Toyota has revealed a plan that will slowly disseminate the number of hybrids in the market, starting with the lease of 500 plug-in cars for the government and corporations while likewise stating that they will employ a mass production of the said vehicles by 2012. We are all aware that plug-ins are the better option when it comes to addressing transport and environmental problems and more importantly, this is the demand forecasted in the coming years.

To date, Toyota will aim to produce 20,000 to 30,000 unit by 2012, expecting the demand for these vehicles to balloon in the coming years. Toyota wants to price its plug-in hybrids at a comparable price to Mitsubishi Motors Corp’s all-electric car, which debuts this month to fleet customers in Japan at 4.59 million yen ($47,800) before government subsidies.

Toyota’s new Prius gasoline-electric hybrid costs less than half that, starting at 2.05 million yen in Japan. Toyota’s plug-ins will be able to run 20-30 km (12.4-18.6 miles) on battery power alone at full charge, the paper said.

(Source) Asia One

Tags: battery power, Cars, comparable price, corporations, electric car, environmental problems, fleet customers, gasoline, government subsidies, Japan, mass production, Mitsubishi, mitsubishi motors, mitsubishi motors corp, plug in hybrids, plug ins, Prius, Toyota

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Better Texas moves forward by announcing the addition of two new new hybrid-powered bucket trucks to its fleet. Oncor’s decision to add the hybrid-powered bucket trucks comes as a result of its participation in a 2006 trial of the hybrid trucks in the field, organized by the non-profit organization CALSTART (www.calstart.org).

Oncor was one of 14 utilities included in the trial, the results of which were very positive. The trial proved that the hybrid-powered bucket trucks, which alternate between diesel fuel and battery power to operate, get up to 60 percent in fuel savings, of which one-third comes from driving with the rest of the savings occurring at the job site as the hybrid system works the bucket or aerial device of the truck. The fuel savings Oncor receives from these hybrids help save the environment by using less fuel, a non-renewable resource.

On Friday, May 1, the trucks will hit the field, with one heading to work in Waco and the other to Fort Worth. Both are wrapped in Texas flag-inspired artwork, with “Hybrid Truck” and “Small Changes. Better Texas.” marked on both sides of each truck.

(Source) Press

Tags: aerial device, battery power, bucket trucks, calstart, diesel fuel, fuel savings, hybrid system, hybrids, oncor, renewable resource, texas flag, truck source

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