It appears Toyota’s recall issues are not yet behind the Japanese manufacturer after Toyota Motor Sales US declared its intention to conduct a voluntary safety recall of up to 17,000 2010 Lexus HS250h hybrid vehicles.

The reason for the recall is to address a compliance issue with Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard 301. It follows on from a test from the NHTSA which involved striking the vehicle with a deformable barrier from the rear at around 50mph and then rotating it on its longitudinal axis incrementally to each successive increment of 90 degrees. As part of the rotation it is reported that the vehicle suffered fuel spillage that exceeded the required standard.

As part of the vehicle’s development, the Lexus HS250h was put through the same protocol and it was found that the vehicles complied fully with standard. So now Lexus is working on identifying the reason for the different test results.

According to Steve St Angelo, the Toyota chief quality officer for North America, the company will work intensely to duplicate the non-compliance issues that the NHTSA identified and to determine the reason behind it.

Lexus is yet to identify a remedy for the issue but is said to be working hard to do so promptly and will notify owners as soon as one is developed.

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Perhaps Lexus has had enough of criticisms that its environmental efforts make it a pseudo-green carmaker as the Japanese brand reveals a hybrid bicycle concept instead.

The carmaker is known for producing luxury and large vehicles which have never been delicate drinkers of fuel- but in a bid to cut emissions- has already a hybrid range of cars. Sadly even the most fuel efficient of these still emits 148g/km of CO2 and is directly responsible for a ongoing reassessment of the London’s congestion charge, which currently allows all hybrids, regardless of actually fuel efficiency, to go charge-free through the city.

But, the carmaker’s latest concept should be definitely be exempt-regardless of any changes in charge criteria. The carmaker which prides itself on being a leader in bringing advanced greener technologies to the premium sector says it has applied the same thinking on a smaller scale to create its Hybrid Bicycle. The design concept even features the familiar L-finesse design language in its elegant frame. It couples this with the application of hybrid power, an electric eight-speed transmission and lightweight carbon fibre construction.

Lexus has now brought what is one of the only two examples in existence to the UK for the first time, following the bicycle’s debut at the 2009 Tokyo motor show. Its arrival coincides with the announcement of Lexus’s title sponsorship of the Great British Bike Ride, a four-day charity fun ride that will see hundreds of cyclists following a course from Land’s End to the home of English rugby at Twickenham.

The hybrid bicycle uses similar approach as the carmaker’s hybrid car technology, using the pedal power of the rider boosted by assistance to the front wheel from a 240W electric motor, via a 25.9V Lithium-ion battery, with a choice of Eco or Power modes. And, as with the Lexus Hybrid Drive, there is an energy regeneration function that helps recharge the battery by capturing kinetic energy generated under braking.

The Lexus Hybrid Bicycle has all-wheel drive, by means of a belt system. It is equipped with an electric eight-speed Shimano internal gear system, which references the sophisticated eight-speed shift-by-wire automatic transmission of Lexus’s LS 600h limousine. The carbon fibre construction shares the same light-but-strong composite materials technology that was used on Valentino Rossi’s MotoGP-winning motorcycle.

Sadly- there are no current plans for the Lexus Hybrid Bicycle to become a production model.

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Toyota’s luxury brand Lexus has established a stellar reputation for producing hybrid cars and now it will bring its latest vehicle – the CT200h premium compact – to the US in 2011.

The Lexus CT200h will be the first dedicated hybrid vehicle in the premium compact segment and will be revealed to the US public at the New York International Auto Show which runs from March 31-April 11, following on from its Geneva debut earlier this month (see article).

Lexus CT200h Hybrid Car

Powered by a 1.8l Atkinson cycle four-cylinder petrol engine with variable valve timing, it includes two motor generators that each performs specific functions while also operating as both a motor and a generator. Firstly, the engine-driven generator can charge the battery pack or supply additional power; while the drive motor uses electric power from the hybrid battery pack to provide motive force for the front wheels.

The vehicle comes equipped with four drive modes – normal, eco, sport and EV. Normal mode has a linear throttle response for naturally progressive power; while eco mode adjusts air conditioning settings and the throttle to maximise fuel economy. Sport mode provides more direct electric power steering settings and throttle; while in EV mode, the vehicle can be driven up to one mile using only its electric motor in certain circumstances. As an added bonus for eco-conscious drivers, the car comes with an ECO driving indicator that illuminates when the vehicle is being driven in an environmentally sensible manner.

As with all Lexus vehicles, the CT200h will also come with an anti-lock brake system, electronic brake force distribution, brake assist, TRAC and VSC to help prevent the drive wheels from spinning when accelerating in slippery conditions.

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Lexus has released more details of its new production-ready CT-200h, ahead of its debut at the Geneva Motor Show next week.

Lexus’ first  premium compact hybrid is set to enter production late in 2010 and will go on sale worldwide. The full hybrid model, which features a passing resemblance to sister-brand Toyota’s Prius, will be the carmaker’s most accessible hybrid yet.

Based on the LF-Ch concept revealed at the 2009 Frankfurt Motor Show, the new model is actually smaller than the Prius, yet slightly wider in its dimensions. However like the Prius, the new model will use the familiar 1.8 VVTi petrol engine coupled with a powerful electric motor. Drivers have the choice of four selectable drive modes: ECO and NORMAL place the emphasis on efficiency and comfort, while SPORT focuses on dynamic performance.

As a full hybrid, the CT 200h also has an EV (electric vehicle) mode that allows for ultra-quiet running on the electric motor alone, which will reduce the car’s fuel and reduce CO₂, NOx and particulate emissions. The car is capable of running in EV mode for up to 1.2 miles at speeds up to 28mph. Emissions and fuel consumption has yet to be confirmed, but expect it to be sub-100g/km CO2.

In spite of its compact, efficient design dimensions, the new CT200h promises a roomy interior and a luggage capacity of 345 litres.

The CT 200h is built on a new platform with a dedicated double wishbone and trailing arm rear suspension system. It has been developed specifically to combine the ride comfort expected of a Lexus with superior driving involvement and handling agility.

Set to appeal to company car drivers, the new CT 200h will likely compete with traditional favourites such as the BMW 1 series. The new model will join Lexus’ established hybrid line-up in the form of the Lexus-GS 450h, Lexus-LS 600h and the Lexus-RX 450h.

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Luxury carmaker, Lexus is to unveil a new full hybrid model at the forthcoming Geneva motor show.

Proclaimed to be the first full hybrid within the ‘premium compact’ sector, the new CT 200h will join the brand’s blooming hybrid range which includes the RX 450h, GS 450h and LS 600h.

Described as a car for those that ‘want to lower their emissions, but not their standards’, the new car will be unveiled to the world’s motoring press when the doors open on the 80th Geneva show on March 2. The carmaker has so far issued only this teaser shot (pictured) but expect the new Lexus to be of a similar size to parent firm, Toyota’s Prius model.

The latest model is revealed just six months after the Japanese carmaker revealed its new LF-Ch hybrid concept was unveiled at the Frankfurt Motor Show in September.

The Lexus LFA supercar will also be on show at Geneva, just ahead of the initial order period for the model coming to a close, although this model will be without the eco-credentials of its hybrid brothers.

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Following on from yesterday’s news that Toyota will recall around 436,000 hybrid models worldwide (see article), new reports suggest that the car manufacturer will halt domestic production of two of its hybrid models.

The Nikkei reports the Toyota Motor Corporation will suspend domestic production of both the Sai and Lexus HS250h Hybrids, which are to be recalled for faulty brakes later this week.

The report states that the Sai and Lexus hybrid use the same braking system as the Prius and output will be halted at subsidiary Toyota Motor Kyushu Inc with shipments suspended on Monday.

Currently, a remedy for their braking systems is being formulated and both production and shipments will restart once it is ready. With output closed for one week, at least 2,000 units for both models will be put on hold.

According to reports, Toyota has currently sold 7,700 Sai hybrids in Japan as well as around 18,000 Lexus HS250h Hybrid models worldwide.

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Just when you thought it couldn’t get any worse for the beleaguered Toyota Motor Corporation following a series of vehicle recalls, now it appears that two more of its hybrid cars will be affected.

According to reports in the Nikkei, Toyota will begin recalling both the Sai Hybrid and the Lexus HS250h Hybrid, which use the same regenerative braking system as the Prius Hybrid.

The report suggests it is planning to notify the Transport Ministry early this week after deciding to recall the latest model of the Prius due to concerns surrounding the brakes.

The Sai debuted in December, while the Lexus HS250h was made available last July. Toyota is expected to notify authorities as soon as a fix for the system is ready – it could affect about 4,000 units of each model in Japan and around 10,000 of each worldwide.

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There was more good news for manufacturers of hybrid vehicles as reported sales leapt by 42 per cent in December 2009 compared to the previous year.

Sales reached 25,167 units during the month thanks in part to the fact that December 2009 had 28 selling days compared to 26 in the prior year. The figures do not include sales of the new Mercedes S400 hybrid or the new BMW ActiveHybrid X6 which reached BMW centres during the month.

Overall however, sales for the year 2009 fell by 7.5 per cent at 290,280 units representing a new vehicle market share of 2.8 per cent. This means that hybrid cars compared comparatively well when examined with the rest of the market as overall vehicle sales were down 21.2 per cent. Here is how each manufacturer faired:

Ford – During December its hybrid sales totalled 2,843 – up 147.4 per cent compared to the previous year. Sales of the Escape and Mariner hybrids totalled 1,157 units; while sales of the Fusion and Milan hybrids reached 1,686 units. Over the full calendar year, Ford hybrid sales totalled 32,502 – up 72 per cent compared to the previous year.

General Motors – With total hybrid sales of 1,407 units in December, GM saw a 45.9 per cent drop in hybrid sales. Over the course of the year, however, GM hybrid sales increased by 30 per cent compared to the year before to 16,142 units.

Honda – The Japanese manufacturer reported total hybrid sales of 2,110 units in December – up 103.5 per cent compared to the previous year. The Civic Hybrid only posted 471 units, a drop of 54.5 per cent, but the new dedicated hybrid Insight enjoyed 1,639 sales. Over the course of the calendar year, Honda’s hybrid sales rose 13 per cent to 35,692 units.

Nissan – There was a nice sales boost for the Altima Hybrid during December – 842 models sold represented an increase of 18.6 per cent compared to the previous year. Over the calendar year, Altima hybrid sales totalled 9,357 units – an increase of 6.1 per cent.

Toyota – The hybrid car leader sold 17,964 units during the month, that’s up 47.2 per cent compared to December 2008. The Prius totalled 11,775 units, up 49.8 per cent; the Camry Hybrid sold 1,513 units, a decrease of 19.9 per cent; the Highlander Hybrid posted 1,029 units, an increase of 15.6 per cent; while the Lexus RX posted 1,598 sales, up 9.2 per cent, the GS hybrid posted 54 units, up 5.9 per cent, and the LS hybrids posted 15 units, down 70 per cent. The new dedicated hybrid Lexus HS250 also sold 1,980 units.  During the course of the year, Toyota hybrid sales totalled 195,545, down 19 per cent compared to 2008.

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Great news for hybrid cars, as reported US sales of the vehicles leapt by 21 per cent year on year in November 2009 to 20,003 units.

Even though overall light duty vehicle sales were generally flat for the month, according to figures from Autodata, reported hybrid sales increased to now represent 2.7 per cent of the new vehicle market – up from 2.2 per cent in the same month last year. Indeed for the first 11 months of the year, hybrids have held a 2.8 per cent light duty vehicle market share. Here is how each manufacturer faired:

Ford – Impressive results for Ford, which finished behind only Toyota in the hybrid tally with 2,361 models sold – an increase of 73.5 per cent compared to the previous year. The Escape/Mariner hybrids sold 960 units, down 30 per cent year on year; but the new Fusion/Milan sold 1,401 units and represented 8.7 per cent of total Fusion/Milan sales.

General Motors – The company reported a total of 1,020 hybrid vehicle sales, which is down 25.5 per cent compared to the previous year. The two-mode Tahoe/Yukon/Escalade models were down 36 per cent to 489 units; while the two-mode Sierra and Silverado pick-ups dropped 52 per cent to 156 units. Sales of the Saturn VUE hybrid also declined by 31 per cent to 134 units; while the Saturn Aura saw its hybrid sales drop by 17 per cent to 29 units. Only the Malibu mild hybrid showed any positive numbers with 212 units sold – an increase of 371 per cent.

Honda – The Japanese manufacturer sold a total of 1,646 hybrids in the US during the month – an increase of 57.8 per cent. Sales of the Civic Hybrid fell sharply by 77 per cent to 243 units; but the new Honda Insight Hybrid sold 1,403 units.

Nissan – With only the Nissan Altima Hybrid available in the US, the company sold 503 units during the month, up 42.5 per cent compared to the previous year.

Toyota – Remaining the hybrid car leader, Toyota sold 14,473 hybrids during the month – up 16.3 per cent compared to the previous year. The Prius sold 9,617 units, up 11 per cent; while the Camry Hybrid sold 1,465 units, down 33 per cent; and the Highlander Hybrid sold 722 units, down 20 per cent. Toyota’s luxury brand Lexus also faired well – the new Lexus HS250 posted 1,407 units; the RX Hybrid sold 1,210 units – almost double its figure in 2008; the GS Hybrid sold 37 units, down 11.9 per cent; and the LS Hybrid sold 15 units, down 60 per cent.

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Hybrid sales in the USA enjoyed a significant leap during October, increasing by volume to 24,475 units – an increase of 11.4 per cent and a 2.9 per cent market share.

The figures were boosted in part by the fact that October 2009 had 28 selling days compared to 27 in the previous year. However, with overall light duty vehicle sales remaining essentially flat over the month, there are clear signs that hybrid cars are developing into a more mainstream alternative.

Here is how each of the major manufacturers faired:

Ford: The company sold a total of 2,282 hybrid units during the month – an increase of 14.3 per cent compared to the previous year. Sales were led by its new car hybrids, the Fusion and Milan, which posted 1,333 units. Sales of the Escape and Mariner crossover hybrids fell 52.5 per cent to 949 units.

General Motors: During October, GM reported a total of 1,159 hybrids sold – that’s a 22.5 per cent drop compared to the previous year.

Honda: Thanks to the introduction of the new Honda Insight Hybrid, which sold 1,739 units during the month, Honda reported a 21.9 per cent increase in hybrid sales during October with a total of 1,978 vehicles sold. Sales of the Civic Hybrid however, dropped 85.3 per cent year on year to 239 units.

Nissan: With just 299 Altima Hybrids sold during October, Nissan suffered a 46 per cent drop in hybrid sales during the month.

Toyota: The Japanese manufacturer posted 18,757 hybrid units during the month – an increase of 15 per cent, and representing a 12.3 per cent market share of its sales during the month. The Toyota Prius posted 13,496 units, up 14.3 per cent year-on-year; the Toyota Camry Hybrid posted 1,407 units, down 49.6 per cent; and the Highlander Hybrid posted 700 units, down 31.5 per cent. Toyota’s luxury division Lexus enjoyed a boost during the month with the RX Hybrid posting 1,567 units, an increase of 154.8 per cent; the GS Hybrid posting 39 units, an increase of 77.3 per cent; and the LS Hybrid posting 21 units, down 61.8 per cent. The new HS Hybrid meanwhile posted 1,527 units.

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