Showing posts with label camry. Show all posts
Showing posts with label camry. Show all posts
Wednesday, July 9, 2008
Toyota Camry's Lead Engineer Died From "Karoshi" (Overwork)
Putting a bit of substance behind the claims from the National Labor Committee that Toyota employees are literally worked to death is the ruling of the Japanese labor bureau that a lead engineer on Toyota's hybrid Camry program did indeed die of "karoshi" which is the Japanese term for "death from overwork". This report from the Associated Press gives some details.
Wednesday, June 25, 2008
Car Buyers More Interested in Gadgets Than Fuel Efficiency
According to the results of a J.D. Power & Associates study released yesterday, hybrid technology vehicles rank pretty high among consumers interest. In fact, 72% of people asked said they were "definitely/probably" interested in hybrid technology. However, once they were told that this technology would add about $5000 to the price of their vehicle, the number if still interested buyers dropped to 58%.
What ranked higher than the fuel efficiency of a hybrid though? Blind-spot detection technology at 76%, and back-up assist at 74%.
Oh great, that's just what the world needs... technology to help incompetent drivers pay even less attention to what they're doing behind the wheel.
Here's what I think of that:
Unless they're installing KITT in my dash, I don't not want my car thinking for me.
But I digress.
I have to wonder where they got the $5000 "average" from though. When I first read the report it seemed awfully cheap compared to the hybrid premiums I've seen, but I figured those were the price differences in American dollars for the American sold cars. So, I did a quick check across a few of the cheaper hybrids in Canadian dollars and came up with the following:
-Honda Civic Sedan:
Conventional: $19,490.00 (w/AC+automatic)
Hybrid: $26,350.00
Difference: $6860.00
-Toyota Camry:
Conventional: $23,400.00 (w/AC+automatic)
Hybrid: $30,660.00
Difference: $7260.00
-Toyota Prius vs Toyota Corolla: (since the Prius doesn't have a conventionally propelled equivalent I'm comparing it against the Corolla, which is Toyota's closest offering)
Corolla LE: $19,900.00 (w/AC+automatic)
Prius: $29,500.00
Difference: $9600.00
Toyota Highlander:
Conventional: $36,900.00
Hybrid: $41,075.00
Difference: $4175.00
Chevrolet Malibu:
Conventional: $22,995.00
Hybrid: $26,995.00
Difference: $4000.00
Chevrolet Tahoe LT:
Conventional: $47,155.00
Hybrid: $66,125.00
Difference: $18,970.00
That's an average premium of nearly $8500.00. While the MSRP for cars in Canada is always higher than in the US, their estimated $5000.00 for the added cost of a hybrid still seems a little low.
One interesting detail I noted while compiling those numbers was that while a Civic Hybrid costs nearly $7000 more than a similarly equipped conventional Civic, the fuel savings are in the range of 30%. If a Civic owner drives 25000 kms per year (~15000 miles) that's nearly $1000 in savings each year at current fuel prices. The Chevy Malibu, on the other hand, only costs $4000 more for the hybrid, but the fuel efficiency is less than 8% better. That's only about $250 per year saved. Honda's hybrid premium pays for itself in 7 years, while Chevrolet's takes about 16 years. (I really hope those buyers are choosing a hybrid to "make a statement", and not to save money...)
Sadly, of all the different features and options mentioned in the survey, clean diesel ranked last. Why? I'm not sure. I mean, who wouldn't want 50+mpg from a conventional (read: simple & uncomplicated) drivetrain?
As Mike Marshall, J.D. Power & Associates director of automotive emerging technologies, said:
I suppose the European companies that are starting to make this technology available in North America have along road of re-education ahead of them. The masses are still stuck on the old stereotype of diesels being noisy, smelly, and generally a nuisance. It's a stigma that may take a while to be rid of.
You can read the full report HERE.
What ranked higher than the fuel efficiency of a hybrid though? Blind-spot detection technology at 76%, and back-up assist at 74%.
Oh great, that's just what the world needs... technology to help incompetent drivers pay even less attention to what they're doing behind the wheel.
Here's what I think of that:
Unless they're installing KITT in my dash, I don't not want my car thinking for me.
But I digress.
I have to wonder where they got the $5000 "average" from though. When I first read the report it seemed awfully cheap compared to the hybrid premiums I've seen, but I figured those were the price differences in American dollars for the American sold cars. So, I did a quick check across a few of the cheaper hybrids in Canadian dollars and came up with the following:
-Honda Civic Sedan:
Conventional: $19,490.00 (w/AC+automatic)
Hybrid: $26,350.00
Difference: $6860.00
-Toyota Camry:
Conventional: $23,400.00 (w/AC+automatic)
Hybrid: $30,660.00
Difference: $7260.00
-Toyota Prius vs Toyota Corolla: (since the Prius doesn't have a conventionally propelled equivalent I'm comparing it against the Corolla, which is Toyota's closest offering)
Corolla LE: $19,900.00 (w/AC+automatic)
Prius: $29,500.00
Difference: $9600.00
Toyota Highlander:
Conventional: $36,900.00
Hybrid: $41,075.00
Difference: $4175.00
Chevrolet Malibu:
Conventional: $22,995.00
Hybrid: $26,995.00
Difference: $4000.00
Chevrolet Tahoe LT:
Conventional: $47,155.00
Hybrid: $66,125.00
Difference: $18,970.00
That's an average premium of nearly $8500.00. While the MSRP for cars in Canada is always higher than in the US, their estimated $5000.00 for the added cost of a hybrid still seems a little low.
One interesting detail I noted while compiling those numbers was that while a Civic Hybrid costs nearly $7000 more than a similarly equipped conventional Civic, the fuel savings are in the range of 30%. If a Civic owner drives 25000 kms per year (~15000 miles) that's nearly $1000 in savings each year at current fuel prices. The Chevy Malibu, on the other hand, only costs $4000 more for the hybrid, but the fuel efficiency is less than 8% better. That's only about $250 per year saved. Honda's hybrid premium pays for itself in 7 years, while Chevrolet's takes about 16 years. (I really hope those buyers are choosing a hybrid to "make a statement", and not to save money...)
Sadly, of all the different features and options mentioned in the survey, clean diesel ranked last. Why? I'm not sure. I mean, who wouldn't want 50+mpg from a conventional (read: simple & uncomplicated) drivetrain?
As Mike Marshall, J.D. Power & Associates director of automotive emerging technologies, said:
One explanation for this may derive from a lack of education with the technology. Many consumers cannot differentiate between clean diesel and traditional diesel fuel—which in the past had a negative connotation with unpleasant vehicle emissions. As consumers become more educated in the benefits of clean diesel through increased product offers launching later this year, interest in the technology may increase.
I suppose the European companies that are starting to make this technology available in North America have along road of re-education ahead of them. The masses are still stuck on the old stereotype of diesels being noisy, smelly, and generally a nuisance. It's a stigma that may take a while to be rid of.
You can read the full report HERE.
Thursday, June 12, 2008
How Many Miles (or Kilometeres) Until That Hybrid Starts Paying Off?
As a follow up to the comparison article I wrote about the Toyota Camry last month, I present someone else's viewpoint. AutoblogGreen.com did some similar math with 15 different pairs of vehicles, ranging from the ultra-economic Prius, to the barely-worth-the-effort GMC Yukon.
Is going green worth your money? At best you'd have to drive 97,000 highway miles (over 156,000 kms) before your Civic Hybrid starts saving you some coin. Even driving in the city, where a hybrid supposedly shines, you'd have to drive that Civic over 86,000 miles (138,000 kms) before the hybrid premium was paid off.
What about the Camry? Three hundred thousand highway miles! That's nearly half a million kilometers... City driving is much better in this case at least. You'd only need to cover 70,000 miles (112,000 kms) to break even.
GM products like the Tahoe/Yukon hybrids are an utter joke in this test. You'd need to cover 180,000 miles (290,000 kms) in the city to pay off the extra cost of "going green". The funniest part of that joke is that GM is actually supremely proud of these hybrids and plans to start marketing them hardcore.
Read the rest of the article here.
Is going green worth your money? At best you'd have to drive 97,000 highway miles (over 156,000 kms) before your Civic Hybrid starts saving you some coin. Even driving in the city, where a hybrid supposedly shines, you'd have to drive that Civic over 86,000 miles (138,000 kms) before the hybrid premium was paid off.
What about the Camry? Three hundred thousand highway miles! That's nearly half a million kilometers... City driving is much better in this case at least. You'd only need to cover 70,000 miles (112,000 kms) to break even.
GM products like the Tahoe/Yukon hybrids are an utter joke in this test. You'd need to cover 180,000 miles (290,000 kms) in the city to pay off the extra cost of "going green". The funniest part of that joke is that GM is actually supremely proud of these hybrids and plans to start marketing them hardcore.
Read the rest of the article here.
Friday, June 6, 2008
The writing is on the wall...
I don't know whether to admire the blind tenacity with which the American auto-makers cling to the past, or simply shake my head with bewilderment.
The time when it was cool to drive the biggest, baddest SUV or truck is officially history! The proof is in the numbers. In May, the Ford F-150 was not the most sold vehicle in the United States for the first time in 17 years! Yes, every year since 1991 Ford has sold more F-150s than any other automaker has sold any model. Last month it was outsold by not one, not two... but four other vehicles, all of which are paragons of longevity, economy, and quality. Honda's Civic and Accord, as well as Toyota's Corolla and Camry all sold more in May than Ford's F-150.
And I say it's about time!
Finally, people have woken up and started to make responsible choices. People are slowly realizing that the 12mpg dinosaur in their driveway isn't making them "cool" any more. The average, intelligent consumer no longer admires those SUVs and full-size pickups that everyone wanted to drive to the grocery store just a few years ago.
And it wasn't only Ford that slipped up. All the brands that rely heavily on truck and SUV sales for their numbers had a horrible May. Chrysler, Ford, and General Motors all lost significants sales in May... 28%, 19%, and 30% respectively.
The biggest individual brand name loser? Hummer at -61.7%. GMC was close behind with a loss of over 38%.
That's a whole lot less SUVs we'll all be seeing on the road as time goes on. And eventually, that also means a whole lot less demand for gas, which is what the fuel companies keep telling us is the reason behind all the increases we've been subject to. A decade and a half of irresponsible vehicle buying habits is why we're now all paying between $4.50 and $5.50 per gallon of gas.
And here's where their "blindly clinging to the past" attitude really makes me wonder just how bright these people are. In an article titled "Asian Brands Outsell Big 3 In May" in the Detroit News I read this:
Get with the program man! Gas prices aren't going to be cut in half overnight.
As one writer put it... "gentlemen, that sound you just heard was the canary hitting the floor of your coal mine".
The time when it was cool to drive the biggest, baddest SUV or truck is officially history! The proof is in the numbers. In May, the Ford F-150 was not the most sold vehicle in the United States for the first time in 17 years! Yes, every year since 1991 Ford has sold more F-150s than any other automaker has sold any model. Last month it was outsold by not one, not two... but four other vehicles, all of which are paragons of longevity, economy, and quality. Honda's Civic and Accord, as well as Toyota's Corolla and Camry all sold more in May than Ford's F-150.
And I say it's about time!
Finally, people have woken up and started to make responsible choices. People are slowly realizing that the 12mpg dinosaur in their driveway isn't making them "cool" any more. The average, intelligent consumer no longer admires those SUVs and full-size pickups that everyone wanted to drive to the grocery store just a few years ago.
And it wasn't only Ford that slipped up. All the brands that rely heavily on truck and SUV sales for their numbers had a horrible May. Chrysler, Ford, and General Motors all lost significants sales in May... 28%, 19%, and 30% respectively.
The biggest individual brand name loser? Hummer at -61.7%. GMC was close behind with a loss of over 38%.
That's a whole lot less SUVs we'll all be seeing on the road as time goes on. And eventually, that also means a whole lot less demand for gas, which is what the fuel companies keep telling us is the reason behind all the increases we've been subject to. A decade and a half of irresponsible vehicle buying habits is why we're now all paying between $4.50 and $5.50 per gallon of gas.
And here's where their "blindly clinging to the past" attitude really makes me wonder just how bright these people are. In an article titled "Asian Brands Outsell Big 3 In May" in the Detroit News I read this:
Floundering truck sales caused Ford's market share to fall to 15.6 percent, from 16.5 percent a year ago. The company hopes to boost demand for its trucks by offering employee pricing to everyone on F-150, F-250 and F-350 models this month, ahead of the introduction the redesigned F-150 later this year.
"We've been 31 years running the leading vehicle in that segment," Farley said. "We see this as an important merchandising strategy."
Sales of Ford's best-selling small car, the Focus, rose 53.2 percent in May to 32,579 vehicles, while sales of F-series pickups plummeted 30.6 percent to 42,973. Farley said the Focus outsold the F-series in dealer showrooms, but commercial and fleet sales gave the pickup more total sales.
Commercial and fleet sales (which are what I consider to be the only legitimate reasons to buy an F-150... not simply because someone feels a pickup is cool) are the only thing keeping the F-150 from being outsold by Ford's own economy car. And yet they don't realize that perhaps it's time to move on and start treating the North American automotive more like the rest of the world's markets? Leave the trucks to the contractors, the builders, the people that work with them, and start focusing on making quality cars instead.
And he's not the only ignorant one. From the same article:May's sales results reflect consumers' general shift away from trucks, but the fact that four cars outsold the F-Series is mainly a reflection of record high gas prices, said Tom Libby, senior director of industry analysis at Power Information Network, a unit of J.D. Power and Associates in Troy.
"At the end of the year, the F-150 will still be the top-selling vehicle," he said. Libby added that high gas prices, which are likely near their peak for the year, encourage people to buy more fuel-efficient vehicles, such as the Civic, while truck buyers are more likely to buy when gas prices fall and incentives increase.
Get with the program man! Gas prices aren't going to be cut in half overnight.
As one writer put it... "gentlemen, that sound you just heard was the canary hitting the floor of your coal mine".
Wednesday, May 28, 2008
Will a shiny new hybrid really save you money?
Some people (like myself) actually enjoy our cars. We like to drive! We like to feel the car. I'm not talking about a sports-car here. I'm a "car-guy" and a motorsports enthusiast, but I don't make nearly enough money to own anything remotely close to a "sports car". I drive a compact, 4 cylinder sedan.
My daily commute, what I consider "obligatory" and unavoidable driving, makes up nearly 75% of my annual mileage, and I have no desire to turn it into the Indy 500. I usually stick to the right lane and roll with the traffic. However, an occasional fun drive through the country on winding roads is something I don't want to give up completely. Sometimes you just want to go, and driving the sloth-like Prius with it's shopping cart handling will never be an option for those of us that actually take pleasure in a drive.
Also, not everyone wants to drive a car that looks as weird as a Prius. In fact, most people I've asked think the Prius looks dull, uninspiring, or downright hideous. So let's put that ugly little anomaly aside for a moment and compare apples to apples.
As Toyota has the longest history with hybrids and they have undoubtedly advanced the technology more than any other manufacturer, we'll stick with their offerings for now.
The Toyota Camry.
It's a nice, family sedan with superb finish quality, comfort, & longevity... overall just a really great car. I don't personally like them at all, but there's no way I can deny that the Camry is a solid vehicle.
And for the sake of this post, it comes in 3 different flavors... 4 cylinders, a hybrid, and a V6 that I've added in just for reference.
Since the whole point of this post is to calculate the cost saving measures of hybrids, I'm going to compare the base model of each engine configuration. While the options aren't exactly equal across all three versions, the basics are similar... automatic transmission, A/C, etc. All fuel cost calculations are done based on an annual mileage of 20,000km (12,400 miles) with a 55/45 mix of city & highway drivings, all added up with today's Regular Unleaded 87 Octane fuel price of $1.45/L (approx. US$5.53/gal.).
-Toyota Camry LE (2.4L - 158 hp - 3307 lb curb weight)
Congratulations! After 13 years, you've broken even.
But hey, at least you're saving the environment.
My daily commute, what I consider "obligatory" and unavoidable driving, makes up nearly 75% of my annual mileage, and I have no desire to turn it into the Indy 500. I usually stick to the right lane and roll with the traffic. However, an occasional fun drive through the country on winding roads is something I don't want to give up completely. Sometimes you just want to go, and driving the sloth-like Prius with it's shopping cart handling will never be an option for those of us that actually take pleasure in a drive.
Also, not everyone wants to drive a car that looks as weird as a Prius. In fact, most people I've asked think the Prius looks dull, uninspiring, or downright hideous. So let's put that ugly little anomaly aside for a moment and compare apples to apples.
As Toyota has the longest history with hybrids and they have undoubtedly advanced the technology more than any other manufacturer, we'll stick with their offerings for now.
The Toyota Camry.
It's a nice, family sedan with superb finish quality, comfort, & longevity... overall just a really great car. I don't personally like them at all, but there's no way I can deny that the Camry is a solid vehicle.
And for the sake of this post, it comes in 3 different flavors... 4 cylinders, a hybrid, and a V6 that I've added in just for reference.
Since the whole point of this post is to calculate the cost saving measures of hybrids, I'm going to compare the base model of each engine configuration. While the options aren't exactly equal across all three versions, the basics are similar... automatic transmission, A/C, etc. All fuel cost calculations are done based on an annual mileage of 20,000km (12,400 miles) with a 55/45 mix of city & highway drivings, all added up with today's Regular Unleaded 87 Octane fuel price of $1.45/L (approx. US$5.53/gal.).
-Toyota Camry LE (2.4L - 158 hp - 3307 lb curb weight)
- $27942 (Vehicle cost including all applicable taxes, freight, prep., etc.)
- 9.4L/100km (combined EPA estimate)
- $2726 (annual fuel cost)
- $227.17 (monthly fuel cost)
- $538.90 (monthly vehicle payment, calculated at toyota.ca)
- $766.07 (total monthly cost to own and operate the 4 cylinder Camry)
- $36136 (Vehicle cost including all applicable taxes, freight, prep., etc.)
- 6.9L/100km (combined EPA estimate)
- $2001 (annual fuel cost)
- $166.75 (monthly fuel cost)
- $696.95 (monthly vehicle payment, calculated at toyota.ca)
- $863.70 (total monthly cost to own and operate the hybrid Camry)
- $33,399 (Vehicle cost including all applicable taxes, freight, prep., etc.)
- 10.7L/100km (combined EPA estimate)
- $3103 (annual fuel cost)
- $258.58 (monthly fuel cost)
- $644.16 (monthly vehicle payment, calculated at toyota.ca)
- $902.74 (total monthly cost to own and operate the hybrid Camry)
Congratulations! After 13 years, you've broken even.
But hey, at least you're saving the environment.
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