Toyota is currently dealing with over 100,000 back orders for their new 2010 Prius hybrid, but that’s not stopping them from thinking about the future of the model. Reports from Japan indicate that Toyota will be producing about 20,000-30,000 plug-in Prius models per year starting in 2012. This follows recent reports that Toyota will begin leasing a small fleet (about 500) of the cars later this year for testing prior to a full product launch.
For the past six months, the hybrid vehicle market has done something that not many people expected: it has grown. Sales figures have been compiled for the month of June, and the trend continues with a 9% increase in hybrid car sales over June 2008. Perhaps the most impressive part of these sales numbers is the fact that the overall automarket has shrunk by about 28% versus June of last year.
The new generation 2010 Toyota Prius has the best fuel economy ever seen on a production hybrid. So how does it get greener? By manufacturing it in an eco-friendly factory. The production of carbon emissions and the consumption of fossil fuels occurs through all phases of the automotive supply chain. From the energy required to mine the metals to construct a car, to the energy required to transport it to a refinery, then converting it into a pliable form, further transportation to the manufacturing site, and then the actual production. In order to cut down on the environmental damage that is largely unseen by the driving public, Toyota is constructing the Prius in a manufacturing complex that extends the model’s green credentials.
Spring is in the air, and for motorcyclists in a winter world, that means it’s time to saddle up. Which makes it the perfect time for Zero Motorcycles to drop the curtain on its new line of electric motorcycles. The Zero S, DS, X, and MX offer added power, increased acceleration, and enhanced power pack technology.
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