Toyota to use hybrid technology in lift trucks
Toyota is looking to apply its hybrid technology to lift trucks, where the current market trend is moving away from internal combustion engines. The alternative to IC engines, of course, is battery power, which requires frequent swaps of heavy, dangerous, and expensive lead-acid batteries. Those same batteries also degrade when subjected to deep discharges, so I can see where the ability to "top off" the pack with a quick charge from an IC engine might greatly increase productivity and pack longevity. The lift truck industry is viewed as a potential adaptor for fuel-cell technology, so we might be seeing a transfer of technology back in the other direction before too long. Automakers such as Nissan, Mistubishi, Hyundai, and GM are also in the lift truck industry, so some cross-pollination between autos and forklifts should come as little surprise. [Hat tip: Prius Owners Group]
- Business Week unloads on GM I've found it enlightening to read the analysis from Business Week on the automotive industry. They obviously focus more on the bottom line than the product line but it is still an interesting read. T ...
- Saturn suspends Ion production The Columbia Daily Herald, in Columbia, Tennessee reports that the Saturn Ion plant began a two-week shutdown on Monday. This will allow for a reduction in inventory as far too many Ions sit on dealer ...
- Companies come together for Convergence 2004 The Challenge Bibendum is like, so last week. We're now amidst another auto industry gathering held in Detroit, called Convergence, in which people gather round to talk about how computers are ruining ...
- TCC drops knowledge on this year's Challenge Bibendum Ok, so you read about it on Autoblog when we trotted out our feelings on GM's hybrid bus, VW's diesel-electric Golf, and Volvo's 3CC, and you probably just nodded and pretended to understand. Well, no ...
- Ford gets more Sirius Really, I'm ashamed I use the same puns for any Sirius story but what can you do? It's easy and I'm lazy. As for the story itself, Ford is planning to beef up its commitment to Sirius satellite radio ...
- Hummer H3s take on Rubicon Trail; hell gets slightly chillier Car and Driver tidily sums up the Hummer H2 as selling "more on its affectations than it abilities." As such, GM will have to do something to validate the upcoming H-Thrizzle Hummerette. They've decid ...
- Volvo reveals small concept car in China This week's Michelin Challenge Bibendum, besides putting GM's hybrid bus into action, will also host Volvo's introduction of its new small car concept, developed from the earlier Tandem prototype. Whi ...
- GM's Product Development honcho dishes on his personal collection Bob Lutz, the guy who insures that GM actually makes stuff, oversees another not insignificant trove of autos— his own. The Car Connection toured Lutz's lush grounds recently and took stock of t ...
- GM to produce hybrid bus for study in Shanghai The diesel-electric people-movin' hybrid will be a joint venture featuring the efforts of the Chinese bus maker Sunwin, Shanghai Automotive Industry Corp. (SAIC), and the General himself. The one bus ...
- Last Cavalier rolls off the line, celebration is in order In a bizarre local news story the workers at GM's Lordstown, Ohio's assembly line are actually sad to see the aging Chevy Cavalier go. Huh? How can you be sad to see one of the oldest production ...
0 Responses to » Toyota to use hybrid technology in lift trucks
Leave your response!