Daily Gadgets, Computer, and Electronics News » toyota

Toyota Yaris Superman Limited Edition

cosa — Sat, 14 Oct 2006 02:00:36 +0000

I first knew about this from an ads on Gadget Magazine and since I’m one of Superman’s fan-boy, I think this car worth mentioned here. The cool thing, it is only available in my country, Indonesia, with a price tag of around $17,000. The Toyota Yaris Superman Limited Edition itself, comes in Superman’s blue color, packed with several Superman-themed exterior stickers, including a large one on the side with the man of steel himself and not to mention the “S” logo on the front and the rear end. And if those aren’t enough, you can still get a blue seats as well as a S-shields on the steering wheel, floor mats, handbrake, shifter and even on the tissue box. Cool, huh?

Note that the car is not as fast as a speeding bullet.

[ Via ]

First Hybrid Cars in China, The Toyota Prius

cosa — Tue, 20 Dec 2005 18:00:38 +0000

Toyota Motor Corp. has announced that Sichuan FAW Toyota Motor Co., Ltd. (SFTM), a joint company formed with the China FAW Group Corp., initiated production of the Toyota “Prius” hybrid vehicle on December 15, 2005. Production is underway at Chanchun Fengyue Co., an SFTM branch. The Prius became the first hybrid vehicle manufactured in China under China’s national hybrid vehicle certification system, which came into effect on October 1, 2005. This is also the first time that Toyota has ever manufactured any hybrid vehicles outside of Japan.

The Prius will be priced in China at 288,000 Chinese yuan ($ 35,500). With China’s booming economy the demand for four wheelers has never been more. China is the second largest emitter of Green house gases after the United States.

Toyota plans to start accepting orders over the Internet in advance from December 16, 2005, and has set a sales target of 3,000 units for 2006.

[ Source ]

Toyota to Supply Hybrid Systems to Fuji Heavy (Subaru)

cosa — Thu, 01 Dec 2005 01:00:35 +0000

As reported by Nihon Keizai Shimbun, after become a major shareholder in Fuji Heavy Industries (FHI) in October, Toyota Motor Corp. (TMC) is going to supply hybrid systems to FHI and help train FHI engineers in hybrid technology. Toyota will deliver core hybrid components, including drive and control systems. They will also consider to integrate Fuji Heavy engineers with its own engineers in hybrid car development.

The FHI system uses a thin 10-kW motor in combination with the 2.0-liter 16-valve twin-scroll turbo engine currently used in the Subaru Legacy to create the Turbo Parallel Hybrid (TPH) powertrain.

The combination of the motor generator and Subaru’s Boxer turbo engine, which is adopting the Miller cycle in this application, creates a motor-assist hybrid (similar in concept to the first generation of Honda IMA) that FHI hopes will provide the performance of the current 2.0 Legacy GT (turbo) while delivering a 20% improvement in fuel consumption.

[ Via ]

Honda To Launch Hybrid Cars in China

cosa — Sun, 30 Oct 2005 06:19:57 +0000

Honda Motor Co is planning to sell hybrid electric-gasoline vehicles in China. This is a respond to their rival’s move, Toyota Motor Corp., who is going to start production of the fuel-efficient cars there within this year, Honda’s official senior said on Saturday.

“We want to launch hybrid cars in China as early as possible,” Atsuyoshi Hyogo, a Honda executive director in charge of the Chinese market, said in a press briefing. The carmaker is considering selling the Civic Hybrid sedan in the rapidly growing economy in Asia.

[ Source ]

Toyota Estima Hybrid Car

cosa — Sat, 15 Oct 2005 01:24:46 +0000

Previously, we mentioned about Fine-X, Toyota’s fuel cell hybrid car for the upcoming Tokyo Motor Show 2005. Here’s another eco car from Toyota for the event, the Estima. This concept car has a VDIM engine and E-Four (Electronique four-wheel drive).

Being an eco car which try to preserve the environment as much as possible, Toyota uses the THS II system that recycles even the heat dissipated by the exhaust system. This engine is capable of generating nearly 1500 Watts. Other than the electric engine, Estima also has a 2.4l fuel engine.

For the security, the Estima hybrid car offers Pre-Crash Safety System (with the use of a radar mounted in the front of the car), Lane Keeping Assistance, and Radar Cruise Control.

[ Via Nihon Car & Bike ]

Potential Glitch on Prius Hybrid Cars, Toyota Make a Recall

cosa — Fri, 14 Oct 2005 18:54:22 +0000

As reported by Associated Press, on Thursday, Toyota Motor Corp. said that they are recalling 75,000 Prius gas-electric hybrid cars because their engines can stall due to an electrical problem. The potential glitch is causing a dashboard warning lights in popular Prius hybrids to illuminate, which can prompt the vehicles to enter a “fail safe” mode that may cause their gasoline engines to stall. The vehicle’s electric motor will continue operating in a limited capacity, so drivers can steer to the side of the road. The gasoline engine may start working again if the driver restarts the vehicle.

Involved in the recall are some 2004 and early 2005 model year Prius cars. The cars have a gas engine as well as a battery-powered electric motor that can run separately or together to save fuel.

Toyota dealers will repair affected vehicles for free. The vehicles may need to have their software reprogrammed. Dealers may also apply a waterproof grease that will prevent water from getting into the electrical system.

[ Source ]

Toyota Fuel Cell Forklift

cosa — Thu, 13 Oct 2005 18:48:45 +0000

Toyota has announced a new fuel cell forklift prototype, the FCHV-F, that operates on a hydrogen fuel cell system. According to AutoBlog, the lift performance is reported to be equal to Toyota’s electric forklift.

A fuel cell is an electrochemical energy conversion device. A fuel cell converts the chemicals hydrogen and oxygen into water, and in the process it produces electricity. [ source ]

[ Via AutoBlog ]

Fine-X – Toyota’s Fuel Cell Hybrid Car

cosa — Wed, 12 Oct 2005 17:41:54 +0000

Toyota has announced its plan to reveal the Fine-X fuel cell hybrid car at the 39th Tokyo Motor Show. This vehicle aims toward hospitality and a better operational perfomance. And by using fuel cell hybrid system, the vehicle will be eco-friendly as it won’t add the amount of CO2 in the environment.

Toyota is touting the Fine-X as a revolutionary, new concept and a glimpse of the automobile’s future, providing the environmental performance of a fuel cell hybrid system and featuring an ease of movement through four-wheel independent drive control and a large, steering angle mechanism. The vehicle aims for a sense of “hospitality” through variable lighting intensity in the interior and through power “Welcome Seats” that move in and out of the car as the gull-wing doors open widely to assist getting in and out of the vehicle.

[ More Information @ GizMag ] [ Via UberGizmo ]

Fujitsu Ten’s Dual Display Navigation System

cosa — Fri, 07 Oct 2005 20:38:44 +0000

Fujitsu Ten, a Japanese in-car entertainment equipment manufacturer, has developed a dashboard entertainment and information display with one screen but different visuals and images a when viewed from different angles such as the drivers seat and the passenger seat. So, while the driver check out the navigational display and other informational aids, the passenger can watch a movie, television, or something else. The screen itself was developed by Sharp.

There’s something more. A digital TV tuner which ensures a stable picture even when traveling at speed and a 30Gb hard drive to store and listen to your MP3 files during driving.

Toyota has inked a deal that makes Fujitsu Ten OEM supplier for all its in-car screens and has already begun offering the dual screen functionality in japan. The specification for the new unit (code-named DUAL AVN7905HD) was jointly developed with Toyota and Fujitsu Ten will become standard equipment on Toyotas in the future, so you can expect to see the dual screen in Toyota models in the not-too-distant-future.

Fujitsu Ten’s dual display will be available in December for 315,000 Yen (around US$2750) and sorry, only in Japan.

[ Via GizMag ]

Electronic Key Integrated Watch from Toyota

cosa — Fri, 30 Sep 2005 16:30:37 +0000

Toyota Motor Corp. will soon released a “Key Integrated Watch” in Japan. It’s like a normal wristwatch but it allows user to unlock the door by simply grabbing the door handle of the driver’s or front passenger’s seat. Of course, you can still unlock the door by pusing the the lock button provided on the door handle.

By pushing the engine button, when inside the vehicle, you can start or stop the engine. Furthermore, by pushing the button provided on the side surface of the watch, the user can remotely lock/unlock the door. You can also unlock the door of the luggage room using this wristwatch.

This smart watch is exclusively designed for “Crown”, the Toyota’s luxury car which only available in Japan. The battery is equipped with solar cell, so you don’t have to change the battery. The price is Â¥42,000, or around $ 380, and will be available on 4 October 2005.

[ Via New Launches ]