Toyota to Voluntarily Fix 378,000 Prius Hybrids for Overheating Problems

Toyota's US division has issued what it describes as a "limited service campaign" (and not a recall…) on approximately 378,000 U.S-spec Prius hybrids from the 2004 and 2007 model years to resolve a potential problem with the water-pump that can cause the cars to overheat.

“The water pump is part of a system designed to cool the hybrid powertrain components and is separate from the engine cooling system” said John Hanson, Toyota Motor Sales National Manager of Environmental, Quality and Safety Communications. “A fault in the water pump can cause air bubbles to build up and disrupt the flow of coolant, which can lead to overheating”.

The company said an “on” check engine light can signal the problem. If the car is driven further the temperature of the hybrid components can reach a critical level and the vehicle will enter “fail-safe mode” to prevent damage.

Oddly enough, the Japanese automaker pointed out in a press statement that the issue is being treated as a "customer support campaign" and not a "recall" as the company "determined it is not a safety issue” and it “has not received any reports of accidents or injuries related to this condition."

Owners will be notified by mail in early December and Toyota dealers will replace the water-pump for free, as long as customers arrange for service before November 30, 2013. Clients who have had their water-pumps replaced because of this condition are going to be reimbursed.

For detailed information customers can call the Toyota Customer Experience Center at 1-888-270-9371.

By Csaba Daradics

U.S. Government Buys 1 out of 4 Hybrid Models Produced by GM and Ford

Hybrid vehicles have been on sale for more than a decade now, but despite all the efforts, they have not yet won broad acceptance in the United States. Two years ago, President Obama’s administration set out to to simultaneously support auto workers and a national transition to fuel efficient technologies by heavily investing in a government fleet of hybrids. According to a report from Bloomberg, Uncle Sam bought almost one out of every four hybrid cars produced by Ford Motor and General Motors since President Obama took office in early 2009.

The outcome, though, wasn't what they would have wanted it to be, as hybrid sales remain on a downward slope for the third consecutive year. Nevertheless, the U.S. General Services Administration (GSA) will continue to buy hybrid vehicles in the hope that the public will eventually follow suit.

“At some point, the reality is that for this technology to be accepted, it needs to be done without a government crutch,” said Jeff Schuster, director of forecasting at J.D. Power & Associates in Troy, Michigan. “But without a huge gas-price increase or further government demand, the natural demand just isn't to be there.”

In the first two years of the Obama administration, GSA bought some 14,584 hybrids, or about 10 percent of the 145,473 vehicles acquired by the agency the same period. In 2008, hybrids accounted for just 1 percent of total government fleet purchases. Most of the cars were bought from Ford and GM. The prices for these models ranged from $23,072 to $47,079, with the report claiming that the government paid an average of $5,281 less for the cars than dealerships sticker prices.

According to data acquired by the news agency, GSA purchased about 14 percent of Ford Escape hybrids and around 29 percent of all Ford Fusion hybrids manufactured since Obama took office. In the past two years, the U.S. government bought only 17 Prius models and 5 Honda Civic hybrids.

The eco-friendly fleet purchasing trend will continue in the future with the GSA announcing that it will add all-electric vehicles such as GM’s Chevy Volt to the government fleet. President Obama has set a goal of 1 million plug-in vehicles on the road by 2015 and has committed more than $11 billion for this purpose.

A recent J.D. Power report said global sales of hybrids are expected to rise from 954,500 units this year to 5,2 million in 2020.

Source: Bloomberg / Businessweek

Chevy Volt Rated at 93mpg on Electric, 60mpg in Hybrid Mode and 37mpg on Gasoline

The official fuel economy numbers for GM's long-awaited Chevrolet Volt plug-in hybrid are in. Given that the Volt uses two energy sources, electricity from the grid, and gasoline from the pump, with the mix depending on how far you drive and how often you charge the battery, the U.S. Environment Protection Agency (EPA) released three mileage ratings.

When driven in pure electric mode, the Volt has an MPG equivalent (MPGe) equivalent of 93 miles per gallon [equal to 2.5 lt/100km]. The EPA determined this figure by using a standardized formula that converts kilowatt-hours of electricity to gallons of gas.

According to the EPA, with a fully charged battery, the Volt has a driving range of 35 miles, which is less than the 40 mile range GM had previously announced.

Once the battery is drained and the 1.4-liter gasoline fueled engine / generator kicks in to motivate the Volt, the car is rated at 37 miles per gallon [6.4 lt/100km]. Finally, the government agency determined that when using both its batteries and gasoline engine, the Volt will get 60 miles per gallon [3.92 lt/100km].

NHTSA Investigating Honda Accord Hybrid for Uncontrollable Acceleration

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration [NHTSA] has opened up a preliminary investigation to review a claim from an owner of a 2005MY Honda Accord Hybrid who said that in 2005, she was involved in an accident after the car lost braking power subsequent to crossing over rumble strips, then accelerated uncontrollably.

According to the report, the car crashed into oncoming traffic and killed her passenger. The driver of the vehicle alleges the crash left her disabled while the occupants of two other vehicles were also injured.

The safety agency added that the petition identified 22 other complaints involving Honda Accord and Civic hybrids that the driver felt represented similar incidents where the braking performance was inadequate under conditions of braking while driving over uneven road surfaces.

The NHTSA said it will investigate the case and decided whether or not to issue a recall for the affected Honda Accords. Scroll down to read the full report from the safety agency.

NHTSA Release

A defect petition letter was received by the Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) requesting a formal investigation and recall of MY 2005 Honda Accord Hybrid vehicles for a possible safety defect related to braking performance. The petitioner (with assistance from another consumer due to her injuries) filed a complaint with ODI under Vehicle Owner Questionnaire (VOQ) 10329383.

In the complaint the petitioner described being involved in a crash on July 23, 2005 while driving a subject vehicle. Summarily, the complaint alleges while traversing rumble strips along side of the highway and simultaneously attempting to the brake, the brakes were ineffective and the vehicle began to accelerate uncontrollably.

This began a chain of events where the vehicle eventually crossed over into traffic flowing in the opposite direction. The end result was the death of her passenger and injuries to the occupants of two other vehicles. The petitioner also alleges the crash left her disabled.

Subsequent to the incident on July 23, 2005, the petitioner did a search of ODI's complaint database and identified 22 additional complaints involving other Honda Accord Hybrid and Honda Civic Hybrid vehicles that the petitioner felt represented similar incidents where the braking performance was inadequate under conditions of braking while driving over uneven road surfaces. ODI will evaluate the petition for a grant of deny decision.

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LA Show: Jaguar's C-X75 Supercar Makes NA Debut

Without doubt, the star of Jaguar's stand at this year's 2010 Los Angeles Auto Show is the range-extended electric supercar concept, the C-X75, which is designed to celebrate 75 years of the marque, but also to provide a glimpse into the future of Jaguar.

The C-X75 is not only a beautifully sculptured supercar but also a technological show piece. It is motivated by four 195-horsepower electric motors, one in each wheel. A six hour domestic plug-in charge is good enough to offer a driving range of 68 miles. When the batteries are depleted, a center-mounted, 188-horsepower gas turbine engine kicks in to recharge the batteries and extend the supecar's range to a total of 560 miles.

Jaguar claims the four-wheel drive supercar is capable of reaching a top speed of 205 mph [330 km/h].

Recent media reports suggest the British company is looking into a limited-run production model based on the concept car. If true, we could see the first prototype models out in the open testing as early as 2013.

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LA Show 2010: KIA Launches Optima Hybrid, Returns 40 mpg Highway

With everyone riding the "green wave" these days, it's no surprise that KIA launched its first-ever hybrid for the U.S. market, the Optima Hybrid. Combining the standard model's good looks with several technological innovations, the newest member of the Optima family returns a frugal 40 mpg (5.88 lt/100 km) on the highway.

"By adding our first-ever hybrid in the U.S. to the Optima lineup we are providing consumers with three powerful and fuel-efficient powertrain choices, and continuing KIA's philosophy of offering stylish, value-packed vehicles with outstanding fuel efficiency" said Michael Sprague, vice president, marketing & communications, KMA.

The Optima Hybrid uses a full parallel hybrid system and can be driven in full-electric mode at speeds up to 62 mph (100 km/h). It also has a stop/start function, which eliminates idle fuel consumption and reduces overall emissions.

Compared to other hybrids on the market, the Optima doesn't use a nickel-metal hydride or lithium-ion battery, but a more advanced lithium-polymer solution, capable of holding a larger charge (30 kW) for up to 25% longer. Another plus is the reduced weight, as the lithium-polymer battery tips the scales at 95.9 pounds (43 kg), or 28 pounds (13 kg) less than the Toyota Camry Hybrid's battery pack.

Most competitors use a power-split hybrid system, like Ford and Toyota, but KIA is following a different path once again opting for a Transmission-Mounted-Electric-Drive (TMED) layout with the electric motor separated from the transmission gear-set.

The advantages of this setup are that it needs a lot less space and can be combined with off-the-shelf parts, like the conventional Optima's six-speed automatic transmission. It also costs less.

The electric motor is coupled to the transmission and it incorporates a permanent magnet synchronous electric traction motor. In full electric mode it delivers 40 hp (30 kW) and 151 lb-ft (205 Nm) of torque and when the 2.4-liter Atkinson Cycle gasoline unit kicks in, combined output is 206 hp and 195 lb-ft (264 Nm).

Alongside the traction motor, there's also the 8.5 kW belt-driven Hybrid-Starter-Generator (HSG), which cannot drive the wheels, but it starts the engine and recharges the battery.

As other modern hybrids, the Optima Hybrid can recover energy lost during braking as well, just like the Volkswagen Golf Blue-e-motion, for instance.

When the brakes are applied, the engine is decoupled from the traction motor and used to charge the battery.

Design-wise, the Koreans made sure that the hybrid Optima stands out fitting it with redesigned front grille and headlamps, lower front and rear spoilers, plus side skirts, LED tail lamps and unique 16-inch alloys.

The Optima Hybrid also features the Virtual Engine Sound System (VESS), meaning that it plays a pre-recorded engine sound during electric only operation to attract people's attention that a vehicle is approaching.

KIA didn't release the pricing or detailed specifications, but it did confirm that the car will hit U.S. showrooms early next year.

By Csaba Daradics

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