Camry Gen6 (new) running on Gas?

[Jonn0]

Hi all

I have a friend that is thinking of purchasing the Camry as a new family car and thinking about converting it to gas as well.

Does any one know if this can be done and if so any idea how it will run after the conversion?

Cheers

Fudge

:D

[leasaunce]

yeah it can be done. but it will surely void the warranty. You'll lose about 30kw of power after the conversion.

OR

Tell him to wait abit longer, cause the Camry Hybrid (max power 141kw) is coming out in australia. Its already out in t he USA and it is so much better than the Toyota Prius.

Edited August 28, 2006 by leasaunce

[Jonn0]

Good stuff, I'll let him know about the hybrid version then :-)

How have the hybrids been overall any ideas? Many issues? (Eg. Battery issues, I get worried with any thing that needs batteries.... Like notebooks... LOL)

Cheers :D

Fudge

[leasaunce]

I haven't heard any bad reports from the Hybrid. All I can say that the Hybrid Camry is 10x better than the Toyota Prius. eg; The Air Cond on the Hybrid Camry, runs on the electric motor, not like the Prius where it switches to Petrol Engine when you use the Air Cond. Also I heard that the Hybrid Camry is quicker in accelleration compare with the 4cyc Camry.

More mileage - More Greener - More Power - More Technologies - What more do yo want?? B)

[perthcamry]

There is a tarago in Japan that has the 2.4l motor, 2 electric motors (4wd!) and reports suggest 5L/100k ! and major power

The $100,000 Tarago

PETER LYON, 02/07/01

Toyota's people-mover now has green power. But how many families will be able to afford to drive so economically?

Toyota has unveiled what it claims is the world's first production people-mover with petrol-electric hybrid power. The only downside is the price: at the current exchange rate, you can have one in your driveway for about $100,000.

At least you'll be able to save a few cents on fuel. It will get from Sydney to Brisbane on one tank.

Despite the high price of such technology, Toyota says it is pressing hard to bring more hybrid-powered vehicles into Australia. It is negotiating with its parent in Japan for the import of this new hybrid-powered, four-wheel-drive Tarago (known on its home market as the Estima).

Joining the wish-list is a hybrid-powered Lite-Ace commercial which, Toyota reckons, would have widespread appeal in government fleets, which already buy large numbers of conventional Lite-Aces.

In 1998, Toyota showed that hybrid propulsion was a practical possibility when it unveiled the world's first mass-produced hybrid passenger car, the Corolla-sized Prius, propelled by a small, efficient petrol engine combined with electric power.

The Prius has sold more than 60,000 worldwide and will be launched in Australia on October 2. It will be available from dealers in November. Despite its premium price, Toyota expects sales of 20 to 30 a month.

In March, Honda beat Toyota to the Australian market with its two-seater Insight, which has tallied 23 sales despite its substantial $48,900 pricetag.

The Estima hybrid boasts fuel consumption of 5.5 litres/100km and, with a range of more than 1,000km on one tank, it uses about half the fuel of conventional people-movers - and produces a quarter of the exhaust emissions.

The heart of the Estima hybrid system comprises a 2.4-litre petrol engine, producing 96kW at 5,600rpm and 190Nm of torque at 4,000rpm, and two electric motors mounted at the front and rear and generating 13kW and 18kW respectively.

They drive the wheels through a continuously variable automatic transmission which is linked to Toyota's new E-Four electrical four-wheel-drive system. This automatically sends more power to the rear when it detects a likelihood of wheelspin at the front.

The Estima also comes with Toyota's new electrically-operated braking system, which works in conjunction with anti-lock and electronic brake-force distribution systems.

The vehicle is no lightweight, tipping the scales at a 4WD-like 1,850kg, and is about 130kg more than a Tarago.

Toyota aims to sell 500 Estima Hybrids a month in Japan. It will unveil a simpler hybrid system on its luxury Crown model with claimed reductions of 15 percent in fuel use and 50 percent in emissions. However, this is not on the Australian shopping list.

Toyota will join the world-wide fuel cell race when it begins testing fuel cell-powered public buses in Japan from about the middle of next year.

DaimlerChrysler, General Motors, BMW and other majors are well advanced in developing hydrogen-fuel technology which produces no noxious or greenhouse gases.

Toyota 'all-hybrid by 2012', says engine boss

Chris. Gable, 29/10/02

Toyota will sell only petrol-electric hybrid cars by 2012, according to one of the car-maker's top executives.

Toyota will sell only petrol-electric hybrid cars by 2012, according to one of the car-maker's top executives.

Managing director for engine engineering, Masatami Takamoto told a Detroit conference that world's No.3 car-maker will go all-hybrid to help it meet environmental goals.

However, he didn't say that increased production of hybrid-engined vehicles also would help Toyota meet sales predictions made by Toyota president Fujio Cho.

The president vowed that Toyota would sell 300,000 hybrids worldwide by 2005. In Detroit, Mr Takamoto revised that prediction to 2007.

Thanks mainly to its Prius -- with small help from a Japanese-market hybrid version of the Estima (Tarago) -- Toyota's worldwide hybrid sales last year were just under 40,000. Total Toyota car and truck sales were 5.9 million.

According to Bloomberg News, in Detroit engineering boss Takamoto extolled the virtues of petrol-electric systems.

Mr Takamoto said Toyota will use much of its hybrid technology in fuel-cell vehicles, which should be mass-produced by 2010.

He said his design team was looking at ways of using hybrid engines in everything from sports cars to America's beloved SUVs.

Toyota would actively encourage sales of its technology to other companies, Mr Takamoto told Bloomberg.

Nissan already has announced plans to use Toyota hybrid engine parts from 2006. General Motors hasn't confirmed reports that it too will use Toyota hybrid technology.

[SmellyTofu]

I haven't heard any bad reports from the Hybrid. All I can say that the Hybrid Camry is 10x better than the Toyota Prius. eg; The Air Cond on the Hybrid Camry, runs on the electric motor, not like the Prius where it switches to Petrol Engine when you use the Air Cond. Also I heard that the Hybrid Camry is quicker in accelleration compare with the 4cyc Camry.

More mileage - More Greener - More Power - More Technologies - What more do yo want?? B)

You're talking about the Honda Civic and the 1st generation Prius (THS-I) which requires the petrol motor to be running with the A/C on. The current Prius (THS-II) does run A/C from the electric motor (last more than 30mins), is as roomy as a Camry for passenger space and has a long boot area. It's much larger than a Corolla as people perceive it to be. Not to mention it does accelerate very fast at lower speeds. Test drive one before making too much firm comments on it. You'll be certainly surprised as to how it moves itself in the everyday world.

4WD hybrids have been out for a while in Japan. Kluger, Estima, Alphard and Harrier have the E-Four system... just what people need on snow covered and icy roads of Japan.

[Nunga_08]

I don't know what the big deal is with LPG now, just because petrol has gone up about 30% in the last 18 months. If you do the maths, it isn't a huge increase in the weekly budget.

LPG is less efficient than ULP. The new Camry's ADR is what? 10L/100km? That's sweet FA for a car that is pretty big, and I bet with sensible driving you can get under 8L quite comfortably. I get 9L/100km in my Gen4 Camry V6, and that's still not with a very light foot.

The cost of a conversion is somewhat negated by the Gummint subsidy, or so it seems. However, the Gummint readily admits this subsidy is to balance out the fact the bastards are going to be putting an excise on LPG (to 12.5c/L by 2008).

Lastly, I was reading in the paper that delays of up to 20 weeks are commonplace (Edit: that is, for the installation of an LPG tank etc). If you want real long-term savings and don't do heaps of city driving (the only drivability trade-off), get a diesel.

Edited September 4, 2006 by Nunga_08

[Padm68a]

I was surprised to find Camry Hybrid vehicles are not in Australia yet.

I have owned one now for nearly 2 years (Canada).

Dealerships here (Vancouver) can not provide enough to keep on the car lots to keep up with demand.

Based on my experience, and that of two friends who own Camry Hybrids too, there are NO concerns on reliability. After all, they are Toyotas.

Someone asked about fuel consumption.

I use 5.9liters/100km averaged out after 31,000 km driving, though the specifications from Toyota say I should average 5.7l/100km (both city/highway).

However, I do like to drive fast.

To address some concerns of readers on reliability, etc. No worries at all. Just oil changes so far. Same with my two other Camry Hybrid owner friends.