Discover and share the best of the web!
Learn more about Digg by taking the tour.
The Toyota Volta: Hybrid Sportscar
ecogeek.org — While Toyota's supremacy in the current hybrid car market is undeniable, they're going to have to keep up the innovation if they're going to stay on top of their game. Witness the Toyota Volta, a high-performance, concept hybrid named after the man who invented the battery.
sepultura- 744 diggs
- digg it
- zaibatsu, on 10/10/2007, -2/+26Looks like a cool car.
- sakuraz, on 10/10/2007, -1/+9First Prius, now This?
Toyota's got it going! - rkiga, on 10/10/2007, -1/+5Sorry for comment abuse.
The OP story is 2+ years old, the volta was an early concept and has been merged with other cars into the "Toyota FT-HS". Although Toyota.com still lists the FT-HS as a concept car, automobile mag stated it was green lit for PRODUCTION in 2009. Keep your fingers crossed. Lots of info/pics: http://www.motortrend.com/future/concept_cars/112_0702_toyota_fths/ - davidrools, on 10/10/2007, -2/+1yeah the prius was beautiful, i wasn't sure if toyota could make a better looking car. ;)
- Magnum, on 10/10/2007, -3/+1Would help if it had doors. I like to be able to get into my cars.
/sarcasm - nashashmi, on 10/10/2007, -0/+0too good to be true: its a concept
- MellerTime, on 10/10/2007, -0/+1It looks remarkably like a combination of the old Celica 2-seaters and a Ferari... And probably only costs $40k...
- sakuraz, on 10/10/2007, -1/+9First Prius, now This?
- jhnshft, on 10/10/2007, -2/+19So does this transform into a robot or something?
- sakuraz, on 10/10/2007, -0/+14No, it's not made by GM
- consoneo, on 10/10/2007, -1/+5Yeah, it transforms into a horrible accident when you hit a deer. The glass shatters and impales everyone in the car, as well as the deer.
- iownsomuch, on 10/10/2007, -4/+16Wow! That's the first ''hybrid sportscar'' that I actually think looks good! They're usually weirdly shaped and awkward but this one is absolutely amazing. Go Toyota!
- ctrlfreak13, on 10/10/2007, -1/+4But there are good looking all-electric sportscars that go 0-60 in 4 seconds, cost about 2 cents per mile, and you can actually buy: http://www.teslamotors.com/
- carpespasm, on 10/10/2007, -0/+1*for only $100,000
- ctrlfreak13, on 10/10/2007, -1/+4But there are good looking all-electric sportscars that go 0-60 in 4 seconds, cost about 2 cents per mile, and you can actually buy: http://www.teslamotors.com/
- KyjL, on 10/10/2007, -2/+2That actually looks like a real sweet car.
- shabumike, on 10/10/2007, -5/+0Finally speed and efficiency! No one has ever put the two together.
- colonelpanic, on 10/10/2007, -0/+2Tesla Roadster?
Chevy Volt?- KingPsyz, on 10/10/2007, -1/+1Toyota has had this vehicle on their website for over two years now, well before either of those vehicles were announced.
- davidrools, on 10/10/2007, -0/+2This vehicle is still a concept. The other two are going into production.
- KingPsyz, on 10/10/2007, -1/+1Toyota has had this vehicle on their website for over two years now, well before either of those vehicles were announced.
- crgnetworks, on 10/10/2007, -0/+2http://www.teslamotors.com/
- diggless, on 10/10/2007, -1/+1the honda accord hybrid was sporty and efficient.
- colonelpanic, on 10/10/2007, -0/+2Tesla Roadster?
- oblivinated, on 10/10/2007, -14/+2Sportscar and hybrid. Defeats the purpose doesn't it.
- mjPayne, on 10/10/2007, -2/+4Only if your purpose is to pollute.
- burnerjack, on 10/10/2007, -1/+14Why can't detroit do that? And don't EVEN say "oh, the pensioners have siphoned off all the R+D money.
P.T. Barnum also said " Nobody ever went broke giving the public what it wants."- thisisegn, on 10/10/2007, -3/+2This is because America cars test under "worse possible" conditions, while Japans cars test under "ideal conditions"(giving a high mpg) so any American Hybrid car would look like it has no gas mileage, and people would say that American car companies arent really trying that hard
- KingPsyz, on 10/10/2007, -0/+2Where did you hear this? All MPG ratings are done by the EPA and are mandated for use by all manufactuers selling in the US.
- diggless, on 10/10/2007, -0/+1the EPA doesn't do the testing, they prescribe the testing method. The manufacturers do the testing on their own. American car companies have the same test procedure as cars from Japan. Besides most Toyota cars are made here in America.
- KingPsyz, on 10/10/2007, -0/+2Where did you hear this? All MPG ratings are done by the EPA and are mandated for use by all manufactuers selling in the US.
- meetthescott, on 10/10/2007, -0/+4It's a concept. Toyota isn't producing this car. Detroit made the Volt concept and they're pushing it to production, how about a little appreciation for that?
- diggless, on 10/10/2007, -0/+2that car will never make it to market as you saw it at the car shows. Detroit pushes for status quo. I will believe that GM has an electric car only when i can go buy one at a dealership. I drove the last one they made (EV1) and it was great. Then they decided they didn't like the idea of it all and decided to stop.
bottom line, believe GM, ford, Chrysler when you see the technology at the dealership, not a press release.
- diggless, on 10/10/2007, -0/+2that car will never make it to market as you saw it at the car shows. Detroit pushes for status quo. I will believe that GM has an electric car only when i can go buy one at a dealership. I drove the last one they made (EV1) and it was great. Then they decided they didn't like the idea of it all and decided to stop.
- thisisegn, on 10/10/2007, -3/+2This is because America cars test under "worse possible" conditions, while Japans cars test under "ideal conditions"(giving a high mpg) so any American Hybrid car would look like it has no gas mileage, and people would say that American car companies arent really trying that hard
- chrisOrbit, on 10/10/2007, -3/+6i saw this a few years ago
- Velocity211, on 10/10/2007, -3/+5This is really old, I saw it on the toyota website back in 2004.
- tidu, on 10/10/2007, -1/+2Sorry I don't have the Toyota RSS Feed in my bookmarks.
- KingPsyz, on 10/10/2007, -0/+2Don't need one, it's been on thier main site for years.
- tidu, on 10/10/2007, -1/+2Sorry I don't have the Toyota RSS Feed in my bookmarks.
- thetayloreffect, on 10/10/2007, -0/+2Is it still considered "over-compensation" if it's a hybrid sports car?
- Bomster, on 10/10/2007, -2/+1Looks very much like the Bugatti Veyron, still a very nice looking car.
- Spuy767, on 10/10/2007, -0/+1Looks nothing like the veyron, looks much more like the Volkswagen W12. http://www.madle.org/ms02idnardo.JPG
- theblooms, on 10/10/2007, -0/+1I have a Matchbox car circa 1977 that looks EXACTLY like that thing. I mean so damn close it's freaky. I wonder if the Toyota engineers has one sitting on his desk.
- 711groove, on 10/10/2007, -2/+3De-Loused in the Comatorium. Someone get the reference. Please.
- ChayD, on 10/10/2007, -2/+1*Wind* *tumbleweed* Nossir, I didn't get it.
- kapsar, on 10/10/2007, -0/+3You would be referring to The Mars Volta. Half of at the Drive in.
- JohnChapin, on 10/10/2007, -0/+1Every Toyota Volta comes with a copy of De-Loused and Amputechture... Track #7 on Amputechture would be great for driving any car like a madman.
- benguild, on 07/08/2008, -0/+1Yeah, but lets not forget ATDI! They had a huge impact on a huge amount of people. Genius band, one of the most underrated bands ever. Prolly cruise to 198D or Enfilade =D Or Fahrenheit! Yeahhhh!
- thisisegn, on 10/10/2007, -6/+1
A hybrid sports car would be terrible, the two engines slow the car down, which means that your pick-up and speed are going to be that of about a Semi pulling a full load. Hybrid cars are not all they are cracked up to be, I mean in most Hybrids your gas mileage drops by about five mpg buy just turning on the A/C. I don't want to be a kill joy but I think Hybrid is a waste of time, we should be looking into something that doesn't run on gas. Like electric of Hydrogen.- ctrlfreak13, on 10/10/2007, -1/+3"zero to sixty in four seconds"
read the article next time. - rootstyle, on 10/10/2007, -0/+1Personally, I wouldn't be so worried about the speed per say, as electric motors can be pretty torquey; but the weight balance (yes, important in a sports car) would probably be an issue. Any info on that?
- Spuy767, on 10/10/2007, -1/+1Well, When you can place the battery slightly aft of middle, and a tiny engine in the front, with a motor on each wheel, you should have pretty decent weight distribution.
- ctrlfreak13, on 10/10/2007, -1/+3"zero to sixty in four seconds"
- COLDshiver, on 10/10/2007, -2/+8I still prefer the Tesla Roadster (fully electric). Reminds me of a Lambo, would probably get a Lambo instead of the Volta though.
- halavais, on 10/10/2007, -1/+1Reminds me a bit of a Lambo, too, but my choice would be clearly with the Toyota.
- hmunkey, on 10/10/2007, -1/+1This looks like a Lambo, stylish, fast, powerful, efficient. I hope this is a major success. That will change the way we think of hybrids.
- dieselstation, on 10/10/2007, -1/+3wow.. this is SUCH OLD NEWS.
- Error601, on 10/10/2007, -1/+2I see Toyota is trying to play catchup now.
- D3koy, on 10/10/2007, -0/+4Attention Carmakers:
The first person to make a hybrid car with over 60 mpg that /looks like a real car/ I will buy, regardless of the price
I don't want a spaceship, I don't want a hot wheels car....- Spuy767, on 10/10/2007, -0/+1Therein lies the rub. People don't want to drive normal looking cars. They want to make a statement. Why was the prius so successful, and the civic hybrid not as much? The civic didn't look any different, and people just want to show off. And the civic was perfectly capable of getting 55mpg avg. I had one for a long time.
- likwidfuzion, on 10/10/2007, -2/+1Let's be realistic here. These types of concepts will not go into production anytime soon.
- deanc, on 10/10/2007, -3/+3way cool - I'd buy it.
Dean - SilverBlade2k, on 10/10/2007, -1/+1too bad it'll be a car that only 5% of the population could afford...
- blurplevtx, on 10/10/2007, -1/+1Looks like a smoothed over Acura NSX, and that's a good thing.
- LimeParrot, on 10/10/2007, -1/+0Shocking.
- magixx2, on 10/10/2007, -1/+4Its still never going to get made.
- doctor99, on 10/10/2007, -1/+1Hey guys - this is Technology, not Science!
- >mark, on 10/10/2007, -0/+2At least it's not as ugly as the Prius
- mpdickso, on 10/10/2007, -3/+2Electric hybrids sound good, however one must consider were the electricity comes from. If your charging your car on electricity produced from a coal power plant, then you might as well be driving around in coal/steam locomotive.
- dasunst3r, on 10/10/2007, -0/+2This reminds me of a part in Cat in the Hat: "And if that isn't weird enough for your, the drive-by-wire technology allows for the controls to be placed in front of any of the people driving."
Give me the wheel, son, and watch how an old pro like me drives!- rootstyle, on 10/10/2007, -0/+1Screw drive by wire and computer assisted steering.... they have no place in a sports car.
- Spuy767, on 10/10/2007, -0/+1Never see production. It might have as a lexus, but not as a toyota.
- habbofresh, on 10/10/2007, -0/+2Dear Toyota, please produce a REAR WHEEL DRIVE COUPE.
BRING BACK THE SUPRA.- Spuy767, on 10/10/2007, -0/+1Unfortunately, Toyota seems to want to be the new, albiet higher quality, Buick/Pontiac hybrid.
- nashashmi, on 10/10/2007, -1/+0too good to be true: its a concept.
- usbcd36, on 10/10/2007, -0/+1Unfortunately, the cars that seem the coolest almost never make it to production.
There's more on the Toyota site: http://www.toyota.com/vehicles/future/volta.html - Dorian822, on 10/10/2007, -0/+41. I don't want a hybrid, I want an electric car that when fully charged will feed the grid.
2. I don't want to sacrifice safety for anything. If it comes down to it I'll bike myself back and forth, telling people too far away to point me to the closest mass transit.
3. Why, when we have the technology with electric cars and clean alternative power, are we still pissing about NOT doing our bit to convert ourselves?! GM better get their ass in gear and make the damn electric cards they said they were going to produce. - spootwo, on 10/10/2007, -0/+1While this may be cool. At 30MPG it's really not a step forward at all. We need vehicles that are well over 40MPG. It's time car companies stop abusing the word hybrid so they can build SUV's and sports cars. The electric part is supposed to address fuel consumption and pollution..
Browsing Digg on your phone just got easier with our enhancements to the 
© Digg Inc. 2008 —
Content posted by
