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Lexus apologizes for anti-EV ad, Plug In America calls it 'outdated'

Anyone who's spent any time learning about the alternatives to the standard fossil fuel-burning internal combustion engine knows that there are arguments to be made for and against all of the main options. They also know that there is barely any refueling infrastructure for hydrogen fuel cell cars in the US, aside form a handful of H2 stations in California and one in South Carolina. Somehow, though Lexus, recently said there was an "established infrastructure" in 20 states in an online video ad on the company's official site. Another part of that site also made unfair negative comments about battery-powered electric vehicles, saying that it takes too long to charge the cars. Read our original post on the matter here. In the ongoing discussion about how the US moves away from inefficient gas and diesel engines, this was seen as a real muck up of the facts. Upon seeing the videos, pro-electric vehicle group Plug In America released a statement to AutoblogGreen (Lexus is owned by Toyota): Hey, Toyota, the 1990s called. They want their outdated anti-EV attack ad back. Plug-in electric vehicles charge while you're sleeping at home, far more convenient than making a trip to a gas station and coming away smelling like carcinogens. Driving on electricity costs about one fifth what it costs to drive the average gas car and about a third what it costs to drive the most efficient hybrid. An electric drive has smooth, instant acceleration which can't be matched by any gasoline engine. If you don't believe me, just ask anyone driving a Toyota RAV4 EV. The videos were produced by Team One, Lexus' ad agency. Exactly where the information came from and how it made it to the website is unclear, but Lexus spokesman Moe Durand said that Lexus apologizes for offending anyone and has taken the incorrect videos down. The company will review all the materials and alter and adjust the campaign as necessary, he said.

Best new convertibles for 2024 and 2025

If you’re here, then youÂ’re already in the right mindset. Convertibles rule, and we have all the best convertibles listed for you further below. Driving around with the top off is an experience you need to live to fall in love with. When the weatherÂ’s right, youÂ’re on a proper bit of road, and the car youÂ’re in is a good one, few automotive experiences can top it. The experience is extra special when you have a musical exhaust note filtering directly into your ears and echoing off the landscape around you. And while rolling the windows down and opening a moonroof can get you part of the way there, it's nothing like feeling the wind wash over you with absolutely no roof overhead. The downsides can be just as harsh as the upsides when youÂ’re in the wrong conditions, though. Convertibles are typically worse to live with in cold climates, and driving around with the top up frequently means you might be subject to more road noise and worse visibility than an equivalent coupe. And when it comes to pure performance, convertibles are inherently compromised from a weight and structural rigidity perspective. All that said, we still think the upsides outweigh the compromises if your number one objective is to simply have fun. ItÂ’s a good thing then that there are a ton of great convertibles for sale these days. And no, the list of possibilities isnÂ’t as long as it used to be. Long-running standbys like the Mercedes-Benz E-Class and C-Class Convertibles are gone (replaced by the one CLE-Class). And so are others like the Audi TT Roadster, Fiat 124 Spider and Nissan Z Roadster. Nevertheless, opportunities abound from the ultra-cheap and fun, to physics-defying supercars and everything else in between. WeÂ’ll give you options for which new convertibles we think are the best below, so read on to find out.   Mazda MX-5 Miata Pros: Lightweight and compact; great engine and transmission combo; one of the most raw and pure driving experiences out thereCons: Not great for tall people; infotainment is dated; tiny trunk Read our Mazda MX-5 Miata Review Miata is always the answer, right? In this case, that rings even more true than usual. In fact, you could stop reading this list right here and go buy a Miata and youÂ’d likely be just as happy driving it around as you would be in any of the more expensive offerings that follow. ThatÂ’s just the magic of the MX-5.

The Lexus LC 500h has a four-speed auto and that's a good thing

Lexus is sharing some powertrain details on the LC 500h ahead of the big hybrid coupe's debut in Geneva. Its new gas-electric setup strays from Toyota's tried-and-true system found in everything from the Prius to the Lexus GS. It's called the Multi Stage Hybrid System that's designed for performance vehicles, and it has an antiquated-sounding piece of equipment buried deep inside that's supposed to make it more enjoyable to drive. The basics: In the LC 500h, its first application, the Multi Stage Hybrid System will consist of a 3.5-liter V6, a hybrid transmission, and a lithium-ion battery pack. The hybrid transmission has an electric motor for motivation (and we're guessing a second for charging) and a four-speed automatic mounted to its rear, which either means inside or aft and in series. Why add ancient tech to a new hybrid system? Lexus says it preserves the connection between throttle input and engine speed that gets lost in a CVT. And while four seems like an insignificant sum in the face of nine- and 10-speed autos, remember that it is an infinite increase in gear count compared to CVT-packing hybrids. Toyota has been using versions of the Hybrid Synergy Drive system since the first Prius debuted in 1997, and the same system is sold under the Lexus Hybrid Drive banner in most of the luxury brand's offerings. These systems use what Toyota calls an e-CVT – two electric motors paired with a planetary gearset. This lets the engine and electric motors share the job of propelling the car – one motor handles charging of the battery and the other is primarily used to drive the wheels but can also recoup energy through regen. Like a conventional CVT, the planetary gearset arrangement allows the gas engine to run at its optimal engine speed when called upon for motivation and/or charging. But that doesn't make for the most exciting or familiar driving experience, as it affects both power delivery and the sound of the power being delivered. This is where the four-speed auto comes in. Based on the limited details Lexus has shared, our hunch is that the hybrid transmission will meld some form of the existing Lexus Hybrid Drive system with two more planetary gearsets, or the basic guts of a four-speed auto. This will provide the four fixed ratios and the feeling of actual shifting gears – because there will be actual gears shifting.