2008 Toyota Tundra on 2040-cars

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Recharge Wrap-up: Qualcomm invests in Chargemaster, gamers will appreciate these Toyota Prius C ads

Chargemaster has received an investment from Qualcomm for wireless charging in the UK. Of the 27,000 charging stations it has already installed, 10,000 are ready to be adapted for inductive charging, according to Chargemaster. Dr. Anthony Thomson of Qualcomm says that with this investment (of a currently undisclosed amount), "we are taking another step towards deployment of a convenient and easy to use WEVC network." The convenience of wireless charging not only makes life easier for current EV drivers, but could also help convince more people to make the switch to electric driving. Read more at EV Fleet World or at Hybrid Cars. Toyota has released Japanese ads for the Prius C using music from popular video games. The ads, which borrow scores from Dragon Quest III and Monster Hunter, also use the tagline "Fun to drive, again." While some may find the link between driving and role-playing video games tenuous, fans of green cars and gaming know the various feedback displays in cars like the Prius C can make eking out every last mpg possible feel like a game, with the car's Eco Score essentially the equivalent of a game's high score. Plus even if the reference is lost on a viewer, the ads do instill a sense of adventure. See and hear for yourself in the videos below, and read more at Kotaku. The electric vehicle charger (EVC) market is predicted to grow by significantly worldwide by 2020, according to a new report. It shows a predicted compound annual growth rate of 28.28 percent between 2013 and 2020. Level 2 charging station sales will expand from $0.2 billion in 2014 to $3.5 billion by 2020, while growing from $67 million in 2013 to about $947 million in 2020 in the US alone. For 2014, residential EVC sales currently make up 70 percent of those in the US, while sales between home and non-residential level 2 chargers is expected to be about equally divided by 2020. Read more in the press release below. This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings. This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings.

Chrysler, Nissan minivans earn 'dire' crash test results, says IIHS [w/video]

First introduced in 2012, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety's small-overlap frontal crash test has become the bane of many auto engineers' existence. It's a particularly steep design challenge because it forces just 25 percent of a vehicle's front end to take the brunt of a 40-mile-per-hour impact. The newly released results of four family-minded minivans underscore just how difficult the crash test is: only one scored an Acceptable rating, and the other three did very poorly. The 2008-2015 Chrysler Town & Country and Dodge Grand Caravan, plus the 2011-2015 Nissan Quest, all received Poor ratings in the test, the IIHS' lowest possible score. The three of them showed significant crash intrusion into the driver's area. The dummy in the Nissan actually had to be cut out of the vehicle, with an IIHS spokesperson remarking, "the structure collapsed like a house of cards." In the Fiat Chrysler Automobile vans, the steering wheels moved out of the way, making the airbag less effective and letting the driver's head hit the dashboard. While it was not actually crashed, the agency is also giving the 2009-12 Volkswagen Routan a Poor score because it shares a structure with the FCA models. The newly released results of four minivans underscore just how difficult the small-offset crash test is. The refreshed 2015 Toyota Sienna (shown), conversely, earned an Acceptable rating and is also a Top Safety Pick+ because of its optional forward collision warning and automatic braking system. While the crash test dummy moved around during the impact more than the agency would have liked, sensors showed a low risk of injuries. The IIHS tested the Honda Odyssey last year, and it earned a Good overall score, the agency's best ranking. It's also a Top Safety Pick+ vehicle. The only member of the minivan segment left to test is the latest Kia Sedona, and the Institute is reportedly waiting a little longer for Kia to make changes to improve the model's performance. When reached for comment, Nissan spokesperson Steve Yaeger provided Autoblog with the following statement: "Nissan is committed to vehicle safety and believes that consumers should have information about crash protection so they can make educated buying decisions. Nissan is proud of the 2014 Quest's "good" rating in the IIHS front moderate overlap and side impact tests as well as a "good" head restraint rating.

Toyota headed to New York with 2014 Highlander, revised Scion tC

Toyota has given us a look at what the company will bring to the 2013 New York Auto Show. Visitors will get to set their eyes upon the all-new 2014 Highlander, and while the automaker isn't saying much in the way of details, we do get the teaser you see above (click to enlarge) to ponder on until next week. The image shows little more than a headlamp and a bit of grille, but gives us the flavor of what the crossover will bring to the table.
Scion, meanwhile, says it plans to dust off the "new 2014 tC sports coupe." While we don't imagine the two door will have undergone a major surgery, we're interested to see what the automaker has cooked up. The tC last endured a redesign in 2011. Check out the brief press release below and look for the vehicles to bow on March 28.Y