2010 Toyota SAI Hybrid Sedan a redesign of the Lexus HS250 hybrid

2010 Toyota SAI Hybrid Sedan

Toyota Motor Corp will be releasing a new petrol electric hybrid in Japan while the Prius will compete with Hyundai Motor Co in Korea. Toyota hopes to sell 36,000 of its new Sai hybrid sedan, Toyota’s goal being one million hybrid cars a year globally after 2010.

The Sai is Toyota’s second hybrid-only car, this car is a redesign of the Lexus HS250 hybrid. The Sai is based on a concept derived from the Japanese word sai-which means "talent" when written as "" and "coloration" when written as ""-as a hybrid-only sedan "combining advanced talent and multi-color sophistication".

The Sai is based on the Lexus HS250h hybrid, a vehicle designed for people who want a more premium hybrid experience than they would get in the Toyota Prius. The Sai would seem to fit somewhere in between. It offers the same powerplant as the HS, but not quite as many luxury features. It's basically an HS with different nose, tail and interior detailing.

2010 Toyota SAI Hybrid Sedan

The Toyota Sai Hybrid features a gasoline-electric hybrid system with a 2.4-liter engine for outstanding fuel efficiency and use of Ecological Plastic for approximately 60% of the interior surface area. The Sai features the Toyota Hybrid System (THS) II combining a 2.4-liter Atkinson cycle combustion engine with an electric motor and a reduction gear. The Toyota Sai Hybrid uses a 2.4-liter petrol engine generating just under 150 horsepower, and up to 187 Nm of torque. It is mated to a strong electric motor, powered by a nickel-metal hydride battery, which produces an additional 140 hp and up to 270 Nm of torque. The Toyota Sai Hybrid powertrain is designed to utilize the two generators efficiently, giving the driver up to 185 hp at any given time.

An exhaust heat recovery system uses exhaust gas to heat the engine, thus shortening engine-warming time and contributing to greatly improved fuel efficiency, especially when outside temperatures are low.

2010 Toyota SAI Hybrid Sedan

LED headlights conserve electric power and consequently reduce power-generation requirements on the engine.

In addition to Standard Driving Mode, which balances fuel efficiency and power, drivers can also select Eco-Drive Mode, which prioritizes fuel efficiency by moderating driving force relative to accelerator operation and putting the air conditioner into a low energy-consumption mode, and Electric Vehicle (EV) Drive Mode, which uses the electric motor only, resulting in extremely quite cruising and zero emissions.

A Hybrid System Indicator that shows real-time driving status and an Eco Driving Indicator that lights up to signify fuel-efficient vehicle operation provide visual support to the driver.

The ESPO1 system, which encourages and rewards environmentally considerate driving, enables drivers to gain extra enjoyment.

G-BOOK mX, TMC's advanced telematics service, assesses environmentally considerate driving and awards points to driver; mastery of eco-driving can be determined according to rate of points gained each month

2010 Toyota SAI Hybrid Sedan

Programs that allow drivers to make donations to charities using points received, that rank fuel efficiency of nationwide Sai ESPO users, and other fun incentives to encourage drivers to drive in environmentally considerate ways, are available

Toyota is also sending its brand to South Korea where the Hyundai Kia partnership dominate. The Prius and Camry hybrids will be first and joining them will be the petrol version of the Camry and the RAV4.

Toyota Executive Vice President Yukitoshi Funo told a news conference, “The introduction of the Toyota brand into South Korea is aimed to meet the diversifying needs of consumers in this growing market,”

“We intend to make every effort to contribute to South Korean society and earn a loyal following.”

December the seventh is the release date for the Toyota Sai retailing at 3.38 million yen ($40,250), the Lexus HS250 is priced at 3.96 million yen ($47,159).

The Sai is expected to have a consumption rate of 4.34 liters per 100 km. At this stage Toyota has no plans to export the Sai, preferring to concentrate on the home market.

2011 Infiniti M37 328-hp will go on sale in the U.S. in spring 2010

2012 Infiniti M35 Hybrid

Infiniti confirmed today that it will offer its first production hybrid ever in its 20-years of existence with the 2012 Infiniti M35 Hybrid. The model will join the Infiniti M lineup in spring 2011.

Infiniti said that its hybrid system consists of a single electric-motor/twin-clutch arrangement, mated to a naturally aspirated 3.5L V6. The first-clutch is installed between the V6 engine and the electric motor, which Infiniti says allows for a more responsive drive. Infiniti said that the M35 Hybrid, which will carry a lithium-ion battery pack, has the ability to run solely on electric-power under certain driving conditions.

Additional technical details will be announced closer to launch. The 328-hp 2011 Infiniti M37 and the 400-hp 2011 Infiniti M56 will go on sale in the U.S. in spring 2010.

2012 Infiniti M35 Hybrid

  

Here are the Press Release:

Infiniti Confirms M35 Hybrid Production

Infiniti today confirmed that its first production hybrid vehicle will be part of the recently announced line of 2011 Infiniti M luxury performance sedans, which are scheduled to go on sale in spring 2010 at Infiniti dealers nationwide. The Infiniti M35 hybrid is expected to arrive about 12 months later as a 2012 model. It is Infiniti’s first hybrid in its 20-year existence, as well as the cleanest and most economical car in Infiniti’s history.

Realizing the high performance/low emissions promise of the recent Infiniti Essence concept car, the M35 Hybrid has been designed and engineered to add to, not take away from, the driving experience, a key part of any Infiniti’s appeal. The M35 Hybrid is based on the all-new M, which itself picks up styling cues from Essence, the show-stopper that made its debut at the Geneva Auto Show early in 2009.

The M35 Hybrid maintains a high performance luxury sedan profile, overlaying it with the fuel economy and CO2 emissions of a smaller car, while delivering driving flair to please any enthusiast – complete with charismatic V6 and rear-wheel drive handling.

Infiniti’s hybrid system, developed solely within Infiniti’s parent group, is a single electric motor/twin clutch arrangement. Innovatively, the first clutch is installed between the naturally aspirated 3.5-liter V6 and the electric motor. The result of this configuration, where all components act on a single prop shaft to the rear differential, is a consistent driving feel under all conditions with linear performance and the “direct responses” that the engineers sought.

The electric motor acts as both propulsion unit, boosting the V6 in “power assist” mode when maximum acceleration is required, and also as a generator. Along with charging the battery in the normal way, the motor recovers energy otherwise lost during deceleration and braking.

The M Hybrid can also run solely on its electric motor in certain driving conditions, furthering fuel efficiency and optimizing energy usage across the widest possible range of driving conditions. Details of driving range, performance and transmission will be released later.

As expected of Infiniti, several new technologies are introduced in the new M35 Hybrid, including a “laminated” lithium-ion (Li-ion) battery pack that is the same size as conventional batteries but offers twice the power. Lamination enhances the pack’s cooling performance, while temperature stability is further improved by the use of manganese positive electrodes. An end result of this is exceptional battery reliability.

The M35 Hybrid joins conventional engine-equipped 2011 M versions – including a new high-performance diesel V6 for Western Europe – as the first Ms to be sold across all of Infiniti’s world markets, currently 33 countries. All of the new-generation Infiniti M models are on target to beat their predecessors on fuel consumption and emissions – despite across-the-board performance improvements – thanks to a range of efficiency-enhancing measures.