Van Nuys Toyota shoppers,
rejoice… eventually.
The Toyota Research Institute just announced a major ($35 million) initiative
into electric battery research. That should be welcome news to you, just like
it is for all of us at Keyes Toyota. Here’s why.
Fuel economy standards are
getting more stringent worldwide. So are emissions standards. In order to stay
ahead of the curve, the Toyota Motor Company is putting more effort into ZEV
(Zero Emissions Vehicles) like the Toyota Mirai, which produces no CO2
emissions when it runs, as well as PZEV (Partial Zero Emissions Vehicles) like
the 2017 Toyota Prius Prime, which produces emissions only when the gas
engine is running.
Because they rely in whole or
in part on electric motors, they manage to stay ahead of both economy and
emissions targets. But there’s another reason this
initiative is important: the current battery technology in Toyota hybrid cars
is about four decades old. The lithium ion battery pack is better than it was,
but is still big, heavy, and is likely reaching the upper limits of its
capacity. New designs and new materials (like magnesium) will lead to lighter,
longer-lasting, higher-capacity batteries that are even better than what’s available
now.
The Toyota Motor Corporation
has plenty of help in this effort. Besides the company’s TRI partners (Stanford and
MIT), the’ve also enlisted the help of SUNY Buffalo, the
University of Michigan, the University of Connecticut, and UK-based material
science company Ilika.
We’re used to cosmetic changes in
new Toyota cars like the Toyota Corolla. But some changes point to something deeper — an evolution, if you will, of
Toyota cars, trucks, and SUVs. To see where that evolution has taken Toyota
vehicles, and where those vehicles can take you next, visit your Van Nuys
Toyota dealership. Keyes Toyota is located at 5855 Van Nuys Blvd in Van Nuys,
CA.
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