Toyota’s Prius escapes niche to surge into global top three

LOS ANGELES — Toyota’s Prius, a niche oddity when it went on sale 15 years ago, jumped to the world’s third bestselling car line in the first quarter as U.S. demand and incentives in Japan turned the hybrid into a mainstream hit.

Prius sales more than doubled as Toyota extended the name to a four-model “family” of vehicles at the same time that rebates and tax breaks in Japan are saving buyers the equivalent of $2,500 or more. In the quarter, sales soared to 247,230, trailing only Toyota’s Corolla, at 300,800, and Ford’s 277,000 Focus sales.

The Prius surge, after two years of recalls and production disruptions, propelled the Japan-based automaker back into the global sales lead for the first three months of the year. The hybrid line also gives the Toyota brand three of the top 10 models in the United States so far this year, including its mid-size Camry.

 “It proves Prius wasn’t a fluke, that there’s a long-term market for hybrids,” said Eric Noble, president of the Car Lab, an automotive consultancy in Orange, Calif.


In the aftermath of last year’s earthquake and tsunami that cut parts and auto production for Japanese carmakers, the government in December began encouraging purchases of fuel-efficient autos to reverse sagging domestic deliveries.

Rebates of as much as 100,000 yen ($1,258) are available from a 300 billion yen fund for qualified cars, including the Prius hatchback, wagon, plug-in and Aqua subcompact, sold in the United States and elsewhere as the Prius c. Tax savings further reduce the purchase price by another 100,000 yen or more. The average price for a Prius in Japan is about 2.5 million yen and around $25,000 in the United States.

Aqua has become the car of the moment in Japan, helping more than triple Prius family sales in the country to 175,080 in the first quarter, from 52,507 last year. While funds for the rebates may run out in July if the government doesn’t extend them, the tax reductions continue through 2015.


“It was good that introduction of Aqua and the start of government subsidies happened almost at the same time,” said Koichi Sugimoto, senior analyst at BNP Paribas in Tokyo. He added that there’s more to the success than the government incentives. “Toyota is introducing good vehicles and assuming it will maintain a certain volume even after the subsidies end,” he said.

The Prius line topped other high-volume car models including Hyundai’s Elantra, Volkswagen’s Golf, Ford’s Fiesta, General Motors’ Cruze and Honda’s Civic, according to the companies.
Toyota ranked as the world’s largest automaker by sales from 2008 to 2010, before the natural disasters pared its global production and deliveries.

Sales of Toyota, Lexus, Scion, Hino and Daihatsu vehicles grew 18 per cent to 2.49 million in the quarter, Toyota said in a U.S. regulatory filing this month. That put it ahead of Detroit-based GM’s 2.28 million and VW’s 2.16 million, according to data compiled by Bloomberg.


Chief executive officer Akio Toyoda has said the company founded by his grandfather is “turning the corner” after a couple of difficult years. The company endured record recalls in 2010 in the United States its biggest single market, for floor-mat and gas-pedal flaws.

“You are seeing a company that is clearly coming back,” said Efraim Levy, equity analyst with Standard & Poor’s Capital IQ in New York. “For Prius to sell in that kind of volume, something that’s been a niche product, it’s an achievement.”

Since the start of Prius sales in Japan in 1997, Toyota has sold four million hybrid-electric vehicles worldwide, including 1.5 million in the United States, the company said May 22.

In the United States, typically Toyota’s top market for Prius, sales jumped 42 per cent in the first quarter, and 56 per cent through April to a record 86,027.

U.S. sales of the model since its 2000 introduction, including the new variations, total 1.18 million vehicles, according to data compiled by Bloomberg. Global sales increased 125 per cent.

Prius sets a standard of success for alternatively powered cars, including Nissan’s all-electric Leaf and GM’s Chevrolet Volt, which has an on-board gas-burning generator to extend the range of the electric-drive car.

The sales pace for Prius isn’t likely to be matched soon by any other hybrid models, said John Wolkonowicz, an independent analyst in Boston who specializes in automotive history.

“It’s the phenomenon we saw with Chrysler and minivans: It brought out the first minivan and after all these years, Chrysler still is minivan sales leader,” he said. “Prius was the first hybrid on the block.”

Peace Arch Toyota is having a record month for "Prius Family sales". Camry Hybrid and Tacoma sales are a close second.

 Alan Ohnsman and Yuki Hagiwara
 Bloomberg news

Toyota Prius Rear Bumper Protector

 Toyota Prius Rear Bumper Protector

Intended for Prius Liftback models

Model years 2010 2011 2012 

Toyota Prius bumper protector, made of hard black plastic, is great for loading or unloading heavy items that commonly land on top of the bumper and oftentimes cause significant blemishes to the bumper's paint. 

Their adhesive strip backings holds on firmly and is shaped to perfectly fit your Prius rear bumper.  

Priced at $45.99 
Available through the Parts Department at Peace Arch Toyota
604 531-2916

Buick Regal eAssist vs. Toyota Camry Hybrid

Great selection of Camry and Camry Hybrid at Peace Arch Toyota

The Toyota Camry Hybrid and Buick Regal eAssist represent two different approaches to hybrid technology.

One is a full-blown hybrid able to run entirely on electricity for periods at a time while the other is hybrid light, adding just enough technology to make a dent in fuel costs but keeping development costs to a minimum.
Not surprisingly, the former approach has a much greater impact on fuel economy.

The Camry Hybrid is Toyota’s latest generation of Hybrid Synergy Drive, which combines a four-cylinder Atkinson-cycle gasoline engine with an electric motor for a combined 200 horsepower.

The two motors feed into a planetary-gear transmission that lets each operate independently, meaning it can run in electric vehicle (EV) mode under the right conditions.

The Buick Regal eAssist combines a conventional 2.4-litre gasoline engine with a beefy, belt-driven combination alternator/motor to “assist” the gas engine, allow for engine shutdown at idle and recapture energy during braking.

Now, before we get into the comparison, there’s a little reality about all hybrids that you should know: if your goal is lowest cost of ownership of a vehicle, a hybrid anything isn’t for you.

There are cheaper cars that get fuel economy that’s as good or only slightly worse than hybrids. You have to save a LOT of fuel to just break even on a hybrid.

Where hybrids make sense is when you’re already in the market for the underlying car. The jump in price from a fuel-sipping $14,400 Yaris to the $27,000 Camry Hybrid is virtually insurmountable in fuel savings, but the jump in price from a non-hybrid Camry to a hybrid is worth considering.

Similarly, getting eAssist in a Regal is quite cheap relative to other Regals

2012 Buick Regal eAssist
The base price of the comparable Regal (Canadian comfort package plus) is $31,195. The base price of the Regal eAssist 1SU is $34,335. That doesn’t quite tell the whole story about the price difference, however.

The eAssist adds 17-inch alloy wheels, EZ start keyless start, ultrasonic park assist, tire inflator kit, universal home remote, 120-volt outlet and body coloured door handles with chrome inserts (in addition to the 115-volt lithium-ion battery pack and alternator/motor). The Regal closest to that in terms of equipment is the Canadian comfort package convenience group at $34,390.

According to the Fuel Consumption Guide prepared by Natural Resources Canada, fuel savings — at the NRCan standard for fuel-consumption testing — would be about $400 per year. So from a base Regal, payback is about three years out. From a comparably equipped Regal, you’re saving money out of the gate.

The eAssist is certainly a worthwhile consideration for Regal shoppers. The electric drive adds near-V-6-like power to the four-banger, and the car is just as luxurious as any other Regal. And like the other Regals, the drive characteristics are outstanding.

You do give up some cargo ability to drive the eAssist, however. The hybrid battery pack is mounted just behind the passenger-side rear seat. Which means it intrudes somewhat into trunk space and that only the driver’s side rear seat folds to accommodate longer items.

Aside from that, if you like the Regal, there’s no reason to dislike the eAssist

2012 Toyota Camry Hybrid
The hybrid comes in two versions: LE and XLE. In keeping with Toyota parlance, LE is the base model and XLE is the more-equipped version. The LE starts at $26,990 while the XLE adds $2,000. For that, you get an upgraded audio system, fog lamps, power driver’s seat, 17-inch alloy wheels instead of the 16-inch steels with covers, leather-wrapped steering wheel and shift knob and access to options not available on the LE, including heated seats, power moonroof, leather-trimmed ultra-suede seating surfaces and a cool new navigation system.

Toyota has had about 14 years now to refine and further develop its hybrid synergy drive system, and it shows. The auto-stop and restart feature, which shuts down the engine under the right conditions when stopped, as at a red light, and instantly restarts when it’s time to go, works the most seamlessly of all in this iteration. In some previous models, there was some shudder on restart.

Refinements to the battery pack mean the hybrid now has more cargo space than the previous model.
NRCan’s fuel consumption guide suggests a savings of about $500 per year from the four-cylinder and $700 per year from the six. Payback is then about six years out from the four-cylinder model, but the fairest comparison is to the V-6, given the V-6-like power of the hybrid powertrain. In that case, payback is immediate, since the V-6 starts about $900 more than the XLE Hybrid.

Conclusion
The NRCan rating for the Regal is 10.7 litres per 100 km city and 6.3 on the highway. For the eAssist, it’s 8.3 city and 5.4 highway. My city driving combined with some minor highway travel averaged 9.5.

The NRCan rating for the Camry (four-cylinder) is 8.2 city and 5.6 highway. For the hybrid, it’s 4.5 city and 4.9 highway. My average, with roughly the same cycle of driving as with the Regal, was 6.5 litres per 100 km. I also found that if I really paid attention to fuel-saving driving techniques, I could get the average to below 6.

The Camry Hybrid is clearly the fuel-sipping champ of this duo. And if the goal is to have a mid-size sedan with the best fuel-economy and lowest price of the two (the Camry Hybrid is about $7,000 less), it’s the winner.


 May 22, 2012 - 11:24am Kelly Taylor | Road Noise

Worldwide Sales of TMC Hybrids Top 4 Million Units

May 22, 2012—Toyota Motor Corporation (TMC) announces that global cumulative sales of its hybrid vehicles have topped the 4 million mark as of April 30¹.

In Canada, the first hybrid, the Toyota Prius launched in 2001 and began as an exploration of future technologies, but has since evolved into a family to suit consumer needs. The Prius has been the best selling hybrid every year since launch, with the exception of 2006 – 2008 when it was outsold by the first generation Camry Hybrid. With the addition of the Prius v and Prius c earlier this year, the Prius family has seen total sales of over 26,000 as of March 2012.
 
“At Toyota Canada, we’ve seen how hybrids are moving mainstream,” said Tony Wearing, Senior Managing Director at Toyota Canada Inc. “For example, in April – the first full month of sales for the Prius c, 556 of this model were purchased, more than the 418 original Prius’ sold in its first full year. A testament to how Canadians are embracing hybrids now more than ever before.”


With 10 hybrids currently on the market Toyota Canada hybrid vehicles have accounted for over 80% of the Canadian hybrid market. With the Lexus ES 300h scheduled for launch in North America, TMC is committed to augmenting its product lineup even further.
 
As of April 30, 2012, TMC calculates that TMC hybrid vehicles², since 1997, have led to approximately 26 million fewer tons³ of CO2 emissions—considered to be a cause of climate change—than would have been emitted by gasoline-powered vehicles of similar size and driving performance.  “That is equivalent to the amount of water that flows over Niagara Falls in three hours and ten minutes.” added Tony Wearing.

Having positioned hybrid technologies—consisting of the component technologies necessary for development of various environment-friendly cars—as key technologies, TMC plans to continue working to further raise performance, reduce costs, and expand its product lineup, including that of non-hybrid environment-friendly vehicles, to create vehicles that are popular with consumers. 


At Peace Arch Toyota for the first four months of 2012 one in five new vehicles sold are a Toyota Hybrid.
Do you want to learn more about Toyota Hybrids contact us at info@peacearchtoyota.com. 

Road test: 2012 Toyota Camry Hybrid

The hybrid version of the completely redesigned 2012 Toyota Camry offers more power, even better fuel economy and costs less than last year's model. The new base price is just $26,990, which is $4,320 less than the base price for a 2011 Toyota Camry Hybrid.

A lot of savvy consumers have already twigged to the new Camry's great value story, particularly the hybrid. It's currently the top selling intermediate size sedan in Canada, and almost 40 per cent of them are hybrids. Toyota already leads the auto industry in hybrid product availability, production and sales (over two million globally) and it's astutely guiding this key market advantage to a new level of popularity.

At the core of every Toyota hybrid is its Synergy Drive system. Refinements to the 2012 Camry Hybrid include a slightly larger and more powerful, 2.5-litre 4-cylinder new gasoline engine. A more compact nickelmetal-hydride battery, which comes with enhanced air cooling, plus repackaging of other components allow more cargo space in the trunk.

The new engine helps the hybrid system achieve 200 horsepower, which is a 13 horsepower increase on 2011 edition. The drive system is also noticeably smoother in transitions between its power sources and, best of all, more fuel efficient. Toyota claims a 39 per cent city fuel economy improvement.


A new EV Drive mode, in addition to an Eco mode, allows it to be driven by the electric motor alone for up to 2.5 kilometres at lower speeds (below 40 kilometres per hour). It's a very nice fuel economy feature to have in slow moving traffic and it can also be used in situations where low noise operation might be beneficial.

The new Camry Hybrid comes in two trim levels, LE and XLE. The main upgrades to XLE include 17-inch alloy wheels (16-inch steel on LE), an eight-way power adjustable driver's seat, leather steering wheel and shifter, Bluetooth handsfree phone connection and fog lights. These items also add weight and there's a slight increase in fuel consumption.

My test Toyota Camry Hybrid was the higher XLE trim without any options. Its total price (including delivery etc.) before taxes came to $30,690, which is lower than the start price of most of its direct competitors.

 THE LOOKS
Same basic shape and dimensionally identical proportions make it easy to spot as a Camry, but spotting that it's the all-new 2012 is not. Yes, its front and rear have a slightly different look, which includes changes to the lighting. If you look a little closer you might even spot that the roof support pillars are less bulky and allow better outward vision. On the plus side, Camry owners tend to be conservative types, and the no-big-change redesign is probably viewed as a good thing. Camry Hybrid has some additional aero trim and comes with unique badges with blue accents to help identify it as the eco-friendly version.

 THE INSIDE
It's a roomy and comfortable redesigned cabin with new seat fabrics and an all-new dash, instrument cluster and centre stack. There's more character here than before and it still has lots of handy storage places, including a generously sized glove box. A leather-look cap on the dashboard gives it an upscale appearance and the hybrid comes with a unique instrument cluster with eco-drive and fuel consumption indicators.

An MI (multi information) display can graphically show fuel consumption in real time, as well as powertrain energy flow. Rear seat leg and head room are very good and the split rear seatback also folds down to reveal a passthrough from the trunk. A smaller hybrid-battery pack (positioned behind the rear seatback) allows more trunk space than in the previous Camry Hybrid. Built into the rear seatback is a new air vent that feeds into the hybrid battery pack. It's important that this vent is not accidentally covered by something or someone sitting in the left rear seating position, as a lack of air can cause the battery to overheat.

 SAFETY
The airbag count is now 10 (up from seven) for the new Camry and it has already earned the top (5-star) overall rating under stricter new U.S. crash-test guidelines. A front passenger knee airbag and rear-seat side airbags are the new additions. New U.S. (NHTSA) safety compliance requires a series of crash tests that include frontal barrier, rollover crash tests and a combined side barrier and side pole test. The new side pole test simulates a 20-mph impact crash into a 10-inch diameter pole at a 75-degree angle just behind the A-pillar on the driver's side.

 THE DRIVE
Filling up, prior to returning my test Camry Hybrid to Toyota, I paid $1.48/litre for regular gasoline - that's very close to the $1.50 record price spike in '08. This time, however, I don't expect prices will drop significantly. On the plus side, it's good for hybrid sales. Smoother, quieter and more powerful, the improvements made to the hybrid powertrain will be immediate to last generation Camry Hybrid owners. It's so slick that I found myself checking the display graphic in order to see what's happening under the hood. Even the auto stop-start feature seemed to be more fluid in operation. The new EV (electric drive) mode is activated by a button on the console. In addition to traffic jams it's a handy feature for drivein operation and underground parking situations. There are a number of situations, however, where it will automatically fire the gas engine, such as; low state of battery charge, windshield defogger activation or if the car encounters a steep incline. For those concerned about higher maintenance costs - fear not! The gas engine doesn't work as hard, so should last longer. The brakes are regenerative, which greatly extends the life of friction pads and rotor life. There's no starter, alternator or belts to be replace. And all hybrid components (including the battery) are covered by a separate and longer warranty.

 THE SCORE
Outstanding fuel efficiency and top notch safety, the smoother and more powerful 2012 Toyota Camry Hybrid is already a winner.


Consumer site: The Province: www.toyota.ca www.driving.ca
Contact Bob at drivingwheel@shaw.ca

© Copyright (c) The Province

Original source article: Road Test: 2012 Toyota Camry

Prius adds more green power to fleet

Not too long ago, I was invited to be a guest speaker at a private school for a Grade 6 class.

Their unit was on sustainable transportation so they requested that I come in and talk about just that. When I asked the kids what kinds of vehicles on the roads were 'green,' the first answer was "Toyota Prius."
I'd like to say I was surprised, but I wasn't.

Arguably, the Toyota Prius is the poster child for sustainable transportation.

That's not to steal the thunder from other manufacturers who are making tremendous efforts to design and engineer vehicles that promote sustainability. But to use colloquial jargon from the urbandictionary.com, the Prius, in my opinion, was the 'original dog' in this field!

It's the world's first mass-produced hybrid vehicle and it essentially got the green revolution ball rolling back in 1997 when it first went on sale in Japan.

In 2012, Toyota offers more hybrid vehicles than any other brand and the Prius nameplate is synonymous with fuel and emissions savings.

Their lineup continues to expand, and now includes the wagon-like Prius V and the newest and cutest hybrid, the Prius C. No, the C does not stand for 'cute'! It stands for City, and is a compact and efficient urban and suburban commuter.

Building on the foundation of the world's most proven hybrid power system, the Plug-in Hybrid Vehicle (PHV) takes on the shape of the third generation Prius. It also employs Toyota's Hybrid Synergy Drive, which features an Atkinson Cycle 1.8-litre, 4-cylinder engine and a Continuously Variable Transmission (CTV). It has a net horsepower of 134 horsepower, just like the Prius hatchback.

But unlike the other Pri-i on the roads that use a nickel-metal hydride battery, the PHV sports high-capacity, lightweight and compact Lithium-ion batteries.

Additionally, it's Toyota's first belt-less engine.

Charging the PHV takes three hours on a standard 110-volt outlet and one and a half hours on 220 volts.
Back in December of 2011, I had my

first taste of the plug-in while in Japan. It felt like driving a 'normal' Prius, but with the added benefit of an all-electric range of around 20 kilometres.

Furthermore, it has various drive modes, including Normal Mode, Eco Mode and Power Mode. Feeling like you need a little more punch from the power plant? Push the Power Mode button. But on days when you want to conserve even more, Eco Mode will help you do that.

While our time together back then was fairly limited, my second time around with it back home in Vancouver proved to be more fruitful.

The mid-size vehicle has always had a warm and welcoming interior. Switching through the various screens is very intuitive. Whether wanting to listen to the radio, hone in on what the engine or electric motor is doing, or just enjoy the drive, it's as simple as the push of a button.

The cabin is spacious and has room for five. Not to mention exceptionally quiet while cruising in all-electric mode. And once the battery charge is depleted, the vehicle will automatically shift into hybrid mode, thus eliminating the 'range anxiety' typically associated with EVs on the road.

While attending to my daily errands, there was no mistaking the PHV for any other Prius out there. It was decked out in decals from roof to wheels.

There are only five production model PHVs undergoing test trials in Canada. They're not currently for sale, but the estimated launch time is later in 2012.

By Alexandra Straub, The Province May 18, 2012

2012 Toyota Highlander Hybrid

Highlander Hybrid has the Lowest Fuel Costs in its class

2012 IntelliChoice for Fill-Size Crossover/Wagon, hybrid models. Based on 2012 model year study

Highlander Hybrid has the Lowest Operating Costs

2012 IntelliChoice for Fill-Size Crossover/Wagon, hybrid models. Based on 2012 model year study

2012 IIHS Top Safety Pick - Highlander

Insurance Institute for Highway Safety rating for 2012 Highlander, vehicle class Midsize SUV

Toyota has the greatest durability of any full-line automotive manufacturer

Durability based on longevity. Longevity based on Polk U.S. Vehicles in Operation registration statistics model year 1987 - 2011 as of July 2011. Full-line manufacturer based on car, SUV, minivan, and fill-size pickup.