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Linde spending $4.3 million on two new hydrogen stations in California

If California is going to sink millions upon millions to expand its hydrogen-refueling infrastructure, shouldn't at least some of that infrastructure be operated by a company that actually produces hydrogen fuel? Why, yes, and that's the case with Linde North America. The company has announced it will build two publicly-accessible hydrogen stations in Northern California, courtesy of a $4.3 million grant from the California Energy Commission (CEC). One of the stations will be at Oakland International Airport while the other will be about 20 miles east in San Ramon, next to Toyota's regional office and parts distribution center for the San Francisco Bay Area. That's only fitting, considering that Toyota is going to release a production fuel cell vehicle next year, first in Japan, then in the US (it will be limited to California at the beginning). The California Air Resources Board recently outlined the Golden State's intention to spend $50 million on getting 28 hydrogen refueling stations up and running by the end of next year and as many as 100 new stations added during the next decade. A large chunk of those (19, to be exact) will be built through a partnership betweetn Toyota and FirstElement Fuel Inc., so things are happening. Check out Linde's press release below. Linde to build two additional retail hydrogen fueling stations in northern California - Receives $4 million grant from California Energy Commission - Fueling stations slated for Oakland International Airport and San Ramon MURRAY HILL, N.J., and NEW PROVIDENCE, N.J., Aug. 5, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- The California Energy Commission (CEC) awarded $4.3 million to Linde North America to construct retail hydrogen fueling stations in Northern California. The stations will be located at the Oakland International Airport and on Toyota owned property in San Ramon, California, adjacent to Toyota's San Francisco Regional Office and Parts Distribution Center. The award is part of $46.6 million funding program the CEC has committed this year to expand the retail hydrogen fueling infrastructure within the state. The grants, made through CEC's Alternative and Renewable Fuel and Vehicle Technology Program, were made to eight applicants and will add 13 new hydrogen fueling locations in Northern California and 15 in Southern California, strategically located to create a refueling network along major corridors and in regional centers.

Toyota's HaMo urban mobility carsharing program comes to France

We're guessing no one's nuts enough to try to take one of Toyota's three-wheeled leaning electric i-Road vehicles up into the French Alps. Still, the town of Grenoble, France, which sits at the foot of the mountains, has received 35 of those vehicles as part of a carsharing pilot program. Toyota's thrown in 35 four-wheel Auto Body COMS vehicles into the program as well. Grenoble, which is about 200 miles north of Marseille, was presumably chosen because of existing carsharing programs run by Cite-lib. This program, dubbed "Cite lib by Ha:mo," goes a little more futuristic, though, as it's part of what Toyota calls its "Ha:mo" plan (Ha:mo is short for "harmonious mobility"). The program will run for three years and includes 27 charging stations near bus lines and train stations. The public will be charged anywhere from three to 19 euros ($3.80 to $24.50 US) to use the vehicles for between 15 minutes and four hours. The good news is that drivers can pick up the vehicles in one location and drop them off in another. Toyota started testing the i-Road vehicles in Toyota City, Japan, this past March. The trike is about three feet wide and has a top speed of 28 miles per hour. Check out Toyota's press release below and read AutoblogGreen's "First Drive" impressions of the i-Road here. "Cite lib by Ha:mo", a New Type of Urban Mobility Based on Ultra-Compact Electric Vehicles Connected to Public Transport, Launches in Grenoble, France This innovative car-sharing service aims to prepare the City and agglomeration of Grenoble for electric mobility within a comprehensive multi-modal mobility plan. The three-year trial project brings together the competencies and services of five partners: the City of Grenoble, the Metro Area, French electricity company EDF and its affiliate Sodetrel, Toyota, and Cite lib, the local car-sharing operator. 35 three-wheel Toyota i-ROAD and 35 four-wheel Toyota Auto Body COMS will be available for short city trips in 27 charging stations installed and operated by Sodetrel - including for one-way trips from one station to another. A total of 120 charging points for the project and 41 for other plug-in vehicles will be added to the city's transport infrastructure. A simple pricing plan dubbed "3, 2, 1 euros" for respectively the first, second and third 15-minute increments will be proposed to Grenoble citizens.

2015 Toyota Yaris

Advertising firms have done an admirable job convincing consumers that the easiest way to find a best-in-segment car or truck is by looking at a few key metrics. In the most elementary terms, the vehicle with the highest horsepower, most gears in its transmission housing, lowest acceleration times and best fuel economy most certainly must be the class benchmark.
Yet as the commercials and billboards continue to drive that deceitful message, Toyota is betting shoppers in the subcompact segment are a bit more discerning. The Japanese automaker has just launched its updated 2015 Yaris, a three- and five-door offering that bucks the innovation and performance trends by offering what Toyota feels that entry-level buyers actually desire - reliability, practicality and a low sticker price.
It's sweltering in the tropical Hawaiian sun as I check out the deeply refreshed 2015 Yaris SE. This five-door hatchback, a range-topping version of the company's subcompact "sporty hatch" (Toyota's words, not mine), builds on the new-in-2012 generation by wearing new front and rear fascias, redesigned headlights and some attractive new wheels for the upcoming model year.