Nah. If I wanted to spring for something this special, I’d prepare to pony up the extra coin for one with a clean title, unpunished engine (nitrous — really?) and properly fettled kit.

I don’t know about that. If somebody was stretching their budget from a Versa to the extra grand for a Corolla, I wouldn’t blame them one bit for buying that base model. In that case, it’s a very reasonable decision. 

Good luck getting a the hybrid without a markup or waitlist though. The gas equivalent is easier to get.

Since it’s a peltier device, you don’t need to put it in the flow of the exhaust. you can literally put it on the outside of the exhaust and it’ll generate electricity off of how hot the damn exhaust is.

You kind of have to be a fool to buy a gas Corolla these days. The hybrid is only $1500 more, which you’ll pay off with gas savings in a few years. And the Hybrid has a few features that aren’t on the gas model. It’s a no-brainer.

Wow, scientists have discovered a way to extract energy from internal combustion engines (a 230+ year old technology) using a Peltier device, which was created in 1834. How revolutionary!

I remember reading about this exhaust system in PopSci 20 years ago. Its just Peltier cycle semi-conductors. They didn’t pursue it then for the same reasons they wont now - the output isn’t even close to worth it for the cost.

Tha whistles go woooWOOOOOOOOOOOOO.  That’s it and that’s all.

My BRZ has a pretty silly startup sequence thanks to my tune. The ECUTEK tune adds four switchable maps to the car, and I really didn’t need more than one, so I asked for a valet tune as the second one, and an anti-theft tune as the third. So if I’m parking my car for an extended period, or somewhere sketchy, I leave…

“In the US, when Musk first started moving right, I thought he was being clever.”

I hereby announce my candidacy for Congress, on the platform that my signature legislation will be the “Ban Stupid Puns In Bill Names Act” (BSPIBNA), which will prevent Congresspeople from naming their proposed laws in ways where the acronym or initialism forms a word. 

The gas tax hasn’t been raised since the early 90s. Hybrids getting 40-50mpg pay substantially less than traditional gas cars. I hear no one ever ask those to pay more.

World War Two still casts a long shadow,” Kraaijvanger told Wired.

1st Gear: Tesla really shafted Hertz with their price cuts. It doesn’t help when Tesla’s service centers are few and far between and their wait times are not conducive to the kind of quick turnaround rental companies need.

I just bought a Bolt, and it comfortably fits my 6' self, my 125 pound dog, my 50 pound dog, and enough camping gear for a weekend. Get rid of the stock tires and replace them with something slightly stickier, and it’s an unexpectedly fun car to drive. I have an autocross-prepped Miata in the other half of my garage,…

You know how rental car companies charge you something like $8 per gallon when you return the car with 4/5 of tank? I wonder how they’ve managed to apply that philosophy to EVs, because I’m sure they have.

“most rental car companies don’t make you recharge”

Hertz really did get shafted by Tesla lowering the prices.

The sad thing is, I think the majority of rental car customers would get by just fine with an EV. In fact, since most rental car companies don’t make you recharge before returning the car, dropping it off is easier than ICE cars because you don’t have to worry…

a Honda Fit is the only real answer here...