Toyota to Add 40% More Hybrids in 2007

Toyota is looking to boost its global sales of hybrids to 430,000 in 2007 from an already impressive 312,500 in 2006. This boost will include a 40% increase in Prius production in Japan, bringing total Prius numbers to 280,000 units. All this increase in production comes while sales in the U.S. remain just 1% of all new cars sold. In two weeks, Toyota will unveil the new 2008 Highlander Hybrid, which will join the Camry Hybrid, Prius and Lexus hybrids like the LS 600h L, RX 400h and GS 450h in the company’s green portfolio. 

[Toyota Sees 40% Jump in '07 Global Hybrid Sales, SignOnSanDiego.com]

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Chrysler Prices Diesel Jeep Grand Cherokee

This March, Jeep will start selling a diesel-powered version of its Grand Cherokee SUV. The 3.0-liter V-6 common rail turbodiesel engine — called CRD for short — offers 376 pounds-feet of torque, which is more than the optional Hemi V-8 while getting around 50% better gas mileage. The CRD starts at $37,885 before a $695 destination charge.

Cars.com’s Joe Wiesenfelder drove a pre-production Jeep Grand Cherokee CRD over the summer and came away mightily impressed. Full model lineup prices are below, excluding the destination charge. 

• Jeep Grand Cherokee Limited 4x2           $37,780
• Jeep Grand Cherokee Limited 4x4           $41,020
• Jeep Grand Cherokee Overland 4x2        $41,265
• Jeep Grand Cherokee Overland 4x4        $44,700

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Honda has at least figured out the production problem.

Honda has teamed up with a Japanese research firm to develop a new way of producing ethanol fuel. Previously made from either corn or sugarcane, ethanol has been an increasing hot topic among automakers, environmentalists and politicians, but overall it is still costly to produce with little infrastructure in the United States.

Honda has at least figured out the production problem. Converting corn and sugarcane into ethanol yielded little fuel given the amount of raw material used, and it also saps food stocks. The new method uses inedible and discarded plant material and is vastly more efficient. Honda is planning to produce an ethanol-capable vehicle for the Brazilian market, but major U.S. automakers like Ford and General Motors already have hundreds of thousands of flex-fuel vehicles on the road now that can run on either ethanol or gasoline.   

Honda hasn’t been promoting its ethanol plans, and the company is better known for its gasoline hybrids. One Honda spokesman said ethanol could account for 30% of fuel in the U.S. by 2025. If this new process can be widely adopted, we’re ready to believe that number.

[Honda Envisions Cars That Run on Leaves, Rice Straw, MarketWatch]

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