Toyota hopes to drive Prius in India with 'green car' subsidy

Toyota Kirloskar Motors (TKM), the Indian subsidiary of the Japanese car major that is currently facing some roadblocks with its hybrid car Prius in the global markets, is hopeful of working out a subsidy for the car as it enters the Indian market as a completely built unit (CBU) in March this year.
Currently, CBUs attract a duty of over 100 per cent in India, and the Prius is expected to cost between Rs 26.55 lakh and Rs 27.86 lakh here thanks to the high customs duty. The company has been in talks with the Centre since the last six months, and is eagerly waiting for this year’s Union Budget to have some good news for them.

Hiroshi Nakagawa, managing director, TKM said, “We are expecting the government to offer some incentives for buying an environment-friendly vehicle,” adding that the quantum of incentive is not specified. Toyota India feels that this is not just any other imported luxury vehicle and that the government could allow an incentive in the form of a subsidy to encourage the sales of ‘green’ cars.

TKM plans to sell around 200 units of the car this year. Prius is the world’s first mass-produced and largest-selling hybrid vehicle, having sold nearly 1.5 million units so far. Toyota has already received orders for 54 units in India.

The global trouble with Prius follows close on the heels of Toyota’s recall of 8 million cars (including Corolla and Camry) around the world because of sticky accelerator pedals. The Prius was recalled for brake software flaws. When asked if this could impact the launch of the car here, Nakagawa said that TKM would go ahead with its India launch plans as usual.

TKM had initially approached Toyota Motor Corporation for subsidies, but was advised to talk to the government of India.

As a part of the launch campaign, TKM is organising road shows across the country, and also showcasing the vehicle at auto shows to enable the potential consumer to have a touch and feel of the Prius.

Meanwhile, the company is all set to go ahead with the production of its new car Etios that will be available in a hatchback and a sedan version. Production is scheduled to start from December this year at its Bidadi plant and the car will hit the roads during the first quarter of 2011 calendar year. The company had sold 55,497 units in the country in 2009 and targets to sell 70,000 units this year. In 2011, however, TKM plans to sell 70,000 units of the Etios, taking its net sales number to above 1.4 lakh.

Hyundai Sonata hybrid to be unveiled at New York Auto Show

As people become more comfortable with the hybrid technology, global manufacturers are rushing to get it right and launch their hybrid cars. Recently Toyota launched its hybrid car, Prius, in India.

While the rest of the auto manufacturers were sweating it out with their hybrid car competition, Hyundai maintained a low profile. But now seems to be the right time for the Korean car manufacturer to join the race. Hyundai is all set to unveil its new Sonata hybrid during the upcoming New York Auto Show which is scheduled in April. Soon after this Hyundai hopes to launch its own plug-in hybrid some time in 2013.

The hybrid Sonata is equipped with a 2.4-liter engine mated to a six-speed automatic transmission coupled with a 30kW electric motor and a 1.4kWh battery pack. The battery pack will use lithium-polymer batteries rather than the NiMH batteries used by the other hybrids in its class. The polymer batteries are said to be more durable and cheaper to manufacture.

The Sonata hybrid will run on a parallel hybrid system. An electric motor and gas-burning engine will work in concert to increase fuel economy. It will be the first mass-produced vehicle to feature a lithium-ion battery under its hood.

Indian customers have still not warmed up to the concept of hybrid cars. One among the many reasons is that they are really expensive and so far the government has not done anything to bring relaxation on import duties.

Honda cars have a fan following in India but still when Honda launched its hybrid Civic in India in June 2008; it could not manage to get a warm response, mainly because of the price factor. But still, after the launch of Toyota Prius in India which is priced at around Rs 26.5 lakh and onward will give a tough competition to Hyundai’s hybrid Sonata when it is launched in India.

No words have been spilled on the pricing of the hybrid Sonata, but considering the technology, we can assume that it will cost much more than the petrol engine variant Sonata which are priced at Rs.13,84,841 and onwards in India.

BMW's hybrid X6 accelerates nonsense about fast low-emission cars

BMW is launching the 'world's most powerful hybrid' at Frankfurt motor show but its eco-friendly claims are weak

It's the holy grail for motorists with a green conscience – a high-performance eco-friendly hybrid car. Well, that is what BMW will have us believe when it unveils its latest model at the Frankfurt motor show in Germany next week.



The show is likely to see a stream of new hybrids, cars that combine a combustion engine with an electric motor for improved fuel efficiency. And pole position is likely to be taken by BMW's ActiveHybrid X6, which it styles the "world's most powerful hybrid".

The new X6 goes from 0-60 mph in under six seconds and has a top speed of 130 mph.

But the company gives equal prominence to its pitch that the new hybrid is "eco-friendly", because its carbon emissions are 20% less than those of a regular X6.

For a few days last month you could read the same claim on the website of the Energy Saving Trust, the "impartial" adviser on energy efficiency set up by the British government.

But is it too good to be true? Of course. As one incredulous reader who spotted the story on the Trust's website pointed out: "The Trust is promoting a car as eco-friendly with emissions TWICE that of my 6 year old Honda Civic hybrid!"

The ActiveHybrid X6's official CO2 emissions rating with the European Union is 231 grams per kilometre. That compares badly with the EU's 2012 target for average emissions from new cars of 120 grams. It is also higher than the emissions from most of the new Lexus hybrid range and more than twice the emissions of a Toyota Prius, for instance.

The fact that it is better than the regular X6's rating of 299 grams per kilometre does not make it eco-friendly, I am afraid. The claim is greenwash.

I suspect we are going to see a rash of these high-performance high-emission hybrids masquerading as green. Back in the lab, BMW is developing a hybrid "supercar" that will reach 155 mph and 0-60 mph in less than five seconds.

Sure, hybrids are more fuel-efficient than the equivalent old models. The key is that the fuel does not have to be burned in inefficient surges as the car accelerates and brakes. It can be burned efficiently in a smooth flow, and the energy transferred to a battery that supplies the electric motor that drives the car itself. The battery can also make use of energy generated during braking.

But to call these high-performance models eco-friendly, or low-emissions as they burn up the autobahn is nonsense. They are, in reality, slightly less polluting gas-guzzlers.

The Energy Saving Trust seems to take a similar view. When my correspondent pointed out the dodgy nature of the car's green credentials, the offending story swiftly disappeared from its site. "Once we noticed it, we removed it straight away," a spokesman told me.

The rise of these new hybrids has important implications for green-minded legislators. For instance, it should increase the pressure on London's mayor to reconsider his blanket exemption from congestion charges for hybrid cars. Surely, only truly low-emitters should qualify.

Interestingly, the BMW PR promotes the idea that the driver of the hybrid X6 can "experience silence without coming to a stop", while the electric motor is running alone.

It sounds fun. But speaking as a pedestrian, I'm a bit scared at the idea of a car that can go from 0 to 60mph in less than six seconds without making any noise. Green or not, it sounds like a stealth killer.

Blue and Green: Frankfurt Motor Show Theme

Frankfurt Motor show or the International Motor Show (IAA) held at Frankfurt in September of every year draws car enthusiasts and car manufacturers at the same breath.

This year’s IAA is abuzz with the news of Hybrid and electric vehicles taking centre stage in the show. Every major and minor car manufacturers have lined up a slew of these hybrid and electric cars just for the event to paint the automotive world in the colours of Blue and Green.

Making a world debut in the 'Blue Drive Zone' is the Hyundai ix-Metro, a new crossover hybrid with CO2 emissions of just 80g/km. The ix-Metro is powered by an inline three-cylinder petrol engine displacing just one-litre. Direct injection, dual CVVT and turbo-charging are all combined with a six-speed dual clutch transmission to make for a highly potent compact package.

Hyundai will also be unveiling the HND-4 'Blue-Will' plug-in hybrid, which promises 40 miles of all-electric range with its parallel hybrid architecture which combines a 1.6-liter four-cylinder gas engine with direct-injection technology to charge a set of lithium-polymer batteries, which in turn provides power to an electric motor to drive the front wheels.

Kia is also showing their latest hybrid offering. Among the models unveiled will be the 2010 Sorento diesel hybrid - powered by a twin-turbocharged 1.6-liter four-cylinder diesel engine mated to an electric motor to provide 161 horsepower. The all-new five- or seven-seater Kia Sorento SUV is longer and lower, with sleeker styling and better aerodynamics.

Kia will also debut a mild-hybrid version of the Kia Cee'd hybrid – the company's top-selling model in Europe. The vehicle will pair a 1.6-liter four cylinder gas engine running to a hybrid power-train.

While no stranger to hybrid technology, Toyota will be showcasing three new hybrids at the Frankfurt Show including the Lexus LF-Ch, a 5-door hatch back with Hybrid Synergy Drive technology. Few details have been released on this model but more information is expected at the Show. Also from Toyota is the Toyota Auris Hybrid already proven popular in Europe with 400,000 units sold since its launch in 2007.

Not to be left out, given its iconic hybrid status, the Toyota Prius Plug-in Hybrid Concept will also be making an appearance in advance of its fleet testing scheduled for early 2010.

Indian electric car manufacturers REVA are ready to launch two new fully electric models the REVA NXG a 4-seat family hatch-back and the REVA NXR, a sporty 2-seater. The 4-seat NXR hatch back will run on Lithium ion batteries that can attain a maximum speed of 104kmph and covers a range of 160 kms when fully charged.

Hyundai will also be unveiling the Hyundai i10 Electric, a production-ready zero emissions vehicle. Powered by a 49kW motor and a 16kWh battery, the i10 Electric promises a driving range of 100 miles and top speed of over 80 mph.

The mass of hybrids and electric vehicles due to be unveiled at Frankfurt clearly conveys the current mind-set of the auto-industry, with a strong emphasis on lower emissions. Even Porsche are jumping on the green bandwagon with the announcement of a hybrid version of the Cayenne due in 2010.

We just can’t wait to see the 63rd International Motor Show (IAA) unravel itself on 17th and will run until the 27th of September in Frankfurt.

Hyundai Unveils Its EV

For Hyundai Motors, it seems like filling the void. The void of entry into electric cars segment. We have of late seen or heard most of the car makers, if not all, join the electric car manufacturing band wagon. Hyundai it looks as if, a strong believer in the adage ‘Make hay while sunshine’.

Hyundai Korea has just done the much speculated thing. After a quick heart transplant in its existing and popular small car i10, the guys in Hyundai have brought out the new Electric Vehicle (EV). This creation will most certainly star in the Frankfurt Motor Show later this month. We hear that the guys in Hyundai Motors have been slogging day in and day out on this project.

Hyundai i10, a small car and a hatch back will be positioned as an example of electric urban or city vehicle. It is said that the Hyundai i10 EV comes with a 66 bhp electric motor powered by a 16 kwh lithium-ion battery. The battery cells are provided by LG Chem. Driving range is 145 kilometers and top speed is 133 kph. 0 to 60 time is a rather leisurely 15 seconds. Hyundai also has added an intrinsic liquid thermal management system in the battery which makes the car charge upto 85 per cent in 15-minutes flat at 413 V. How cool is that?

But Hyundai has borrowed a leaf from GM Volt’s story and is leasing a low volume fleet in Korea in 2010 to understand the psyche of the people and probably would go into global production in 2012. Hyundai says that the battery cost would be above the sky limit for anybody to own at the moment forcing Hyundai will offer these vehicles as lease-only for the foreseeable future. In fact, the price of the pack is greater than the cost of an entire conventional gas-powered i10.

Now for the price update you’ll have been eagerly looking in this blog for. Ladies and Gentlemen, Hyundai i10 EV’s 16 kwh battery pack itself costs, Hold our breath, 10,000 euro. Ok, allow us to translate this complicated currency with our own. It roughly could read something like Rs. 7,00,000. Alright that might sound affordable to you, but we are being polite in reminding you it is just the cost of the battery pack and the whole car could actually cost a bomb.

But since, Hyundai has had at least the courtesy of admitting the battery pack cost of their Electric Vehicle, we also think that GM Volt’s battery cost also should be hovering around in that price range since they also use the same supplier ‘s cells and also have the intrinsic temperature management system.

Ah Guys, We also would like to add something else before we forget. This car though a hybrid in itself, the energy consumption is awesome. Hyundai i10 returns with a mind-blowing mileage of 7.8 miles per kwh. The Volt achieves 5 miles per kwh. Way to go Hyundai. It seems like Koreans can teach a lesson or two in conserving that precious energy.

For us Indians, we should be glad that we have Hyundai’s i10 doing rounds here in India. So we know that it surely would be in Indian shores sometime soon after the global production of the EV kicks off. We also are staunch believers in the adage ‘Better late than never’.