Toyota Denied Again in Patent Case by Paice

Toyota was once again denied a reprieve in their patent case with Paice LLC. The US International Trade Commission judge Theodore Essex denied Toyota's request to dismiss the case.

Also, it was once again re-iterated that Toyota could not argue the patent was invalid, since Toyota has already lost that case.

Toyota Loses in Appeal
Toyota loses to Paice
Toyota Sued Again by Paice
Paice vs Toyota summary

Source: BusinessWeek.

Rotary, Battery Price and Possible Price Drop for the Chevy Volt

Photo from flickr

Inside Line has the latest and greatest info for those interested in the Chevy Volt.  First, they let us know GM is looking at replacing the ICE in the first generation Volt with a rotary engine.  Second, they say GM is hoping the price tag on the battery pack would drop in half (from $10,000 to $5,000) by the time the second generation Volt is ready.

And third, GM is contemplating launching the Volt at around $35,000 to compete with the Nissan Leaf price.  There's been some contemplation on how the Leaf's price would affect other electric vehicles, but this is the first I've seen that GM was looking at dropping their probably price from $40K down to $35K in response.

That's really good news for those who have 'range anxiety' but are still interested in full electric driving.  The Volt will travel about 40 miles on all electric power before having the small gas engine recharge the battery pack.  And you can plug it in to recharge the car overnight, getting the full 40 miles again tomorrow.

But at $35,000, GM is basically subsidizing the sale.  Add in the possible $7,500 credit from the federal government, plus any local credits and the Volt is suddenly costing just about what a Toyota Prius costs.  That could move the early adopters and Prius converts into GM's corner.

BTW, Inside Line says GM is contemplating the rotary engine because of its size.  The rotary is actually less fuel efficient, and produces more vibrations which would require more dampening, but GM may consider those a small price to pay.  Other options include diesel or a two-cylinder motor.

Any of the three make the Volt more of a one-of-a-kind proposition, rather than something they can use in other models.

Honda Brings CR-Z to E3 Expo

I'm not sure I'm buying into the whole thing, but Honda thinks the upcoming CR-Z sport hybrid coupe is 'evocative of video games.' And so they're bringing the CR-Z along as a demonstration for the E3 Expo.

Press Release follows:

The all-new 2011 Honda CR-Z sport hybrid coupe will make its Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3 Expo) debut on June 15th. Evocative of video games, the two-passenger CR-Z introduces a number of interactive features including a new three-mode drive system that allows the driver to select between Sport, Econ (Economy) and Normal driving modes. The CR-Z will go on-sale later this summer.

In addition to the car display, a new game featuring CR-Z will be available for demonstration along with the opportunity to download exclusive content. Additional news regarding Honda’s activities at the E3 Expo will be announced closer to the show.

The CR-Z and a component-revealing cut-body of the vehicle will be on display the Honda booth located in the West Hall Lobby (booth F7).

Ford Adding to Hybrid Electric Production in Michigan

Ford will be creating a new 'center of excellence' in Michigan to assemble battery packs and electric-drive transaxles. The parts are being designed for the next generation of hybrids from Ford which will be based on Ford’s global C- and CD-car platforms. The next generation of hybrids is expected to begin production in 2012.

Ford will be investing $135 million in the new center. In a statement, Ford's president of the America's Mark Fields said "Electrified vehicles are a key part of our plan to offer a full lineup of green vehicles, and we are building a center of excellence in the U.S., here in Michigan, to keep Ford on the cutting edge."

The Rawsonville Plant in Ypsilanti will assemble the battery packs beginning in 2012 The Van Dyke Transmission Plant in Sterling Heights will build the H35 electric drive transaxles beginning in 2012 from a supplier facility in Japan. Ford is adding a combined 170 jobs at the Rawsonville and Van Dyke facilities to build these key components.

More from the statement on the Center of Excellence
Ford’s creation of a center of excellence for vehicle electrification in Michigan now includes the design and manufacture of electrified key components as well as total vehicle manufacturing for hybrids, plug-in hybrids and battery-electric vehicles. Ford is adding more than 50 engineers to work on electrification as we bring these technologies in-house. By physically bringing research, engineering and manufacturing closer together, Ford, its suppliers, universities and related industries can drive both innovation and job growth in this evolving form of transportation.

Ford’s in-house team will design and engineer the advanced lithium-ion battery systems powering its next-generation hybrid vehicles. These battery systems will be designed specifically for the company’s next-generation hybrids, including the new global CD-car platform hybrid and the new global C-car platform hybrid, which will be built at Ford’s Michigan Assembly Plant in 2012.

To launch the new transaxle, Ford will add engineering and production jobs in Southeast Michigan, including about 130 manufacturing jobs at its Van Dyke facility, while investing about $125 million. The investment includes a grant received from the Department of Energy to help create green technology jobs in the U.S. This investment includes manufacturing capital equipment, launch and engineering costs and supplier tooling upgrades, all required to support the production launch of the HF35 transaxle.

Ford's global electrification strategy includes plans to launch five new full electric or hybrid vehicles in the compact, midsize and light commercial segments for the North American market by 2012 and European markets by 2013. This lineup includes:

• The Transit Connect Electric light commercial vehicle in North America later this year and in Europe in 2011
• The Focus Electric in North America in 2011 and in Europe in 2012
• A Lincoln MKZ hybrid, available this fall in North America
• A next-generation hybrid electric and plug-in hybrid electric vehicle based on Ford's global C-car platform in North America in 2012
• A C-MAX hybrid electric and plug-in hybrid electric model for Europe in 2013

Lexus Recall for the LS

The latest recall from Lexus does involve the hybrid 2010 LS 600h and LS 600h l. A programming change of the steering control ecu for the variable gear ratio steering (vgrs) system can cause improper activation of the steering system protection logic designed to protect the system when larger than normal steering inputs are applied at a fully turned position.

An improper activation of the steering system protection logic can cause the steering wheel to become off-centered up to 90 degrees. this may occur after the driver has fully turned the steering wheel in one direction then quickly attempts to turn it back to the center position. should this occur while driving, the risk of a crash is increased.

This affects only vehicles manufactured from August 20, 2009 through May 13, 2010.

This recall also affects the 2009-2010 LS 460.

UPDATE:
Toyota has stopped selling the LS for the next three weeks or so until they roll out the fix to their cars.

Maryland to Offer $2000 Incentive to Drivers Who Plug-in

Maryland Governor Martin O'Malley went on a signing spree today. Some of the bills signed today include banning hand-held cell phone use while driving, maintaining a three-foot buffer while passing a bicyclist, mediation in a foreclosure in some cases, and a Heritage Tax Credit used toward the rehabilitation of older neighborhoods.

And while the governor was at it, a $2,000 excise motor vehicle tax credit for anyone who buys a plug-in or electric vehicle. (read the pdf here)

Added to the $7,500 tax credit from the federal government, and you can see why people are so excited about the $32K price tag for the Leaf. Volt enthusiasts might be excited, too, if we ever find out how much the E-REV (or plug-in hybrid) costs.

Added in to the bill is a privilege for HOV drivers. There are two HOV lanes along federal highways: one on I-270 in Montgomery County; and one on U.S. Route 50 in Prince George’s County. No matter how many people are in the car, plug-in and electric vehicles will be allowed into the HOV lanes starting October 1, 2010. You will need a special state permit.

The tax credit and HOV access are set to expire July 1, 2013.

Toyota Auris Hybrid Price and Options

Toyota Auris Hybrid

Toyota has set the price for its Auris Hybrid at £18,950 for the base model, T4. The T Spirit model will cost £20,700.  That makes it a little more expensive the Honda Insight and a little bit less expensive than the Toyota Prius in the UK.

The Auris hybrid is the first hybrid to be built in the UK at the Derbyshire plant. The Auris hybrid mates the 1.8 liter engine to an electric motor for a total of 134 hp. It improves the Auris fuel efficiency by 19 percent and emits 17 percent less. The T4 is rated at 74.3 mpg with CO2 emissions of 89 g/km and the T Spirit models will average 70.6 mpg and 93 g/km. And it can go from 0-60 in 11.2 seconds for a top speed of 112 mph.

The Auris hybrid was shown at the Frankfurt Auto Show back in September. It's the first offering for what Toyota expects to be a full conversion of their line-up into hybrid options. Toyota hopes to capture the consumers who don't want to stand out as much from the crowd by buying a Prius. Instead, they want the fuel efficiency but without making a statement about it.

The T4 grade includes:

• Climate control air conditioning
• Six-speaker audio with CD, radio, MP3 file player
• USB and Aux-in connection
• Front and rear electric windows
• Electric, heated door mirrors
• Front fog lights
• LED running lights
• Colour-matched door handles and mirrors
• Push-button start
• Seven airbags, including driver’s knee airbag
• Vehicle Stability Control (VSC) and Traction Control (TRC)
• Hill-start Assist Control (HAC)

T Spirit grade adds:

• Leather and Alcantara upholstery
• Cruise control
• Bluetooth
• Dusk-sensing headlamps
• Rain-sensing windscreen wipers
• Smart Entry and Start
• Auto-dimming electrochromatic rear view mirror
• Rear view camera display in rear view mirror

You can add in an optional NAV package for £1,200 or Bluetooth for £285. The NAV package includes satellite navigation, rear camera and rear parking sensors.