The Japanese government said Wednesday that it has ordered Toyota to investigate a possible defect in its new Prius hybrid model after receiving 14 reports of brake trouble, another blow for an automaker already embroiled in its biggest-ever recall.

Drivers complained that the brakes on Toyota’s newest Prius momentarily stopped working at low speeds, especially on slippery surfaces, said Kenji Sato, a Transport Ministry official in charge of recall policy.

In one incident in July 2009, a new Prius crashed head on into another vehicle at an intersection, hurting two people in that car. Ten of the 14 complaints about the new Prius, which went on sale in Japan in May, came in January.

A Toyota spokesman, Takanori Yokoi, said dealers in North America and Japan had received “several tens” of reports from customers who said their Priuses had “braked insufficiently” on bumpy or frozen roads.

The automaker is still investigating and is not in a position to release more details, including whether a recall will be necessary, Mr. Yokoi said.

The Prius is the best-selling car in Japan, and the popularity of the Prius had been a bright spot in a global auto industry still reeling from the bankruptcies of General Motors and Chrysler.

The possible fault with the Prius’s brakes follows a widening recall involving 4.5 million cars by Toyota, the world’s No. 1 automaker, over gas pedals that could become stuck while driving.

source : nytimes

TOYOTA SWITCHES ON TO AN ELECTRIC FUTURE WITH NEW PRIUS PLUG-IN HYBRID
CO2 emissions cut to less than 60g/km

KEY POINTS

* New Prius Plug-in Hybrid Concept reinforces Toyota’s progress towards the ultimate eco-car
* Lithium-ion battery technology allows for compact packaging and quick recharging
* Rechargeable from domestic power supply or public charging point in around an hour-and-a-half
* Extended EV (electric) driving mode of up to 12.5 miles at speeds up to 62mph
* Over longer distances, Prius Plug-in switches to conventional petrol-electric full hybrid operation
* CO2 emissions cut to less than 60g/km
* Toyota to launch global lease programme to evaluate Prius Plug-in in early 2010

Toyota is unveiling a new Prius Plug-in Hybrid Concept at the Frankfurt motor show, signalling further progress towards its ambition of building the ultimate eco-car.

Presentation of the new concept comes ahead of a test programme that will see more than 500 cars leased to customers worldwide for real-world evaluation of performance and monitoring of driver attitudes and experiences.

Using lithium-ion batteries, the Prius Plug-in Hybrid provides clean, fuel-efficient electric-powered running in urban areas for longer distances and at higher speeds than the conventional, third generation full hybrid Prius. Over longer distances, or when the limit of battery power is reached, the system automatically shifts to conventional petrol power. Advanced battery technology allows for full recharging in around an hour and a half and the extended EV capability brings CO2 emissions down to around 60g/km.

The plug-in hybrid concept

Europe’s population is increasingly urban-centred and Toyota research into commuting patterns shows that in the UK and France, more than 80 per cent of car journeys cover a distance of less than 25km; in the UK around 80 per cent are less than 10km long. These figures confirm the potential for electricity in providing short to mid-term sustainable mobility.

The environmental benefits of electric cars for urban commuting are well-documented, but vehicle development has been hampered by the drawbacks of the weight, size and cost of the large capacity batteries needed to provide even a modest driving range, and the lack of an adequate recharging infrastructure.

Toyota is addressing both these issues with the launch of the Prius Plug-in Hybrid Concept. It believes that progress in battery technology makes plug-in hybrid architecture the most workable solution for an electrified powertrain. The system overcomes the issue of a limited cruising range by enabling an automatic switch to a traditional full hybrid petrol-electric system once the vehicle reaches the limit of its EV (electric vehicle) driving range.

The concept model is a development of the new, third generation Prius, and builds on the core technology of Hybrid Synergy Drive specifically to meet the needs of urban motorists. It is a full hybrid vehicle in which both the electric motor and petrol engine can drive the wheels: a fully electric EV mode is used for shorter distances, while the petrol engine provides a true long-range capability.

As well as avoiding the limited range traditionally associated with electric vehicles, Toyota has also achieved a compact and practical packaging design for the battery pack. Prius Plug-in can be also be quickly recharged, from a conventional household electricity point, or a public charging post.

More than 500 Prius Plug-in cars will be released around the world early next year for lease programme, with more than 150 of these on the road in Europe. This will let Toyota evaluate all the technical aspects of the new model in a real-world environment, an essential step in preparing the vehicle for a potential market launch. The lease programme will also yield valuable intelligence on market response and which characteristics drivers find appealing, and why.

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Orders in Japan for Toyota’s new Prius hybrid have topped a booming 110,000, a major dealership chain said Saturday, in what is turning out to be a rare bright spot in the gloomy auto market.

The third-generation Prius officially rolled out in Japan just two weeks ago. But dealers are already flooded with orders, including some placed weeks in advance, according to the dealership.

Toyota Motor Corp., the world’s biggest automaker, said two weeks ago that it received 80,000 advance orders, and has not updated that number.

But the Toyota Tokyo Corolla dealer said Saturday that nationwide orders at Toyota dealerships in Japan, including those of rivals, have soared to 110,000. Dealers tally their customer orders differently from the way manufacturers do.

But any way you slice it, the Prius is a hit. Toyota has set its monthly sales target for Japan at 10,000 new Prius cars — a figure that should make it the top-selling car in the country.

As the orders stack up, the company looks on track to meet or even surpass its goal and take that crown — an astonishing accomplishment for a hybrid, although the Prius is fighting competition from another new hybrid, Honda Motor Co.’s Insight.

Hybrids are in demand partly because the Japanese government began offering tax exemptions for the cars to encourage their sales earlier this year.

Parliament gave consumers added incentive Friday when it approved a cash-back rebate for trading in cars 13 years or older for greener cars.

Hybrids also promise savings on gas. In Japan, where frequent stop-and-go traffic lowers the fuel efficiency of gas-engine cars but actually raises it in hybrids, the Prius is promising nearly 90 miles per gallon (38 kilometers per liter). In heavy traffic, hybrids rely on their electric motors and thus burn no gas.

The overall Japanese auto market has been languishing for years, with vehicle sales falling to their lowest level in more than three decades last year. Demand has worsened since the U.S. financial crisis sent this nation into a recession.

Toyota, which also makes Lexus luxury models and the Camry sedan, has said it is increasing Prius production to meet demand.

But it is still expecting a 550 billion yen ($5.7 billion) loss for the fiscal year through March 2010, its second straight year in the red, because of the global auto slump and the unfavorable exchange rate in a strong yen.

BANGALORE: Toyota Kirloskar Motor anticipates the automotive market to pick up in the second half of this year; it will also roll out its ‘small car’ by end of 2010, Managing Director Hiroshi Nakagawa said here on Monday.

Talking to reporters at the 18th International Engineering and Technology Fair (IETF), he said “The small car will be entirely new, designed specifically for the Indian market. Work on our second plant in Bangalore is on schedule and some of the additional capacity will be for the small car”. Toyota Kirloskar at present has a capacity of 60,000-65,000 units and the second plant will add 70,000 units. Toyota is weighing the options of the small car as a hatchback or a sedan. Pricing would very much depend on forex fluctuations.

Toyota used the fair to display its hybrid car Prius, first launched in 1997. The company sold one million cars so far. Mr. Nakagawa said “The Indian market may not be ready yet for the Prius. It can be made here if the government extends the kind of tax concessions available in Europe and Japan itself. We are in talks with the Indian government about this.”

Deputy Managing Director-Marketing, Sandeep Singh, said sales began to pick up from January after a dull December, indicating that the market was reviving and consumer confidence returning. Factors such as cut in excise duty and easier loans had also helped. “We sold 52,000 units of Innova and Corolla last year and we should reach the same figure this year too,” he said.

South African Minister for Trade and Industry, Elizabeth Thabethe, who inaugurated the IETF, speaking to reporters later said bilateral trade with India last year amounted to $6.2 billion and could reach $12 billion a year ahead.

While South Africa’s exports predominantly minerals, Indian expertise to create value additions were being sought.

Toyota Motor Sales (TMS), U.S.A., Inc., unveiled the all-new 50-mile-per gallon rated third-generation Prius hybrid vehicle today at the 2009 North American International Auto show.

Celebrated as the benchmark for cars of the future, the Prius has delivered superior fuel economy and ultra-low emissions to more than one million owners worldwide for more than 10 years.

The midsize third-generation 2010 Prius will offer even better mileage ratings, enhanced performance, and innovative design features. It will be quieter, roomier, and equipped with advanced standard and available features such as a moonroof with solar panels, four driving modes, Intelligent Parking Assist (IPA) and steering wheel touch controls that display on the instrument panel.

An Eco-Icon

The first-generation Prius entered the market in 1997 as the world’s first mass-produced hybrid. The name Prius, “to go before” in Latin, became symbolic of a car that was launched even before environmental awareness had become a mainstream social issue.

From the beginning, Toyota’s full-hybrid system was developed in-house and has become a driving force behind advanced vehicle technology. The company’s exclusive Hybrid Synergy Drive System was introduced in 2004 on the second-generation Prius. Since then, more than 670,000 have been sold in the U.S.

In designing the new, third-generation Prius, Toyota engineers combined a careful refinement of existing systems with an aggressive measure of new technology necessary for the future of automobiles.

Fuel Economy and Environmental Performance

The new Prius will be built using processes that reduce pollution in every stage of vehicle life, from production and driving, through to disposal.

The third-generation Prius extends its record of continuous improvement in fuel economy. The first-generation Prius, which was rated 41 EPA combined mpg, was replaced by the current model, which is EPA rated at 46 mpg, combined city/highway. Using a combination of technologies, fuel efficiency was increased to an estimated 50 miles per gallon for the new Prius.

A larger and more powerful 1.8-liter Atkinson-cycle, four-cylinder engine will power the new Prius. Contrary to conventional wisdom, the larger engine actually helps improve highway mileage. By making more torque, the new engine can run at lower average rpm on the highway. When operating at lower rpm, the new engine uses less fuel. Mileage is especially improved in cold-start conditions and at higher speeds.

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The venerable Toyota Prius will be redesigned for the 2010 model year, and we’re beginning to hear rumors about the future of the green car icon.

Left Lane News reports, “Whispers of a highway rating anywhere between 60 and 80 mpg have been heard.” The car will feature “a slightly larger motor, moving from a 1.5L to a 1.8L motor,” but probably not the Lithium-ion batteries that Toyota is said to be developing.

The current Prius may still appear in dealerships even after the 2010 model arrives. The U.K.’s Auto Express reports, “The latest Toyota is expected to be more expensive than the outgoing model…However, Auto Express has learned that bosses plan to keep the current Prius on sale – and to compete with Honda’s forthcoming Insight, it will be at a new low price.”

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2010 Prius gossip was silenced today when Toyota’s Open Road Blog editor Jon F. Thompson confirmed that the photos revealed here yesterday, and here again today, are the real thing.

“We thought we’d take a moment to confirm that the car shown in these unauthorized photos – at least the ones we’ve seen so far – is indeed the new Prius,” stated Thompson. “Sorry, we’re not able to provide details,” he added. “Those will be forthcoming when the car is formally introduced at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit in January.”

The validity of the design was questioned at first because it looked to be about the same size as the current car, and previously in an interview between Micheline Maynard of The New York Times and James E. Lentz, president of Toyota Motor Sales U.S.A., he stated that the new 2010 Prius would be “larger than the current model.”

While it might grow in exterior dimensions it appears that most of the gains will be felt inside, with Thompson’s blog entry stating that “it’s about the same size as its forebear, but with more interior room and better fuel economy.”

And those who love the current Prius will no doubt be happy that Toyota is only making conservative updates to the world’s top-selling hybrid, at least on the outside, with a slightly sportier look featuring more interesting details that overall falls in line with Toyota’s more recently updated models.

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Toyota Motor Corp., the world’s largest seller of hybrid-electric cars, said a version of its Prius hatchback due next year will be roomier and more fuel-efficient.

Images posted on the Internet on Thursday show the 2010 Prius, Allison Takahashi, a spokeswoman for the Japanese automaker’s U.S. sales unit, confirmed in an interview. The car is to be unveiled in January at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit, she said. She said Toyota didn’t post the pictures.

The new vehicle “is about the same size as its forebear, but with more interior room and better fuel economy,” the company said in an e-mailed message.

I think That interior are real picture.

Source:Priuschat