Misplaced Pages

#501498

137-683: Toyota Concept Vehicles produced between 2010 and 2019 include: The Toyota T Sports is a concept car made by Toyota in 2010. It was shown at the Tokyo Motor Show . The Toyota FT-86 G Sports Concept is a modification of the Toyota FT-86 Concept manufactured jointly by Toyota and Subaru and shown at the January 2010 Tokyo Auto Salon as part of the Toyota G Sports range. The FT-86 G Sports Concept differs from

274-493: A 2.3-litre five-cylinder petrol engine with an output of 100 kilowatts (136 PS; 134 bhp). The intent was to produce a vehicle which could operate on the engine in the country, and electric mode in the city. Mode of operation could be selected by the driver. Just ten vehicles are believed to have been made; one drawback was that due to the extra weight of the electric drive, the vehicles were less efficient when running on their engines alone than standard Audi 100s with

411-553: A plug to connect to the electrical grid . PHEVs have a much larger all-electric range as compared to conventional gasoline-electric hybrids, and also eliminate the " range anxiety " associated with all-electric vehicles, because the combustion engine works as a backup when the batteries are depleted. In December 2018, Toyota do Brasil announced the development of the world's first commercial hybrid electric car with flex-fuel engine capable of running with electricity and ethanol fuel or gasoline. The flexible fuel hybrid technology

548-723: A 1.5-liter hybrid system similar to the one used in the Prius c. Sales of the Honda Vezel Hybrid SUV began in Japan began in December 2013. The Range Rover Hybrid diesel-powered electric hybrid was unveiled at the 2013 Frankfurt Motor Show , and retail deliveries in Europe are slated to start in early 2014. Ford Motor Company , the world's second largest manufacturer of hybrids after Toyota Motor Corporation , reached

685-450: A 2.0-litre four-cylinder engine . Research and Development was advancing in the 1990s with projects such as the early BMW 5 Series (E34) CVT hybrid-electric vehicle In 1992, Volvo ECC was developed by Volvo . The Volvo ECC was built on the Volvo 850 platform. In contrast to most production hybrids, which use a gasoline piston engine to provide additional acceleration and to recharge

822-900: A 2.8% stake in Panasonic , as well as stakes in vehicle manufacturing joint-ventures in China ( FAW Toyota and GAC Toyota ), the Czech Republic ( TPCA ), India ( Toyota Kirloskar ) and the United States ( MTMUS ). Toyota is listed on the London Stock Exchange , Nagoya Stock Exchange , New York Stock Exchange and on the Tokyo Stock Exchange , where its stock is a component of the Nikkei 225 and TOPIX Core30 indices. In 1924, Sakichi Toyoda invented

959-623: A bugs wing flapping, giving it the nickname "bug car". Toyota wanted the Insect to represent how an insect flies freely through cities. A Virtual Agent in the Toyota Smart Center recognizes the driver's voice, and automatically sets various features in the car, like the fog lights, the radio, or even setting the destination. The Insect also can be linked to the driver's home with the Toyota Smart Center, providing remote control to lights, HVAC, and even locks. The Toyota Prius c Concept

1096-475: A class below the Crown and Century and offered hardtop coupes and sedans. The Supra , Mark II , Cresta and Chaser offered several trim packages with different engine displacements to provide buyers with annual road tax advantages. At the same time, sports cars like Celica , Corolla Levin and Sprinter Trueno sold very well. Efforts to open a Toyota assembly plant in the United States started in 1980, with

1233-459: A comparably sized gasoline car since the hybrid's gasoline engine is usually smaller than that of a gasoline-powered vehicle. If the engine is not used to drive the car directly, it can be geared to run at maximum efficiency, further improving fuel economy. Ferdinand Porsche developed the Lohner–Porsche in 1901. But hybrid electric vehicles did not become widely available until the release of

1370-475: A core design concept of most modern production HEVs, was developed in 1967 for the American Motors Amitron and called Energy Regeneration Brake by AMC. This completely battery powered urban concept car was recharged by braking, thus increasing the range of the automobile. The AMC Amitron was first use of regenerative braking technology in the U.S. A more recent working prototype of

1507-452: A devoted base of owners. A second-generation Insight was launched in 2010. In 2004, Honda also released a 6-cylinder hybrid version of the Accord but discontinued it in 2007, citing disappointing sales, although production of a 4-cylinder hybrid began in 2012. The Ford Escape Hybrid , the first hybrid electric sport utility vehicle (SUV), was released in 2005. Toyota and Ford entered into

SECTION 10

#1732797284502

1644-524: A drop in production and exports. Severe flooding during the 2011 monsoon season in Thailand affected Japanese automakers that had chosen Thailand as a production base. Toyota is estimated to have lost production of 150,000 units to the tsunami and production of 240,000 units to the floods. On February 10, 2014, it was announced that Toyota would cease manufacturing vehicles and engines in Australia by

1781-422: A four-cylinder ICE and an electric motor. Below 15 mph (24 km/h) the electric motor alone drove the vehicle, drawing power from a battery pack, and above this speed the "main" engine cut in to take the car up to its 35 mph (56 km/h) top speed. About 600 were made up to 1918. The Woods hybrid was a commercial failure, proving to be too slow for its price, and too difficult to service. In England,

1918-785: A joint venture with local partner Astra International in 1971, and conducted significant retooling at the PT Gaya Motor assembly plant. The plant began assembling various models, including the Toyota Corona, Toyota Land Cruiser, large trucks, and the Toyota Corolla, with production surpassing 10,000 vehicles by 1973. For both countries, Toyota developed a basic utility vehicle (BUV) with the local partners to meet local needs and support technology transfers, in response to domestic production policies in Asia. The first prototype of

2055-549: A licensing agreement in March 2004 allowing Ford to use 20 patents from Toyota related to hybrid technology, although Ford's engine was independently designed and built. In exchange for the hybrid licenses, Ford licensed patents involving their European diesel engines to Toyota. Toyota announced calendar year 2005 hybrid electric versions of the Toyota Highlander Hybrid and Lexus RX 400h with 4WD-i, which uses

2192-597: A long-standing partnership between Toyota and the two companies. After the successes of the 1970s, and the threats of import restrictions, Toyota started making additional investments in the North American market in the 1980s. In 1981, Japan agreed to voluntary export restraints , which limited the number of vehicles the nation would send to the United States each year, leading Toyota to establish assembly plants in North America. The U.S. government also closed

2329-519: A patent application for a gasoline-electric hybrid rail-car propulsion system in early 1889, and for a similar hybrid boat propulsion system in mid-1889. He went on to test and market the Patton Motor Car, a gas-electric hybrid system used to drive tram cars and small locomotives . A gasoline engine drove a generator that served to charge a lead acid battery in parallel with the traction motors. A conventional series-parallel controller

2466-688: A production facility in Brazil, the company's first outside of Japan. Toyota entered the United States market in 1958, attempting to sell the Toyopet Crown. The company faced problems almost immediately. The company had to confront for the first time how its name sounded to native speakers of the English language; namely, "Toyota" has the English word " toy " in its first syllable. Toyota Motor Sales, USA 's first sales administrator James F. McGraw bluntly told his new Japanese supervisors after joining

2603-513: A racing hybrid in 1902. In 1905, Henri Pieper of Germany/Belgium introduced a hybrid vehicle with an electric motor/generator, batteries, and a small gasoline engine. It used the electric motor to charge its batteries at cruise speed and used both motors to accelerate or climb a hill. The Pieper factory was taken over by Impéria , after Pieper died. The 1915 Dual Power , made by the Woods Motor Vehicle electric car maker, had

2740-491: A rear electric motor to power the rear wheels, negating the need for a transfer case. In 2006, General Motors Saturn Division began to market a mild parallel hybrid , the 2007 Saturn Vue Green Line , which utilized GM's Belted Alternator /Starter ( BAS Hybrid ) system combined with a 2.4-litre L4 engine and an FWD automatic transmission. The same hybrid powertrain was also used to power the 2008 Saturn Aura Green Line and Malibu Hybrid models. As of December 2009 , only

2877-511: A seat on the board of directors in 2000. Akio's promotion by the board marked the return of a member of the Toyoda family to the top leadership role for the first time since 1999. In 2011, Toyota, along with large parts of the Japanese automotive industry , suffered from a series of natural disasters. The 2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami led to a severe disruption of the supplier base and

SECTION 20

#1732797284502

3014-535: A second-generation Prius in 2004 and a third in 2009. The 2010 Prius has an estimated U.S. Environmental Protection Agency combined fuel economy cycle of 50 miles per US gallon (4.7 L/100 km; 60 mpg ‑imp ). The Audi Duo III was introduced in 1997, based on the Audi B5 A4 Avant , and was the only Duo to ever make it into series production. The Duo III used the 1.9- litre Turbocharged Direct Injection (TDI) diesel engine , which

3151-669: A solar panel located in the roof to contribute to powering the car's air-conditioning. The production version of the 2012 Toyota Yaris Hybrid was presented at the March 2012 Geneva Motor Show . Sales of the Yaris Hybrid began in Europe in June 2012, The Yaris Hybrid shares the same powertrain as the Toyota Prius c sold in North America (Toyota Aqua in Japan). On 1 March 2011, Toyota Europe presented Toyota FT-86 II Concept at

3288-524: A vehicle. At the same time, the Japanese government heavily invested in improving road infrastructure. To take advantage of the moment, Toyota and other automakers started offering affordable economy cars like the Toyota Corolla , which became the world's all-time best-selling automobile . Toyota also found success in the United States in 1965 with the Toyota Corona compact car, which

3425-488: A white Corolla, rolled off the line at NUMMI on October 7, 1986. Toyota received its first Japanese Quality Control Award at the start of the 1980s and began participating in a wide variety of motorsports . Conservative Toyota held on to rear-wheel-drive designs for longer than most; while a clear first in overall production they were only third in production of front-wheel-drive cars in 1983, behind Nissan and Honda. In part due to this, Nissan's Sunny managed to squeeze by

3562-501: Is a Japanese multinational automotive manufacturer headquartered in Toyota City, Aichi , Japan . It was founded by Kiichiro Toyoda and incorporated on August 28, 1937. Toyota is the largest automobile manufacturer in the world, producing about 10 million vehicles per year. The company was founded as a spinoff of Toyota Industries , a machine maker started by Sakichi Toyoda , Kiichiro's father. Both companies are now part of

3699-474: Is a small hybrid petrol-electric car which is the inspiration for the small Toyota hybrid that arrived to market in early 2012. It was first shown at the January 2011 North American International Auto Show . The 'c' in 'Prius c' stands for "city"-centric vehicle as it is much smaller than the normal Prius and is aimed at younger buyers without families who don't need lots of space." Named the Toyota Aqua,

3836-403: Is delivered by each of the energy sources on-board of the vehicle. The recovered energy can be stored in the battery and deployed at a later time to assist the prime mover to provide tractive power. This is why all hybrid vehicles include an energy management controller, interposed between the driver and the component controllers. As mentioned, the aim of the energy management system is to determine

3973-478: Is stored in a battery or supercapacitor . Some varieties of HEV use an internal combustion engine to turn an electrical generator , which either recharges the vehicle's batteries or directly powers its electric drive motors; this combination is known as a motor–generator . Many HEVs reduce idle emissions by shutting down the engine at idle and restarting it when needed; this is known as a start-stop system . A hybrid-electric produces lower tailpipe emissions than

4110-532: Is the production version of those concepts, incorporating the technological and design strengths of all three models. The exterior of the production version is based on the FT-EV III concept. Sales of the Scion iQ (U.S.)/Toyota eQ (Japan) will be limited to about 100 units for special fleet use in Japan and the U.S. only, and are scheduled for December 2012. The Toyota Fun-vii (vehicle, interactive, Internet)

4247-518: The Esparante GTR-Q9 became the first Petrol-Electric Hybrid to race at Le Mans, although the car failed to qualify for the main event. The car managed to finished second in class at Petit Le Mans the same year. Automotive hybrid technology became widespread beginning in the late 1990s. The first mass-produced hybrid vehicle was the Toyota Prius , launched in Japan in 1997, and followed by

Toyota concept vehicles (2010–2019) - Misplaced Pages Continue

4384-633: The Honda Insight , launched in 1999 in the United States and Japan. The Prius was launched in Europe , North America and the rest of the world in 2000. The first-generation Prius sedan has an estimated fuel economy of 52 miles per US gallon (4.5 L/100 km; 62 mpg ‑imp ) in the city and 45 miles per US gallon (5.2 L/100 km; 54 mpg ‑imp ) in highway driving. The two-door first-generation Insight

4521-535: The Kia Optima Hybrid . The Peugeot 3008 HYbrid4 was launched in the European market in 2012, becoming the world's first production diesel -electric hybrid. According to Peugeot the new hybrid delivers a fuel economy of up to 62 miles per US gallon (3.8 L/100 km; 74 mpg ‑imp ) and CO 2 emissions of 99g/km on the European test cycle. The Toyota Prius v , launched in

4658-794: The Mercedes-Benz ML450 Hybrid by lease only. Sales of the Honda CR-Z began in Japan in February 2010, followed by the U.S. and European markets later in the year, becoming Honda's third hybrid electric car in the market. Honda also launched the 2011 Honda Fit Hybrid in Japan in October 2010, and unveiled the European version, the Honda Jazz Hybrid, at the 2010 Paris Motor Show , which went on sale in some European markets by early 2011. Mass production of

4795-586: The Mercury Milan Hybrid . The Hyundai Elantra LPI Hybrid was unveiled at the 2009 Seoul Motor Show , and sales began in the South Korean domestic market in July 2009. The Elantra LPI (Liquefied Petroleum Injected) is the world's first hybrid vehicle to be powered by an internal combustion engine built to run on liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) as a fuel. The Elantra PLI is a mild hybrid and

4932-782: The T100 (and later the Tundra ), several lines of SUVs, a sport version of the Camry , known as the Camry Solara . They would also launch newer iterations of their sports cars, namely the MR2 , Celica , and Supra during this era. In Japan, Toyota continued to cater to the growing demand for mid-level luxury cars and offered several conventional and pillared hardtops sedans at its Japanese dealership network. The Soarer , Mark II , Cresta , Chaser , Corona EXiV , and Carina ED found many buyers. At

5069-636: The Tiara . After Kiichiro's death, his cousin Eiji Toyoda led the company for the two decades. Eiji helped establish the company's first plant independent from the Loom Works plant. At the start of the 1960s, the Japanese economy was booming, a period that came to be known as the Japanese economic miracle . As the economy grew, so did the income of everyday people, who now could afford to purchase

5206-420: The Toyota 86 . The GRMN Sports Hybrid Concept is a concept sports car made by Toyota in 2010. It is made in partnership with Gazoo Racing . The Toyota MOB is an all-electric open air race car made by Toyota in 2010. It uses reusable organic materials. The Prius Custom Plus Concept is a modification of the Toyota Prius and shown at the January 2010 Tokyo Auto Salon . The Custom Plus differs from

5343-506: The Toyota GT 86 (Toyota 86 in Japan) and was shown at the October 2011 Tokyo Motor Show . European sales are expected in 2012. Australian sales are expected in mid 2012 at A$ 30,000 The Toyota Prius+ was introduced at the March 2011 Geneva Motor Show . The Prius+ is the first European hybrid seating seven passengers. It is very similar to the Prius V , with the main difference being

5480-610: The Toyota Group , one of the largest conglomerates in the world. While still a department of Toyota Industries, the company developed its first product, the Type A engine , in 1934 and its first passenger car in 1936, the Toyota AA . After World War II , Toyota benefited from Japan's alliance with the United States to learn from American automakers and other companies, which gave rise to The Toyota Way (a management philosophy) and

5617-874: The Toyota Mirai , a technology that is much costlier and has fallen far behind electric batteries in terms of adoption. As of 2024 , the Toyota Motor Corporation produces vehicles under four brands: Daihatsu , Hino , Lexus and the namesake Toyota. The company also holds a 20% stake in Subaru Corporation , a 5.1% stake in Mazda , a 4.9% stake in Suzuki , a 4.6% stake in Isuzu , a 3.8% stake in Yamaha Motor Corporation , and

Toyota concept vehicles (2010–2019) - Misplaced Pages Continue

5754-644: The Toyota Motor Corporation with more than 15 million Lexus and Toyota hybrids sold as of January 2020 , followed by Honda Motor Co., Ltd. with cumulative global sales of more than 1.35 million hybrids as of June 2014 ; As of September 2022 , worldwide hybrid sales are led by the Toyota Prius liftback, with cumulative sales of 5 million units. The Prius nameplate had sold more than 6 million hybrids up to January 2017. Global Lexus hybrid sales achieved

5891-481: The Toyota Prius in Japan in 1997, followed by the Honda Insight in 1999. Initially, hybrid seemed unnecessary due to the low cost of gasoline. Worldwide increases in the price of petroleum caused many automakers to release hybrids in the late 2000s; they are now perceived as a core segment of the automotive market of the future. As of April 2020 , over 17 million hybrid electric vehicles have been sold worldwide since their inception in 1997. Japan has

6028-583: The Toyota Production System (a lean manufacturing practice) that transformed the small company into a leader in the industry and was the subject of many academic studies. In the 1960s, Toyota took advantage of the rapidly growing Japanese economy to sell cars to a growing middle-class, leading to the development of the Toyota Corolla , which became the world's all-time best-selling automobile . The booming economy also funded an international expansion that allowed Toyota to grow into one of

6165-718: The Toyota Technical College of Tokyo and first shown at the January 2010 Tokyo Auto Salon . It was based on a Toyota Sports 800 with the original 2 cylinder petrol engine being replaced by a single 28 kW electric motor. On 27 November 2010, the Sports EV participated in the classic car parade at the Toyota Automobile Museum Classic Car Festival in Tokyo. The Toyota Sports EV Twin (Sports Electric Vehicle)

6302-632: The Volkswagen Jetta Hybrid were released in the U.S. in December 2012. Global sales of the Toyota Prius liftback passed the 3 million milestone in June 2013. The Prius liftbak is available in almost 80 countries and regions, and it is the world's best-selling hybrid electric vehicle. Toyota released the hybrid versions of the Corolla Axio sedan and Corolla Fielder station wagon in Japan in August 2013. Both cars are equipped with

6439-557: The "Big Three" would be able to move from the concept phase to cost effective, pre-production prototype vehicles by 2004, as set out in Goal 3. The program was replaced by the hydrogen-focused FreedomCAR initiative by the George W. Bush administration in 2001, an initiative to fund research too risky for the private sector to engage in, with the long-term goal of developing effectively carbon emission- and petroleum-free vehicles. 1998 saw

6576-445: The 1 million unit milestone in March 2016. As of January 2017 , the conventional Prius is the all-time best-selling hybrid car in both Japan and the U.S., with sales of over 1.8 million in Japan and 1.75 million in the U.S. Hybrid electric vehicles can be classified according to the way in which power is supplied to the drivetrain: In each of the hybrids above it is common to use regenerative braking to recharge

6713-721: The 1970 Federal Clean Car Incentive Program, but the program was stopped by the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in 1976 while Eric Stork, the head of the EPA's vehicle emissions control program at the time, was accused of a prejudicial coverup . In 1979 the Fiat 131 Ibrido was presented in Detroit, a marching prototype made by the CRF (Fiat Research Center). The engine compartment

6850-439: The 2009 Cadillac Escalade Hybrid version. For the 2009 model year, General Motors released the same technology in their half-ton pickup truck models, the 2009 Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra Two-Mode Hybrid models. The Ford Fusion Hybrid officially debuted at the Greater Los Angeles Auto Show in November 2008, and was launched to the U.S. market in March 2009, together with the second-generation Honda Insight and

6987-517: The 2011 Toyota Auris Hybrid began in May 2010 at Toyota Manufacturing UK (TMUK) Burnaston plant and became the first mass-produced hybrid vehicle to be built in Europe. Sales in the UK began in July 2010, at a price starting at £18,950 ( US$ 27,450 ), £550 ( US$ 800 ) less than the Toyota Prius . The 2011 Auris Hybrid shares the same powertrain as the Prius, and combined fuel economy is 74.3 mpg ‑imp (3.80 L/100 km; 61.9 mpg ‑US ). The 2011 Lincoln MKZ Hybrid

SECTION 50

#1732797284502

7124-413: The 25% " chicken tax " on imported light trucks. By importing the truck as an incomplete chassis cab (the truck without a bed), the vehicle only faced a 4% tariff. Once in the United States, Atlas would build the truck beds and attach them to the trucks. The partnership was successful and two years later, Toyota purchased Atlas. In Southeast Asia, Toyota made efforts to establish domestic production in

7261-407: The Audi Duo (the Audi C3 100 Avant Duo ) experimental vehicle, a plug-in parallel hybrid based on the Audi 100 Avant quattro . This car had a 9.4 kilowatts (12.8  PS ; 12.6  bhp ) Siemens electric motor which drove the rear roadwheels. A trunk -mounted nickel–cadmium battery supplied energy to the motor that drove the rear wheels. The vehicle's front roadwheels were powered by

7398-541: The BAS-equipped Malibu is still in (limited) production. In 2007, Lexus released a hybrid electric version of their GS sport sedan, the GS 450h , with a power output of 335 bhp. The 2007 Camry Hybrid became available in summer 2006 in the United States and Canada. Nissan launched the Altima Hybrid with technology licensed by Toyota in 2007. Commencing in fall 2007, General Motors began to market their 2008 Two-Mode Hybrid models of their GMT900 -based Chevrolet Tahoe and GMC Yukon SUVs, closely followed by

7535-405: The BUV was completed in January 1975. The BUV was launched as the Toyota Tamaraw in the Philippines in December 1976, and as the Toyota Kijang in June 1977. The vehicle was well received in both countries. The energy crisis of the 1970s was a major turning point in the American auto industry. Before the crisis, large and heavy vehicles with powerful but inefficient engines were common. But in

7672-408: The Camry sedan, Camry hybrid, Prius and the RAV4 during the launching event at the Grand Hyatt Seoul. Between 2009 and 2011, Toyota conducted recalls of millions of vehicles after reports that several drivers experienced unintended acceleration . The recalls were to prevent a front driver's side floor mat from sliding into the foot pedal well, causing the pedals to become trapped and to correct

7809-493: The Corolla in numbers built that year. Before the decade was out, Toyota introduced Lexus , a new division that was formed to market and service luxury vehicles in international markets. Prior to the debut of Lexus, Toyota's two existing flagship models, the Crown and Century , both catered exclusively for the Japanese market and had little global appeal that could compete with international luxury brands such as Mercedes-Benz , BMW and Jaguar . The company had been developing

7946-481: The Crown went on sale in August 1955. The car was met with positive reviews from around the world. After the introduction of the Crown, Toyota began aggressively expanding into the export market; the company entered Saudi Arabia for the first time in 1955 with Land Cruisers, following an agreement reached with Abdul Latif Jameel (founder of his company of the same name ); Toyota also brought Land Cruisers into neighboring Yemen in 1956. In 1958, Toyota established

8083-404: The HEV was built by Victor Wouk (one of the scientists involved with the Henney Kilowatt , the first transistor-based electric car) and Dr. Charles L Rosen. Wouk's work with HEVs in the 1960s and 1970s earned him the title as the "Godfather of the Hybrid". They installed a prototype hybrid drivetrain (with a 16-kilowatt (21 hp) electric motor ) into a 1972 Buick Skylark provided by GM for

8220-486: The March 2011 Geneva Motor Show . In September 2012 Toyota announced that due to customers' concerns about range and charging time, the production of the Scion iQ EV (Toyota eQ in Japan) will be limited to about 100 units for special fleet use in Japan and the U.S. only, down from 600 originally planned. The iQ EV/eQ is scheduled to be released in both countries in December 2012. The Scion FR-S Sports Coupe Concept , where FR-S means Front-engine, Rear-wheel drive, Sport,

8357-414: The Philippines and Indonesia in early 1970s. In the Philippines, it partnered with local company Delta Motor Corporation . Toyota assisted Delta Motor with capital procurement and technology transfers. In 1973, Delta Motor commenced operations at a new plant, beginning local production of engine blocks for the Toyota Corona 12R engine and other parts. In Indonesia, Toyota established Toyota Astra Motor as

SECTION 60

#1732797284502

8494-443: The Prius by its aggressive body kit and new wheels. The Toyota FT-CH (Future Toyota Compact Hybrid) is a concept vehicle built by Toyota and first shown at the January 2010 North American International Auto Show . Compared to the Toyota Prius , the FT-CH is 560 mm (22 in) shorter in overall length and less than 25 mm (1 in) narrower in overall width. It is lighter in weight and more fuel efficient than

8631-403: The Prius v has two rows to seat 5 people and the Prius+ has 3 rows to seat seven people. The Prius v went on sale in the United States in October 2011, and the Prius+ was released in Europe in June 2012. The 7-seater Prius v was launched in Australia in May 2012. The Toyota iQ EV Prototype is the successor to the FT-EV II as an electric vehicle based on the iQ chassis. It was shown at

8768-411: The Prius. In 2001, Toyota acquired its long time partner, truck and bus manufacturer Hino Motors . In 2002, Toyota entered Formula One competition and established a manufacturing joint venture in France with French automakers Citroën and Peugeot . A youth-oriented marque for North America, Scion , was introduced in 2003. Toyota ranked eighth on Forbes 2000 list of the world's leading companies for

8905-411: The Prius. This concept is targeting a lower price range than the Prius line-up, thus " appealing to a younger, less-affluent buyer demographic ." The FT-CH was designed at Toyota European Design and Development . The NiMH batteries are made by Panasonic EV Energy Co - a joint venture between Toyota and Panasonic . The Toyota Sports EV (Sports Electric Vehicle) was a concept vehicle built by

9042-450: The Soviet Union and the U.S., who had been allies in World War II. U.S. priorities shifted (the " Reverse Course ") from punishing and reforming Japan to ensuring internal political stability, rebuilding the economy, and, to an extent, remilitarizing Japan. Under these new policies, in 1949, Japanese automakers were allowed to resume passenger car production, but at the same time, a new economic stabilization program to control inflation plunged

9179-409: The Toyoda Model G Automatic loom . The principle of jidoka , which means the machine stops itself when a problem occurs, became later a part of the Toyota Production System . Looms were built on a small production line . In 1929, the patent for the automatic loom was sold to the British company Platt Brothers , generating the starting capital for automobile development. Under the direction of

9316-418: The Toyota Motor Company Ltd. Kiichiro's brother-in-law Rizaburo Toyoda was appointed the firm's first president, with Kiichiro as vice-president. Toyota Automatic Loom Works formally transferred automobile manufacturing to the new entity on September 29. The Japanese government supported the company by preventing foreign competitors Ford and General Motors from importing automobiles into Japan. At

9453-412: The Toyota Production System. For Toyota, the factory gave the company its first manufacturing base in North America allowing it to avoid any future tariffs on imported vehicles and saw GM as a partner who could show them how to navigate the American labor environment. The plant would be led by Tatsuro Toyoda , the younger brother of company president Shoichiro Toyoda. The first Toyota assembled in America,

9590-401: The U.S. during 2012 are the Audi Q5 Hybrid , BMW 5 Series ActiveHybrid , BMW 3 series Hybrid , Ford C-Max Hybrid , Acura ILX Hybrid . Also during 2012 were released the next generation of Toyota Camry Hybrid and the Ford Fusion Hybrid , both of which offer significantly improved fuel economy in comparison with their previous generations. The 2013 models of the Toyota Avalon Hybrid and

9727-403: The U.S. in 2011. VW also announced plans to introduce diesel -electric hybrid versions of its most popular models in 2012, beginning with the new Jetta , followed by the Golf Hybrid in 2013 together with hybrid versions of the Passat . Other gasoline-electric hybrids released in the U.S. in 2011 were the Lexus CT 200h , the Infiniti M35 Hybrid , the Hyundai Sonata Hybrid and its sibling

9864-553: The U.S. in October 2009. The S400 BlueHybrid is a mild hybrid and the first hybrid car to adopt a lithium-ion battery . The hybrid technology in the S400 was co-developed by Daimler AG and BMW . The same hybrid technology is being used in the BMW ActiveHybrid 7 , expected to go on sales in the U.S. and Europe by mid-2010. In December 2009 BMW began sales of its full hybrid BMW ActiveHybrid X6 , while Daimler launched

10001-651: The U.S. in October 2011, is the first spinoff from the Prius family. Sales in Japan began in May 2011 as the Prius Alpha. The European version, named Prius +, was launched in June 2012. The Prius Aqua was launched in Japan in December 2011, and was released as the Toyota Prius c in the U.S. in March 2012. The Prius c was launched in Australia in April 2012. The production version of the 2012 Toyota Yaris Hybrid went on sale in Europe in June 2012. Other hybrids released in

10138-475: The United States government over accusations that it had intentionally hid information about safety defects and had made deceptive statements to protect its brand image. Amid the unintended acceleration scandal, Katsuaki Watanabe stepped down as company president. He was replaced by Akio Toyoda , grandson of company founder Kiichiro Toyoda, on June 23, 2009. Akio had been with Toyota since 1984, working jobs in production, marketing and product development, and took

10275-555: The automotive industry into a serious shortage of funds, while many truck owners defaulted on their loans. Ultimately, the Bank of Japan , the central bank of the country, bailed out the company, with demands that the company institute reforms. As the 1950s began, Toyota emerged from its financial crisis a smaller company, closing factories and laying off workers. Meanwhile, the Korean War broke out, and being located so close to

10412-439: The batteries. A plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV), also known as a plug-in hybrid, is a hybrid electric vehicle with rechargeable batteries that can be restored to full charge by connecting a plug to an external electric powersource . A PHEV shares the characteristics of both a conventional hybrid electric vehicle, having an electric motor and an internal combustion engine ; and of an all-electric vehicle , also having

10549-465: The battery is essential. In a conventional (non-hybrid) vehicle, there is no need for an energy management strategy: the driver decides the instant power delivery using the brake and accelerator pedals and, in manual transmission vehicles, decides which gear is engaged at any time. In a hybrid vehicle, on the other hand, there is an additional decision that must be taken due to its ability to recover energy during braking or driving downhill: how much power

10686-860: The battery storage, the Volvo ECC used a gas turbine engine to drive the generator for recharging. The Clinton administration initiated the Partnership for a New Generation of Vehicles (PNGV) program on 29 September 1993, that involved Chrysler , Ford , General Motors , USCAR , the DoE , and other various governmental agencies to engineer the next efficient and clean vehicle. The United States National Research Council (USNRC) cited automakers ' moves to produce HEVs as evidence that technologies developed under PNGV were being rapidly adopted on production lines , as called for under Goal 2. Based on information received from automakers, NRC reviewers questioned whether

10823-478: The battlefront, the U.S. Army placed an order for 1,000 trucks from Toyota. The order helped to rapidly improve the struggling company's business performance. In 1950, company executives, including Kiichiro's cousin Eiji Toyoda , took a trip to the United States where they trained at the Ford Motor Company and observed the operations of dozens of U.S. manufacturers. The knowledge they gained during

10960-603: The brakes and by igniting oxyhydrogen gas. No production beyond the prototype was reported. During the Second World War, Ferdinand Porsche sought to use his firm's experience in hybrid drivetrain design for powering armored fighting vehicles for Nazi Germany. A series of designs, starting with the VK 3001 (P) , the unsuccessful VK 4501 (P) heavy tank prototype (which became the Elefant tank destroyer) and concluding with

11097-457: The brand and vehicles in secret since August 1983, at a cost of over US$ 1 billion. The LS 400 flagship full-size sedan debuted in 1989 to strong sales, and was largely responsible for the successful launch of the Lexus marque. In the 1990s, Toyota began to branch out from producing mostly compact cars by adding many larger and more luxurious vehicles to its lineup, including a full-sized pickup,

11234-482: The car was released in Japan in December 2011. Sales of the Prius c in several Asian markets began in January 2012. The Prius c was released in the U.S. and Canada in March 2012. Sales in Australia and New Zealand began in April 2012. The Toyota Yaris HSD Concept was introduced at the March 2011 Geneva Motor Show . The Yaris Hybrid is expected to go on sale in Europe in 2012. The concept car presented in Geneva had

11371-467: The company in 1959: "'Toy' sounds like a toy and toys break". The Crown was a flop in the U.S. market, with buyers finding it overpriced and underpowered (because it was designed for endurance on the bad roads of Japan, not high-speed performance on the good roads of America). In response, exports of the Crown to the United States were suspended in the early 1960s in favor of the Land Cruiser and

11508-495: The company proposing a joint-venture with the Ford Motor Company . Those talks broke down in July 1981. Eventually in 1984, the company struck a deal with General Motors (GM) to establish a joint-venture vehicle manufacturing plant called NUMMI (New United Motor Manufacturing, Inc.) in Fremont, California . GM saw the joint venture as a way to get access to a quality small car and an opportunity to learn about The Toyota Way and

11645-417: The company ran a public competition to design a new logo. Of 27,000 entries, the winning entry was the three Japanese katakana letters for "Toyoda" in a circle. However, Rizaburo Toyoda , who had married into the family and was not born with that name, preferred "Toyota" ( トヨタ ) because it took eight brush strokes (a lucky number) to write in Japanese, was visually simpler (leaving off the diacritic at

11782-543: The company their father had founded. In 1992, Shoichiro Toyoda would shift to become chairman, allowing his brother Tatsuro to become president, a job he held until his retirement in 1995. Shoichiro would step down as chairman in 1999. Both would retain honorary advisory roles in the company. Hiroshi Okuda would lead the company as president from 1995 until 1999 when he became chairman and the President's office would be filled by Fujio Cho . In August 2000, exports began of

11919-459: The company to 33.4 percent, giving Toyota the ability to veto shareholder resolutions at the annual meeting. In 1998, Toyota increased its holding in the company to 51.2 percent, becoming the majority shareholder. On September 29, 1999, the company decided to list itself on the New York and London Stock Exchanges . The later half of the 1990s would also see the Toyoda brothers step back from

12056-678: The company's first truck, the G1 , was completed on August 25, 1935, and debuted on November 21 in Tokyo, becoming the company's first production model. Modeled on a period Ford truck, the G1 sold for ¥2,900, ¥200 cheaper than the Ford truck. A total of 379 G1 trucks were ultimately produced. In April 1936, Toyoda's first passenger car, the Model AA , was completed. The sales price was ¥3,350, ¥400 cheaper than Ford or GM cars. The company's plant at Kariya

12193-508: The design and manufacturing of auto bodies, which were then mounted on truck frames made by Toyota. The project was a major test for Toyota, who would need to build bodies and develop a new chassis that would be comfortable, but still stand up to the muddy, slow, unpaved roads common in Japan at the time. The project had been championed for many years by founder Kiichiro Toyoda, who died suddenly on March 27, 1952. The first prototypes were completed in June 1953 and began extensive testing, before

12330-408: The driver's mood and the entire exterior of the car can be used as a display. Navigation help is provided by a 3D avatar that is projected from the dashboard. The car can communicate by electronic network with other cars and the road that are similarly equipped. Most features can be controlled by smartphone: Toyota president Akio Toyoda called it a "smartphone on four wheels". Initially the drive train

12467-491: The early days, the Armstrong Phaeton was innovative with many firsts. Not only did it have a gasoline powered 6.5-liter, two-cylinder engine, but also a dynamo flywheel connected to an onboard battery. The dynamo and regenerative braking were used to charge the battery. Its electric starter was used 16 years before Cadillac's. The dynamo also provided ignition spark and powered the electric lamps. The Phaeton also had

12604-694: The electric motor is keyed, the latter powered by a 12-batteries pack. The regenerative brake concept was further developed in the early 1980s by David Arthurs, an electrical engineer , using off-the shelf components, military surplus, and an Opel GT . The voltage controller to link the batteries, motor (a jet-engine starter motor), and DC generator was Arthurs'. The vehicle exhibited 75 miles per US gallon (3.1 L/100 km; 90 mpg ‑imp ) fuel efficiency , and plans for it were marketed by Mother Earth News . In 1982, Fritz Karl Preikschat invented an electric propulsion and braking system for cars based on regenerative braking. While clearly not

12741-658: The end of 2017. The decision was based on the unfavourable Australian dollar making exports not viable, the high cost of local manufacture, and the high amount of competition in a relatively small local market. The company planned to consolidate its corporate functions in Melbourne by the end of 2017, and retain its Altona plant for other functions. The workforce is expected to be reduced from 3,900 to 1,300. Both Ford Motor Company and General Motors ( Holden ) followed suit, ending Australian production in 2016 and 2017 respectively. The automaker narrowly topped global sales for

12878-434: The end), and with a voiceless consonant instead of a voiced one (voiced consonants are considered to have a "murky" or "muddy" sound compared to voiceless consonants, which are "clear"). Since toyoda literally means "fertile rice paddies", changing the name also prevented the company from being associated with old-fashioned farming. The newly formed word was trademarked and the company began trading on August 28, 1937, as

13015-427: The first half of 2014, selling 5.1 million vehicles in the six months ending June 30, 2014, an increase of 3.8% on the same period the previous year. Volkswagen AG , which recorded sales of 5.07 million vehicles, was close behind. Hybrid electric vehicle Modern HEVs make use of efficiency-improving technologies such as regenerative brakes which convert the vehicle's kinetic energy to electric energy, which

13152-412: The first hybrid to adopt advanced lithium polymer (Li–Poly) batteries. The Elantra LPI Hybrid delivers a fuel economy rating of 41.9 miles per US gallon (5.61 L/100 km; 50.3 mpg ‑imp ) and CO 2 emissions of 99 g/km to qualify as a Super Ultra Low Emission Vehicle (SULEV). The Mercedes-Benz S400 BlueHybrid was unveiled in the 2009 Chicago Auto Show , and sales began in

13289-587: The first semi-automatic transmission (no manual clutch). The exhaust system was an integrated structural component of the vehicle. The Armstrong Phaeton's motor was too powerful; the torque damaged the carriage wheels repeatedly. In 1900, while employed at Lohner Coach Factory, Ferdinand Porsche developed the Mixte , a 4WD series-hybrid version of " System Lohner–Porsche " electric carriage that previously appeared in 1900 Paris World Fair . George Fischer sold hybrid buses to England in 1901; Knight Neftal produced

13426-477: The first sports hybrid concept. It came out in 2011. The Toyota Insect is a 1-seater, 61 km/h (38 mph) top speed concept that came out in 2011, at the Japan CEATEC (Combined Exhibition of Advanced Technologies) festival. Insect stands for Information Network Social Electricity City Transporter. The Toyota i-Road , which came out in 2013, is based on the Insect. The small doors open and close like

13563-470: The first version of a flex-fuel hybrid powered by a 1.8-litre Atkinson engine. By February 2020, sales of the Corolla Altis flex-fuel hybrid represented almost 25% of all Corolla sales in the country. To take advantage of the emission reduction potential of hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs), appropriate design of their energy management systems (EMSs) to control the power flow between the engine and

13700-526: The founder's son, Kiichiro Toyoda , Toyoda Automatic Loom Works established an Automobile Division on September 1, 1933, and formally declared its intention to begin manufacturing automobiles on January 29, 1934. A prototype Toyota Type A engine was completed on September 25, 1934, with the company's first prototype sedan, the A1 , completed the following May. As Kiichiro had limited experience with automobile production, he initially focused on truck production;

13837-618: The heaviest armored fighting vehicle ever prototyped, the Panzerkampfwagen Maus of nearly 190 tonnes in weight, were just two examples of a number of planned Wehrmacht "weapons systems" (including the highly-"electrified" subsystems on the Fw 191 bomber project ), crippled in their development by the then-substandard supplies of electrical-grade copper , required for the electric final drives on Porsche's armored fighting vehicle powertrain designs. The regenerative braking system ,

13974-420: The largest automakers in the world, the largest company in Japan and the ninth-largest company in the world by revenue , as of December 2020 . Toyota was the world's first automobile manufacturer to produce more than 10 million vehicles per year, a record set in 2012, when it also reported the production of its 200 millionth vehicle. By September 2023, total production reached 300 million vehicles. Toyota

14111-685: The loophole that allowed Toyota to pay lower taxes by building truck beds in America. Also in 1981, Eiji Toyoda stepped down as president and assumed the title of chairman. He was succeeded as president by Shoichiro Toyoda , the son of the company's founder. Within months, Shoichiro started to merge Toyota's sales and production organizations, and in 1982 the combined companies became the Toyota Motor Corporation. The two groups were described as "oil and water" and it took years of leadership from Shoichiro to successfully combine them into one organization. In Japan, Toyota offered mid-level luxury cars that were

14248-558: The milestone of 400,000 hybrid electric vehicles produced in November 2014. After 18 years since the introduction of hybrid cars, Japan became in 2014 the first country to reach sales of over 1 million hybrid cars in a single year, and also the Japanese market surpassed the United States as the world's largest hybrid market. The redesigned and more efficient fourth generation Prius was released for retail customers in Japan in December 2015. The 2016 model year Prius Eco surpassed

14385-500: The non-hybrid version, but delivers 50 miles per US gallon (4.7 L/100 km; 60 mpg ‑imp ), a 40 percent increase compared to a conventional Civic LX sedan. Along with the conventional Civic, it received a styling update for 2004. The redesigned 2004 Toyota Prius (second generation) improved passenger room, cargo area, and power output, while increasing energy efficiency and reducing emissions. The Honda Insight first generation stopped being produced after 2006 and has

14522-550: The only patent relating to the hybrid electric vehicle, the patent was important based on 120+ subsequent patents directly citing it. The patent was issued in the U.S. and the system was not prototyped or commercialized. In 1988, Alfa Romeo built three prototypes of the Alfa 33 Hybrid, equipped with the tried and tested Alfasud boxer engine (1,500cc, 95 HP) combined with a three-phase asynchronous electric motor (16 HP, 6.1 kgm of torque) supplied by Ansaldo of Genoa . The design

14659-522: The onset of World War II , Toyota almost exclusively produced standard-sized trucks for the Japanese Army, which paid one-fifth of the price in advance and the remainder in cash upon delivery. Japan was heavily damaged in World War II and Toyota's plants, which were used for the war effort, were not spared. On August 14, 1945, one day before the surrender of Japan , Toyota's Koromo Plant

14796-412: The optimal power split between the on-board energy sources. The decision regarding what to consider optimal depends on the specific application: in most cases, the strategies tend to minimize the fuel consumption, but optimization objectives could also include the minimization of pollutant emissions, maximization of battery life or—in general—a compromise among all the above goals. William H. Patton filed

14933-509: The original FT-86 in the use of carbon fibre panels, a vented bonnet , a large rear spoiler, new 19 inch wheels and a custom exhaust. The interior features Recaro bucket seats and a rollcage. The horizontally opposed engine is upgraded with a turbocharger . The FT-86 G Sports concept has reappeared at Toyota's showroom in Amlux, Ikebukuro. The production version of the FT-86 has been named as

15070-628: The other in Blue Springs, Mississippi, USA. The company was number one in global automobile sales for the first quarter of 2008. Toyota was hit by the global financial crisis of 2008 as it was forced in December 2008 to forecast its first annual loss in 70 years. In January 2009, it announced the closure of all of its Japanese plants for 11 days to reduce output and stocks of unsold vehicles. In October 2009, Toyota announced that they were establishing an office in South Korea and launched

15207-405: The possible mechanical sticking of the accelerator pedal . At least 37 were killed in crashes allegedly related to unintended acceleration, approximately 9 million cars and trucks were recalled, Toyota was sued for personal injuries and wrongful deaths, paid US$ 1 billion to settle a class action lawsuit to compensate owners for lost resale value, and paid a US$ 1.2 billion criminal penalty to

15344-497: The preview of the 2011 Geneva Motor Show as the successor to the Toyota FT-86 Concept . 'FT' stands for 'Future Toyota'. The vehicle was designed by the Toyota European Design and Development centre (ED) with increased dimensions compared to its predecessor. It includes redesigned front bumper and headlights, rear bumper and tail lights, an added rear spoiler and side vents. The production model will be known as

15481-507: The prototype Lanchester petrol-electric car was made in 1927. It was not a success, but the vehicle is on display in Thinktank, Birmingham Science Museum . The United States Army 's 1928 Experimental Motorized Force tested a gasoline-electric bus in a truck convoy. In 1931, Erich Gaichen invented and drove from Altenburg to Berlin a 1/2 horsepower electric car containing features later incorporated into hybrid cars. Its maximum speed

15618-588: The same engine. Two years later, Audi, unveiled the second duo generation, the Audi 100 Duo – likewise based on the Audi 100 Avant quattro. Once again, this featured an electric motor, a 21.3 kilowatts (29.0 PS; 28.6 bhp) three-phase machine, driving the rear roadwheels. This time, however, the rear wheels were additionally powered via the Torsen centre differential from the main engine compartment, which housed

15755-484: The same time, sports cars like the Supra , Celica , MR2 , Corolla Levin , Sprinter Trueno , and even the subcompact Starlet GT reflected a time of prosperity. December 1997 saw the introduction of the first-generation Toyota Prius , the first mass-produced gasoline-electric hybrid car. The vehicle would be produced exclusively for the Japanese market for the first two years. With a major presence in Europe, due to

15892-585: The slight opening of the Japanese auto market to foreign companies. In an effort to strengthen Japan's auto industry ahead of the market opening, Toyota purchased stakes in other Japanese automakers. That included a stake in Hino Motors , a manufacturer of large commercial trucks, buses and diesel engines, along with a 16.8 percent stake in Daihatsu , a manufacturer of kei cars , the smallest highway-legal passenger vehicles sold in Japan. That began what became

16029-617: The success of Toyota Team Europe in motorsport, the corporation decided to set up Toyota Motor Europe Marketing and Engineering, TMME , to help market vehicles in the continent. Two years later, Toyota set up a base in the United Kingdom, TMUK , as the company's cars had become very popular among British drivers. Bases in Indiana , Virginia , and Tianjin were also set up. Toyota also increased its ownership of Daihatsu during this period. In 1995, Toyota increased its shareholding in

16166-466: The trip, along with what the company learned making looms, gave rise to The Toyota Way (a management philosophy) and the Toyota Production System (a lean manufacturing practice) that transformed the company into a leader in the manufacturing industry. Toyota started developing its first full-fledged passenger car, the Toyopet Crown , in 1952. Prior to the Crown, Toyota had been outsourcing

16303-540: The world's largest hybrid electric vehicle fleet with 7.5 million hybrids registered as of March 2018 . Japan also has the world's highest hybrid market penetration with hybrids representing 19.0% of all passenger cars on the road as of March 2018 , both figures excluding kei cars . As of December 2020 , the U.S. ranked second with cumulative sales of 5.8 million units since 1999, and, as of July 2020 , Europe listed third with 3.0 million cars delivered since 2000. Global sales are led by

16440-714: The year 2005. Also in 2005, Fujio Cho would shift to become chairman of Toyota and would be replaced as president by Katsuaki Watanabe . In 2007, Toyota released an update of its full-sized truck, the Tundra, produced in two American factories, one in Texas and one in Indiana. Motor Trend named the 2007 Toyota Camry "Car of the Year" for 2007. It also began the construction of two new factories, one in Woodstock, Ontario, Canada, and

16577-416: The years after, consumers started demanding high-quality and fuel-efficient small cars. Domestic automakers, in the midst of their malaise era , struggled to build these cars profitably, but foreign automakers like Toyota were well positioned. This, along with growing anti-Japanese sentiment , prompted the U.S. Congress to consider import restrictions to protect the domestic auto industry. The 1960s also saw

16714-645: Was 25 miles per hour (40 km/h), but it was licensed by the Motor Transport Office, taxed by the German Revenue Department and patented by the German Reichs-Patent Amt. The car battery was re-charged by the motor when the car went downhill. Additional power to charge the battery was provided by a cylinder of compressed air which was re-charged by small air pumps activated by vibrations of the chassis and

16851-451: Was a concept vehicle built by the Toyota Technical College of Tokyo as an update to the Sports EV and first shown at the January 2011 Tokyo Auto Salon . The single electric motor of the Sports EV was replaced with twin copies of the same 28 kW electric motor wired in series. Each electric motor projects sideways from the central shaft in a similar manner to the sports 800's original flat twin petrol engine. A convertible version of

16988-655: Was a 3-seat concept car unveiled at the October 2011 Tokyo Motor Show . It was also shown at the January 2012 North American International Auto Show , as the Toyota diji at the March 2012 Geneva Motor Show and as the iiMo at the September/October 2012 Paris Motor Show and the October 2012 São Paulo International Transport Industry Show . It was shown as the Fun-vii at the March 2013 Bangkok International Motor Show . The interior colours can be altered to suit

17125-458: Was bombed by the Allied forces . After the surrender, the U.S.-led occupying forces banned passenger car production in Japan. However, automakers like Toyota were allowed to begin building trucks for civilian use, in an effort to rebuild the nation's infrastructure. The U.S. military also contracted with Toyota to repair its vehicles. By 1947, there was an emerging global Cold War between

17262-414: Was completed in May. In July, the company filled its first export order, with four G1 trucks exported to northeastern China. On September 19, 1936, the Japanese imperial government officially designated Toyota Automatic Loom Works as an automotive manufacturer. Vehicles were originally sold under the name "Toyoda" (トヨダ), from the family name of the company's founder, Kiichirō Toyoda . In September 1936,

17399-406: Was composed by the 903cc borrowed from the Fiat 127 , set to output 33 hp only and coupled to a 20 kW electric motor. The scheme proposed by Fiat is defined as "parallel hybrid": the petrol engine is connected to the differential with a 1:1 direct gear ratio, without gearbox, instead of the clutch there was an 8-inch torque converter followed by the transmission shaft on which the rotor of

17536-565: Was coupled with a 21 kilowatts (29  PS ; 28  bhp ) electric motor. Due to low demand for it because of its high price, only about sixty Audi Duos were produced. Until the release of the Audi Q7 Hybrid in 2008, the Duo was the only European hybrid ever put into production. The Honda Civic Hybrid was introduced in February 2002 as a 2003 model, based on the seventh-generation Civic . The 2003 Civic Hybrid appears identical to

17673-594: Was developed in partnership with several Brazilian federal universities, and a prototype was tested for six months using a Toyota Prius as development mule . Toyota announced plans to start series production of a flex hybrid electric car for the Brazilian market in the second half of 2019. The twelfth generation of the Corolla line-up was launched in Brazil in September 2019, which included an Altis trim with

17810-451: Was estimated at 61 miles per US gallon (3.9 L/100 km; 73 mpg ‑imp ) in city driving and 68 miles per US gallon (3.5 L/100 km; 82 mpg ‑imp ) on the highway. The Toyota Prius sold 300 units in 1997 and 19,500 in 2000, and cumulative worldwide Prius sales reached the one million mark in April 2008. By early 2010, the Prius global cumulative sales were estimated at 1.6 million units. Toyota launched

17947-493: Was not known but it was revealed to be a pure electric vehicle with wireless recharging at the São Paulo show. Specifications were not given. The car is able to navigate by itself in "auto-pilot" lanes. Toyota Toyota Motor Corporation ( Japanese : トヨタ自動車株式会社 , Hepburn : Toyota Jidōsha kabushikigaisha , IPA: [toꜜjota] , English: / t ɔɪ ˈ j oʊ t ə / , commonly known as simply Toyota )

18084-432: Was praised for being a leader in the development and sales of more fuel-efficient hybrid electric vehicles , starting with the introduction of the original Toyota Prius in 1997. The company now sells more than 40 hybrid vehicle models around the world. More recently, the company has also been criticized for being slow to adopt all-electric vehicles , instead focusing on the development of hydrogen fuel cell vehicles , like

18221-421: Was realistic and already mass production-oriented, with minimal modifications to the standard body and a weight increase of only 150 kg (110 for the batteries, 20 for the electric engine and 10 for power electronics). The Alfa Romeo 33 Ibrida was able to travel up to 60 km/h in full electric mode, with a 5 km range, very good performance for the time. In 1989, Audi produced its first iteration of

18358-593: Was redesigned specifically for the American market with a more powerful engine. The Corona helped increase U.S. sales of Toyota vehicles to more than 20,000 units in 1966 (a threefold increase) and helped the company become the third-best-selling import brand in the United States by 1967. Toyota's first manufacturing investment in the United States came in 1972 when the company struck a deal with Atlas Fabricators, to produce truck beds in Long Beach, in an effort to avoid

18495-458: Was unveiled at the 2011 New York International Auto Show . According to Yahoo! Autos, sales are expected to start in the third quarter of 2012 as the Scion FR-S . The Toyota FT-EV III was unveiled at the 2011 Tokyo Motor Show . The FT-EV III was the latest concept version of the scheduled Scion iQ EV electric car. Toyota produced three generations of FT-EV concept cars, and the iQ EV

18632-417: Was unveiled at the 2010 New York International Auto Show and sales began in the U.S. in September 2010. The MKZ Hybrid is the first hybrid version ever to have the same price as the gasoline-engine version of the same car. The Porsche Cayenne Hybrid was launched in the U.S. in late 2010. Volkswagen announced at the 2010 Geneva Motor Show the launch of the 2012 Touareg Hybrid , which went on sale on

18769-746: Was used for the traction motors . A prototype was built in 1889, an experimental tram car was run in Pullman, Illinois , in 1891, and a production locomotive was sold to a street railway company in Cedar Falls, Iowa , in 1897. In 1896, the Armstrong Phaeton was developed by Harry E. Dey and built by the Armstrong Company of Bridgeport, CT for the Roger Mechanical Carriage Company. Though there were steam, electric, and internal combustion vehicles introduced in

#501498