Part of the misconception with hybrid cars has been the production and disposal of the hybrid batteries. Some simply don’t even consider the process, others have been turned away from hybrid cars as a result. To tackle the problem, Toyota Australia has released some information regarding the process.

The Big T says there has been a recycling process (in Australia) for the battery packs of its hybrid-technology vehicles for the last seven years.

Toyota organised the battery recycling process well before the Prius launch in 2001. A similar method has been followed around the world where Toyota sells its hybrid cars.

“Toyota Australia regards the batteries as a key ecological issue and has had a recycling solution in place for more than seven years,” Toyota Australia senior executive director sales and marketing David Buttner said

The hybrid Camry, which the federal government is funding to the sum of $35 million dollars, will be produced in Australia from 2010 and uses the same nickel-metal hydride batteries as in Prius.

So what happens when your hybrid battery needs recycling? The more important question should be: will it ever need recycling? So far over 10,000 Prius cars have been sold in Australia and only 17 battery packs have had to be replaced. Three have been completely recycled while the rest are being used for research and training.

If you do happen to be one of the 17 that needed a new battery, Toyota dealers around Australia are the central collection points for batteries, which are then transferred to certified Toyota recycling partners in Australia and overseas at no additional cost to the owner.

Toyota’s Nickel Metal Hydride (NiMh) batteries don’t contain Cadmium, despite what many think. The plastic, metal and copper wire from the batteries are recycled locally while circuit boards and battery elements are exported for recycling.

In case you have an accident and the battery is damaged, Toyota has briefed roadside assistance and emergency service workers how to handle damaged hybrid vehicles.
We are interested and encourage Toyota to release information regarding the amount of CO2 pollution created during the entire production and recycling phase of its hybrid batteries.

The whole motoring community is virtually salivating at the prospect of Nissan’s new supercar, the GT-R, arriving in Australia.

And while Nissan Australia sorts out compliance issues, dealer fitouts and other associated red-tape, private buyers are going their own way, so to speak. Nissan warns potential buyers to do their homework, though.
SEVS (Specialist and Enthusiast Vehicle Scheme) compliance has now been realised for the GT-R, meaning a certain number of people can now import and road-register their GT-R’s before they go on sale in Australia officially. But with controls in Japanese, as well as unknowns with GPS, and speed limiting, private GT-Rs may not be the best investment.

Mr Fisher confirmed to us that final price, dealers and Australian specifications will be released very soon.

ictures of the next-generation European designed Honda Civic have surfaced on the web. The current Civic Type-R, which differs to the Japanese made models will be replaced with an even wilder variant in 2010.

Honda will have a lot of competition on its hands by the time the new Civic is released. Not only is the new Astra due by then but the all-new Ford Focus as well.
Those of us with a good memory might be thinking the new Civic looks a little similar to the Honda OSM concept, and we’d be right. The front-on look is without a doubt inspired by the concept car.

Honda will have two different variants of the European Civic, a three-door hatchback ‘coupé’ for the young and a five-door, for the, uh… traditional Civic buyers.

The three-door variant will come with sporty alloys, sports bodykit, plus it will sit closer to the ground and hug its occupants with sports seats. Additionally the five-door will have a higher roofline and more practical features like a decent sized boot and a more comfortable ride.

Engines are still unconfirmed, however rumour has it the Civic will get a revised 1.5-litre hybrid engine that will manage at least 112kW and produce less than 120g/km of CO2 emissions.

The car we are interested in most, of course, is the next generation Type-R. This time it’s fair to assume that Honda might infact release a hybrid Type-R, put the current high-revving 2.0-litre i-VTEC engine and add an electric motor? Yes please.

Lexus is set to premiere a new all-wheel drive variant of its LS 460 sedan at this year’s Moscow International Motor Show.

The all-paw system has been adapted from its bigger brother the LS 600hL and promises outstanding performance, sure-footed dynamic abilities and advanced active safety systems.

General Motors has today finally released the first official images of its all-new Chevrolet Cruze, which will make its first public appearance at the Paris Motor Show.
The four-door compact family car is set to appear in showrooms across all continents by early 2009 as one of Chevrolet’s key models.
Our goal with the design of the Cruze was to be bold, not evolutionary,” said chief designer Taewan Kim. “We wanted to take a big step forward, making a strong design statement for Chevrolet products around the world.”
“We are very proud that Europe is leading the introduction for this global product,” said Wayne Brannon, Executive Director, Chevrolet Europe. “Chevrolet has always stood for expressive value, and Cruze delivers on that promise like never before. It redefines value with its quality, design, materials and great style both inside and out.”