Hasta La Gadget!

The world faces many challenges and concerns when it comes to the future of transportation, but one of the biggest hurdles to a utopian future has finally been overcome. Toyota, using the might of its international team of engineers and wordsmiths, has finally decided what you should say when you see multiples of the company’s hybrids parked together. They are to be called Prii — not Priuses, not Priuples, not Boring Cars. Just Prii. Remember it.

Continue reading Toyota decrees the plural of ‘Prius’ is ‘Prii,’ your Latin teacher looks on admonishingly

Toyota decrees the plural of ‘Prius’ is ‘Prii,’ your Latin teacher looks on admonishingly originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 21 Feb 2011 12:21:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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If you have the money to consider owning a Rolls, we doubt you’re worried about gasoline, but that hasn’t stopped the manufacturer from finally electrifying its Spirit of Ecstasy. Two years after teasing a fully-electric Phantom, Rolls-Royce has built the car for real, a one-off prototype it’s dubbed the 102EX, or Phantom Experimental Electric. You won’t be able to buy one, though, no matter your estate, as rather than produce the vehicle Rolls is taking it on a world tour to gauge the reaction of the luxury automobile community. First stop: the Geneva Motor Show on March 1st, where the company will reveal the vehicle’s full technical specs. While you wait, you’re welcome to peruse the entirely unhelpful video teaser and modestly useful press release after the break.

Continue reading Rolls-Royce electrifies Phantom sedan, tests the waters of luxury (video)

Rolls-Royce electrifies Phantom sedan, tests the waters of luxury (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 19 Feb 2011 18:06:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Talk about your cross promotions. The Rinderknecht-built Rinspeed BamBoo concept electric car looks to be the stuff of a gadget nerd’s dreams. Unfortunately, that dream resembles a dystopian nightmare envisioned by a Neal Stephenson novel whereby everything we own is sponsored, trivial, and slathered in corporate logos. But hey, it’s just a concept, and production vehicles never look like the original idea so anything goes… and we mean anything. To start with, the breadbox-inspired dash features a Siemens VDO display with a docking station in the glovebox for the new HTC Flyer tablet. The BamBoo dash is flanked by flowery JBL GreenEdge speakers and the starter key is styled after a Swiss army knife. And if we’re not mistaken, there’s a webcam extended off a stalk from the center of the dash. An interesting piece of work right on down to the cluster of old school throw switches for the wipers, lights, hazards, etc. But that’s just the cockpit.

The radiator grill has been replaced by an internet-connected “identiface,” developed by Daimler subsidiary MBtech, whereby the occupant can display any number of messages to onlookers from Facebook or Twitter, for example, or even the radio station preset you’re currently jamming. The inflatable rear seats are removable as is the inflatable waterproof roof developed by Tecnotex that doubles as a beach blanket. The whole kit is powered by a 54 kW electric motor capable of a 120km/h top speed and battery capable of pushing the sporty golf cart some 105 kilometers before requiring a recharge from an RWE intelligent charging station. Look for it to make its big reveal at the Geneva Motor Show. Until then, head over to Autoblog to feast on their gallery of images with a few choice shots added below.

[Thanks, Tim]

Continue reading Rinspeed BamBoo electric concept is world’s largest HTC Flyer dock

Rinspeed BamBoo electric concept is world’s largest HTC Flyer dock originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 17 Feb 2011 06:28:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Concept cars always promise the car of tomorrow, but they only get us hot and bothered for fantastical design elements that rarely make it to production due to trivial concerns like “cost” and “the laws of physics.” Undaunted by these limitations, Nissan has rolled out a new futuristic EV called ESFLOW — with a roofline inspired by modern Z cars and an elongated bonnet reminiscent of the original 240Z — to titillate our inner gearhead. Scheduled for a Geneva Motor Show debut in early March, the coupe is powered by children’s dreams and whimsy dual electric motors driving the rear wheels and can take residents of imagination land from 0-100kph (0-62mph for us Yanks) in less than five seconds. If the ESFLOW is where Nissan’s going with its EV designs — the Leaf isn’t exactly a looker — we’re all for it, but don’t expect to see it on the road anytime soon as it’s only a concept after all. Vid’s after the break.

Continue reading Nissan unveils sexy ESFLOW concept EV sports car

Nissan unveils sexy ESFLOW concept EV sports car originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 11 Feb 2011 04:40:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Bad news for Leaf lovers. Back in December Nissan representative Tim Gallagher said “By the end of summer, our goal is to have everyone in their car.” That would have meant 20,000-odd Leafs shipped before leaves start falling from trees, but now Nissan North America’s Senior Vice President for Sales and Marketing Brian Carolin thinks we won’t even see that many until next year. “I think 20,000 will be too high,” he said, referring to total deliveries for 2011. “You just have to make this launch absolutely perfect. It’s not a numbers game.” Indeed it isn’t, it’s an expectations game, and how much lower can they go?

Nissan backs off 2011 Leaf delivery promises, expects ‘a few hundred’ sold in February originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 08 Feb 2011 11:16:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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