Repair Costs of a Hybrid Now Equal to Non-Hybrids
February 11, 2009 by admin · Leave a Comment
Repair costs for hybrid models, which initially were higher than average, have now fallen in line with those of non-hybrids.
These days, a Toyota Prius, or any other hybrid shouldn’t cost more to repair, on average, than your Corolla or Camry.
The study has been carried out by Audatex, a company that automates processing for insurance claims. Its survey looked at the costs of auto repairs for cars from model years 2001 through 2008. Read more
USA Today Prefers Ford Fusion Over Toyota Prius
February 9, 2009 by admin · Leave a Comment
Ever since Ford revealed the Fusion hybrid at the LA Auto Show, the debate amongst Prius fans has become quite heated. While Ford has proclaimed the Fusion as the most fuel efficient mid-size “sedan,” Prius fans reiterate that the Toyota is classed as a mid-size car based on interior volume. While that is certainly true, based on body styles, the Fusion’s natural competitor is actually the Toyota Camry, not the Prius. Read more
Hybrid Sales Drop 42.7% in December
January 6, 2009 by admin · Leave a Comment
Reported sales of hybrids in the US dropped 42.7% in December 2008 year-on-year to 17,698 units—the lowest December figure since 2004, when there were only four hybrid models on the market. Overall light-duty vehicle sales in the US dropped 35.5% in the month. For the full year, total reported hybrid sales dropped 10% to 313,781 units, while total light duty vehicle sales were down 18%.
The hybrid percentage share of new vehicles sold dropped to just below 2% (1.97%) in December. For the year, hybrids held a 2.4% share of the new vehicle market. Read more
Toyota Camry CNG Hybrid Concept: LA 2008
November 19, 2008 by admin · Leave a Comment
The Toyota Camry CNG (Compressed Natural Gas) Hybrid concept debuts this week at the Los Angeles Auto Show. With a pair of tanks instead of a spare tyre, doable because of run-flat tyres, the CNG-fueled Camry Hybrid has a range of up to 250 miles.
The benefits are that compressed natural gas burns cleaner, emitting fewer particulate emissions than gasoline, and CNG is still a little cheaper per gallon than petrol in the US. The downside is that CNG must be stored in cylindrical containers, so the designers lose the flexibility of being able to shape the fuel tank to suit the car’s optimal packaging. CNG’s also less dense than gas, which means less overall power than a comparable, conventionally-powered car. The big one is the usual story when it comes to new liquid fuel options, finding a filling station! Toyota says there are around 1,000 CNG pumps in the USA, and most of them aren not open to the public. So this concept is likely to remain a concept especially with the T. Boone Pickens plan off the table for now.
