Williams Auto Group

Hyping a Honda Hybrid/Plugging a Plug-In

Reports have surfaced that Honda is planning the release of an at-home chargeable hybrid and a fully-electric car by the year 2013.  According to this article at cnet.com, Honda will present a version of the Honda Insight which can be plugged into standard 110 Amp home outlets to recharge, and will be capable of making short trips on battery power alone.  The vehicle will reportedly make its world debut right here in the USA.

Turbocharge Your Jukebox!

Nissan has just published a website dedicated to the upcoming, drastically-sporty and ultra-hip Nissan Juke, the all-new sport cross coming soon to Williams Nissan of Sayre, PA.  All Wheel Drive agility meets turbocharged performance in this fabulous beauty - read all about it!

Reserve Your Nissan Leaf April 20th!

NissanUSA has announced that it will begin taking reservations for the new all-electric zero-emissions Nissan Leaf starting April 20th of this year.  In this article, you can get some up-to-the-minute information on rebates, expected lease offers, pricing, charging stations and more.  The article also provides links to sign up to receive Nissan Leaf information as it becomes available, and begins to explain the one-stop shopping process Nissan has instituted for those interested in becoming the first in their neighborhood to drive a no-tailpipe emissions vehicle!

The Juke's on Us...

Well, so far all we know is that it is called the Nissan Juke, and that it will be hitting the showrooms here in the USA in the fall of 2010.  It's a jaunty two-door, sporty to the max, and promises to combine state of the art safety, performance, utility, styling and value in another unique Nissan product.  Stay tuned for more, or click here to sign up for future updates directly from Nissan.

Toyota Moves Forward with Plug-in Plans

As the industry leader in gas/hybrid technology vehicle sales, the strategy of the Toyota Motor Company was to have a hybrid version of its entire model lineup available within ten years.  But, as this article in the NY Times reports, the rush ahead by other industry players is dictating a modification to this strategy.

As the articles states, Toyota now plans to bring a plug-in hybrid-electric vehicle to market next month (limited to corporate and government fleets for now, they say).  After a test period which will allow for the processing of feedback (I wonder if they realized the pun?) from these customers, "several tens of thousands" of the plug-ins are planned to be available for general distribution by late 2011.  Clearly, by accelerating its foray into this alternative to its current alternative-fuel vehicles, Toyota is signaling its intention to be prepared to supply whichever new technologies the marketplace determines are viable.  And as always, we at Williams will be right there with them - on the cutting edge, and moving you forward!

2010 4Runner is Here - Are You In?

The 2010 Toyota 4Runner is now in stock at Williams Toyota of Sayre, PA.  4Runner = Hunting, Hiking, Skiing, Camping, Towing, Mountain Biking, Rock Climbing, Fishing, Snowboarding and lots more.  Do the math:  4Runner = What You Like To Do!  More information awaits you here!

Now In Stock - The 2010 Honda Accord Crosstour!

Come see and drive the new 2010 Honda Accord Crosstour EX-L, now in stock at Williams Honda of Milan, PA.  The sleek, aerodynamic shape give it an attention-grabbing presence, and the 271-hp V6 gives Accord Crosstour performance to match its size.  Add features like an easy fold-down 60/40 split rear seatback, 51.3 cu ft of cargo space with a handy hatchback, and available Real-Time All Wheel Drive, and you have a vehicle that gets you up to speed and thoroughly up-to-date.  Read all about it here! 

Buy the Sizzle, Lease the Steak?

I thought I had my hands full with reading, 'riting and 'rithmetic.  How am I going to do with "Reuse, Resell, Refabricate and Recycle"?  Nissan Motors and Sumitomo Corporation aim to find out.  In this article, they announce a joint venture to recycle the lithium ion batteries slated to power the new Nissan Leaf electric vehicle due out in 2010.

The business model recognizes that after the end of normal vehicle life, the high-performance lithium-ion batteries to be used by Nissan will retain 70 to 80 percent of residual capacity and can be reused and resold to various industries as a solution to energy-storage.  Nissan and Sumitomo's intent is to create a market for these so-called "second life" batteries.  According to the Sumitomo website, "Second-life batteries present an ideal solution to the renewable-energy sector, allowing energy to be stored for later use. Such ecological application of second-life batteries would contribute to a net reduction of CO2 beyond what is achieved by the all-electric, zero-emission car".  This will also serve as a carbon-footprint offset to the generation of the electricity used by electric vehicles.

But wait, you say, these batteries are quite expensive, are they not?  How will the average driver afford them?  "This direct management of the battery's entire value chain is important to ensure that our EV customers do not bear the cost of the battery," said Hideaki Watanabe, head of Nissan's Zero Emission Business Unit. "Nissan is exploring several options including battery lease or credit model based on a monthly payment scheme. With this proposition, the total running cost, which equals the monthly battery payment plus the cost to charge the battery, is comparable to the cost to refuel a similar gasoline-powered car. Ultimately, this is a compelling economic proposition for a zero-emission car that meets all your driving needs."

So, under this proposed arrangement, I may someday buy an electric car, but lease the battery?  And the cost (including charging) should be about what we pay for gasoline?  We'll continue to keep you posted as this fascinating new technology emerges.

Check out the new Honda CR-Z

I can't wait to see this one on our lot.  This is an article from CarandDriver.com:

At this year’s Tokyo auto show, Honda unveiled a second iteration of the CR-Z concept it debuted here in 2007, taking the opportunity to formally announce that the car will go into production and come to the U.S. in the second half of 2010.

With this second take, the CR-Z inches toward reality with a (slightly) more production-ready look. While it still boasts four seats—the production car will only have two—the greenhouse has grown, with a taller roof and a more upright windshield. The rear quarter windows, too, are larger, while the dramatic upsweep of sheetmetal towards the rear of the car still results in a fat, visibility-inhibiting C-pillar. The dual-element rear glass remains, still bisected at eye level by a metal brace.

Other tweaks progressing toward the CR-Z’s final production shape include a reworked front fascia with smaller auxiliary intakes flanking the grille, and more realistic-looking headlights and side mirrors. The interior, too, is toned down from the original—though still retaining a healthy dose of Honda’s current interior flair—and looks production ready, power outlets, auxiliary audio input, and all.

Under the hood will be a 1.5-liter four-cylinder coupled with Honda’s usual Integrated Motor Assist (IMA) hybrid system. And those who doubt the sincerity behind Honda’s stated intent for the CR-Z to be a sporty hybrid will be silenced by the fact that the CR-Z will come to market boasting a six-speed manual, the first manual transmission in a hybrid since the original Insight.

The wait for more details will be a short one, as Honda has already said it will debut the production version at the Detroit auto show in January.

 

Can One Leaf Change Everything?

We mentioned the forthcoming all-electric, zero-tailpipe-emissions Nissan Leaf in a recent post here, now there is a fantastic photo gallery at NissanUSA.com, including the first shots we have seen of the dashboard of a fully-electric car.  Want to learn more about Nissan's  committment to making all-electric vehicles available to the mass market on a global scale?  Visit the Nissan Leaf home page!