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Toyota Australia to build
10,000 Camry hybrids/year - Monday, June 9th, 2008 - The
Australian government has allocated A$500 million ($475 million)
towards the Green Car Innovation Fund to encourage development of
low-emissions vehicles. Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd said
Toyota would get A$35 million in grants for Camry hybrid production.
Toyota will start assembling its Camry hybrid cars in Australia in
early 2010 and aim to produce 10,000 of them a year, in its latest
effort to popularize such fuel-efficient vehicles.
That would make Australia the fourth country to build
gasoline-electric hybrid vehicles.
“We decided to build the Camry hybrid in Australia because
Australians are keenly aware of environmental issues including
global warming,” Toyota President Katsuaki Watanabe told a news
conference in Nagoya, central Japan, attended by visiting Australian
Prime Minister Kevin Rudd.
Worldwide Prius Sales Top 1 Million Mark - Monday,
June 2nd, 2008 - Toyota has sold 1 million Prius’
globally since its inception in 1997. With the more than 750k sold
since 2005. That is a great acheivement. But how do those numbers
translate to effect on our environment?
“Prius vehicles worldwide have contributed to a reduction in CO2
emissions (considered a cause of global warming) by producing
approximately 4.5 million tons*2 less CO2″ This website will help you to see that there are
many other options available to us as consumers to satisfy our
transportation needs and desires. We do not have to think that the
options at our disposal are all going to be ugly, and/or box like.
Actually that is about as far from the truth as you can get.
Manufacturer's like General Motors, with their Chevrolet, and Saturn
branches. Also Toyota, and Honda, as well as BMW, Lexus, Ford,
Chrysler, SSC, Hyundai and many others have jumped into the eco car
reality. Some companies by choice to help make our world a better
and greener place to live. A place that has less emissions, or even
better no emissions from the vehicles that we choose to drive.
By setting strict guidelines as to what we as a society will
tolerate for the new emissions levels coming from the vehicles that
we produce, purchase and drive. Deciding to not buy and or use
vehicles that do not meet our personal requirements is a good place
to start. Write to your state representative telling them that you
want them to enforce stronger regulations on the newer vehicles that
are being produced in our country. The rest of the world and auto
makers will conform as well once we set the example of making our
world a better place.
"Aerodynamic improvement is a critical step in meeting the range
targets necessary for moving the vehicle to a final production
decision." Aerodynamic drag accounts for approximately 20 percent of
the energy consumed in an average vehicle, directly impacting
vehicle fuel efficiency. Aerodynamics development begins with a
1/3-scale model where basic shape and major features are defined.
The model includes a highly detailed underbody and engine
compartment. Radiator and under hood cooling flow is developed with
computational fluid dynamic models. Simultaneously, computation
development takes place to determine aerodynamic drag of design
alternatives. Development continues with full-scale models, where
shape is refined and optimized for low wind noise. The development
process concludes with a vehicle prototype validation of the
math-based analysis and physical testing. |
