or the fall.

Audi A3 Sportback e-Tron Plug-in Hybrid: Best Buy For Holding Value Over Time?

Audi A3 Sportback e-Tron Plug-in Hybrid: Best Buy For Holding Value Over Time? 

 When it comes to residual values for new cars, finance companies and buyers alike have been particularly cautious about all-electric and plug-in hybrid cars. Relatively new to the market, most plug-in cars are purposely given low residual value predictions by market research firms unsure of both the long-term outlook for plug-in vehicles and (generally unfounded) worries that a car’s expensive lithium-ion battery pack may lose capacity and therefore useful range.

 

 

Even though residual value predictions have improved for electric and plug-in hybrid cars over the last four years, they’re still generally low, resulting in high lease payments and/or higher interest rates for customers wanting to make the switch. And while some cars — like the Tesla Model S for example — now come with guaranteed resale values, newer models with longer-range capabilities mean that plug-in cars aren’t retaining their value.
But now German automotive magazine Auto Bild and market research institute Schwacke have proclaimed that Audi’s A3 Sportback e-tron plug-in hybrid is the current model year compact car most likely to retain its value over the next four years. This accolade has earned it the 2015 Wertmeister — or ‘Value Champ’ award in the compact car segment in Auto Bild’s annual residual value survey.
With a predicted residual value of 57.3 percent four years after purchase, the Audi A3 Sportback e-tron beats off plenty of other competitors in the compact car segment, both plug-in and non plug-in. In total, more than 40 different cars from 14 different automakers were considered across 15 different categories.
Based on the same Volkswagen MQB platform as the rest of the 2015 Audi A3 and 2015 Volkswagen Golf family, the Audi A3 Sportback e-tron features the same plug-in hybrid drivetrain found in the Volkswagen Golf GTE.

That equates to a 1.4-litre turbocharged four-cylinder gasoline engine mated with a hefty 80 kilowatt electric motor and a six-speed s-tronic dual clutch gearbox. Combined, the car is capable of producing 204 brake horsepower and 256 pound feet of torque, and can accelerate from 0-62 mph in 7.6 seconds on its way to an electronically-limited top speed of 137.9 mph.
Married with an 8.8 kilowatt-hour lithium-on battery pack, the Audi A3 Sportback e-tron can also drive on electricity alone, managing around 30 miles in electric mode at sensible speeds (less at higher speeds) before needing to fire up its engine. Recharging takes two hours from a standard Type 2/Level 2 charging station capable of providing 3.3 kilowatts.
It’s this all-round capability which seems to have won the day for Audi in terms of residual value. While it has an electric battery pack to allow for electric-only operation, the Audi A3 e-tron’s gasoline engine means it can still be driven even if the on-board battery pack isn’t capable of the 30-mile range it could when new after four years of hard driving.
In the past few years, we’ve noticed a similar trend among other plug-in cars: electric cars like the Nissan LEAF seem to suffer the highest depreciation, while plug-in hybrid models are less likely to sting the original buyer after a few years of use.
In the case of the Audi A3 Sportback e-tron however, its performance edge, everyday practicality, normal-looks, luxury name badge and high fuel efficiency are  enough to ensure that it beats many more quirky plug-in cars.
So if you’re looking to buy a plug-in car that will keep its value, perhaps you need to think about an A3 e-tron too.