The Front Lip Spoiler is very subtle and gives the Prius a racing look and costs $925 for the Carbon fiber and $725 for the Fiberglass.

The Side Skirts or Side Steps cost $1125 for the Carbon Fiber and $775 for the Fiberglass, but you can probably skip on these as they are quite expensive.

The Rear Diffusers help rid trapped air from under the car and will work in conjunction with the other aero parts to further reduce drag. These come in 3 pieces, 2 for the rear sides and one for the rear bumper. The bumper diffuser is $625 for the Carbon Fiber and $525 for the Fiberglass. The side diffusers are priced at $575 for the Carbon Fiber and $330 for the Fiberglass.

Finally there is a sweet Rear Hatch Spoiler that is the most appealing part of this kit. The cost is $700 for the Carbon Fiber piece and $550 for the Fiberglass version.

A Titanium muffler is also available from top Speed for the 2010 Prius and does a couple of things. First, it is lighter than the stock version since it is made from titanium. Second, it is much more efficient at expelling exhaust gasses. And third, it sounds great! There is no pricing yet for this part, but rest assured it will be expensive.

The Prius is already super efficient, but with these aero parts you will not only increase gas mileage, but your Prius will look cool too!

In July alone, Toyota has sold over 19,172 Prius’; that’s almost 30%  more than last July and 41%  more than total number of Prius hybrids sold last June. Under the CARS program, consumers have the ability to turn in their old gas guzzler for a $3500 or $4500 voucher. To be eligible for the voucher, the trade in vehicle must be between the years of 1984 and 2002 and must have a combined mpg of 18 or less. The voucher amount you receive depends on the new car purchased.

To qualify for the $3500 voucher the new car purchase must get at least a 4mpg improvement over the trade in; for trucks there must be a 2mpg improvement. If the new car purchased gets 10 mpg better than your trade you would get the $4,500 voucher; 5mpg improvement for trucks.

Dealers are permitted to deduct the voucher amount from the sales price on the new vehicle and file paperwork in order to receive reimbursement from the government. With this in mind, its no wonder the Prius is so popular.

The new 2010 Toyota Prius gets a combined EPA mileage rating of 50 miles to the gallon and is by far the most fuel efficient vehicle available under the program.  By buying a Prius, you are automatically guaranteed the $4500 voucher.  Toyota’s hybrid is only one example of how well the Cash for Clunkers program is doing.  The program is so popular that with in two weeks of being initiated rumors are that the funds may run out. Originally the CARS program called for more money but was only granted the $1 billion dollar fund, about one quarter of the propositioned amount.

The United States House of Representatives and Senate both voted to add another $2 billion to the program through a transfer of energy-loan guarantee funds.

Koei Saga was recently quoted saying that there will be a RAV4 hybrid in China “as soon as possible.” What’s good enough for China is good for us here in the states right? We are after all the largest buying population of hybrid vehicles. So of course Toyota will be bringing us the RAV4 Hybrid!

Although we still really do not know anything, you can assume a few things. The Highlander Hybrid gets about 27 MPG so a smaller and lighter, more efficient RAV4 Hybrid can expect to see at least 30 MPG. A main competitor in the Ford Escape Hybrid can eclipse the 30 MPG mark no problemo.

So stay tuned for more Hybrid RAV4 news as it breaks!

photo: http://www.egmcartech.com/2009/04/23/toyota-reportedly-working-on-a-rav4-hybrid-suv/

Right off the bat the EPA estimates for gas mileage on this car is right around 35 MPG. This is not Prius territory but a nice bump for a luxury car nevertheless. The Lexrolla is powered by the latest Lexus Hybrid engine technology. A 2.4 liter Atkinson-cycle engine gives the car some added fuel economy but at the sacrifice of power. But coupled with variable-valve timing and a 40-HP electric engine, this little car pumps out 187 Horse Power which is more than enough. Besides the excellent gas mileage, this car also gets a SULEV stamp which means it’s a super low emissions vehicle; or a low smog producing car.

The Lexrolla has 3 different driving modes ranging from all electric to power. What is the coolest part about this car is the ability to run on the electric engine alone for up to 20 MPH. This will no doubt be a great selling point for those who sit in traffic all day.

Ok so the Lexrolla looks like the new Corolla and the new Civic. Well that is a pretty good move since not only does this car have a super low drag coefficient of 0.27, but it will appeal to those in its target demographic; the entry level luxury car buyer.

The use of Ecological Plastics is one thing you must know about the Lexrolla. Many portions of the interior including the seats and plastic parts are made of bio-plastics. This new technology uses plant based, carbon neutral elements to create less harmful trim pieces.

Being a Lexus this car is chalked full of luxury amenities and technological features. There are lane assist functions, a heads up display, blue tooth, and a driver attention monitor just to name a few.

http://www.lexus.com/fcv/HSHybrid.html

The 2010 Lexus RX 450h builds on the solid foundation that the previous generation hybrid SUV was known for; an ultra luxurious presence and hybrid technology.  This year the Lexus gets a cheaper price tag, better fuel economy, and most importantly more horsepower!  The RX 450h also gets a double wishbone suspension and regenerative braking at all 4 wheels which accounts for better batter recharging.

It is visually similar to the RX 350 but has a few of its own design and styling. The new RX sports a unique grille, blue trimmed Lexus emblems, 19-inch rims, blue tinted head and tail lamps, and LED headlamps. Entering its second generation the new RX features the Lexus Hybrid Drive System with a 3.5 Liter V-6 engine integrated with a more efficient inverter that produces 295 horsepower (27 more hp than the current RX generation hybrid).  The Lexus’s Hybrid Drive system uses an updated exhaust heat recovery system that allows the car to shut down quicker and more often thus improving the MPG by shutting down during times of idle like at a stoplight.  There is also an exhaust recirculation system that uses the exhaust to help with engine pumping losses; whatever that means.   Both features help to improve and maximize fuel economy. 

The RX 450h has front wheel drive or an electric part time all-wheel drive hybrid system.  Although the key feature in the RX 450h’s hybrid system is the electric motor generator allowing all four wheels to achieve regenerative braking ultimately charging the hybrid battery.  Of course there are all kinds of high tech accessories like NAV this and XM that, but you already know Lexus is going to give you all of these.  There is a high tech sound and entertainment system too!

If you’re looking for an SUV that is environmentally conscious and as sophisticated quality feel, then the 2010 Lexus RX 450h is the car you’re looking for.  Prices start a little over $40k.

You may say whoop dee doo!  All you have to do is roll down the windows.  Well this is just the very first step.  I can foresee a time when all new car will have solar panels that will power all electrical systems on a car.

The Prius solar panels are made by Kyocera, the same company that makes various electronic components and cell phones.   A great deal of research went into these panel to make sure they could with stand the weather, the abuse of daily driving, and also the mediocre speeds that hybrids achieve.  Picture the solar cells on top of a house, well these are nothing like those!  These new panels are slim, have a nice aesthetic look and are designed to absorb the beautiful solar rays.

These panels power a little fan in the car that regulates the interior temperature.  Although that is not really all that exciting, and definitely not worth the added cost as an option; the solar cells do represent the first step in integrating solar energy into the automobile.

Source:http://global.kyocera.com/news/2009/0506_jgoa.html

Toyota of Japan has an in-house tuning division called Modellista. You can liken this to Nissan’s Nismo or Mazdaspeed. To go along with the official release of the new 2010 Prius, you can now buy some sweet looking body kits from Modellista.

There are 3 different body kits available that add some style and flair to the usually boring Prius! You can get Version 1, Version 2, or the Aero Tourer Body Kit.

You can also get some sweet 16-inch alloy rims and a set of lowering springs.  The Prius already has the lowest drag coefficient of any car available today; I wonder it these kits will help or harm that number?

VERSION 2

AERO KIT

Source:http://www.autoblog.com/2009/05/22/toyota-unleashes-2010-prius-modellista-aero-kits/

The Prius burns less fuel and is considered a Advanced Technology Partial Zero Emission Vehicle” (AT-PZEV).  This little hybrid produces far less Carbon Dioxide and other green house gases.  Just look at the chart below to see just how much gas can be saved by switching over to a Prius.  Lets say you drive 20,000 miles per year.  You would save 336 gallons of gas and almost $1000 by driving a hybrid.  And the harmful carbon dioxide and green house gas you would produce would be pretty much cut in half.  I think Al Gore would approve.

Use the Hymotion calculator to see for yourself:http://www.a123systems.com/hymotion/plugin/calculator

What does ten-thousand dollars mean to you?  Most people spend that much on a set of dubs and a upgraded entertainment system for the Escalalde.  Then there are those who throw 10 g’s away on all kinds of crap.  Women probably spend that much on make-up and salon appointments in a year and men definitely spend that on beer and gambling in as much time.  Well why not make the smart choice and opt for something that will save money and be less harmful to the environment.

The ability to run in EV Mode for a longer amount of time will no doubt increase the fuel economy of your Prius.  The Hymotion L5 conversion kit turns your Prius essentially into a plug-in car.  After shelling out the $10k which includes installation; you can charge the Hymotion battery pack which consists of A123 Lithium cells.  It only takes 4.5 hours to fully charge the batteries from any household 110v socket.  And Hymotion says you Prius can then get around 100 MPG for 30-40 miles.  Being that the average commuter droves less than 40 miles in a day; this upgrade is perfect for those who are concerned about their MPG as well as the environment.

So you will have to drive about 200,000 miles to get your money back; but if Hymotion can get the price of this technology down than I guarantee this will sell like hot cakes!

Source: http://www.autobloggreen.com/2008/04/27/hymotion-launching-prius-plug-in-conversion-kits/