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Toyota Prius Scan Tool
Why Hybrid Car Drivers Need Thick Skin
For anyone interested in saving money at the gas pump and helping the environment, the new hybrid cars are an excellent choice. Small and fuel-efficient, hybrids are now being made by more manufacturers than ever. Although hybrids cost more, and can be hard to find due to high demand, it still pays to choose a hybrid. Consider the following reasons to buy a hybrid next time you are in the market for a new car. Smaller, More Efficient Engines The hybrid's fuel efficiency is ...
Author: Ron King
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The Hybrid Car
A hybrid car has a small engine
that is fuel efficient, which is combined with an electric motor
that aids the engine when additional power is needed during
acceleration. The electric motor gets its power from battery banks
which continuously charge while you are driving.
Energy is conserved when you stop because the engine is shut off
automatically. Then, when you apply gas, it automatically restarts.
The hybrid car also uses a more advanced aerodynamic lightweight
body, and combines it with low roll resistant tires that are stiffer
and narrower to help reduce drag.
In 2004, out of the 17 million vehicles sold there were around
80,000 hybrid vehicles sold. By 2005 that number had increased by
1.2% to 200,000, and it's estimated that by 2007 more than 400,000
hybrids will be sold.
There are several hybrids currently available in North America. They
include the Honda Civic, Honda Accord, Honda Insight, Toyota Prius,
and the Mercury Mariner. There are also Hybrid SUVs available - the
Ford Escape, the Lexus 400H and the Toyota Highlander, and many new
models are on the way.
The Toyota Prius holds 52% of the hybrid market with just under
108,000 vehicles. The Honda Civic is the next most popular with
25,000 vehicles.
Now that consumer support for the hybrids has arrived, auto
manufacturers are increasing the pace at which they introduce hybrid
models. Just starting to come out are the Honda CR V SUV, Saturn Vue,
Hyundai Accent, and Kia Rio are being introduced as hybrid models.
In 2007 we will see the Toyota Camry, Honda Fit, Mazda Tribute,
Chevrolet Malibu, and Nissan Altima; and 2008 will see the Ford
Fusion and Mercury Millan available as hybrids.
And as an added bonus in the United States, consumers that purchase
a hybrid will get a tax break. Those purchasing fuel-cell vehicles
will get up to $8000 in tax breaks, and those purchasing alternative
fuel vehicles that weigh less than 8,500 pounds get a $2500 tax
break. It's a nice pleasant surprise!
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Article of the
Day:
Hybrid Cars - Technology Of The Future Or Passing Fad?
There are many reasons why people should drive electric hybrid cars. They are safer for the environment than gasoline engines. They also are more fuel efficient, and cost less money to operate than a gasoline powered car. However, they also cost a little more to purchase than a similar gasoline powered car, and because they are so new it is hard to find any inexpensive used models. They also do not burn less fuel when being operated at highway speeds. Since the biggest consumers of gas and ...
Author: Holly Odom
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Toyota Prius Scan Tool: Toyota Eyes California for Prius Production
News "industry news" toyota prius hybrid production california Quick, if you were Toyota, where in the US would you build your Prius hybrid -- along with, maybe, a hybrid version of your Corolla? Damn straight it's California, or it could be if a report in the Wall Street Journal is accurate. Still, the company already announced, earlier this year that it would build a hybrid version of its next-generation, 2007 Camry at its Georgetown, Kentucky plant. If Toyota does pick California to produce US-bound Prii, it'll likely be at the Fremont plant it shares with GM, which produces the Pontiac Vibe as well as Toyota Corollas and Tacomas, as part of the companies' joint-production venture, New United Motor Manufacturing (NUMMI). Related: Toyota to Build Camry Hybrid in the US; Toyota to GM: Hello, Partner; We Must Break You [internal]
Toyota Recalling Prius to Remove Easter Eggs
TOKYO, Japan - Toyota is recalling 160,000 of its popular Prius hybrid cars because of what the company initially called "an electrical problem that could cause the engine to stall." But in a subsequent announcement, Toyota president Fujio Cho was more forthcoming, saying, "It is our duty to admit to our consumers that non-malicious, but potentially inconvenient, computer code was introduced into the Prius sub-system. These so-called Easter Eggs are not truly dangerous, but we do not wish to dishonor our loyal customers by leaving them in place. This recall will correct the offending code." The recall work can be performed by any Toyota dealer free of charge.
2006 Toyota Prius Brochures Are Now Available to Download
Toyota has made the 2006 Toyota Prius brochure available online. Here is a link to download the brochure from the Toyota Prius web site. (Adobe Acrobat is required.) You also have the option to download the brochure to your PDA....
Toyota Recalls 75,000 Prius Hybrids (AP)
<p><a href="http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/mostviewed/*http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20051013/ap_on_bi_ge/prius_recall"><img src="http://us.news3.yimg.com/us.i2.yimg.com/p/afp/20051014/capt.sge.rbr44.141005044516.photo00.photo.default-384x218.jpg?x=130&y=73&sig=GBZbmFkRaf65UE05VVZs1w--" align="left" height="73" width="130" alt="Toyota's gasoline-electric powered Prius (L). Toyota Motor has issued a recall for about 160,000 Prius cars sold mainly in the United States and Japan due to a potential software glitch that may cause sales of the hybrid to stall(AFP/File/Kazuhiro Nogi)" border="0" /></a>AP - Toyota Motor Corp. said Thursday it is recalling 75,000 Prius gas-electric hybrid cars because their engines can stall due to an electrical problem.</p><br clear=all>
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