Chicago Auto Show recap, Tesla Model X, BMW M6, Toyota Prius C
Episode #269 of the Autoblog Podcast is here with Chris, Dan, and Autoblog Green's Sebastian Blanco. Topics include a quick recap of the Chicago Auto Show, some chatter about the Tesla Model X and BMW M6, and we finish up with the Toyota Prius C. Your questions and comments power the end of the 'cast, and for those of you who hung with us live on our UStream channel, thanks for taking the time. We've embedded our Q&A module after the jumpfor you to scroll through and follow along, too. Thanks for listening!
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2010 Toyota Prius - Click above for high-res image gallery
Back in August of 1997, Toyota launched its Coaster Hybrid EV minibus, the company's first hybrid vehicle. Though the Coaster Hybrid is not a common name, it was the vehicle that started the hybrid revolution at Toyota. The Japanese automaker has now announced that cumulative sales of its hybrids have now topped the one-million mark in its home market. In addition, the company's global hybrid sales now stand at 2.68 million and counting.
In related news, Toyota announced that the Priustopped the sales charts in Japan once again, marking the 14th consecutive month that the Prius outsold all other models in the Japanese market. While Toyota is comfortably leading the way in hybrid sales, the company is committed to bolstering its lead. Toyota plans to introduce hybrid versions of all of its existing models by 2020 and aims to sell more than one million hybrids per year before the end of the decade. Follow the jump for more info on Toyota's continued dominance of the hybrid segment.
Things aren't looking good for Toyota in a legal battle over whether or not the Japanese automaker has infringed on a Florida-based company's hybrid drivetrain patents. A U.S. International Trade Commission judge recently ruled to deny Toyota's request to end the lawsuit brought by Paice LLC. Toyota's initial argument was that the plaintiff's patent was invalid, but so far, the courts have sided with the smaller of the two companies time and time again. Earlier in the legal battle, a judge ruled that Toyota must pay Paice LLC a royalty for every Prius, Highlander Hybrid and Lexus RX400h model sold. Paice originally wanted Toyota to halt sales of those vehicles entirely.
In response, Toyota has begun the process of arguing against the royalty amount per vehicle, while Paice has filed a new complaint over the technology present in the third-generation Prius, Hybrid Camry, Lexus RX450h and HS250h.
Paice's base complaint is over how the manufacturer is supplying torque from both the electric motor and the internal combustion engine to the drive wheels on those vehicles at the same time. The company has also gone after Ford for the design of its Fusion Hybrid and Escape Hybrid models.
