Featured Threads Archive
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Rice University paper on F150 vs Prius
Source: https://www.bakerinstitute.org/media/files/files/c8cb9e96/BI-Brief-061417-CES_Trucks.pdf
U.S. sales of large passenger vehicles have boomed for most of the past decade. Yet despite continued reliance on gasoline propulsion in the U.S. and a trend toward larger, more powerful vehicles, the 7.6%
rise in miles driven seen from February 2012 to February 2017 yielded a gasoline demand increase of only 3.8%.1 Better engine technology likely underpins much of the rising gasoline consumption efficiency on U.S. roads and the big, powerful pickups and SUVs cherished by many American drivers are at the center of the action.
. . .
Old news, we've known about the disproportionate effect of improving the efficiency of the least efficient vehicles. But it also brings up the 'problem of the commons.' If my neighbor chooses to commute to their business office in... -
Too much inventory
Source: AD #2143 – Future Looks Bright for EVs, Ferrari SUV In the Works, Automakers Have Too Much Inventory – Autoline Daily
AUTOMAKERS HAVE TOO MUCH INVENTORY
Looks like we’re headed for blow-out sales of new cars in the American market. Automakers have too much inventory on hand. There are 4.1 million vehicles sitting on dealer’s lots, in rail yards and in transit. Last year at this time automakers had 66 days of inventory, now it’s 77 days. The problem is that sales are slowing down, but assembly lines keep on humming. And that’s especially true of passenger cars. For example, the Fiat 500 has 172 days of inventory. The Ford Fiesta has 104. The Buick Regal sits at 214 days, the Hyundai Azera 151 and the Toyota 86 has 135 days of supply.
Does anyone have a source of 'days of inventory' for our favorite rides?
Thanks,
Bob Wilson -
Reuters report on used car market
Let's make a deal: Automakers, U.S. auctions align to prop up used car prices | Reuters
Says in U.S. that lots of used sedans coming off lease. So this is managed closely by auto manufacturers. Some things going on include lots of trucks on the highways moving used vehicles around to the best markets, etc. to try to maximize used car values/profits and protect the new car market. Holding some used cars off used market longer to control supply. etc. -
Can the height the hatch opens be controlled?
I got my new Prius Prime home and opened the hatch in the garage and it touched the door!!! I looked in the manual and googled it, but is there anyway anyone knows of controlling how high the hatch opens?
Thanks! -
Dashboard summary through June 2017
Another excellent report from Jeff Cobb's team: June 2017 Dashboard
I throughly recommend reading his summary.
model 06/15/17 05/15/17 04/15/17 03/15/17 1 Fusion Hybrid 5697 5671 4509 5865 2 Prius Liftback 5476 6064 5802 5798 3 Transit Diesel 3789 4830 4025 4258 4 RAV4 3709 4070 3516 3497 5 Model S 2200 1700 1200 3100 6 Niro Hybrid 2188 2660 2939 2704 7 Model X 2100 1800 900 2500 8 Accord Hybrid 1799 1976 1787 1843 9 Volt 1745 1817 1807 2132 10 Bolt 1642 1566 1292 978 11 Prius Prime 1619 1908 1819 1618 12 Leaf 1506 1392 1063 1478 13 Highlander Hybrid 1478 1514 1663 1587 14 Camry Hybrid 1355 1711 1513 1658 15 Ioniq Hybrid 1348 1752 1297 327 16 C-Max Hybrid 966 880 720 671 17 C-Max Energi 936 950 720 662 18 Prius C 867 1121 1161 1385 19 Colorado Diesel 784 666 753 722 20 Prius V 773 929 926 960 21 Sonata 741 848 1115 1082 22 Fusion Energi 707 1000 905 1002 23 RX 400 / 450 h 655 747 615 713 24 CT200h 615 825 794 841 25 i3 567 506 516 703 26 Golf Sportwagon Diesel 565 1819 1819 ... -
All Volvos launched from 2019 will be hybrid or EV
Volvo Cars to go all electric - Volvo Car Group Global Media Newsroom
Misleading title on the press release, but it basically boils down to... between 48 volt mild hybrids (it's better than not having any hybrid system, even if a full hybrid would be better), PHEVs, and BEVs (five of which they're claiming will be released between 2019 and 2021), Volvo will not launch any ICE-only models in 2019 or later. -
Toyota taxi jumps curb
Source: Taxi jumps curb at Boston airport, injuring 10 cabbies - ABC News
![[IMG]](proxy.php?image=http%3A%2F%2Fa.abcnews.com%2Fimages%2FUS%2FWireAP_125bd39812584982b0ba0b1f9f49d496_12x5_1600.jpg&hash=b1b40b6dbc2b5eba4e8cb67949c30c1b)
I'm shocked that a Toyota jumps a curb and we're not inundated with more "run away acceleration" articles. Oh, it isn't a Prius ...
Bob Wilson -
CA HOV Update (re: PHEV/Prime Demand)
Re: PHEV demand
I see that California has a new bill proposing to extend HOV green/white stickers to 2025 (from 2019).
I *assume* that bill will probably pass and will assure decent Prime sales in the future. One aspect to look for is the older PiP treatment, but I assume it is questionable...not sure
"AB 544 | Author: Bloom ... zero-emission vehicles, or transitional zero-emission vehicles to use HOV lanes for four years after vehicle identifiers are issued". -
Why two-motor hybrid systems are better than those with just one
Source: Why two-motor hybrid systems are better than those with just one
Six years ago, we wrote that a number of single-motor hybrid systems were about to enter the market.
They represented a new approach to a technology pioneered in 1997, when the first-generation Toyota Prius was launched in Japan.
Through 2010, all the full-hybrid vehicles introduced by Ford and General Motors used systems designed around a pair of motor-generators
. . .
So this was my comment:
In 2005, there was a single motor, Honda IMA, and the two motor, Prius. I chose the system with the higher ratio of electric-to-engine power and never looked back. But technology moved on.
The Prius Prime has two electric motors that with the one-way clutch can work as a single motor. There are no 'shift points' so the transmission remains mechanically simple... -
Ammonia for NOx reduction
Source: Real World NOx reduction by City-SCR
![[IMG]](proxy.php?image=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.amminex.com%2FFiles%2FBilleder%2Famminex%2Fproductimages%2Fretrofit-option-2.png&hash=0049c0b3fab253d96f1dba2a622a9de0)
Diesel vehicles need SCR catalysts to reduce NOx and SCR catalysts need ammonia to work. ASDS™ unlocks the full potential of the SCR by dosing gaseous as opposed to liquid containing ammonia into the exhaust stream. This allows for a NOx reduction of up to 99% in all climates and real driving conditions including slow city traffic.
ASDS™ achieves 3-5 times better NOx reduction in city driving with no CO2 increase (cold engines) and 20% better NOx reduction on motorways (hot engines)
![[IMG]](proxy.php?image=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.amminex.com%2FFiles%2FBilleder%2Famminex%2Fproductimages%2Fproven-technology3.jpg&hash=42521bce9fb08c35a288698ed9321394)
That is an anhydrous ammonia tank being exchanged. Compare that to the 5-10,000 psi hydrogen fool-cell tanks, this is the way to go. Feed the ammonia to a catalyst to break it down into nitrogen... -
VW Golf GTE plug-in hybrid
Not available in the USA, this would give the Prius Prime a run for the money:
Understand that sometimes EU specs don't translate well when meeting EPA standards. However, I've admired the Golfs running around the streets in Huntsville. It really is a practical, sized car.
Bob Wilson -
Car and Driver tests all three Prius Prime trims
2017 Toyota Prius Prime Plug-In Hybrid Test | Review | Car and Driver
It seems as though they still prefer the Chevy Volt over the Prius Prime. But I still believe the Prime is a great car to get people who may otherwise not have looked at a plug-in car at all to try them out and test out what it's like to drive in electric mode.
That said, it would've been nice if Toyota gave the Prime a little bit more oomph when speeding. 0-60 mph in 10 seconds, or about 12 when running in pure EV mode, is going to cause a lot of anxiety for people merging on a busy freeway, especially if they have to go uphill to merge. -
Toyota diesel+hybrid not happening
Source: Toyota Rules Out Using Diesel Hybrids | TheDetroitBureau.com
A Toyota Motor executive this week ruled out the possibility of rolling out hybrid models powered by diesel engines in the near future.
“Diesel engine is much more expensive than gasoline. The hybrid system which requires sophisticated technology is also costly,” Shizuo Abe, executive general manger at Toyota, told reporters at a forum in Seoul, according to The Korea Herald.
“When combining the two systems together, the price has to go up. Therefore, it will take some time before finding the right solution to cut costs to meet customer demand,” he said.
For more than two decades, Toyota has invested in hybrid vehicles that merge the use of internal combustion engines and electric motors. Toyota now offers 40 models with hybrid powertrains and the new 2018 Toyota Camry, one of the company’s most important...
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