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Toyota, the company that gave hybrids to the masses with the Prius, is expanding its petrol-electric range. From the middle of next year it will build a hybrid version of the Auris, right here in the UK.
That's good news for people with leather sandals, and even better news for the 4,100 workers at Toyota's Burnaston factory in Derbyshire. The plant has churned out more than 2.5 million cars since it opened in 1992 and is the place where the current Avensis is put together.
The Auris hybrid will share the Prius' 1.8-litre petrol engine and 80bhp electric motor. But because it's smaller and a bit lighter, it might squeeze some slightly better economy figures than its bigger brother. So expect better than 72.4mpg and 89g/km C02.
It's been a pleasantly green week for Toyota - just a few days ago, it shipped a load of cars to the US aboard a solar-powered ship, the first of its kind. Rumour has it that the life rafts were powered purely by cosmic gypsy juice. Possibly.
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Mikeado commented on this article
at 11:38 am on 17 July 2009
lol @ gypsy juice. But let's do some TopGear maths - Toyota = Dull. Auris = Boring. Hybrid = Boring (and NOT green). I bet it'll be forgotten about in under a month.
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Wotski commented on this article
at 01:01 pm on 17 July 2009
Can the super-self-righteous eco-brigade please do some research around how the batteries for hybrid and electric cars are produced before purchasing one, you might just save the world.
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PetrolheadViper commented on this article
at 01:43 pm on 17 July 2009
Electrics and Hybrids only make sense when the energy from the battery comes from renewable like wind energy or tidal. Otherwise there is really no point.
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youknowI'mright commented on this article
at 03:03 pm on 17 July 2009
Yay, another Toyota hybrid. Woo...............................................
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Afaque commented on this article
at 04:47 pm on 17 July 2009
The solar power ship is a lot more interesting than any toyota!!
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