Tag: hybrid

Official: Toyota promises Hybrid-R concept for Frankfurt

Filed under: Concept Cars, Frankfurt Motor Show, Hybrid, Technology, Toyota

Toyota Hybrid-R Concept badge

Toyota will be bringing a new concept car to the Frankfurt Motor Show next month. Dubbed Hybrid-R, Toyota says the concept will feature the same Toyota Hybrid System-Racing tech found in the automaker’s latest endurance car, the TS030 Hybrid.

That car took second place at the 24 Hours of Le Mans, with a gas-powered, 3.4-liter, naturally aspirated V8 and a capacitor-based hybrid system. The result was 530 ponies from the engine and an extra 300 horsepower from the electric motor and batteries.

Toyota’s press release came with but one image, a new Hybrid badge which is a far cry from the Hybrid Synergy Drive label found on the automaker’s other offerings. There’s really not much else to go on yet, but the news that Toyota is already adapting its racing tech for a concept bodes well for the future of exciting, hybridized offerings from the automaker. We’ll be at Frankfurt live, and will be sure to bring you all the news on this new concept as it becomes available.

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Toyota promises Hybrid-R concept for Frankfurt originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 08 Aug 2013 18:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Mitsubishi working on 500-horsepower hybrid Evo?

Filed under: EV/Plug-in, Mitsubishi

Until reality sets in, we’ll settle for this report about Mitsubishi building what can only be described as one super plug-in hybrid. The Japanese automaker, per UK’s Autocar, is working on a version of the Lancer Evolution that would take on the Nissan GT-R.

Specifically, Autocar, citing what it says are “highly placed Mitsubishi executives,” says the PHEV would pair a 2.0-liter gas engine with two 80-horsepower electric motors to provide an awfully impressive 500 horsepower along with fuel economy of 150 miles per gallon (per the more lenient European driving cycle) and an all-electric driving range of as many as 40 miles.

Mitsubishi would use some of the technology employed in the MiEV Evolution II plug-in that raced at Pikes Peak this year, and while we don’t think it’ll look quite like that car (pictured above), we can dream a bit. Remaining an issue for Mitsubishi plug-ins, car execs say, is the continued lack of consensus on a fast-charging standard in the US, as Mitsubishi and Nissan continue to push for the CHAdeMO standard while US and European automakers bang the drum for the so-called SAE/”combo” fast-charging standard.

Mitsubishi working on 500-horsepower hybrid Evo? originally appeared on Autoblog Green on Wed, 24 Jul 2013 11:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Official: Toyota, Ford decide to end hybrid collaboration before it starts

Filed under: Hybrid, SUV, Truck, Ford, Toyota

Not all so-called Memorandum of Understanding pacts end in actual collaborations. For instance, after a two-year “feasibility study,” Toyota and Ford have just announced that they will not be developing hybrid systems for use in light trucks and SUVs as previously planned, and the two automakers will instead continue to develop their own hybrid technology independently.

The would-be collaboration was first announced in August of 2011, and would have seen a rear-wheel-drive hybrid platform that would “improve the efficiency of trucks and SUVs while still allowing them to be driven in the way customers expect,” according to our initial post on the topic.

Keep in mind that this announcement isn’t to say we shouldn’t expect hybrid pickups and SUVs from the two automakers, but that they probably aren’t coming very soon – Ford says it will have a system “before the end of this decade” and we haven’t heard much from Toyota on the hybrid truck front since the 2008 A-BAT Concept (pictured above) – and that they will not share any components between them (and they never have, for what it’s worth).

In any case, Ford and Toyota are continuing to work together on “next-generation standards for telematics and will consider other areas for future collaboration as well.” Feel free to read announcements from both automakers below.

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Toyota, Ford decide to end hybrid collaboration before it starts originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 23 Jul 2013 15:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Report: Lincoln poised to double MKZ Hybrid production

Filed under: Hybrid, Sedan, Plants/Manufacturing, Lincoln

2014 Lincoln MKZ - front three-quarter view, maroon

The Lincoln MKZ Hybrid has been something of a hit for Ford since the beginning, exceeding the company’s modest projected 15-percent take rate for more than two years (we say “modest” because that still means an overwhelming majority of Lincoln customers are passing up on the gas-electric powertrain even though it costs the same as the standard model). Either way, Lincoln builds 700 MKZ Hybrids at its plant in Mexico each month, but has sold 715 of them in each of the past three months. That’s why, according to a report in The Detroit News, when the restyled 2014 MKZ Hybrid arrives (non-hybrid pictured), Ford is doubling production compared to 2013. Instead of the hybrid model being 20 percent of production, the new hybrid will make up 40 percent.

Ford is doing well with hybrids in general – its portion of the electrified vehicle segment jumping 12 points in a single year to 16 percent. Assuming Ford doesn’t change the pricing strategy (along with the changes Ford is making to calibration to improve fuel economy), the sedan could continue to “[show] other luxury hybrids how it’s done” when it goes on sale later this year.

Lincoln poised to double MKZ Hybrid production originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 18 Jul 2013 14:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Report: Mazda3 diesel under consideration for US, hybrid not so much

Filed under: Hybrid, Sedan, Hatchback, Mazda, Diesel

2014 Mazda3 at NYC reveal - front three-quarter view, red

It’s been a long time coming, but we finally clapped our eyes on the real deal, officially official 2014 Mazda3 in hatchback form yesterday. Yet there’s a lot more to learn about this next-generation version of what has always been one of our favorite compacts. We know that the US version will come with one of two Skyactiv engines, but what about alternatives? Will there be any… or will the gasoline-fed four-cylinders be powerful and frugal enough to carry the day?

According to Automotive News, the answer is a definite maybe. Mazda North America CEO Jim O’Sullivan has told the trade publication that his employer will consider adding the company’s well-liked 2.2-liter Skyactiv diesel powerplant to the model down the road. However, the company first wants to see how the engine fares with American consumers in its big-brother Mazda6 sedan, a model that goes on sale later this year. As for a potential Mazdaspeed3 successor, mum is still the word.

Anything else? Uncharacteristically, Mazda will build a hybrid model of its new 3. We say “uncharacteristically,” because the Japanese independent has long shied away from gas-electric powertrain tech. In fact, it’s gone so far as to boldly announce its aversion to the technology, with auto show banners proclaiming “Not Electric. Not Hybrid. Not A Drag To Drive.” Despite all that, this new generation of Mazda3 will in fact be the company’s first full hybrid production model. According to AN, however, O’Sullivan says that the company has “no plans” to sell it in the US.

Production for the 2014 Mazda3 will throttle up ahead of the car’s September on-sale date in the US, but supply might be pinched until Mazda’s new Salamanca, Mexico plant fires up next year.

Mazda3 diesel under consideration for US, hybrid not so much originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 27 Jun 2013 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Video: Never-was Jaguar C-X75 hybrid supercar driven by Autocar

Filed under: Concept Cars, Coupe, Performance, Videos, Jaguar, UK, Electric

Jaguar C-X75 - Autocar drive video screencap

There’s lucky, and then there’s “I got to drive the Jaguar C-X75.” The crew from Autocar is among the handful of souls who can honestly make the latter statement. Jaguar invited the publication down for a little time in both the passenger and driver seats around the automaker’s proving grounds. While there’s no end to the jealousy oozing from our pores, the good news is that there were a few cameras on hand to capture the experience. As you may recollect, the C-X75 Concept was a unique hybrid supercar concept built to duke it out with the likes of the Ferrari LaFerrari, Porsche 918 and the McLaren P1. The British automaker put it on track for production, but unfortunately stopped the project about six months ago.

With a twincharged 1.6-liter four-cylinder engine capable of revving to 10,000 rpm, the C-X75 concept yields 502 horsepower and gets partnered with four electric motors – one at each wheels. A 19kWh lithium-ion battery pack serves up 300kW of power, and combined, the motors and battery are capable of yielding an additional 194 horsepower and 295 pound-feet of torque. Combined, the driveline is good for more than 850 horsepower and 738 pound-feet of torque. Said another way, the C-X75 will do the 0-60 miles per hour dance in under three seconds.

And Autocar got to drive it. You can watch the video for yourself by scrolling below.

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Never-was Jaguar C-X75 hybrid supercar driven by Autocar originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 24 Jun 2013 12:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Rumormill: Jaguar working on 700-hp, 200-mph hybrid F-Type?

Filed under: Convertible, Coupe, Hybrid, Performance, Jaguar, Rumormill

2013 Jaguar F-Type - front three-quarter view

After first driving the 2014 Jaguar F-Type in Spain this spring, we came away mighty impressed. Of course, if you had to pin us down for a top three wish list of what improvements we’d like to see, we’d probably hit you with something like: 1) Less weight. 2) Less weight and 3) Less weight. Oh, and if we’re feeling presumptuous, maybe some additional transmission choices.

Despite leveraging aluminum for the body and chassis, this Jaguar is still a bit of a fat cat compared to its rival models from Porsche. We never felt like it was lacking for power in any of its three supercharged trims, least of them the 495-horsepower V8 S, which is a genuine madman. We knew the variants would come, though – a quick look at the rest of Jag’s lineup provides all the evidence you need of that. And so we’re not surprised to see word of a hyper-powered F-Type on the horizon, an R-S version. What is surprising, however, is a new report that put its motivation at over 700 horsepower and its top speed at 200+ mph. Us? We’re just hoping the latter figure comes at least partially as a result of a hardcore diet.

This F-Type R-S news comes according to the rumormongers at AutoExpress, who expect the high-power Brit to come in coupe form, at least initially. We still haven’t seen the debut of the fixed-head F, but plenty of spy shots suggest its arrival is imminent. Wildly, AE posits that Jag won’t look for more displacement to gain power, it will instead radically downsize by using a 1.6-liter turbo- and supercharged four-cylinder and an array of electric motors. If that sounds familiar, that’s because AE suggests the high-tech powertrain will be scavenged from the defunct C-X75 supercar program (interestingly, earlier reports suggested this combination would only deliver about 500 horsepower).

AutoExpress says we’re in for a bit of a wait before the F-Type R-S checks in, likely 2016 or later. Intriguing as it all sounds, we won’t exactly be holding our breath…

Jaguar working on 700-hp, 200-mph hybrid F-Type? originally appeared on Autoblog on Sat, 22 Jun 2013 17:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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2014 Honda Accord Hybrid will get 49 mpg city in US, starts at $37,260 in Japan

Filed under: Hybrid, Honda

2014 Honda Accord Hybrid - black - front three-quarter view

2014 Honda Accord Hybrid JDM - front three-quarter viewTwo bits of news about the upcoming 2014 Honda Accord Hybrid have been released, but still not enough to have a complete picture of the revamped gas-electric that will come to the US this October.

First, and this applies to the US model, the Accord Hybrid has been given an estimated 49-miles-per-gallon EPA city fuel economy rating along with 45 mpg highway and 47 mpg combined thanks to some high-tech wizardry – a.k.a. two-motor hybrid powertrain – that is similar to what’s already available in the 115 MPGe Accord Plug-In. The Accord will be Honda’s first hybrid to be assembled in Marysville, OH. You’ll find many more details in the press release below.

Over in Japan, where we already knew fuel economy estimates, the story is a little more complete. Namely, that pricing for the new Accord Hybrid will start at 3,650,000 yen (US $37,260). That’s a whopping 610,000 yen ($6,227) more than the competition is charging for the Toyota Camry Hybrid and also a lot more than the standard Accord in Japan, which starts at around $25,500. Analysts say this price premium is “a good strategy” for the extra fuel economy and should keep the Accord nipping at the Camry’s heels, saleswise.

The big question is: does this help us guess how much the Accord Hybrid will cost stateside? Not really. Honda’s Jessica Fini told AutoblogGreen, “We don’t have pricing on the US version yet. That information will be available closer to the on-sale in October. It would be challenging to compare the Japan pricing strategy to what will happen with the US model since the markets are pretty different.” For example, she added, “The Accord in Japan is a premium model – in the article they compare it to a Lexus in the US – so that should also provide some perspective on how they are pricing it here. Certainly the US Accord has a different position here in the market.”

In the US, the standard Accord starts at $21,680 while the 2014 Plug-In begins at $39,780, and we’re pretty certain the hybrid will slot between the two. Bold prediction, right?

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2014 Honda Accord Hybrid will get 49 mpg city in US, starts at $37,260 in Japan originally appeared on Autoblog Green on Fri, 21 Jun 2013 16:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Rumormill: Mazda RX-9 to borrow hybrid tech from Toyota

Filed under: Coupe, Hybrid, Performance, Mazda, Rumormill

Mazda Kabura Concept

2006 Mazda Kabura Concept – Click above for high-res image gallery

The rotary rumormill continues to spin about as fast as a Renesis engine at redline (that’s 9,000 rpm, for those keeping track). Might the next rotary-powered RX from Mazda be a hybrid? It very well may, if you believe a report from Motor Trend.

Lending credence to the story is a 2010 agreement signed between Mazda and Toyota that would have the Zoom-Zoom company licensing the technology that makes the Prius tick. At the time, Mazda indicated that its first hybrid using Toyota technology would hit the market in 2013. Will it be in the form of an RX-9?

Motor Trend reports that the successor to the RX-8 will eschew reverse-opening rear doors for a standard coupe format with an architecture based on the platform of the next-gen Mazda MX-5. If true, we may be talking about the world’s first real rear-wheel-drive hybrid sportscar for the mass market.

It’s worth noting that a hybrid powertrain may very well cure what has forever ailed the rotary engine: low torque (electric motors make gobs of the stuff at low rpm) and high fuel consumption. We like the idea of Mazda forging forward with the rotary engine, especially one that’s tuned to make a ton of horsepower at stratospheric spinning speeds like a proper rotary should.

One potential weakness, though, is that Toyota’s Hybrid Synergy Drive technology uses a complicated continuously variable automatic transmission, and those have typically failed to provide the excitement of a proper row-for-yourself manual gearbox, or even a dual-clutch. In any case, we’re content to adopt a wait-and-see attitude on this latest rumor.

Mazda RX-9 to borrow hybrid tech from Toyota originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 24 May 2011 17:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Rumormill: Mercedes E300 Bluetec diesel hybrid could make it to the U.S.

Filed under: Hybrid, Sedan, Geneva Motor Show, Europe, Technology, Mercedes-Benz, Rumormill, Diesel, Luxury

2012 Mercedes-Benz E-Class

We’re about to witness the first-ever mass-production diesel hybrid in this summer’s Peugeot 3008 Hybrid4 crossover; this sort of powertrain has had engineers and many consumers drooling for a few years. The miles-per-gallon possibilities and environmental benefits are fascinating right away. All that has held them at bay was the expense of development and production, plus the unwanted risk of passing that big price tag on to buyers.

Mercedes confirms that its E300 Bluetec Hybrid is on the way and will be on sale by the end of 2012. We asked them right away what this means for Mercedes’ diesel investment in the United States. The team members in Germany grinned a lot and said they could neither confirm or deny anything at this time. But to stay tuned.

The first viable diesel hybrid from Stuttgart for public consumption was first shown at this past March’s Geneva Motor Show. It combines a latest-generation 2.2-liter four-cylinder diesel good for 204 horsepower with an ultra-sophisticated 20-hp electric motor module. Effective combined torque, however, booms out at 428 pound-feet from way down low in the revs, while estimated miles per gallon in European city/highway combined cycle hits 57.4 mpg at its best. For the EPA cycle, knock that down to a more earthbound 45 mpg or so average in normal driving. Still, not too shabby for an E-Class, kids.

The lithium-ion battery assembly used in the E300 Bluetec Hybrid is the same one tried and liked already in the S400 Hybrid. Please, oh, please, get this baby over here for a near-future One Lap of America.

Mercedes E300 Bluetec diesel hybrid could make it to the U.S. originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 16 May 2011 11:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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