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Recharge Wrap-up: Toyota battery breakthrough, PSA's millionth BlueHDi diesel

Scientists at Toyota have developed battery technology that allows for higher energy density. Using material from hydrogen storage, researchers at the Toyota Research Institute of North America (TRINA) in beautiful Ann Arbor, Michigan have created an electrolyte that works well with a magnesium metal anode. Besides improving energy density for smaller, more powerful batteries, magnesium is also more stable than lithium, making it a safer alternative. Rather than guarding their secret, Toyota is sharing details of this breakthrough in order to advance the technology in hopes of an earlier mass deployment of magnesium batteries. See the video above, and read more in the press release below. Farmdrop – a sort of online farmer's market in the UK – is looking for help naming its electric delivery "vanimals." The Nissan e-NV200 vans are painted and decorated to look like cows, pigs, and chickens. While three of the vans have already been named, fans can suggest their own clever ideas for the rest of the fleet on social media. Those whose names are selected will win a month's worth of shopping on Farmdrop. Cary McCarface, anyone? Read more at the company's website. PSA has built its millionth Euro 6 BlueHDi diesel engine. The automaker builds two diesel engines – a 1.6-liter and a 2.0-liter – at its plant in Tremery, France at a rate of 7,000 engines a day. BlueHDi technology uses three different emissions control mechanisms to filter pollutants out of diesel exhaust, including an oxygen catalyst, an additive filter to remove particulate matter, and a Selective Catalytic Reduction system to reduce NOx. BlueHDi is used in all new Peugeot, Citroen, and DS Euro 6 diesel vehicles. Read more at Green Car Congress. Charging Ahead Toyota Scientists Make Breakthrough on Safer, Smarter Batteries May 04, 2016 ANN ARBOR, Mich. (May 4, 2016) -- For anyone (i.e. everyone) who's ever panicked when their mobile device chirped, "low battery," the future could be far less stressful, thanks to the advanced battery research of scientists at the Toyota Research Institute of North America (TRINA). A new breakthrough involving magnesium batteries may soon open the doors for smaller, longer-lasting batteries for everything from cars to cell phones. What's the Big Deal with Magnesium? Magnesium metal has long been theorized as a much safer and more energy-dense alternative to current lithium battery technology.

Toyota and Mazda set to expand partnership

Toyota and Mazda are already teaming up for the Scion iA and Mazda2, but that partnership might just be the beginning. Reuters reports the two Japanese companies could expand their work together, with Toyota chipping in its experience with both fuel cells and plug-in-hybrid tech, and Mazda contributing its know-how in regards to its Skyactiv line of engines. The report cites a pair of unnamed sources that are "not authorized to discuss the matter publicly." The move, on the surface, is certainly appealing for both parties. Mazda has very little experience with hybrids (remember the Ford-rebadged Tribute Hybrid?), let alone something as advanced as a fuel-cell vehicle. Teaming with Toyota, arguably the world's greatest hybrid manufacturer, would give it a serious leg up. For the Japanese giant, meanwhile, a partnership with Mazda could expand the economy of scale for the Mirai FCV's tech, while Skyactiv engines would do well in replacing the base engines in cars like the Corolla, Camry, and RAV4. What are your thoughts? Would an expanded partnership between Toyota and Mazda make sense? Can you think of any drawbacks? Have your say in Comments. Featured Gallery 2016 Toyota Mirai View 15 Photos News Source: Reuters Green Mazda Toyota Electric Hybrid skyactiv toyota mirai

2015 Toyota Camry set to circle NASCAR track near you

Toyota recently introduced the all-new 2015 Camry for the street, so it follows that it should want to promote its new bread-and-butter sedan by putting it out on the racetrack as well. And that's just what it's done here with the release of the new Toyota Camry for the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series.
The new Camry represents the first reskin of the standard stock car chassis since the Gen-6 model was introduced in 2012. Toyota's Calty Design studio worked closely with series organizers to determine which parts could be redesigned to more closely resemble the new production model, and what you see here is the result. Since it is based on the same control chassis as all the others, the Camry's skin is applied over a steel tube frame and powered by an old-school 5.86-liter pushrod V8 mated to a four-speed manual gearbox.
Although the idea of a Japanese automaker in American stock car racing didn't initially get the warmest reception from some of the good ol' boys when it first entered the series back in 2007, it has by now become a staple of the NASCAR circuit. After all, it's hard for even the most patriotic of racing fans to argue with the US-built Camry's ranking as one of the most American cars by content on the market.