So far, there's no definitive word on whether that option will make it to the States, though Toyota executives at the launch said they didn't see demand for it.īut an AWD Prius model might boost sales of hybrids with all four wheels driven substantially. Still, there may be hope: the new 2016 Toyota Prius is offered with an 'e-AWD' system in its home market of Japan. are mid-size sedans or hatchbacks, rather than the utility vehicles that more and more buyers are seeking. More than that, the bulk of hybrid models in the U.S. That's largely because all-wheel drive systems add weight and complexity to a vehicle.Īnd that applies regardless of whether they use mechanical AWD as the Ford did, or add a second electric motor on the rear axle, as Toyota and Lexus do.

A little competition can go a long way.īut in terms of vehicles under the $33,000 average transaction price for a new car sold in the U.S., the intersection between all-wheel drive and hybrid is slim. Now, my girls and I are trying to think up the next challenge. Even I, as a climate journalist, had simply not noticed the plastic coating our lives. Even here, most of the products were wrapped in plastic, from the lettuce to the tofu.“Mama, what are we going to do about cheese?” my little one finally stammered. We persevered that week, if a bit hungrily and with a cheddar craving. (I’d been reporting about plastic for a while – watch for a cover story coming up, or this graphic explainer.)The girls were in.We collected our reusable shopping bags and jars, and drove (I know, I know) to the local food co-op. And while I tell myself that one day these contests may evolve into pro-social habits, mostly I like them because they seem to work, my girls are happy, and I scratch one or two things off the never-ending to-do list. So when I read climate scientist Peter Kalmus’ 2017 book, “Being the Change: Live Well and Spark a Climate Revolution,” I was intrigued. Among many other things, his book proposes personal behavior shifts – using only cash, eschewing industrial beverages, avoiding all packaging – often beginning as a week- or monthlong personal challenge. Over breakfast, I outlined our mission: For a week, I said, we were going to shop without buying any plastic. I have set up contests for making beds and tending the litter box, running soccer drills and practicing instruments.

The week began, as do all good weeks with my children, with an official challenge. A family’s competitive streak, after all, can be magically exploited for parental gain.

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