Chevy Volt May Be Casualty Of SUV Craze

The sedan is falling rapidly out of favor in many world markets but especially so in America, where demand for SUVs is rising to a fever pitch. GM is reporting sedan sales are down over 30% so far this year. Amid predictions that sedans will be even less popular in the future, The General is considering the elimination of 6 sedans from its product lineup, including the iconic Chevrolet Impala and its highly regarded PHEV vehicle, the Chevy Volt. The Volt may exit the Chevy lineup in 2022.

The company’s investment in the Voltec plug-in hybrid technology won’t go to waste, however. Word is that Chevrolet will introduce a new plug-in hybrid sport utility vehicle known as the CrossVolt in 2020. GM renewed its trademark on that name in late 2104.

An SUV version of the Volt makes a lot of sense. As good as the current Volt is, it suffers from a lack of passenger space, particularly in the back seat. The middle of the rear seat is not really suitable for a real person and the headliner needs two areas scooped out on either side to provide enough head room for adults. A PHEV SUV would likely prove quite popular.

Back in 2010, Chevrolet released photos of a concept plug-in hybrid SUV style vehicle it called the Volt MPV5. In today’s world, the styling of that concept may seem rather bland, but there’s nothing saying Chevy couldn’t knock the socks off the competition by making the CrossVolt look similar to the very tasty looking FNR-X concept it had on display at the Shanghai auto show this spring.

If the MPV5 was rather dowdy and Plain Jane in appearance, the FNR-X definitely has looks that sizzle. Put a plug-in hybrid powertrain in this sport utility and customers would line up around the block and down the street.In addition to the Impala — once the star of the Chevrolet bvand — and the Volt, GM is also planning to ax the Buick LaCrosse, Cadillac CT6, Cadillac XTS, and Chevrolet Sonic, all of which have seen sales tumble of late as the SUV craze gathers steam.

Dennis Williams, president of the UAW says, “We are talking to [GM] right now about the products that they currently have” at underused car plants such as Hamtramck in Michigan and Lordstown in Ohio, and whether they might be replaced with newer, more popular vehicles such as SUVs and crossovers. “We are tracking it (and) we are addressing it.”

GM must “create some innovative new products” to replace slow-selling sedans “or start closing plants,” said Sam Fiorani, vice president of AutoForecast Solutions. John Murphy, an auto analyst at Bank of America Merrill Lynch estimates that only 10 percent of the new vehicle models from GM over the next four years will be passenger cars. The rest will be trucks, SUVs, and crossovers.

Like it or not, SUVs and crossovers are the new normal in the auto business. As farsighted as Elon Musk is, he did not fully appreciate how quickly the tide would change when plans for the Model 3 were being finalized. A Model Y crossover is in the works but is 2 to 3 years away from production. Right now, Tesla doesn’t even have a factory to build the Model Y.

That could open up some space for legacy automakers to fill the gap and maybe beat Tesla to the punch with a competitive electric SUV. But if history is any guide, they will fail to seize the day and fall back on hybrids and new technologies to keep building cars with internal combustion engines a little while longer.

Legacy automakers are Elon Musk’s best friend. Despite the success of Tesla over the past 5 years, the other companies still treat electric cars like some sort of exotic beast that needs to be handled with extreme care. A plug-in SUV based on the Chevy Volt is a great idea — today. Whether it will still be a great idea in 2020 is another matter.

Source: Reuters

What Is The Cheapest Electric Car In The States?

Are you looking for the cheapest electric car you can buy in the US? If so, the first thing you need to do is define your terms. There is great debate about whether a plug-in hybrid like the Chevy Volt is truly an electric car. To purists, anything with a gasoline range-extending engine is not really an electric, even though it may have enough range to meet the driving needs of 90% of Americans 90% of the time. Rather than add fuel to that debate, this article will simply focus on cars that operate exclusively on battery power. Look for a subsequent story on plug-in hybrid car prices in the near future. But first a few caveats.

Neighborhood Electric Vehicles

Neighborhood Electric Vehicles are very popular and there are dozens of models available, but they are limited by law to roads with a speed limit of 35 mph or less and are banned from use on highways. While they fit the needs of many people and there are whole communities built to accommodate them, they are really glorified golf carts. In fact, some actually ARE golf carts! Since they are not designed to leave the area where they are used most frequently, they are not included in this article.

Compliance Cars

Many of the electric cars sold in the US are so-called “compliance cars” intended to meet the requirements for zero-emissions vehicles established by the California Air Resources Board. The Fiat 500e is a perfect example. It is available only in California and one or two other states. Availability of other cars like the Ford Focus Electric may be extremely limited in most states. You can probably buy one in Oshkosh, but don’t expect your local dealer to have any in inventory.

The Cheapest Electric Car Will Presumably Be The …

Electra Meccanica Solo16.1 kWh battery, $15,500, 100 mile range

Priced at $15,500, the Electra Meccanica Solo is basic transportation for one person. This all-electric trike has an 82 horsepower electric motor and top speed of 80 miles per hour. The manufacturer claims a range of 100 miles. It has a 16.1 kWh battery, which is enough to qualify for a $5,000 federal tax credit. 0–60 acceleration is said to be under 8 seconds.

The Solo is no-frills transportation, but it does have 10 cubic feet of cargo space behind the driver. To put that into perspective, the soon-to-be released Tesla Model 3 has only 14 cubic feet available to haul stuff around.

There is a catch, however. The Solo is not yet in production. Although, the company says it will begin building cars early in 2018. It is accepting advance reservations now. A $250 refundable deposit is required.

Is it worth waiting a year to get the cheapest electric car on the market? Is a single seat vehicle adequate for your needs? Will the car really be produced? Only you can answer those questions.

Until Then … The Cheapest Electric Car Is …

The 2017 Smart ForTwo Electric Drive — $23,80068 miles of range, 107 MPGe, 55 kW motor

The Smart Fortwo electric coupe goes the Solo one better. It seats two people, but has a smaller battery and less range. Still, it is available now and wins the award for the cheapest electric car you can buy in America today. Having the extra seat is a big plus, but the Smart Fortwo is still a diminutive vehicle that may not be suitable for all drivers. If you want cheap, you have to make some sacrifices.

What Is The Cheapest Real Electric Car?

So far, this article has focused on precisely what it says in the title — the cheapest electric car you can buy. The Solo and the Smart Fortwo Electric Drive qualify, but each has drawbacks that may make them unsuitable to mainstream drivers. When it comes to “real cars” that real people can drive in the real world, here are the cars you should be looking at. Keep in mind that not all of them will be available in all areas.

2017 Hyundai Ioniq Electric — $29,50028 kWh battery, 124 miles (EPA), 136 MPGe, 88 kW motor

The Hyundai Ioniq is the cheapest electric car in America with room for 5 passengers. It is also a 5 door hatchback design, which means people can bring their stuff with them when they go places in it. Sales have just begun in the US, so availability may be limited in some areas, but the Hyundai Ioniq Electric will be offered in all 50 states. A version with a larger battery and more range is in the works but won’t be here until next year.

2017 Volkswagen e-Golf — $29,81535.8 kWh battery, 124 mile range, 119 MPGe, 100 kW motor

The e-Golf comes with a larger battery for more range. It is the electric version of the tried and true VW Golf, one of the most successful car models of all time. The e-Golf can be had with emergency braking and parking assist. The price, as you can see, is practically the same as the Hyundai Ioniq Electric.

2017 Ford Focus Electric — $29,99533.5 kWh battery, 115 miles, 107 MPGe, 107 kW motor

The Ford Focus Electric is comparable to the two models above and priced almost the same as well. It may be difficult to find outside of California, but that’s the case for the e-Golf as well and also for the Ioniq Electric until production ramps up.

2017 Nissan LEAF — $31,54530 kWh battery, 107 miles, 112 MPGe, 80 kW motor

The LEAF also got a larger battery for 2017. That increased the price, but the extra 30 miles of range should give drivers more peace of mind and freedom. The LEAF is not the most stylish of vehicles, but people who own them are quite pleased with the ride and handling — and the generous amount of interior room. More LEAFs have been sold worldwide than any other electric car in history. With a great balance between size, range, price … and availability, it’s no surprise that the LEAF continues to see solid sales. That said, much of that is claimed to be due to handsome discounts Nissan has been offering, discounts that may well make the car the cheapest electric car on the market in many regions.

2017 Fiat 500e — $32,78024 kWh battery, 84 miles, 112 MPGe, 83 kW motor

The electric version of the fun-to-drive Fiat 500 is strictly a compliance car available only in California and Oregon. Fiat often has special promotions on the 500e, like ultra-low lease rates designed to move them off dealer lots in order to make the people at CARB happy. This is the car that FCA head Sergio Marchionne once begged people not to buy because he says his company loses over $14,000 on every one it sells. That’s a dubious claim as production/sales ramp up and the R&D expenses get spread beyond more models, but you get the point — Sergio doesn’t want to sell EVs. That’s why it’s been a surprise that the 500e is sometimes the cheapest electric car on the California market (with discounts).

2017 Kia Soul EV — $32,80027 kWh battery, 93 miles (EPA), 105 MPGe, 81 kW motor

The Kia Soul is not available in all states, but it is the same cute, cuddly vehicle that Kia introduced to the market several years ago with a highly successful ad campaign featuring hip, happy hamsters. If the Kia Soul is your cup of tea and you can live with limited range, it may be just the car for you.

2017 Chevy Bolt — $37,49560 kWh battery, 238 miles, 119 MPGe, 150 kW motor

Photo by Kyle Field | CleanTechnica

The first all-electric car from Chevrolet with long range is wrapped in an attractive 5 door hatchback crossover-style body. It has almost as much range as a base Tesla Model S and has won several awards for its advanced engineering. Base models lack many safety systems and high-speed charging capability is an $800 extra, but for the money, it is a very attractive package. It is considered the first long-range, fully electric “affordable” car.

2017 Mercedes-Benz B250e — $40,82528 kWh battery, 87 miles, 84 MPGe, 132 kW motor

The battery-electric version of the Mercedes B-Class, the B250e, is overpriced for what is has to offer. It is an example of another compliance car where the manufacturer tried to shoehorn an electric battery and powertrain into an existing gas model to save money. It shows. Although it is a 5 door hatchback vehicle, the battery takes up much of the available cargo space behind the rear seat.

2017 BMW i3 — $43,39522–33 kWh battery, 81–114 miles, 118–124 MPGe, 125 kW motor

Photo by Jose Pontes | CleanTechnica

The BMW i3 is a miracle of modern technology and engineering. It features a carbon-fiber chassis that provides a safety cell around the occupants. It also is the only non-Tesla car that currently offers customers a choice of battery size. Pick the version (and the price) that fits your needs. The i3 is also available with a two-cylinder range extender to eliminate range anxiety. Its styling is offbeat and it drives like a BMW should.

What About Tesla?

Photo by Kyle Field | CleanTechnica

The Tesla Model S sedan and Model X SUV cost too much money to be included in this discussion. The midsize Model 3 is supposed to go into production in July of this year, but if you don’t already have a reservation, you probably won’t be able to buy one and have it delivered until late 2018 or early 2019. The company has about 500,000 reservations for the Model 3 worldwide. Although the base price is $35,000, the expectation is that the average selling price with options will be closer to $42,000, according to Mr. Elon Musk. But that’s just a rough guess, and we don’t know what the average selling price of any other electric cars is.

Conclusion

“You get what you pay for” has never been more true than when it comes to electric cars. The least expensive models come with few options and limited range. Many are only available in California and a few other states. The good news is that there are now two “real” electric cars that are available nationwide with prices starting under $30,000. Both are eligible for the full federal tax credit of $7,500. That means a careful shopper like you could park a brand new electric car in your driveway that has a net cost to you of $22,500 … before other incentives, like California, Colorado, and a few other states offer.

But be aware, you only get to take full advantage of that federal tax credit if you have a federal tax liability of $7,500 or more. If your total federal tax bill is $4,000, that’s all the credit you can get and you cannot carry any unused portion over to subsequent years.

Shop carefully and make sure you are getting all the car you need for the price you are willing to pay. A Solo or Smart Fortwo may be cheap, but if you need to transport three or more people on a regular basis, that low price is not going to leave you feeling happy about your buying decision.

Several Plug-Ins Hit New 2016 Highs, As November EV Sales In US Rise Sharply

Toyota Prius Prime arrives in a big way in November – setting a “debut record” with almost 800 sales (Prime seen here at US dealer – Expressway Toyota)

Many major plug-in offerings in the US surged to new 2016 highs, as plug-in vehicle sales in the US resumed its aggressive second half growth after mostly taking October off.

For the month an estimated 13,337 EVs were sold, a 32.4% gain over the ~10,070 moved a year ago.

The 2nd generation of Chevrolet Volt set its own personal best selling month with 2,531 deliveries in November

Overall for 2016, 133,854 plug-ins have been sold, besting any previous year’s result, while showing a 31% year-to-date gain.

Perhaps even more significant than the full year plug-in sales gains, is the momentum itself.  For the past 6 months, sales are up 44% (84,065 vs 58,417).

Somewhat surprisingly, the big gains did not come on the back of Tesla, as the company spent part of November still dealing with some growing pains surrounding production of its Autopilot 2.0/self driving hardware – a problem the company looks to have sorted out by week 4 of the month.

Picking up the slack was the Chevrolet Volt, which was the best selling plug-in for the 2nd month in a row in the US with more than 2,500 sales (details) – year’s best.

Not to be outdone, the aging Nissan LEAF also managed a year’s best with almost 1,500 sales, while the Ford Fusion Energi set another new year-high with just over 1,800 sales (only ~100 units away from its all-time high).

However, the most surprising result was from a plug-in that wasn’t really even expected this month – the 2017 Toyota Prius Prime.

The Chevrolet Bolt EV arrives in December – can the 238 mile EV dent the “top 5” monthly sales debut?

The Prime arrived early at US dealers (around November 8th), and despite very limited inventory (and limited time to which to sell), the 25 mile extended range Toyota sold an outstanding 781 copies in November – a new monthly sale debut record for any EV offering.

Top 5 debuts all-time in US:

1. Toyota Prius Prime – 781
2. BMW i3 – 336
3. Chevrolet Volt – 326
4. Fiat 500e – 200*
5. Ford C-Max Energi – 144

Looking ahead, we expect December to be an exceptionally strong month.

In fact, with the arrival of the new 2017 Chevrolet Bolt EV, a full month’s worth of Prius Prime sales, a resurgent Tesla Motors scrambling to hit full year sales guidance, and the fiscal 2016 year expiry of the federal $7,500 tax credit, we would be surprised if anything less than 20,000 plug-ins were sold for the month.

2016 Monthly Sales Chart For The Major Plug-In Automakers – *Estimated Tesla Sales Numbers, NA for X – Reconciled on Quarterly Totals, ** Fiat/Hyundai Does Not Report Sales Directly, Estimate Based on State/Rebate Data

Other Statistical Points of Interest from November 2016

Top Manufacturers Of Plug-In Vehicles:

Ford was the top plug-in manufacturer in November (new ~115 mile/DCFC equipped 2017 Ford Focus shown above)

1. Ford – 2,604
2. General Motors – 2,575
3. Tesla Motors* – 2,300
4. Nissan – 1,457
5. BMW – 1,453
6. VW Group – 966
7. Toyota – 781

Pure Electric Car Market Share vs PHEV In November*

1. PHEV – 8,162 – 61.2%
2. BEV – 5,175 -38.8%

New Year Highs Set In November By Model (previous 2016 high in brackets)

• Chevrolet Volt – 2,531 (2,406)
• Ford Fusion Energi – 1,817 (1,700)
• Nissan LEAF – 1,457 (1,412)
• Toyota Prius Prime – 781
• Audi A3 e-tron – 394 (361)
• BMW 33o – 215 (92)
• Porsche Panamera S e-hybrid – 88 (59)
• Mercedes GLE 550e – 30 (30)

(*) estimated

Morgan Stanley Report Predicts Electric Car Revolution Will Accelerate Soon

Morgan Stanley has released a new report estimating that electric car sales will increase become 10 to 15 percent of the global new car market by 2025. That is three time the rate the investment banking house has projected in the past. Why the sudden shift in its thinking? While the US is conveniently planning to reduce or eliminate fuel economy regulations, every other civilized country has rules in place that will require auto manufacturers to dramatically lower the emissions from their vehicle in just a few years time.

A note on defining terms. Some Gas2 readers object strenuously to calling any car with an internal combustion engine an electric car. However, those who are less technically oriented often lump all cars that take advantage of an electric motor to drive an vehicle either full or part time together under the term “electric car.” Morgan Stanley falls into the group that is somewhat fuzzy with definitions.

Morgan Stanley analyst Harald Hendrikse, lead author of the report, says there are still significant barriers to mass adoption of electric cars. “Battery costs remain very high. Battery range remains too small and batteries are still too heavy. Battery charging infrastructure has not been sorted out in many countries. Are EVs actually environmentally friendly given through-life cost and environmental impact?

“Consumer demand seems to have been very limited for most EVs launched to date – presumably excluding Tesla. Despite this, we now have a situation where some of the largest (manufacturers) in the world are investing heavily in this technology, and setting aggressive targets for their take-up,” Hendrikse writes.

Those are all excellent points. Nonetheless, Hendrikse concludes, “Although many questions over EVs remain, we believe it is the sharply rising cost of regulatory compliance on existing internal combustion engines (ICE) that is pushing (manufacturers) to change their strategy towards EVs, as much as improvements in battery technology.” He adds, “As more (manufacturers) commit to launching more EVs, accessing more consumers, we think EV penetration forecasts could rise to potentially 10 to 15% by 2025, more than three times current forecasts.”

So far this year, manufacturers around the world have announced major new efforts to add electric cars to their product lineups. Volkswagen in particular has promised to pivot to electric cars to try and recover from its diesel cheating scandal. Its new electric cars will be sold under the I.D. brand. Not to be left out, Mercedes Benz says it is readying a new branding structure for its future electric cars. It has selected EQ as the brand it will market those cars under.

Hyundai and Honda have new electric cars coming soon. BMW and Porsche are rushing to join the party. Even Toyota, which held out the longest, has now changed its position and plans to build electric cars. “We do not think we can continue to ignore the change in strategy. It changes almost 100 years of automotive development, with significant implications for the current global automotive installed base, its employees, and also the global automotive supply chain,” Hendrikse writes in his report.

While the Morgan Stanley report may have electric car fans cheering, it has sobering news for car companies. “Our group auto EBIT (earnings before interest and tax) margins turn negative in the mid-2020s as a result of ICE price deflation and costs of EV development. Continued deterioration in the ICE business due to lower volumes from EV cannibalization and lower prices offsets the improving EV profitability after 2025, despite our cost restructuring assumptions,” Hendrikse said.

In other words, car makers are going to be a lot less profitable in the near term than they are accustomed to. That prediction may be enough to convince The Donald to fund research into coal powered pickup trucks, but in the rest of the world, where actual adults are in charge, the next decade is shaping up to be a very testing time for car companies. Not all of them will survive.

Source: Forbes

Electric Car Sales Up Strongly In August

Inside EVs provides a community service as the official guardian of electric car sales numbers each month both in the US and worldwide. It reports that in August, EV sales were up strongly compared to last year. It says last month 14,882 electric cars were sold it the US, almost 6,000 more than in August of last year. On a percentage basis, that’s a 66% increase.

The total number of electric cars sold it the US is still far below expectations, but the trend line is starting to show the beginnings of exponential growth. Year to date, 93,197 plug-in cars have been sold — 29% more than during the same period last year. The Tesla Model S — which just happens to be the most expensive of all electric cars sold in the US market — was the sales leader with an estimated 3.125 cars sold. Tesla, unlike other companies, does not release monthly sales figures and refuses to report sales by region.

The second generation Chevy Volt is in second place with 2,081 delivered and the Ford Fusion Energi took third place with 1,422 cars. The real star of the latest report is the BMW X5 xDrive 40e. It is setting the world on fire with 876 cars sold in August, just a few hundred behind the venerable Nissan LEAF. The message appears to be that customers are hungry for plug-in sport utility vehicles. We knew that a year ago, but it has taken the industry a while to catch on.

One statistic we will be watching closely is how many of its new Pacifica PHEV minivan Chrysler will be able to sell when it arrives in showrooms later this year. Industry research says van buyers don’t want their vehicles to come with plugs. The betting around here is that the research is wrong and other manufacturers will soon be hurrying plug-in versions of their own vans to market.

There are a number of new electrified models in the pipeline. With any luck, we are just starting to see the shift away from conventional cars to electric vehicles beginning. Once underway, the rate of increase should be geometric instead of arithmetic. It needs to be if electric cars are going to play a major role in de-carbonizing the transportation sector.

Here’s the full report for August from Inside EVs.

Photo credit: Tesla Motors

This BMW i3 REx Has Driven 56,000 Miles On 50 Gallons Of Gas

Tom Moloughney is an avid electric car advocate. Two years ago, he purchased a BMW i3 with the 0.65 liter onboard two cylinder range extender gasoline engine. 27 months later, he has 56,000 miles on the odometer. He says 96% of those miles have been done on electric power alone. He has purchased about 50 gallons of gasoline for the car, which works out to be more than 1,000 miles per gallon.

For daily driving, the BMW i3 has all the range Moloughney needs to get where he needs to go and back home where he can plug it back in. It is only when he is on trips that he has to use the range extender engine. In order for the car to qualify as a zero emissions vehicle according to the rules established by the California Air Resources Board, its 2.4 gallon tank is electronically limited to 1.9 gallons.

Maloughney say he gets about 38 miles a gallon when using the engine, so he needs to make frequent stops to fill up while travelling. That’s the bad news. The good news is, it takes almost no time and all to add 1.9 gallons of gas.

The i3 is not a perfect car. It has quirks, most of them imposed upon it by regulators. For instance, in the US, the car’s computer prevents the range extender engine from kicking in until the state of charge for the battery is below 5%. That make it impossible for the engine to recharge the battery and move the car forward with authority, especially on hills. Some i3 owners have filed suit against BMW claiming the way the car suddenly goes into reduced power mode with little to no warning is dangerous.

During warm months, Mologhney sometimes goes months without putting gas in the tank. In colder months, battery range is reduced and the engine comes into play more often. The Chevy Volt has a feature that starts the engine every month or so for a few minutes, just to make sure all internal parts are kept properly lubricated.

A new version of the i3 is due later this year with a 50% boost in battery capacity. Range will be about 114 miles with the new version of the car. If Tom Moloughney trades in his current car for a new model with the larger battery, he may never visit a gas station again in his lifetime!

Source and photo credit: Tom Moloughey via Green Car Reports.

Toyota Aims High For Prius Prime, Expects 60,000 Sales

The first version of the Toyota’s plug-in hybrid Prius was “a failure,” says Koji Toyoshima, the chief engineer for the car. But he fully expects thing to turn around when the Prius Prime, the second generation Prius plug-in hybrid, goes on sale later this year.

Known as Prius Prime in the US and Prius PHV in other markets, Toyoshima says his company is targeting sales of 60,000 cars a year. That is more than the prior model sold in in the 3+ years it was on the market. Half of those sales are expected in the North American market and the other half in Japan. The company expects only a few will be sold in Europe.

Getting to 60,000 sales annually is a must for the upcoming Prime, says Toyoshima. “Going forward, there will be much broader competition in plug-in hybrids,” he says. “We have to sell this much. Otherwise, we will not be able to win in the next round.”

The Toyota Prius Prime will face stiff competition from new models coming to market from Honda and Hyundai. A plug-in hybrid version of the Clarity will arrive sometime next year as well as a similar car based on the Ioniq chassis. In addition, the Chevy Volt and Hyundai Sonata PHEV are also in the mix. A host of offerings from Germany will be arriving soon as well.

Toyota targeted three areas of improvement for the second generation Prius Prime plug-in hybrid:

1. Longer electric only cruising range.

2. Clearer differentiation from the standard Prius.

3. Easier battery recharging.

The new car will have 22 miles of electric only range, double that of the old car but less than half what the Chevy Volt offers. Toyoshima says Toyota carefully struck a careful balance between electric only range and overall fuel economy. Adding batteries would boost range but also increase the weight of the car, hurting fuel economy. More batteries would also sacrifice cabin and cargo space, he added.

The new Prius PHEV can reach speeds up to 84 mph on the electric motor alone. In the first generation car, the gasoline engine kicked in whenever the car was travelling at 62 miles per hour or more. That will be useful for people who commute short distances on the highway to complete their trip using electric power alone.

The new Prius Prime will also be more visually distinct from its traditional hybrid cousin. It will get a different headlight treatment, tail lights that are set further apart, and an optional tablet sized touchscreen on the inside. It will also offer a rooftop solar panel to help recharge the battery and extend range. That option will not be available at first on cars sold in the US because the panel does not yet meet US rollover crash standards.

Will the changes be enough to reinvigorate Prius PHEV sales? Toyota needs this car to help it meet ever tightening fuel economy and emissions standards. It has invested a lot of time and effort in making the new car more appealing to shoppers. We won’t know for about a year whether all that hard work will pay off for Toyota.

Source: Automotive News