In this week's round-up of automotive gossip, we chat hybrids with Toyota and design favourites with Mercedes, hear about Ford of Europe's EV charging plans and more.
Toyota's high-flying hybrids
Toyota's long-term hybrid strategy is paying off, as the firm believes it can avoid EU fines by meeting the mandated 95g/km CO2 fleet average from next year without radical change to its business model. European boss Johan van Zyl also claims even stricter 2025 targets will be met, thanks to 40 forthcoming new or updated electrified models; 90% of Toyotas will be hybrid or electric by then.
Mercedes' design favourite
Mercedes design boss Gorden Wagener rates the AMG GT as his favourite design, likening it to the classic Jaguar E-Type. “I can’t pick favourites,” he said, “but if I had to do one last design, it would be a sports car like that. I love the long bonnet and the cockpit that makes you look and feel so good. Those types of projects are very special.”
PHEV buyers to profit from Volvo's free electricity scheme
Volvo's scheme to offer a year of free electricity to buyers of its plug-in hybrids could make money for many of them. Volvo will pay cash to buyers for every charge over the first year, calculated on a baseline average for a kWh of electricity in the UK, regardless of where and how the user has charged – even if they’ve done so at work and therefore not had to pay for the charge themselves.
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Toyota
Spend wisely on MILD-Hybrids wasted billions on Hydrogen
Quite right, Toyota has invested wisely
Toyota has now made millions of hybrids, they are widely respected and, aided by the Atkinson cycle engine and eCVt transmission, the cars achieve much better fuel economy and CO2 emissions than could be achieved with an unaided petrol engine. Furthermore Toyota makes money from them (and is not likely to incurr EU fines) plus the experience gained with batteries, high power electronic control systems and electric motors will make the jump to full EVs a much easier proposition that it is proving for some other manufacturers.
I would never underestimate Toyota, it is an exceptionally clever, far sighted and profitable company that does most things right.
LP in Brighton wrote:
Also very heavily investing in battery R&D, more powerful, cheaper battery discoveries along with the things you mentioned will be the final piece of the jigsaw unlocking an EV future. Putting them in a leading position.
Toyota have blown it
speculatrix wrote:
Blown it how? my RAV4 does 'self charge'its an accurate term and its certainly not crap, giving same power and mpg a comparable auto diesel SUV would achieve but with even lower emissions and a lower tax bill than the diesel. And the bonus of no tractor engine noise.
If that's blowing it, then long may they keep blowing it!