Solid-state batteries, hailed as the way forward for electrical automobiles, have taken a big leap ahead in growth in recent times. This expertise is anticipated to revolutionize battery effectivity, providing prolonged ranges, lowered charging instances, and enhanced security options. QuantumScape, a US firm engaged on next-generation batteries for EVs, achieved a noteworthy accomplishment within the development of that expertise.
The newest achievement includes the agency’s solid-state cell surpassing the necessities within the A-sample test, finishing over 1,000 charging cycles with nice success. The rigorous testing, carried out over a number of months by Volkswagen-owned PowerCo’s in its battery laboratories in Salzgitter, demonstrated the solid-state cell’s capability to keep up a staggering 95 p.c capability after the demanding cycles. For electrical automobiles with a spread of roughly 300 miles, this equates to a complete mileage of 300,000 miles and extra.
In the standardized check procedures for brand new battery cells, robustness is a essential criterion, with trade requirements setting targets of 700 charging cycles and a most capability lack of 20 p.c. QuantumScape’s solid-state cell not solely exceeded these specs but in addition demonstrated proficiency in different important standards resembling fast-charging functionality, security, and self-discharge.
The subsequent section within the growth course of includes refining and scaling the manufacturing processes. Volkswagen’s unified cell idea, developed by PowerCo, is deemed appropriate for integrating solid-state cell expertise.
“These are very encouraging results that impressively underpin the potential of the solid-state cell. The final result of this development could be a battery cell that enables long ranges, can be charged super-quickly, and practically does not age. We are convinced of the solid-state cell and are continuing to work at full speed with our partner QuantumScape towards series production,” PowerCo CEO Frank Blome commented.
Yamaha is among the greatest and most revered bike producers on the planet. The Japanese firm has taken a novel, streamlined method when tackling a number of markets. Yamaha understands that totally different markets have totally different wants, and so it does its finest to make sure these distinctive wants and preferences are met.
For instance, within the US, Yamaha focuses totally on its premium, performance-oriented fashions. It affords riders a variety of bikes in order that they’ll begin out on a Yamaha (maybe an R3 or MT-03) and improve progressively throughout the model till they attain the head of efficiency (say, an R1M). Meanwhile, in Asia, the model affords a wide array of each mass-market and premium fashions, catering to the wants of each commuters and fanatics within the area.
Europe takes on an identical method, with its tiered system which follows licensing within the area. Apart from that, quite a lot of the model’s improvements, notably within the field of EVs, might be present in Europe. Speaking of Europe, Yamaha Motor has introduced some fairly massive modifications in administration transferring into 2024. Since March 2020, Eric de Seynes has been serving because the President and Chief Executive Officer of Yamaha Motor Europe N.V., and has been on the helm throughout a few of Yamaha’s strongest years. Now, from January 1, 2024, he’ll be stepping down from this place to hitch YME’s Supervisory Board as Chairman.
In an article by Roadracing World, Eric de Seynes mentioned, “It has been a great honor and privilege to have led the Yamaha Motor Europe group companies since 2014 as Operational Director and C.O.O, and then as President and C.E.O since 2018. During this decade we have developed a new marketing strategy in Europe, have more than doubled our total net sales and have implemented many new customer services and digital applications.”
As Eric de Seynes strikes on to YME’s Supervisory Board, Olivier Prévost will likely be taking de Seynes’ place as President and CEO of Yamaha Motor Europe. Prévost beforehand served because the Vice-President of YME, and has been deemed to be greater than able to taking over the highest management function. Apart from overseeing Yamaha’s bike operations, Prévost will even handle all of YME’s branches and subsidiaries in Europe.
Olivier Prévost defined that he’s been working arduous to construct his understanding of the varied Yamaha Motor entities. “It is with a lot of humility and respect that I accept the challenge of being his successor as YME President. The last ten years, through my various assignments in different Yamaha Motor entities, I have been reinforcing and enlarging my understanding and experience of the Yamaha organization, operations, businesses and markets. With the support of the Yamaha family – and with family I mean the Yamaha employees, suppliers, distributors, dealers and customers, I feel reassured and confident to fulfill the position,” he mentioned.
Olivier Prévost has a storied historical past with Yamaha. He has been a part of the Yamaha household for the reason that begin of his profession again in 194 as a undertaking head at MBK Industrie. Since then, he’s moved round fairly a bit to a number of divisions and departments inside Yamaha, and even spent a while in Yamaha Motor’s headquarters in Japan. Apart from this, he held management positions in Yamaha Motor R&D Europe, and former Yamaha subsidiary Motori Minarelli. With 30 years of expertise in a number of features inside Yamaha, Prévost is greater than able to driving Yamaha Motor Europe into innovation and success within the years to come back.
While electrical passenger automobiles have taken off, particularly in recent times, the identical hasn’t been true of electrical motorbikes. There are a number of causes for this, however two of the most important issues are the dual problems with power density and vary nervousness. Swappable batteries are one potential answer, however to make it work, you additionally must construct out a strong supporting infrastructure.
That’s why it is encouraging to see an organization like Yamaha Motor dive in headfirst. In addition to being a part of each the Gachaco battery swapping company in Japan and the Swappable Batteries Motorcycle Consortium (SBMC) in Europe, it simply introduced that it is creating a complete new firm in Europe to cope with battery swapping for what it describes as “compact urban electric vehicles via subscription-based services.”
The new firm known as Enyring. Its title appears like a shortened type of “energy ring,” which is sensible as a descriptor for what Yamaha says the brand new firm will do.
On one hand, it would provide swappable batteries and subscription providers for these batteries to customers. On the opposite, it would additionally cooperate with different European leaders in recycling to reuse the spent batteries, thus creating what it refers to as a closed loop system that depends on recycled supplies as valued assets for the subsequent era of merchandise. Energy Ring.
Enyring’s headquarters shall be primarily based in Berlin, Germany. While it is now been formally established as of December 2023 as an entity, Yamaha says that operations will not seemingly begin till someday within the first half of 2025. A future operation within the Netherlands can also be deliberate, with extra development seemingly down the road.
Enyring will serve low-speed compact city electrical automobiles, and can primarily consider the e-bike house. Swappable battery stations shall be put in all through cities the place the corporate operates, in order that subscribers can simply cease and swap their batteries after which go on about their enterprise.
It’s not clear at this level whether or not Enyring will go on so as to add comparable providers for different low-speed electrical automobiles, equivalent to the Yamaha NEO’s. The Yamaha E01 does not use swappable batteries, however different comparable city commuter automobiles may definitely profit from a swappable battery system just like the one which Enyring is proposing.
Even if Enyring stays strictly within the e-bike lane, establishing a swappable battery infrastructure like this is able to be significant for the development of different comparable programs for different two-wheeled electrics sooner or later.
Since it is initially specializing in e-bikes, plans for places in Berlin and the Netherlands make an entire lot of sense. Both Berlin and Amsterdam are cities the place biking is already properly established and standard amongst a broad cross-section of the inhabitants, so it looks as if a pure match.
Toyota has taken the EV trajectory no different firm might. No one else within the auto business has the funds or gross sales quantity to skip the present-day EV market and goal for a future that doesn’t exist but. However, apart from its bZ4X SUV, the Japanese stalwart of automotive reliability has apparently chosen to carry out for solid-state batteries and hydrogen. Indeed, hydrogen figures prominently in Toyota’s plan to be carbon-neutral by 2040. While its solid-state battery plans proceed at a gradual (if frustratingly gradual) tempo, Toyota intends to sell at least 100,000 hydrogen cars per yer by 2030.
For varied causes, few different corporations within the auto business have been prepared to wager on hydrogen ever taking off. To some observers, it could appear to be hydrogen is Toyota’s silly ardour challenge. However, the corporate’s longstanding success offers it the monetary cushion to basically gamble on an EV battery that doesn’t exist and a gas that the world just isn’t prepared for.
Toyota’s hydrogen-powered HiAce prototype is a step within the path in the direction of sustainable business automobiles.
In order to provide the most modern and correct info doable, the information used to compile this text was sourced from varied producer web sites and different authoritative sources, together with Green Car Reports, Motor Trend, and Top Gear.
Toyota Is Revving Up Hydrogen Operations In Europe
Toyota is constructing a hydrogen gas cell manufacturing facility in Europe
EU funding and mandates for a hydrogen fueling community will make FCEVs simpler to promote
Toyota will present hydrogen powertrains for the buses used within the 2024 Paris Olympics
Toyota is already staking out its territory in European hydrogen automobile gross sales earlier than they exist. Planning is already underway for the Toyota Hydrogen Factory Europe. This is slated to be the middle of Toyota’s hydrogen operations, with services for growing, producing, promoting, and servicing hydrogen techniques. While Toyota hasn’t formally named the town but, the press launch is dated from Brussels and refers back to the manufacturing facility as “a local business operation.”
Hydrogen’s Possible Future In Europe
Toyota
With EU rules slowly phasing out the usage of gasoline, a whole continent is changing into primed for electrical vehicles. Whether the motors in these vehicles will get their electrical energy from hydrogen or from batteries stays an open query. Hydrogen stands a stronger probability in Europe than wherever else.
The EU has budgeted €45 billion for constructing a community of hydrogen fueling stations all through the continent by 2030. By official mandate, each arterial highway should have hydrogen pumps no farther than 200km aside (about 125 miles). This will get rid of hydrogen’s largest hurdle: the straightforward query of “But where to I refill it?”
Toyota is already discussing a full lineup of hydrogen automobiles for Europe. In addition to its Mirai sedan, the corporate has made a hydrogen fuel-cell powered version of its Hilux truck. Toyota can be in talks with varied European bus and business truck producers about supplying fuel-cell powertrains. Even with out Toyota’s laborious push for gas cells, Europe might go from the final refuge of the sacred handbook transmission to essentially the most welcoming habitat for hydrogen vehicles. If so, Toyota can be extra ready than anybody else.
It’s tempting to match this to Toyota’s earlier try to advertise its newest expertise on the Olympics. Some readers will recall that Toyota introduced that it could have a solid-state EV battery prepared to indicate to the general public at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, after which quietly remained absent. This was notably embarrassing as a result of the Olympics had been postponed by a whole 12 months as a result of pandemic. Apparently, a twelve-month deadline extension nonetheless wasn’t lengthy sufficient for a solid-state battery.
However, not like solid-state batteries, Toyota already has hydrogen vehicles in manufacturing. So, all indicators level to the hydrogen buses succeeding the place the solid-state battery failed.
It’s tempting to say that Toyota’s Pacific port facility can be “burning” hydrogen, however that’s not appropriate. The whole 155,000 sq. foot (144,000 sq. meters) automobile processing plant will run on hydrogen gas cells. That’s proper, the port will run on the identical kind of gas cells that one will discover within the hydrogen vehicles that go by means of it. This hydrogen-produced electrical energy will energy a gas island, a automobile wash, a distribution middle, and an workplace advanced.
The Fuel Cell Powerplant
The energy plant for this facility can be inbuilt collaboration with the Danbury, Connecticut-based company FuelCell Energy, Inc. It will produce 2.3 megawatts of electrical energy, and is the primary large-scale generator on the planet to make use of hydrogen gas cells. This energy plant can be giant sufficient to produce Toyota’s port equipment, all of the places of work and warehouses, and nonetheless ship surplus electrical energy to the realm’s energy grid.
Toyota’s Stunning Commitment To Hydrogen Extends Beyond Vehicles
It’s nothing in need of spectacular that Toyota is powering its Pacific Coast distribution middle with the identical type of gas cells that it intends to place in future automobiles. Tesla is the de-facto ambassador for EVs, but it surely doesn’t use giant racks of batteries to energy its warehouses.
Cummins, the vaunted manufacturer of diesel engines, doesn’t use an extra-large engine to energy its personal services– and diesel mills are a long-used expertise. By powering one in all its principal distribution hubs with hydrogen, Toyota has made it clear: its future lies in gas cells.
Hydrogen can energy future electrical automobiles and, with a comparatively easy conversion can scale back emissions of our present inside combustion automobiles
Toyota Is Taking Hydrogen To The Track
Toyota
Toyota efficiently demonstrated a hydrogen combustion Yaris at Goodwood
A earlier try to display a hydrogen automobile ended with fireplace and failure
Toyota has transformed two AE86 Corollas to run on hydrogen – one with inside combustion, the opposite with gas cells
As is normal working process for any auto firm, Toyota has put its latest technology into racing cars. After all, it’s laborious to get the press hyped in regards to the newest information in smart household transportation. However, Toyota’s hydrogen racing vehicles have introduced combined outcomes. One of them caught fireplace, one was favorably acquired.
One of Toyota’s largest hydrogen PR triumphs got here in July 2023, when actor/comic/automobile collector Rowan Atkinson drove a hydrogen-converted Yaris on the Goodwood Festival of Speed with a whole lot of cameras pointed at him. Rather than working on gas cells, this one-off automobile makes use of a hydrogen combustion engine.
It could appear uncommon to place extreme horsepower right into a automobile typically marketed as nearly joylessly sensible, however the so-called “hot hatch” has risen in reputation lately. This could also be in response to supercars’ convergent evolution into more and more comparable angry-faced coupes. A souped-up kid-hauler breaks the relentless high-performance monotony.
Regardless of why Toyota put a hydrogen-powered Yaris on the track, there’s business precedent for placing cutting-edge powertrains into household automobiles. Perhaps most notably, Ford bought the Taurus SHO (Super High Output) for many of the Taurus’ mannequin run.
Toyota’s Unfortunate Initial Misfire
Toyota’s profitable hydrogen exposition at Goodwood did quite a bit to redeem the corporate after its earlier hydrogen embarrassment 4 months earlier, in March 2023.
The firm had deliberate to enter a hydrogen-combustion Corolla into Japan’s Super Taikyu Series endurance race. Unfortunately, one of its fuel lines came loose. As typically occurs when automobile gas goes the place it oughtn’t, Toyota’s racing desires went up in flames.
Toyota Is Putting Hydrogen Into Classic Cars
Toyota
Toyota has apparently taken discover of the small but growing trend of electrifying classic cars, and chosen to offer a hydrogen reply to battery-powered drop-in drivetrains. Of course, the electrical powertrain hardly ever “drops in” with out a whole lot of complications and possibly some customized welding. But then once more, eradicating the powertrain is a routine a part of restomod initiatives anyway.
The firm took two AE86 Corollas and converted them to run on hydrogen. One runs on electrical gas cells, and the other burns it in an internal combustion engine. This is clearly meant to be a showcase of the hydrogen-fueled future. When going by means of its again catalog, Toyota made a superb selection of which now-vintage mannequin to transform to hydrogen. The AE86 is a traditional piece of Eighties sports activities automobile design. Whether the automobile was truly sporty or not could also be merrily debated, however the automobile a minimum of appeared the half.
Both vehicles have additionally been fitted with five-point harnesses. The former trunk of the hydrogen combustion automobile now holds the hydrogen tanks lined with a delightfully curvaceous sheet of woven carbon fiber. It is a little bit of sudden gearhead-inspired whimsy from an automaker recognized for its steadfast sedans and indestructible vans.
And, in fact, for the advantage of those that merely can not endure a automobile with no handbook transmission, the gearshift might be prominently and proudly seen in each vehicles.
The Crown Z FCEV is Toyota’s newest brainchild in hydrogen tech and blends efficiency, effectivity, and luxurious impressively effectively.
Toyota Is Taking Hydrogen To Buses And The Trucking Industry
Toyota
Toyota has been engaged on hydrogen vans since a minimum of 2017
The Paris Olympics will use hydrogen buses from Toyota
Toyota has been working on hydrogen for commercial trucks for fairly a while. Indeed, hydrogen could also be a greater match for trucking networks than the final driving public– a minimum of at first. It’s simpler to put in hydrogen pumps in a fleet’s fueling community than to try to put a hydrogen station in each city (notably with no mandate and a cash bag from the EU).
And whereas the added weight of an EV battery hasn’t prompted any issues for home automobiles, a battery giant sufficient to energy a big truck might trigger weight issues.
Toyota Made Its First Successful Semi Truck In 2017
Toyota
Toyota made a working business prototype as early as 2017 by basically putting two Mirai powertrains into a Kenworth truck. (For reference, the Mirai had solely been in manufacturing for 2 years at the moment.) Test drivers famous that the truck drove unexpectedly easily, with not one of the shaking and shuddering related to an enormous diesel engine. The truck additionally achieved an astonishing 7.0 second 0-60 time.
One ought to emphasize that Toyota didn’t drastically modify the Mirai powertrains that went into it. In different phrases, a Kenworth truck powered by two Toyota sedans prompted reviewers to notice “Putting the accelerator to the floor, we are physically flung back into our seats and remain so throughout the duration of the quarter mile.”
Toyota Will Provide Hydrogen Buses For The Paris Olympics
Toyota
As aforementioned, Toyota is also providing hydrogen buses to use in the Paris Olympics. This is a much more possible implementation of commercial-grade hydrogen than a trucking community. After all, the buses will solely must traverse a single metropolis. This permits Toyota to showcase its hydrogen powertrains with none want for a widespread fueling community.
Also, buses are among the finest methods to introduce giant numbers of individuals to hydrogen powertrains. After all, the common check drive solely accommodates one individual at a time. With buses, Toyota can introduce literal busloads of individuals to hydrogen. And, in fact, folks going to the Olympics like to submit about it on social media. Assuming Toyota’s hydrogen buses are as dependable as every little thing else it makes, social media websites may very well be flooded with movies of individuals on hydrogen buses.
Hydrogen is having a troublesome time discovering its area of interest in passenger vehicles, but it surely’s gaining help in a heavy-duty phase.
Toyota Has Made Hydrogen Its Future
Toyota
Toyota has a reputation for making dependable but boring vehicles. However, Toyota has an extended historical past of quietly placing groundbreaking expertise into in any other case peculiar automobiles. No different firm introduces new expertise the way in which Toyota does.
Other automakers put their dazzling new powertrains into two-door sports activities vehicles, Toyota places its newest innovations into vehicles that individuals truly purchase. This is the corporate that launched the world to hybrids with a dull-looking hatchback as an alternative of placing it into a phenomenal but lethal coupe. Instead of wooing the fans within the automotive press, Toyota tends to skip the manual-coupe purists and focuses on the individuals who don’t know the distinction between a turbocharger and a supercharger (ie, most individuals who present up on a dealership lot).
Hydrogen Is A Major Part Of Toyota’s Plans To Be Sustainable
While the debates in regards to the environmental (and monetary) value of hydrogen versus the upcoming scarcity of lithium proceed in boards and remark threads throughout the web, Toyota is clearly making hydrogen the centerpiece of its sustainability initiatives. The firm is staking its popularity for reliability and a number of other years of its future plans on hydrogen.
The firm is pushing for hydrogen at a time when the concept of sustainability has gone totally mainstream, simply because it launched hybrids within the late Nineties when environmentalism turned fashionable. But solely time will inform if the Mirai turns into the following Prius.
Toyota Is Better-Positioned Than Anyone Else To Push For Hydrogen
Toyota
At current, Toyota is likely one of the most profitable automobile corporations on Earth. It additionally has a popularity that enables it to promote nearly any automobile it desires. The concern of mechanical issues typically makes folks leery of unusual vehicles. However, Toyotas famously by no means die. It’s an achievement to get a Ford Focus to 200,000 miles, but it surely’s almost unremarkable to get a Toyota Tacoma to 400,000.
Because of this, Toyota can efficiently promote vehicles that might by no means depart supplier heaps with some other firm’s badge on the nostril. If Toyota’s hydrogen efforts repay, this lengthy historical past of rock-solid dependability can be an enormous motive why. It could appear that Toyota’s hydrogen campaign is a perpetual drain on the corporate’s funds, or a foolhardy quest that may by no means repay. However, even when that’s the case, Toyota is profitable sufficient to climate the loss.
But, by the point its custodians have taken on a chunk of lunch, the automobile has taken on an additional 100 miles of vary in any case, and is able to forge north once more, this time on the M6.
Short work certainly is manufactured from it. And earlier than 3pm, we’re gliding into Greater Manchester. We cut up the famously tough suburbs of Longsight and Moss Side – not areas you may anticipate to hunt out in a automobile like this. But we’re aiming for close by Dearden Street, Hulme – the positioning of Royce’s first eponymous enterprise: FH Royce and Company Ltd, Electrical Engineers.
Nestled nowadays in leafy Chichester, the present Rolls-Royce Motor Cars doesn’t confer with this place too typically in its fashionable myth-making (though it does confer with the celebrated if contended lunch assembly between Rolls and Royce, supposedly on the close by Midland Hotel, in 1904). So it’s properly price recognising that, earlier than Rolls-Royce was something, or belonged wherever else, it was very a lot a Lancastrian – particularly, a Mancunian – concern.
At Royce’s ‘Cooke Street’ manufacturing unit (the street itself having been renamed since), first rented in 1884 however expanded rapidly thereafter, the very first Rolls-Royce vehicles had been made, amongst them the earliest 40/50 ‘Silver Ghosts’. Mostly, nonetheless, and earlier than the vehicles, Royce’s agency made electrical motors, magnetos, dynamos, winches, cranes – something that British business may want to impress their companies.
Their focus has solely been on electric vehicles, or EVs. This means that little attention has been given to other sustainable technologies, such as hydrogen. Hydrogen consists of a variety of technologies, rather than being just another energy source. This includes two types of hydrogen vehicles: hydrogen fuel cell electric vehicles (FCEVs) and hydrogen internal combustion engines (ICE).
Hydrogen technologies have been slow to gain momentum, as auto manufacturers and policymakers have heavily promoted EVs as the best solution for addressing climate change. However, it is important to acknowledge that battery technology is not the best fit for every situation. There are specific mobility applications where batteries cannot meet performance and endurance requirements.
Finally, there is growing recognition that addressing climate change requires more than simply transitioning every vehicle to EVs, especially for certain segments.
To provide the most up-to-date and accurate information, data for this article was sourced from various manufacturer websites and authoritative sources, including Cummins, RMI, and Automotive News.
Hydrogen Is A Better Fit For Heavy Duty Use
When it comes to heavy-duty industries, batteries have proven to perform poorly compared to their ICE counterparts. This is especially evident in heavy-duty trucks, where the appeal of FCEV trucks surpasses that of fully electric ones.
Toyota is a strong proponent of hydrogen ICE technology, as demonstrated by the GR Yaris, and truck manufacturers are also embracing hydrogen ICEs, such as Cummins and Terex collaborating on hydrogen ICE-powered cement mixer trucks.
Hydrogen ICEs and FCEVs Are Better Haulers
Hydrogen fuel cell technologies are better suited for trucks designed to transport heavy loads due to the significant range degradation experienced by battery EVs compared to diesel trucks. In the trucking industry, hydrogen FCEV trucks are more appealing than fully electric ones.
For example, the Hyundai XCIENT Fuel Cell 6×4 tractor deployed in California has a GCW of 82,000 pounds and a range of 500 miles, while the Volvo VNR Electric 6×4 tractor, with the same GCW, has a range of only 275 miles due to its large 565 kWh battery pack.
Hydrogen Is More Resistant To Fluctuating Temperatures
EVs experience range degradation in cold weather due to the impact of temperature on battery performance. In contrast, hydrogen FCEVs are powered by a chemical reaction between hydrogen and ambient oxygen, while hydrogen ICEs generate heat through the combustion process, making them less susceptible to temperature fluctuations.
The Fiat Tipo has been discontinued in the UK as part of Fiat’s comprehensive revamp of its vehicle range.
The family hatchback and estate models will be indirectly replaced by the new 600e electric crossover.
With the departure of the Tipo, the only non-SUV cars currently available from Fiat in the UK are the 500 and Panda.
Although it was never a significant part of Fiat’s UK business, the Tipo was outsold by its city-car siblings and the similarly sized 500X crossover.
However, the car remains on sale in other markets worldwide.
Fiat has stated that its focus is on electric urban mobility, and the indirect replacement for the Tipo in the UK will be the 600e, which is set to be released next month with a starting price of £32,995. It will compete with the Kia Niro EV and Volvo EX30.
The 600e will also serve as a more direct replacement for the combustion-engined 500X.
Prior to its discontinuation, the Tipo, which was launched in 2015, was available in the UK starting at £28,745 or £29,245 for the Cross variant.
In 2021, the Tipo was one of four Fiat models offered with a mild-hybrid powertrain, but it could also be purchased with a 93bhp pure-petrol engine.
With the retirement of the Tipo, Fiat no longer has a direct competitor to models like the Ford Focus and Vauxhall Astra. However, it is understood that Fiat is developing an electric supermini, expected to use the same EV platform as the Vauxhall Corsa and Peugeot e-208, as a spiritual successor to the old Fiat Punto supermini.
When we talk about audiophiles, we normally refer to individuals who are passionate about high-quality sound reproduction. However, the concept can be quite complex and nuanced.
Today, even someone who simply enjoys vinyl records and invests in a good turntable and speakers can be considered an audiophile. Similarly, individuals who listen to high-resolution recordings through streaming services like Tidal and Qobuz using proper equipment may also fall into this category. Nevertheless, the term “audiophile” often carries a negative connotation, as some enthusiasts are criticized for spending large sums of money on upgrades or peripherals that offer minimal or hard-to-discern improvements. There are even instances where these so-called audiophiles claim to have exceptionally sensitive hearing, leading to skepticism and challenge from their critics.
An incident that exemplifies this divide occurred in 2022 when the audiophile community was shocked to discover that Mobile Fidelity Sound Lab (MoFi), a specialty reissue label, had been misleadingly promoting their vinyl releases as entirely analog productions, despite most of their recent releases being mastered from digital files. What made matters worse was that MoFi was selling expensive “One-Step” records (priced above $100) under the pretense that they needed to limit quantities to preserve the master tape, even though many audiophiles couldn’t discern the use of digital sources in these records. Consequently, MoFi faced a class-action lawsuit, which they eventually settled.
In summary, the term “audiophile” encompasses a wide range of enthusiasts with varying perspectives and preferences.
Toyota has made significant progress in the development of hydrogen propulsion with the introduction of a prototype Toyota Hilux fuel cell electric vehicle (FCEV).
While the first FCEV from Toyota was a car (the Toyota Mirai, launched in 2014 and now in its second generation), commercial vehicles are better suited for this technology due to their need for faster refuelling and longer range compared to battery-powered vehicles.
The FCEV pick-up truck from Toyota has a simulated range of 365 miles and a refuelling time similar to that of a diesel vehicle. The project was funded, developed, and delivered in the UK at Toyota’s Burnaston plant in just 12 months.
Toyota has not disclosed the weight or payload of the Hilux FCEV until the development is completed, and it will also announce whether it will go into production.
Development
A team of engineers from Toyota and experts from Ricardo, European Thermodynamics, D2H Advanced Technologies, and Thatcham Research modified 10 Hilux development vehicles to accommodate the Mirai’s powertrain and fuelling system.
While one of the vehicles has undergone crash testing, the others are undergoing on-road development before being placed with potential customers, including emergency services.
Despite the presence of native FCEV truck manufacturers like Tevva and Hydrogen Vehicle Systems and the availability of FCEV cars such as the Mirai and Hyundai Nexo, the adoption of hydrogen technology in the UK has been relatively slow.
Converting the Hilux into a hydrogen vehicle
Externally, the new FCEV looks identical to a regular 2.4-liter diesel Hilux. However, opening the bonnet reveals the fuel cell stack sourced from the Mirai.
Behind the cab bulkhead, there is a reinforced metal box housing a battery similar in size to a hybrid car’s. This accounts for approximately 20% of the deck’s total area, but Toyota mentioned that it could be placed under the rear seats in regular models. Underneath this box, there are three large cylinders, each storing 2.6kg of hydrogen (a typical FCEV car consumes 1kg of hydrogen per day, costing around £15), and towards the rear is an electric motor sourced from the Mirai.
Imagine the shock of discovering that while your sports car was in for repairs, dealership employees took it on a high-speed joyride. This nightmare became a reality for John Parrish of Burlington, who recently watched dashcam footage of his 2016 Chevrolet Corvette Z06 tearing through the streets. Although no laws were technically broken, this incident raises concerns about trust, accountability, and customer satisfaction in the automotive service industry.
Parrish was initially stunned when he reviewed the dashcam video of his ‘Vette racing through the streets. His vehicle had been at Modern Chevrolet of Burlington for necessary repairs. However, what occurred next was far from routine.
Parrish discovered that two dealership employees had taken his performance sports car on not only one, but two separate high-speed test drives without his knowledge or consent. It’s important to note that while test drives are a standard practice for quality assurance, they are typically conducted with the owner’s permission and within reasonable limits.
As if the unauthorized joyride wasn’t troubling enough, the story takes another twist. Parrish reported that the dealership had damaged his car while it was being serviced, leading to free replacement parts being provided. While he appreciated the gesture to rectify the damage, he believes it doesn’t address the more significant issues at hand. Some individuals commenting on the video argue that the mechanics responsible for the joyride should also be held accountable for their actions.
We are not here to pass judgment, but it seems appropriate for the dealership to offer a genuine apology in this case. If the joyride was performed without the owner’s knowledge, as it seems to be in this situation, the cost of the gas used and the mileage accrued during the joyride should be reimbursed in some manner.
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