2020 Toyota Prius Limited on 2040-cars

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2015 Toyota Tundra TRD Pro

Despite the earnest efforts of Japanese automakers like Toyota and Nissan, the American pickup truck scene remains wholly dominated by the likes of Ford, General Motors and Chrysler. This is not news. Part of the reason is because of the sheer number of variants offered by US automakers - everything from work-spec base trucks to house-leveling heavy duty models can be had, with a seemingly endless combination of engines, cab sizes, bed lengths and trim levels. It's a hugely profitable business, and though the Japanese automakers still offer competitive fullsize trucks, in terms of sheer volume, they simply don't compete.
But American pickups aren't just about work; there's a huge play aspect involved, too. Look at the desert-storming Ford F-150 SVT Raptor or the Ram Power Wagon - these butch trucks are built with superb off-road prowess in mind, and Detroit's Japanese rivals have once again largely been silent in this segment. Until now.
Introduced at the 2014 Chicago Auto Show, Toyota now offers the TRD Pro series of models that, in addition to the crazy-orange Tundra seen here, includes the smaller Tacoma pickup and 4Runner SUV. And this isn't just some pretty appearance package, either - there's honest-to-goodness capability baked into all of the TRD Pro models. Intriguing, for sure, so I recently spent a weekend with the big boy Tundra to see what's what.

Toyota, Subaru developing RAV4-sized electric crossover and platform for more EVs

TOKYO — Toyota and Subaru announced they will jointly develop a battery-electric crossover on a platform developed for multiple production vehicles. The first crossover built on the platform will be a C-segment vehicle, which will be a small vehicle similar in size to a Toyota RAV4 or Subaru Forester. It will also be sold by both brands with altered styling and badging. The small crossover will only be the first vehicle to use the platform, though, as it's being developed for use in medium-small C-segment sedans and both D-segment larger sedans and crossovers. So we could see electric cars similar to the Corolla and Impreza, Camry and Legacy, and even the Highlander and Ascent on this platform in the future. Not surprisingly, this first electric crossover will have all-wheel drive, and the companies said that Subaru would provide all-wheel drive expertise with Toyota adding its electric powertrain knowledge. It's a safe bet that all of the future Subarus on the platform will have all-wheel drive, but it will be interesting to see if Toyota offers two-wheel- and all-wheel-drive iterations of its vehicles. The move to share technology underlines the conundrum facing Toyota and other global automakers, which are competing to develop new vehicle technologies including all-battery electric cars and self-driving cars, which require massive investment. "Subaru and Toyota believe that it is necessary to pursue a business model that goes beyond convention, crossing over industrial boundaries," the automakers said. Toyota is looking to partnerships with rival automakers and tech firms to reduce its capital outlay for developing these new technologies. In April, it announced it would supply other automakers with its hybrid technology, an area it has led since it pioneered the Prius in 1997. It also recently released the 2020 Toyota Supra, which shares a majority of its powertrain and chassis, among other things, with the 2020 BMW Z4. Toyota also provided hybrid development assistance to Subaru on the Crosstrek plug-in hybrid. Subaru, although experiencing massive, continual sales success, particularly in crossover and all-wheel-drive obsessed America, is still a small car company in the grand scheme of things. As such it's struggling to independently invest in and develop lower-emission vehicles and on-demand transportation services widely seen as necessary to survive technological upheaval in the global auto industry.

Ed Begely, Jr's RAV4 EV taken off eBay, moved to Craigslist

You may recall earlier this month that noted environmentalist and celebrated actor Ed Begley, Jr. was auctioning his own 2002 Toyota RAV4 EV on eBay. Bidding got up to $13,655 without meeting the reserve, and the auction ended on June 12 without a sale. Now, though, the well-loved electric Toyota has found its way to Craigslist with a new, set price of $17,500. The car sold for $42,000 in 2002, and has been maintained by the same dealership where Mr. Begley purchased it. The odometer shows 119,000 miles, but its battery was replaced in 2011, and shouldn't need to be replaced for another seven or eight years. Begley appears to have taken great care of his RAV4 EV, and it shows just your average cosmetic wear and tear on its white and charcoal interior. It gets about 85 miles on a full charge, and comes with the white decal that lets solo drivers use the HOV lane in California. As with the eBay deal, had that gone through, the buyer will get a chance to meet Ed Begley, Jr., and can even have him autograph the inside of the RAV4 EV's hood. Many of you may be curious as to what Begley's next daily driver will be. According to the actor's own Twitter account, he'll continue using electrons to get around, this time in a leased Nissan Leaf. As an actor, Ed Begley Jr. is known for many roles, including an Emmy-nominated role on St. Elsewhere. He also appeared on Arrested Development, Six Feet Under, Veronica Mars and in the films Pineapple Express and This Is Spinal Tap. In his decades as an environmentalist, he has appeared in his own web series On Begley Street, created his own line of environmentally friendly cleaning products, is in an ongoing competition with Bill Nye to have the lowest carbon footprint, has authored books and has been active in numerous environmental organizations.