2004 Toyota Tacoma Prerunner V6 on 2040-cars

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Recharge Wrap-up: Ford Fusion and Toyota Highlander named Best Hybrids for Families; Funky Prius motorhome

Tesla Model S customers in China will receive a "Universal Mobile Charger" with their vehicle. The charger will allow drivers to charge their Tesla anywhere, without having to search out a Supercharger when out in the wild. It allows Model S drivers a bit more freedom and helps alleviate worries about traveling too far from home. It could also help sway potential customers who suffer from range anxiety. The charger will be free to new and existing customers when it becomes available this summer. Read more at Car News China. US News & World Reports' list of Best Cars for Families includes two hybrids. The 2015 Ford Fusion Hybrid was chosen as the Best Hybrid Car for Families, while the 2015 Toyota Highlander Hybrid was picked as the Best Hybrid SUV for Families. The Fusion hybrid was chosen for its roomy, comfortable cabin, as well as the MyKey system's features for new drivers. The Highlander Hybrid offers eight seats - good for carpooling - as well as good mileage and a quality infotainment system. Read more at US News & World Reports or at Hybrid Cars. Audi plans to give its electric vehicles looks that differentiate them from the rest of the lineup. "In early 2018, we will launch a battery-powered sports activity vehicle in the large premium segment with a range of more than 500 kilometers," says Audi's head of development, Ulrich Hackenberg. "It will have a new, very attractive design, which we are developing especially for the E-Tron range and for battery-electric vehicles." According to analysts, part of the reason the Toyota Prius was so successful was because it was easy to distinguish from other Toyota models with conventional powertrains. Read more at Automotive News Europe. An Australian man turned his Toyota Prius into a miniature motorhome. James Lawler used mostly scraps to build the tiny house – complete with tin roof, chimney, and stained glass window – for just $150 Australian. It took him about a week to finish. Lawler made use of his creation at the Meredith Music Festival so he didn't have to sleep in a tent. He was, however, fined by police for driving the makeshift motorhome. See pictures and read more at the Herald Sun.

Toyota inks deal as global Olympic sponsor

Toyota has just scored a sponsorship with one of the biggest events on the planet – the Olympic Games. The company announced its position as a member of the TOP (The Olympic Partner) program, which takes effect in Japan next year and globally in 2017. The deal is slated to run through 2024. That means, if we're understanding the deal correctly, that we won't see as much official Toyota sponsorship at next year's Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, while the company will enjoy a much more visible presence among American consumers at the 2018 Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang, South Korea. Unsurprisingly, the automotive giant's sponsorship will be in the mobility category, covering "vehicles, mobility services and mobile solutions," the company's press release said. Fuel cells are expected to play a big role. "We will do everything possible to fulfill our new role in The Olympic Partner program, and justify the trust the IOC has placed in us. The addition of a mobility category to the TOP Partner field is an important recognition for our entire industry," Toyota president Akio Toyoda said in a statement. "Under this Olympic flag, let us today reaffirm the power of sports to bring people together. And let us dedicate ourselves to creating a better world by promoting sports in the Olympic spirit of friendship, solidarity and fair play." "The IOC welcomes Toyota as a key partner for the provision of sustainable mobility solutions for the Olympic Games as outlined in Olympic Agenda 2020, our strategic roadmap for the future of the Olympic Movement," International Olympic Committee president Thomas Bach said. "Toyota is the world leader in its field, and this partnership signifies a strong commitment to the future of the IOC and the Olympic Movement. This is a milestone agreement in the implementation of Olympic Agenda 2020 because the focus of our cooperation is sustainable mobility, and Toyota will provide sustainable solutions for the entire Olympic Movement." Check out the official press release. Toyota Becomes IOC TOP Partner Tokyo, Japan, March 13, 2015-Toyota Motor Corporation (Toyota) today announced it has entered into a sponsorship agreement with the International Olympic Committee (IOC) to become part of The Olympic Partner (TOP) program. The agreement runs through to the end of 2024 in the mobility category, which includes vehicles, mobility services and mobility solutions.

This map reveals the cleanest vehicles based on location

Naysayers love to point out how dirty the electricity grid mix is when it comes to charging electric vehicles. Curmudgeons are eager to jump into any conversation about EVs to enlighten the lucky listeners about how plug-in cars contribute to pollution, sometimes even throwing in a dash of climate-change denial for good measure. (Thanks, buddy. Pray, tell me more about the plight of oppressed SUV owners.) Unless someone buys an EV just because they think they're cool (which, yeah, they often are), they probably have at least a passable understanding of their environmental pros and cons. As many EV owners are already aware, location has a lot to do with any particular plug-in car's carbon footprint. Still, there's always more to know, and knowledge is not a bad thing, especially if one uses it to do the right thing. That's why this handy-dandy map from Carnegie Mellon University is so interesting. CMU researchers have compiled information about the lifecycle greenhouse gas emissions of various EVs based on where they're charged, as compared to gasoline-powered vehicles. The researchers looked at the Nissan Leaf, Chevrolet Volt, and Prius Plug-In Hybrid versus the gasoline-dependent Toyota Prius hybrid and the stop-start-equipped Mazda3 with i-ELOOP and compared grams of CO2 emitted per mile. CMU takes into account the grid mix, ambient temperature, and driving patterns. CMU takes into account the grid mix based on county, as well as ambient temperature and driving patterns in terms of miles traveled on the highway or in the city. For instance, if you drive a Nissan Leaf in urban areas of California, Texas, or Florida, your carbon footprint is lower than it would be if you were driving a standard Toyota Prius. However, if you charge your Leaf in the Midwest or the South, for the most part, you've got a larger carbon footprint than the Prius. If you live in the rural Midwest, you'd probably even be better off driving a Mazda3. Throughout the country, the Chevrolet Volt has a larger carbon footprint than the Toyota Prius, but a smaller one than the Mazda3 in a lot of urban counties in the US. The Prius and Prius Plug-In are relatively equal across the US. Having trouble keeping it straight? That's not surprising. The comparisons between plug-in and gasoline vehicles are much more nuanced than the loudest voices usually let on.