Imagine a World Where Everyone Drove Efficient Vehicles

Discussion in 'In the News' started by xcel, May 20, 2016.

  1. xcel

    xcel PZEV, there's nothing like it :) Staff Member

    [​IMG][​IMG][​IMG][​IMG] Toyota is doing a heck of a job providing that thanks to their multi-role and function hybrid lineup.

    [​IMG]Wayne Gerdes – CleanMPG – May 20, 2016

    What began as a Japanese only test bed called Prius back in 1997 reached critical mass with the introduction of the second gen Prius back in late 2003. Today Toyota/Lexus Hybrid buyers have far more choices including power and performance with refinement and the latest luxury appointments - 2016 GS 450h F SPORT anyone – through to the all-out low emissions efficiency champion in the form of the 4th gen Prius. And these two stalwarts do not begin to describe the large number of utility oriented CUVs, mid luxury, or low cost first time buyer offerings to suit just about anyone’s needs.

    This morning Toyota announced that they have surpassed yet another Hybrid milestone with global cumulative sales of their hybrid vehicles now standing at 9.014 million vehicles through April. Toyota also stated that their latest million-Hybrid vehicle sales milestone was achieved in just the last nine months.

    Based on the stance that environmentally friendly vehicles can have a significant positive impact if they are widely distributed, Toyota has encouraged the mass-market adoption of hybrid vehicles across the globe like no other company.

    In 2015, Toyota added a hybrid model of the popular minivan, the Sienta for Asian customers.

    2016 Toyota Prius in Europe


    They introduced and began selling the all-new 4th generation of their hybrid icon, the Prius and all-new AWD RAV4, to customers around the globe.

    In China, Toyota introduced the Corolla and Levin hybrid and future PHEV models in China.

    All-in, Toyota is currently selling 33 hybrid passenger car models and one plug-in hybrid (PHV) model in more than 90 countries and regions.

    6-millionth Toyota Hybrids Sold
    8-millionth Toyota Hybrids Sold

    2016 Toyota Prius

    A Prius in Sunny Southern Calif.​

    Moving Forward

    Within this release, Toyota reiterated their long term goal through their Environmental Challenge 2050 initiative targeting the negative impacts automobiles on global environmental health to as close to zero as possible. In order to fulfill these challenges, Toyota is working to expand its lineup of hybrid vehicles even further and will work to contribute to the environment by achieving annual sales of 1.5 million units, and cumulative sales of 15 million units by 2020.

    Toyota’s internal calculations reveal that their hybrid vehicles have emitted ~ 67 million fewer tons of CO2 and saved approximately 6.6 billion gallons of gasoline compared to the amount that would have been consumed and emitted from std. gasoline-powered vehicles of similar size and weight.

    Toyota’s world class hybrid technology has a multiplier effect in that they are just now beginning to leverage this same technology to make inroads into the BEV and FCV space. All the while working to improve consumer driven performance, reduce consumption and emissions even further, lower costs, and expand its product lineup to create vehicles that meet the needs of an ever expanding consumer base. So far, they have done a pretty damn good job at doing just that.

    I am proud to be one of the 9-million families that are driving a Toyota Hybrid today to reduce our impact and strain on both the environment and our fragile geo-political standing all the while saving $s at the pump each and every day.

    Imagine a world in which most everyone did the same…

    Toyota Hybrid Vehicle Cumulative Global Sales

    (Units = 1,000 Hybrid Vehicles)

    Toyota Hybrid Vehicle Cumulative Model Global Sales

    (Units = 1,000 Hybrid Vehicles)

    Toyota Hybrid Vehicle Sales Chronology

  2. Jay

    Jay Well-Known Member

    The global sales figures are interesting. North American sales are many multiples of European sales despite much higher fuel costs in Europe. Europeans don't like hybrids? Perhaps favor turbo diesels? Japanese sales are pretty much on par with NA sales until 2005 where NA sales explode while Japan sales fall. Everyone in the US suddenly needed a Prius in 2005? Gas prices were high in 2005 but they didn't peak till 2008 and they had been rising rapidly for a couple years before 2005. Strange stuff.
    xcel and BillLin like this.
  3. BillLin

    BillLin MASS: 2018 Bolt EV and 2017 Prime

    Maybe N.A. is also more into the clean aspect of the Prius, not just the fuel savings. I know I am...
    xcel likes this.
  4. EdwinTheMagnificent

    EdwinTheMagnificent Legend In His Mind

    Fuel savings is just a bonus for me. I want to minimize my carbon footprint. Right now , it's a size 8. Wait.......... that's actually my shoe size. Not the same thing ?
    TheFordFamily, BillLin and xcel like this.
  5. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk 2010 Prius (CAN Touring) Staff Member

    So many things that could go from imaginary to real:

    1. Stay under the speed limit, keep a good space, be courteous, to other drivers and pedestrians.
    2. Reduce impulse drives, consolidate trips, opt for nearby excursions over further distant options, walk for short errands.
    3. Resist the urge to upgrade, stretch that car a few more years.
    kbergene and xcel like this.
  6. waltermlee

    waltermlee Well-Known Member

    Because of hi fuel prices in Japan and in Europe - there are more fuel efficient vehicles in Japan and in Europe there than in the USA where fuel cost are lower - hence, the Prius has to more competition in the Japanese and European car markets, e.g. the VW Bluemotion Polo TDI. With lower fuel cost in the USA, many if not most motor vehicle driver/owners favor motor vehicle that are more affordable(lower MRSP) and go fast over higher priced more fuel efficient cars.

    My Prius is part of my reduced carbon foot print effort ( My total carbon footprint is consistently about 1/3 to 1/4 that of my average resident in the Washington DC Metro Area ). The predicted shift in regional climate for the Washington DC Metro Area due to global warming which I read about about ten years ago is now starting to happen. The biggest danger to Mankind by Global Warming is the risk of the ocean surface temperatures getting too hot to support Photosynthesis which if it should come to that would trigger what is called an Anoxic driven Global Mass Extinction Event... The great unknown is not how fast will the sea level rise but how fast the ocean surface temperature will increase. Should the ice caps release a large volume of methane gas into the atmosphere as some predict - the ocean surface temperate should increase more rapidly and the risk of a Mass Extinction Event will increase proportionally.

    I've had the Prius for about six years and +72,000 miles - and while my 2010 Prius's overall fuel efficiency is about 59 mpg - my ScangaugeII consistently indicates that my Prius fuel efficiency will vary widely depending on how it is driven and the driving conditions. My overall fuel efficiency being higher than most because of the driving skills I have learned on websites like cleanmpg and priuschat. My siblings in Michigan drive a Prius just like mine but they drive their 3rd gen Prius normally (no hypermiling) and are able to still get consistently from 42 to 47 mpg overall....The 2016 (4th gen) Prius MPG performance should be more consistently high and take less driving skill to get high fuel efficiency than my 2010 (3rd gen) Prius. My previous car - a 1990 Honda Accord LX 4 door sedan 4 speed Automatic - got about 22 mpg over 20 years over about 200,000 miles.
    Last edited: May 23, 2016
    BillLin, TheFordFamily and xcel like this.
  7. TheFordFamily

    TheFordFamily Well-Known Member

    Hybrids are definitively the only way to go in the future. I love my Focus, and it's a PZEV. But fuel cost still isn't cheap. I'm all about saving the planet (and if you ever look at my posts, I'm always talking about electricity) and am doing all I can to reduce my carbon footprint. I'm looking into composting now! That will reduce my trash output so much!
    xcel and BillLin like this.
  8. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk 2010 Prius (CAN Touring) Staff Member

    Yeah, our "garbage" is approaching zero. Basically the only thing in there now is a few composite material wrappers, that no one currently knows how to deal with. Oh, and our Shiba's droppings. I hope something gets sorted out for that soon. :oops:

    Our area has two bins: one for "garbage", and one for compost, which entails any-and-all kitchen scraps, bones, even paper towels (we've cut way down on these, really should just be using cloth). Every week I manage a little yard clean up, to get a bit of pruning, or leaves, whatever, at the bottom of the bin. Then come "garbage" day, the kitchen scraps go on top. Truck comes by with an arm that grabs and upends the bin, and due to the yard prunings at the bottom the bin stays pretty clean.

    Recycle bin accepts 1,2,4,5 plastics, glass, paper/paper packaging, and tetra packs.

    It used to bug me, doing DIY oil changes, all the empty oil bottles, all with a bit of motor oil still. We've got a quick-oil-change down a trail from us; they'll take them, but... Anyway, talked to our nearby Toyota dealership, they're now selling me bulk oil; I bring a 4 liter container(s), they fill it up. Quite reasonable in price too.

    Return-It recycle depots take Styrofoam (woohoo, for years there was near nowhere to bring this stuff, and what places there were were miles distant, and near uncooperative). Save-On Foods (locally grocery chain) accepts plastic bags. This latter item seems to be the blight of garbage, any images or videos you see, there's a terrific amount of plastic bags. Everyone has the notion garbage has to go out in a plastic bag "condom" I guess.
    xcel and TheFordFamily like this.
  9. EdwinTheMagnificent

    EdwinTheMagnificent Legend In His Mind

    I'm still not sure how/if I can recycle plastic bags around here. I do try to use a sturdy , re-usable bag when I go shopping, but it seems that I mostly forget to have one in the car. One thing I do is re-use the bags the store gives me , sometimes for garbage , sometimes to hold my lunch. And though I haven't changed any oil for over a year, I will start doing that again later this year. I need to figure out how to recycle the empty bottle ( usually one 5 quart ).

    It takes me maybe a month to fill up the garbage container , but I put out the recycling every week. Of course , that's just me and Margot ( cat).
    xcel and TheFordFamily like this.
  10. TheFordFamily

    TheFordFamily Well-Known Member

    You can see if the store will recycle them! I keep a few around the house because I use it for garbage duty, but most stores will take them back and recycle them. I've also tried to get into the habit of taking the reusable bags in, but sometimes I forget.
    xcel likes this.
  11. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk 2010 Prius (CAN Touring) Staff Member

    Yeah, with us the grocery store plastic bag recycling makes a massive dent in our "garbage". Any plastic wrappers, the cellophane on meat packs, bread bags, deli meat trays: it all gets chucked in drawer, and periodically scrunched down into one bag, off the store.
    TheFordFamily and xcel like this.
  12. RedylC94

    RedylC94 Well-Known Member

    Concerning HDPE shopping bags, I
    1) Use some for garbage;
    2) Avoid getting some by shopping at Aldi;
    3) Take intact clean ones to a local Mom-n-Pop produce store for re-use (better than recycling!);
    4) Take torn ones to regular supermarket's bin for recycling.
  13. xcel

    xcel PZEV, there's nothing like it :) Staff Member

    Hi All:

    I have a ton of graduation stuff to do with my nephew today but CRs released their Gen IV Prius' Fuel Economy results. Best in history and even besting every TDI and the first gen Insight. While not as efficient as a first gen Insight with a stick - CRs is a bit lackluster on their testing apparently and I know their testing regimen - The all-new 4th gen 2016 Prius is a monster fuel saver.

    Mendel Leisk likes this.

Share This Page