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Toyota, Ford decide to end hybrid collaboration before it starts

Not all so-called Memorandum of Understanding pacts end in actual collaborations. For instance, after a two-year "feasibility study," Toyota and Ford have just announced that they will not be developing hybrid systems for use in light trucks and SUVs as previously planned, and the two automakers will instead continue to develop their own hybrid technology independently.
The would-be collaboration was first announced in August of 2011, and would have seen a rear-wheel-drive hybrid platform that would "improve the efficiency of trucks and SUVs while still allowing them to be driven in the way customers expect," according to our initial post on the topic.
Keep in mind that this announcement isn't to say we shouldn't expect hybrid pickups and SUVs from the two automakers, but that they probably aren't coming very soon - Ford says it will have a system "before the end of this decade" and we haven't heard much from Toyota on the hybrid truck front since the 2008 A-BAT Concept (pictured above) - and that they will not share any components between them (and they never have, for what it's worth).

Toyota reveals updated TS040 Hybrid LMP1 for 2015 [w/videos]

Toyota has yet to defeat Audi at Le Mans. In fact, nobody has in the past fifteen years except for Peugeot (which won in 2009) and Audi's own sister company Bentley (which took the checkered flag in 2003). But Toyota did win the broader FIA World Endurance Championship last season, beating its German rivals in five out of eight rounds. That means the Japanese automaker is returning to top-level endurance racing this season as the reigning champions, and this is the car with which it aims to defend its title. The 2015 Toyota TS040 Hybrid is closely based on last year's winning version, but has been updated to comply with the latest tweaks to the regulations. A new crash structure meant redesigning the front end, the aerodynamics package has been thoroughly revised, the suspension reconfigured and extra weight has been cut. All told, Toyota says it redesigned 80 percent of the parts on board. Each team running a hybrid prototype has an array of choices over what combination of internal-combustion and electric boost it will run, but Toyota opted to stay in the 6MJ category for 2015, the electric boost working in tandem with the 3.7-liter V8 to give the TS040 a combined output of over 1,000 horsepower. The team also developed two aero kits: one for high-speed circuits like La Sarthe that warrant reduced drag, and the other for tighter tracks requiring increased downforce. The revised TS040 has already undergone over 15,000 miles of testing in southern Europe over the winter. But the real test will come at Silverstone in two weeks for the opening round of the 2015 championship when it will have to fend off a two-pronged German assault from both Audi and Porsche ahead of the headline event at Le Mans in June. We'll be watching to see who comes out on top this year, but for now you can watch footage of Toyota's latest in the pair of videos 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. Mar. 26, 2015 A New Era for the World Champions Toyota Racing enters the 2015 World Endurance Championship ready to start a new era with the defence of its two titles. Toyota became the first Japanese company to win the World Championship during a very successful 2014 season, which saw Anthony Davidson and Sebastien Buemi also win the drivers' title.

Crushing 1984 Ford Ranger to make a point about clean cars

Being a professional politician is often about more than just getting legislation passed, and a little showmanship can go a long way towards getting a point across. California State Senate leader Kevin de Leon recently staged just such a flashy stunt when he crushed a 1984 Ford Ranger at a rally kicking off an EV incentives pilot program. De Leon sponsored a bill last year that, in part, tried to give greater support to low-income buyers who wanted to trade in their old clunker for a zero-emissions vehicle. He hoped to improve the state's Clean Vehicle Rebate Project, which has been accused of especially helping the wealthy. After watching their Ranger get destroyed at this event, the Mendoza family that owned the truck drove away in a 2013 Toyota Prius, according to the Sacramento Business Journal. Under the pilot program, buyers in two air districts in the Golden State can take advantage of these incentives. Depending on their income and the vehicle they are purchasing, people can get a rebate of between $1,500 and $9,500, according to the Sacramento Business Journal. For now, the California Air Resources Board has set aside $5 million from the state's cap-and-trade program to fund things in these areas. Later, it will vote whether to adopt the initiative statewide. Not to be outdone, Arnold Schwarzenegger has thrown his prodigious muscle behind this program, and he put out an even more explosive video showing how to get rid of these old vehicles. You can watch a clip of the Ranger's destruction from the Sacramento Business Journal above and the Governator's response, below. This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings. News Source: Sacramento Business Journal, Arnold Schwarzenegger via YouTube Government/Legal Green Ford Toyota Car Buying Green Culture Electric Hybrid Videos California cvrp kevin de leon