2009 Toyota Venza on 2040-cars

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Recharge Wrap-up: First EV to attempt Dakar Rally, Mazda makes bioplastic parts

Zap and Jonway Auto brought their Urbee EV and their new Falcon A-380 SUV to the Peru Motor Show in Lima. Jonway sells its SUV and minivan in Lima through Dai-Ichi Motors, which displayed the cars at the show. According to the companies, their cars "received tremendous interest from the public," including private citizens as well as groups who would use the EVs for security guard service or campus use. Read more in the press release below. California is the US leader when it comes to EVs. In 2013, California had 70,000 battery electric and 104,000 plug-in hybrids. The state boasts almost half of the country's electric vehicles, thanks largely to state and local EV incentives that go beyond the federal tax rebate. California also leads the way in legislation, and nine other states have adopted California's ZEV mandate. Washington, Maryland, Georgia and DC also have their own EV incentives, while some utility companies also offer benefits for EV owners in other states. Still, EV sales have only made up about 0.7 percent of new vehicle sales in 2014. Read more at the US Energy Information Administration website. Toyota will be using landfill gas to help power its Kentucky manufacturing facility. Beginning in 2015, Toyota's Georgetown assembly plant will use electricity converted from landfill-sourced methane gas from Waste Services of the Bluegrass. It will provide enough energy to produce 10,000 vehicles each year. Plus it diverts methane - a greenhouse gas - from entering the atmosphere and helps improve the local air quality. Learn more in the video or Toyota's press release below. Mazda has developed a plant-derived bioplastic for making exterior and interior parts. The dyed plastic doesn't require painting, and it reduces petroleum consumption and carbon emissions in the manufacturing process. The bioplastic will be used for interior parts in the all-new MX-5 before being put into use on the exterior of future vehicles. Mazda will display prototype parts at the Eco-Products 2014 exhibit in Tokyo. Read more in the press release below. Acciona will enter the first-ever zero-emissions vehicle (pictured) to compete in the Dakar Rally. The vehicle uses an electric motor and lithium ion batteries, as well as solar panels to power telemetry and security systems. The Dakar Rally will take place from January 4 through 17 through Argentina, Chile and Bolivia. See Acciona's Dakar EV in the video and read more in the press release below.

The 2021 F-150 elevates Ford's bed game

The new 2021 Ford F-150 is ushering in a new era of pickup capability, but there's more to it than the introduction of the PowerBoost hybrid. While that new powertrain is certainly the truck's headlining element, the supporting electrical architecture enables a level of utility that hasn't been offered in past consumer half-tons. The true party trick is Ford's new "Pro Power Onboard" feature, which is essentially a built-in generator that provides juice for the 2021 F-150's rather robust in-bed power station. This system is available even on gasoline-engine models, but its utility is maximized with the electrified powertrain. ICE models equipped with the option max out at 2.0 kilowatts, while the PowerBoost hybrid can be had with either a 2.4- or a whopping 7.2-kilowatt inverter.  The idea here is that the F-150 can essentially stand in for a high-output portable generator. In a worksite example provided by Ford, a PowerBoost model with the 7.2-kW upgrade and a single tank of fuel could provide 32 hours of power for an 1,800-watt compound miter saw, a 1,000W circular saw, a 1,200W battery charger, a 1,200W hammer drill, and a 1,000W air compressor with hundreds of watts to spare for lighting and other accessories. But even without the Pro Power Onboard option, Ford's new bed setup enables more versatility than in previous models. The new Tailgate Work Surface option adds a flat work area with integrated rulers, recesses for pencils or small tools, and even a stand for a personal device.  Ford is neither the first to offer an auxiliary power outlet in a half-ton pickup bed, nor was Ford the first to introduce a more feature-rich tailgate. GMC's MultiPro tailgate was a major innovation on that front, and while it is geared mostly toward improving the cargo utility of the bed, it can also be customized with 12-volt power and even an accessory speaker system. The Ram 1500 is also offered with both a multi-function tailgate and AC power in the bed, though the latter option is limited to models with the RamBox cargo package.  As half-ton pickups approach levels of towing and hauling capability that begin to blur lines with heavy-duty offerings, it's clear that automakers are looking for ways to differentiate themselves without stepping on their own bigger trucks' toes. These new bed and tailgate innovations may yet be the tip of the iceberg when it comes to full-size pickup versatility. Related Video:    

Japanese automakers will seriously subsidize hydrogen fuel stations

Fresh off the announcement of the EPA-rated fuel economy and range figures for the Toyota Mirai, three of Japan's major automakers are throwing their weight behind hydrogen on the other side of the Pacific. Toyota, Nissan, and Honda are detailing their partnership in Japan to subsidize the creation of an expanded FCV refueling infrastructure there in the coming years. The plan could provide a much-needed boost for goals that are already looking to miss their targets. The partnership, which is called the Joint Hydrogen Infrastructure Support Project, is subsidizing a third of the annual operating expenses up to a maximum of 11 million yen ($90,000) for any hydrogen refueling station that applies and is accepted into the program. For now, the automakers plan to keep this running through around 2020. Toyota senior managing officer Kiyotaka Ise tells Bloomberg the whole thing over that time is expected to cost 5 billion to 6 billion yen ($40.5 million to $49 million). In addition to the money, the companies are trying to raise awareness about the alternative fuel to build popularity. Japan has been pushing extremely hard to build the FCV market there for quite some time by subsidizing both the models and building refueling stations for them. By the 2020 Olympics, the country's goal is to have 6,000 fuel cell vehicles on the roads and possibly even 100,000 of them by 2025. The cars to fulfill these lofty hopes are just gaining steam, though. For example, the Mirai is already experiencing high demand, and Honda is set to bring its new challenger in 2016. This announcement says Nissan is aiming a potential entry for 2017, as well. According to Bloomberg, the fuel cell industry in Japan is forecasted to balloon from 400 million yen (3.3 million) in the current fiscal year to 100 billion ($813 million) by 2025. Toyota, Nissan, and Honda Agree on Details of Joint Support for Hydrogen Infrastructure Development Toyota Motor Corporation, Nissan Motor Co., Ltd., and Honda Motor Co., Ltd. have agreed on key details regarding a new joint support project for the development of hydrogen station infrastructure in Japan. In addition to partially covering the operating costs of hydrogen stations, the three automakers have also agreed to help infrastructure companies deliver the best possible customer service and create a convenient, hassle-free refueling network for owners of fuel cell vehicles (FCVs).