Electric Car Blogging

Filed under: EV/Plug-in, Hybrid, Legislation and Policy, USA

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California may just pass Maryland as the first State to require hybrid and electric cars to have a minimum sound level. While the East Coast state has created a task force to study the issue, the Senate in the far-left State has just now approved a bill which would establish its own committee for the same purpose. The bill will now be passed on to The Governator, Mr. Arnold Schwarzenegger himself, who has apparently not taken a stance as of yet on the politically-charged issue. Although Cali is just the third-largest State by land area, it is the most populous and has a huge collection of hybrids and electric vehicles due to its strict emissions requirements, and we all know how important California’s auto legislation is for setting the stage across the country.

While many may argue over whether or not legislation is really required for cars being too quiet, the technology certainly exists to take care of it. Lotus, for example, has already demo’d its Safe and Sound system.

[Source: AP via San Jose Mercury News]

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Filed under: Aftermarket, Gadgets, Tuners, Hybrids/Alternative, Green, Tech, Toyota, Lifestyle

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We truly do appreciate the custom-car scene, in all of its various guises. There is, however, a problem with the custom Prius you see above and in the video embedded after the break. Generally speaking, the goal of modifying a car is to either A) make it go faster or B) make it look better.

When Classe Gustafson, Elvis Häggbom and Kenny Kyrk from Sweden had finished spending 4,000 customizing a Toyota Prius, they had accomplished neither. This Prius-trocity, which was modified for a television show, is anything but subtle. It lost two doors during its transformation from mild-mannered hybrid eco-mobile to whacked out sport compact that just happens to get good fuel economy, though it did get scissor-style portals that are nearly impossible to open in the process. And it also gained a huge honkin’ stereo and the body-kit from a Volvo SUV. The over-the-top paint-job is the final touch. The Hybrid Synergy Drive powertrain, however, went untouched save for the obligatory fart-can exhaust. Nice.

[Source: Wired]

Continue reading The most obnoxiously tuned Toyota Prius… Ever

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