News (and News Archive)November - Toyota moves to make plug in hybrid! |
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NovemberNovember 14, 2006 |
Toyota moves to make plug in hybrid!As you probably know Toyota produces a Hybrid electric petrol vehicle that enhances fuel efficiency.In America these vehicles are commonly modified by adding additional batteries and turning the petrol engine off, enabling the cars to be drive on battery power only. They are plugged in at night to recharge, hence the the name "plug in" Hybrid and if charged using wind or solar power become "zero emission" vehicles while running in "plug in" mode. If the owner needs to travel long distances the car is returned to it normal "hybrid" mode of driving where the petrol engine kicks in as required. These modifications are done privately and void the warranty. However Toyota has announce they will look a making a factory version of the "plug in" Hybrid. "When you combine plugging-in - which pushes fuel efficiency over 100 miles per gallon - with biofuels, then you're getting into multiple hundreds of miles per gallon," says Bradley Berman, publisher of hybridcars.com, a technology website. "It starts to look like a real here-and-now solution to oil dependence, air quality, and climate change." From The Christian Science Monitor July 20th See also US News Top |