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Toyota recalls 209,000 FJ Cruisers over seatbelt issue

Toyota has announced that it will be issuing a substantial recall of the FJ Cruiser for a problem that could cause the front seatbelt retractors to separate from the vehicle body. This recall will apply to all FJ Cruisers - from 2007 through 2013 - totaling around 209,000 units.
The problem stems from the FJ Cruiser's pillarless door opening design that has the front-occupant seatbelts attached to the rear doors. Toyota says that when the rear doors are "repeatedly and forcefully closed," the retractor could completely separate from the door frame.
While there is no information about this recall from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration yet, Toyota says that there have been no accidents or injuries associated with this issue. No specific fix or recall date are given, but the official press release is posted below.

Toyota's new turbodiesel engines are stronger, lighter, cleaner [w/video]

Think about turbodiesels and trucks, and companies like General Motors and Dodge/Ram might spring to mind. Toyota? Not so much. Hybrids are its thing. Still, the Japanese automaker is looking to alter that image a bit, at least overseas. Toyota is touting its new line of turbodiesel mills that went into the HiLux pickups that started being sold in Thailand and Australia last month, and in the Land Cruiser Prado that debuted in Japan last week. Toyota's breaking out fancy terms like "Thermo Swing Wall Insulation Technology" (TSWIN) and "Selective Catalytic Reduction" (SCR), but the upshot is that the engines boost torque up 25 percent, and, more importantly, fuel efficiency by 15 percent. Additionally, the engine's configuration can cut as much as 99 percent of NOx (nitrogen oxide) emissions. Asia's new version of the HiLux offers two turbodiesels: a 2.4-liter version with 164 horsepower, and a 2.8-liter mill with 174 hp. Toyota says that by the end of next year, it'll be able to make 700,000 of the engines a year and will make them available in 90 global markets. Scroll down to check out Toyota's 90-second explanatory video, and get more details from the official press release. This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings. Toyota's Revamped Turbo Diesel Engines Offer More Torque, Greater Efficiency and Lower Emissions New engines feature next-generation advanced thermal insulation diesel combustion1 World-first2 use of Thermo Swing Wall Insulation Technology (TSWIN3) Top-class maximum thermal efficiency of 44 percent4 15 percent more fuel efficient; 25 percent more maximum torque Eliminates up to 99 percent of NOx emissions Production of 700,000 units a year; available in approx. 90 markets by the end of 20165 Toyota's newly developed direct-injection turbo diesel engines raise the bar for fuel efficiency, power and quietness. The world's first use of Thermo Swing Wall Insulation Technology (TSWIN) makes the 2.8-liter 1GD-FTV engine one of the most thermally efficient in existence, with a maximum thermal efficiency of 44 percent. Despite smaller engine displacement in comparison to the current KD engine, maximum torque is improved by 25 percent and low speed torque improved by 11 percent, while fuel efficiency has received a 15 percent boost.

2019 Hyundai Nexo First Drive Review | Promise for fuel cells

According to the Kardashev scale of measuring advanced civilizations, a Type I civilization is able to harness all the power available on its home planet, including solar, wind and geothermal. A Type II civilization harnesses all the power generated by its sun. A Type III civilization harnesses all the energy of its home galaxy. Humanity, as physicist Michio Kaku is fond of saying, is a Type 0: We derive all our energy from burning dead plants and animals. And humanity being what it is, we still prefer crossovers by a vast margin. Fine, says Hyundai. We'll give you what you want, but we're going to nudge you toward Type I in the process. For 2019, the Korean automaker is launching a double-pronged attack on the internal-combustion engine with a pair of crossovers — a pure-electric version of the Kona and the hydrogen-powered Nexo. Hyundai is taking this approach because it believes electric and hydrogen fuel cell vehicles actually serve two different purposes. According to Dr. BoKi Hong of the company's fuel cell R&D division, the future won't see a one-solution-fits-all revolution in post-internal-combustion-engine (ICE) propulsion. Smaller vehicles — cars, motorcycles, Bird scooters — will be able to run solely on electricity, but Dr. Hong says that larger vehicles — cargo trucks, buses — will be powered by hydrogen fuel cells. The reason? Scalability. The larger the vehicle, the less sense it makes to equip it with a battery pack. Weight, cost and refueling time all increase along with the size of the conveyance. The longer the distance they have to travel — think cargo haulers or cross-country buses — the less sense it makes to use a battery electric vehicle (BEV). Hydrogen, on the other hand, offers a much more efficient way of storing and transporting energy. A fuel cell drivetrain can be scaled up to fit larger vehicles, but it doesn't require the same proportion of material as a battery. Plus, filling up your hydrogen tanks is as quick as a gasoline top-off, an advantage for long-distance haulers. Hyundai believes there's room for fuel cell vehicle (FCV) passenger cars as well, and the Nexo is Hyundai's latest take on a hydrogen car. Its first was introduced in 2000, based on a Santa Fe. That was followed in 2013 by a Tucson-based FCV. Unlike those, the Nexo arrives on an all-new platform not shared with an existing ICE-powered car. As it did with the Kona EV, Hyundai is offering a crossover in a segment where one doesn't really exist.