Toyota Celica Mr2 Supra Matte Flat Black Blackout Blacked Out Emblem Logo Badge on 2040-parts.com

Toyota tests chips that improve hybrid efficiency by 10 percent

Toyota announced on Tuesday that it has developed a new semiconductor, claiming it can boost fuel efficiency in hybrid cars by an impressive 10 percent. The semiconductors manage the flow of electricity through the power-control unit that connects the battery to an electric or hybrid car's motor and generator. The newly developed semiconductors are said to consume only a tenth of the energy of today's chips, while allowing the power-control unit to be 80 percent smaller.

Autoweek America Adventure: The search begins

I sit in a darkened hotel room near the Oregon coast waters. The noise I hear sounds like a loud industrial air-conditioning unit in a marginal, national hotel chain. It could not be further from that: The constant thrum is the crashing of Pacific Ocean waves on the beach, no more than 200 yards outside the hotel room.

Ford Mondeo facelift (2011): first news and photos

By Tim Pollard First Official Pictures 25 June 2010 12:40 Ford has just issued these first pictures of the new, facelifted for 2011 Ford Mondeo. The revised Mondeo will be shown at the 2010 Moscow motor show in late August and will arrive in UK showrooms in October 2010.What's new on the 2011 Ford Mondeo?This is the first time we've seen the full-fat 237bhp 2.0-litre EcoBoost petrol engine in the Mondeo; a 200bhp version of the same turbo four will also be offered; and a new 198bhp 2.2-litre Duratorq TDCI engine also joins the ranks.The range-topping 237bhp EcoBoost engine has a CO2 rating 179g/km of CO2 and comes with only one transmission option – Ford's twin-clutch Powershift 'box. Finally, Ford is catching up with the rampant roll-out of DSG gearboxes at rival mass-market specialists Volkswagen.Mondeo styling is fettled all round, too, with a more modern iteration of Ford's kinetic design borrowing cues from the S-Max et al for a crisper look.