Gizmodo: Hybrid Vehicles

XR-3 Hybrid: 225 mpg Electric/Diesel Available in May?

Charlie White — Wed, 21 Mar 2007 18:45:00 EDT

There's a hybrid hoedown happening, with innovative ideas for efficient vehicles zipping around left and right, but this XR-3 Hybrid is different: It might actually find its way to the reality-based world as soon as two months from now. This diesel/electric hybrid is an odd-looking three-wheeler with a 40-mile range when it's running on just electricity, and an outlandish 225 miles per gallon when in hybrid mode.

Who cares if it's a bit unusual-looking, we like its clamshell canopy and Back to the Future design. It's smart, too, with its two front wheels powered by that internal combustion engine, while that rear wheel is powered by an electric motor, which is designed to be used exclusively on short trips. But there's a catch.

You won't be able to buy one of these at your local car dealer. Designed as a plans-built vehicle, the company says body and chassis kits will be available after the plans are released, in May.

Pricing hasn't been set, but you'll have to be a fairly skilled craftsman to build one of these babies. Not to worry, though—if it actually performs as advertised, there will probably be plenty of willing and able car builders stepping in, offering to build you one for the right price. – Charlie White

Designer's Page [Robert Q. Riley, via Treehugger]

Hybrid Concepts From Toyota and Honda Roll Out at Geneva Auto Show

Charlie White — Wed, 07 Mar 2007 10:15:53 EST

Well, well. Look what those Japanese automakers are playing around with in the hybrid arena. On the left is what some wags are saying could be the next Toyota Prius, but for now it's called the Hybrid X concept, loved by many but called such epithets as "jellybean" and "suppository" by others. Inside this concept car—but maybe not ever making it to the open road in the real world—are electronically-opening doors, energy-efficient LED lights throughout, drive-by-wire steering and touchscreens all over the place. Check out our friends at Jalopnik's extensive gallery of this science fiction-like prototype.

On the right as Honda's creatively named Small Hybrid Sports Concept. It has front wheel drive and was designed by Honda's European research and development center. There was little other information about this little pocket rocket, but you can see more of it in this gallery. More about these hybrids versus electrics, after the jump:

Both of these concepts stick with the combination of internal combustion engine and electric motor, but we were hoping for plug-in models, or completely electric cars such as the Tesla Roadster.

Even though hybrids seem like a great idea, they're still guzzling fossil fuels from countries that hate America, and then, well, those batteries might cause more problems than they solve when it's time to dispose of them. So we're thinking maybe the solution is for all of us to work at home instead of driving so much. Or ride bicycles. – Charlie White

Honda Small Hybrid Sports Concept and Toyota Hybrid X Concept [Jalopnik]

VentureOne is One Quick Tryke, Electric or Hybrid

Charlie White — Fri, 16 Feb 2007 10:19:59 EST

Electric tricycles seem to be a growing trend, and we can now add this VentureOne to that list. This one gives you a choice of either all-electric or hybrid power. It leans when you turn, can reach 0-60 in 6 seconds and goes 100mph with an impressive 100mpg fuel efficiency. Perhaps the most startling of all is its price, $18,000 for the hybrid drive Venture E50, up to $23,000 for the all-electric drive Venture EV.

We're most interested in that all-electric model, even though its top speed is just 75mph with a range of 120 miles. Yeah, those specs aren't as good as the $42K 125mph PT2 Electric, but still, saving $19,000 for that extra 50mph that you can rarely if ever legally use is a bargain.

More stats, specs, pics and a release date:

We're also quite impressed by the VentureOne's way-cool design, put together for California's VentureVehicles by the BMW Group Designworks USA. Expect to see this electro-tryke hit California roads by July 2008. We just wouldn't want to be that poor soul sitting in the back seat. – Charlie White

Product Page [Venture Vehicles, via Slash Gear]

Toyota Teases With Upcoming Hybrid Concept

Charlie White — Wed, 14 Feb 2007 13:33:33 EST

Toyota, you're such a tease. Unveiling the second of two of your latest hybrid vehicle prototypes at the Geneva Motor Show this month, and all you're showing us is this quarter shot of its ass end. So far, this Prius successor is called the Hybrid X, and it's said to have ideas that are so new they'll require a "new design language" to describe them.

But that's not all. You'll recall that we showed you a sporty 400hp hybrid Toyota also has in the works, named the FT-HS, revealed last month at the Detroit Auto Show. Can't wait to see these on the road, both of which promise to be two of the most gadget-y cars yet. – Charlie White

Toyota Unveiling New Hybrid Concept in Geneva [Jalopnik]

Toyota FT-HS Hybrid: 0-60 in 4 Seconds

Charlie White — Thu, 28 Dec 2006 12:51:28 EST

Yeah, it's just a concept car, but this one might find its way onto the highway. It's the 400hp Toyota FT-HS Hybrid Sports Concept, set to roll out on January 7 at the Detroit Auto Show. What really caught our eye was the Electric Tesla-like numbers of zero-to-60 in 4 seconds, and one big figure that's actually smaller than expected: Toyota is shooting for the mid-$30,000 price range.

Even though we like the Toyota Prius, it is kind of dorky looking. Maybe elements of this design could be incorporated into the next Prius. This is something we could live with. Check out six more wicked pics:

Check out the way the hard top folds into the trunk in pics three and four.

Even if this hybrid concept doesn't show up on showroom floors any time soon, it might just be foreshadowing of what we might see with a possible Toyota Supra in the works.

This is a great trend in hybrids: electric motor as supercharger. – Charlie White

2007 Detroit Auto Show: Toyota Unwraps The FT-HS Hybrid Sports Car Concept For Christmas [Jalopnik via Edmunds Inside Line]

Obvio Tribrid Sports Car: Electric Pocket Rocket Runs on Anything

Charlie White — Wed, 27 Dec 2006 10:29:51 EST

If you can figure out front from back in this cab-forward next-gen vehicle, the next thing you can do is figure out what sort of fuel to put inside. It's called a "tribrid" car because it can run on any combination of regular gas/bio ethanol (that's kinda like french fry grease), natural gas, or electricity. Brazillian designer Obvio is partnering up with supercar maker Lotus (also the builder of the body of the Tesla electric sports car) to develop this roadster which is expected to sell for around $59K if it ever makes it to the US.

Called a high-performance micro sports car, it has side-by-side seating for three and is just 10.5 feet long. Obvio says it will be available in the last quarter of 2008, when the company will also offer a 160MPH non-electric multi-fuel car with the same body for a US price of around $28,000.

Check out five more wild exterior and interior pics:

Look at that—there's a carputer in there, too.

The way things are going, looks to us like by 2010 (if not sooner) there will be quite an impressive collection of multifueled and electric sports cars from which to choose. Bring it on. – Charlie White

Product Page [Obvio, via Jalopnik]

Dual-Mode Vehicle Takes to Road and Rail

Charlie White — Fri, 15 Dec 2006 13:17:21 EST

Is it a bus or a train? This dual-mode mini train is both. The JR Hokkaido Railway Company in Japan has been testing a bus that can switch between steel wheels and street-ready rubber tires, tooling around on the train track as a solo vehicle and avoiding accidents with satellite assistance, and then driving on city streets just like any other bus.

After its successful test run last month, the company vows to make its first trip with paying passengers next April. In addition to its versatility, the vehicle's $150,000 cost is just a seventh of the price of a conventional diesel rail car, and it's easier and cheaper to maintain, too. When these babies hit the road, every street wil be a potential train station. – Charlie White

Dual-mode vehicle a hit in Japan [Sydney Morning Herald, via Jalopnik]

Toyota Designs Hybrid Vehicle Using Pedal Power and Electricity

Charlie White — Tue, 28 Nov 2006 10:08:49 EST

Toyota has designed a concept car for that time when we'll all be towing our Priuses with a team of horses, calling its creation a Renewable Lifestyle Vehicle (RLV). It takes the word "hybrid" to the next level, splitting its powertrain between pedal power and a battery-powered electric motor.

Yep, it's like that little pedal-powered fire truck you had when you were a kid. It's super light, made of aluminum, bamboo and something called "bioplastic," known to you and me as garbage. Why was this designed, anyway?

Toyota didn't say if or when it plans to build such a vehicle; the company was just playing a game called the Design Challenge, dreamed up by the greater Los Angeles Auto Show, urging nine carmakers to imagine "a time when all vehicles have technology allowing the public to enjoy the distinctive Southern California lifestyle and unique environment without harming it."

The goofiest vehicle in the competition was the Green Hummer, pictured above, that somehow uses panels made out of slime, I mean, algae, to pay back for all of that polluting carbon dioxide it spews. The algae is supposed to photosynthesize oxygen out of the Hummer's plentiful supply of carbon dioxide emissions.

We'll find out who wins this competition on Thursday (November 30). – Charlie White

Toyota Unveil Hybrid Pedal-Electric Concept 'Car' ]treehugger]

Venturi Astrolab: First Commercially-Available Solar Hybrid

Charlie White — Mon, 02 Oct 2006 11:59:11 EDT

From that forward-thinking French company Venturi, here's Astrolab, the first commercially available solar electric hybrid car in the world. The company says it can go 74mph and has a range of 68 miles, probably long enough for most commutes. The entire top of the vehicle is equipped with photovoltaic cells—3.6 square meters of them—and they store that energy in batteries, so you can still drive it on cloudy days, too.

If you have a long commute, you might want to leave this baby parked out in the sun so it will be all charged up and ready for you to go back home. This is not just some experiment, either, the company plans to ship these vehicles in January, 2008 for 92,000, or about $117K. But think of all the money you'll save on gas. – Charlie White

World's first commercially-available electric-solar hybrid [Gizmag]

Google Sets Up Foundation to Develop Plug-In Hybrid Engine

Charlie White — Mon, 18 Sep 2006 11:11:20 EDT

Google has set up a for-profit foundation dedicated to fighting poverty, disease and global warming. One of its goals will be to develop a 100mpg plug-in hybrid car engine that's a triple play of fuel-efficiency, running on ethanol, electricity and gasoline, or combinations of the three. The company will start out with a small fleet of cars, converting the engines inside to this new plug-in hybrid configuration.

One of the company's first problems: developing a battery that charges faster and holds more energy than current hybrid car batteries. If anybody can find a solution to this problem, it's Google. After all, the problem might take some searching, and Google is good at that, plus it has billions of dollars. Good luck, Google. Sounds to us like a nice way to blow a boatload of cash. – Charlie White

Googling a Hybrid: Search Giant's Charity to Develop Plug-in Hybrid [Jalopnik]

Hybrids Bound for Formula One

Charlie White — Wed, 30 Aug 2006 10:00:28 EDT

Our beloved blood brothers at Jalopnik tell us that hybrid vehicles may be soon winding their way into Formula One racing, where overlords of that heady luxo-sport world are sniffing around the technology. Two big players who build such Formula One dream machines, N.Technology S.p.a. and Tatuus s.r.l., have teamed up to build the first hybrid formula car. The single-seater open-wheeled race car will have a 250hp engine, presumably along with a thus-far unspecified electric motor that uses ~~recursive~~ regenerative braking to recharge its batteries.

The fact that hybrid engine technology is even being considered by world-class Formula One designers serves as an ad hoc endorsement for the idea. We're feeling the logic of that—after topping 44 miles per gallon on a multi-thousand mile road trip in a Honda Civic Hybrid last week, you can imagine how jazzed we are about hybrid engines. This development, along with the intriguing Tesla electric vehicle, show us that sometimes it is easy being green.

Green Goes Mean? Motorsports Firms to Build Hybrid F1 Car [Jalopnik]

Aptera Concept Car: 330mpg, Under $20K

Charlie White — Fri, 11 Aug 2006 10:00:54 EDT

Yeah, you're laughing at this weird-looking half-egg-shaped concept car now, but when gasoline costs $10 a gallon not too long from now, this 330 mile-per-gallon Aptera concept car might start looking pretty damn good. It cops that high-mpg efficiency with a fuel-sipping diesel engine lashed onto hybrid technology, coupled with its wind-slippery aerodynamics and 850-pound weight.

Stare at it long enough, and it starts looking like a lemon that's been cut in half. Will it be a lemon? Wait a couple of years to find out, because the Aptera's designer, Accelerated Composites, says the three-wheeled fuel miser will hit the road by the end of 2008 at a sticker price of less than $20K. – Charlie White

The Race to 100 MPG [Popular Science, via Sci Fi Tech]

GM Builds Its First Hybrid Trucks

Charlie White — Thu, 03 Aug 2006 10:16:17 EDT

We like to follow hybrid vehicles around here, and now even pickup trucks are getting into the act. GM will reportedly roll out its first hybrid trucks—versions of the Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra—for its Fall 2007 launch.

Our beloved greasemonkey brethren at Jalopnik tell us the techo-goodness inside is called dual-mode hybrid, where GM and their buddies at BMW and DaimlerChrysler have figured out how to hook up two separate connections into the hybrid system and shoehorn all that into the standard-sized transmission case. One of those connections is for low-speed, high load-type operations, and another for high-speed, freeway-type, lighter load-type operations. Bottom line? 25% better fuel economy, and 365hp.

We're hard-pressed to get excited about pickup trucks, no matter what's under the hood. Although these pickups will have plenty of power as well as better gas mileage, it still seems to us like drinking a Diet Coke to wash down a gigantic chocolate sundae. – Charlie White

Being Greenish: Silverado, Sierra to be GM's First Hybrid Trucks; Fall 2007 Launch [Jalopnik]

GM to Build Plug-In Hybrid?

Charlie White — Mon, 26 Jun 2006 14:20:08 EDT

As we keep you posted on the latest developments in hybrid vehicles, we can't help but notice that General Motors has been lagging behind, and has even discontinued building promising cars that run on anything but internal combustion engines. But now, our greasemonkey brothers at Jalopnik tip us off about how the me-too suits at GM might be thinking about building a plug-in hybrid, according to "someone familiar with the company's plans."

Such a plug-in car would give drivers a choice of running on electricity only, or also having an internal combustion engine to kick in when the batteries run out. We're thinking the timing is pretty fortunate that such a story would leak out, what with the GM- and big-oil-critical documentary just about to be released, Who Killed the Electric Car. – Charlie White

GM Planning Plug-In Hybrid? [Jalopnik]

Next Prius: 100MPG, Turbocharged?

Charlie White — Tue, 06 Jun 2006 12:55:59 EDT

We're not really gearheads or grease monkeys, but our Gawker brothers at Jalopnik convinced us to tell you about the next Toyota Prius, since we all know that it's really just one big gadget. Anyway, they're telling us the next Prius might be a firebreather, where its 1.8-liter engine could be turbocharged. Meanwhile, its hybrid system will get more-efficient lithium ion batteries, and all this adds up to mileage that is said to be over 100 miles per gallon.

We're also hearing Toyota is thinking of giving you the option of plugging in the new Prius in addition to its hybrid capabilities, letting you top off the batteries while it's parked, further increasing its efficiency. So, let's get this straight: not only will this hybrid car go faster than the current version, it'll get better gas mileage and have lower emissions? Sounds like the best of all worlds to us, and then there are those great techie toys inside, too. No word on when this next-gen hybrid will be shipping. – Charlie White

Artificial Aspiration: Could Next Prius Have a Turbo? [Jalopnik]

Next-Gen Prius: 94mpg, 0-60 in Under 10 Seconds?

Charlie White — Tue, 11 Apr 2006 10:48:50 EDT

We know those car manufacturers are fast and footloose with MPG figures, but we had to take notice when we got word that the next Toyota Prius will be capable of 113 miles per gallon (in the UK, which is equal to 94mpg in North America). That's more than double the mileage the best hybrid vehicles get now. The Prius's redesigned electrical system will depend even more on the electric motor, using it by itself at slower speeds but kicking in the internal combustion engine when higher speeds are needed. Even with this higher mileage, the car's 0-to-60 time will be faster, reportedly under 10 seconds.

This kind of performance is possible by using the latest lithium-ion batteries which are better in every way than the currently-used nickel-metal hydride (NiMH) batteries, being lighter, smaller, longer lasting and able to produce more energy per pound. We just want to know when the next-generation hybrid will be available, and, if this is not just a lot of empty boasting.

New Prius to Have 113mpg Target [Jalopnik]

EDrive Systems Testing Plug-In Prius Hybrid

Charlie White — Fri, 07 Apr 2006 12:01:01 EDT

EnergyCS of California is deep into testing of a plug-in Toyota Prius, and it's delivered a prototype to California's South Coast Air Quality Management District for evaluation. One of the next generation of hybrid vehicles, the EDrive-equipped Prius barely sips gas while its more powerful plug-in batteries do most of the work, resulting in efficiency that might top 100mpg.

If all goes well with the testing and demonstration of these vehicles and the company's plug-in conversion system, EnergyCS will market the modified Priuses under the EDrive brand. The company says it will be "taking orders soon."

E-Drive Systems Delivers Plug-In Prius to California [treehugger]

Product page [EDrive Systems]

Sports Hybrid, Built by Kids, Runs on Soybeans, Zero-to-60 in 4 Seconds

Charlie White — Mon, 06 Mar 2006 11:48:55 EST

The top auto designers in Detroit have been slam-dunked by a group of high school kids from Philadelphia who built the K-1 Attack Hybrid, a sports car that gets 50 miles per gallon and can go from zero to 60 in four seconds. During auto shop class, the group took a Honda Accord chassis, a Volkswagen turbo diesel engine and a 200hp electric motor, and put together a hybrid electric/biomass car that runs on soybeans. Now the car has won a race and is getting big-time press coverage all over the U.S.

The kicker? It beats the gas mileage/performance ratio of any production vehicle on the market today. It s been a bad news week for the U.S. auto industry: First, American automakers aren't occupying any of the top ten slots in Consumer Reports recommended vehicles this year, and now this? Wake up, Detroit!

Take a Look at West Philadelphia High's Hybrid [Tree Hugger]

Better Batteries for Hybrid Vehicles on the Way

Charlie White — Fri, 17 Feb 2006 13:45:14 EST

MIT researchers have figured out a way to make a better battery for hybrid cars. They're using lithium nickel manganese oxide instead of the nickel metal hydride that s used in batteries powering today's hybrid vehicles. These new batteries can charge up ten times faster than current batteries, which means they can be ready to go in just ten minutes. There will be other applications for these new power sources, too, including tools, electric bicycles and uninterruptible power supplies (UPS). Battery technology seems to have been sitting still for so long, it's about time.

MIT Builds A Better Hybrid Car Battery [PersonalTech Pipeline]

Gizmodo Video Review: Honda Civic Hybrid, Part 2 - iPod On Board

Charlie White — Thu, 09 Feb 2006 08:57:23 EST

Here s part 2 of our 2006 Honda Civic Hybrid review, where Gizmodo s Charlie White shows you the iPod-compatible components that are part of the DVD-based navigation system inside this newly-redesigned hybrid vehicle. There s now an optional iPod Music Link installed, and you ll see how that works along with the rest of this versatile but flawed sound system.

Toyota Prius Hax0rz Pwn That Thang

Charlie White — Sun, 05 Feb 2006 10:05:55 EST

Besides being green-friendly and oh-so-trendy, the Toyota Prius is also becoming a favorite of ha><0rz everywhere. First, some brilliant master of digital prestidigitation figured out how to disable a couple of annoying noises the Prius makes with a few odd button pushing combinations on the odometer controls. Now the l33t have learned how to tap into the diagnostic port that s used to service the popular hybrid vehicle. The Prius runs what's called a Controller Area Network (CAN), and a company called Hybrid Interfaces is offering a $225 system that taps into this network and shows its data on the LCD screen on the dash. Or, you can go for the full-blown $275 Version 2 which allows you to add external video capability including a backup camera, plus a touch screen data port and the ability to add Pioneer s latest voice guidance navigation system to the mix. Note to hax0rz: next, teach the Prius to paint my house, then drive itself to work and do my job for me.

More Prius Fun! The Secret BEEP Code Revealed & Advanced Diagnostic Readouts [Treehugger]

Video Review: 2006 Honda Civic Hybrid

Charlie White — Fri, 03 Feb 2006 09:00:00 EST

Here s a little piece of technology you might be interested in seeing. It's the new Honda Civic Hybrid for 2006. The vehicle has been completely redesigned, and it has lots of great technology inside. We road tested a fully-loaded model with a DVD-based GPS navigation system onboard. With all the options, the thing costs just north of $25K. Is it worth it? Take a look at this video review from Gizmodo correspondent Charlie White: