Toyota has never been a big fan of lithium ion batteries, and has a plan in place to replace them with solid-state batteries that are three-to-four times more powerful. Toyota will commercialize solid-state batteries around 2020 and lithium air batteries – which offer a fivefold increase for the same weight – could follow several years later, said Shigeki Suzuki, managing officer for material engineering. Suzuki didn't offer details on a rollout plan or vehicle volumes. As for Toyota's limited interest in lithium ion batteries, they are present in the Toyota RAV4 EV (pictured) and the Toyota Prius V, but nickel metal hydride batteries have been the mainstay in the automaker's hybrid lineup for years. Solid state and lithium air batteries have advantages over li-ion and NiMH batteries. They're smaller...

MIT Technology Review, a magazine all about innovation, has announced its list of the 50 most disruptive companies in 2013, and both Audi and Toyota made the cut. While the term "most disruptive" may carry a negative connotation in most uses (especially in the classroom), the acknowledgement in this case is an accolade, signifying that the company is at the forefront of its industry. In a nutshell, a disruptive company is a business whose innovations force other businesses to alter their strategic direction. Audi made the list for "pushing autonomous cars closer to fruition with a laser-scanning road detector that fits in a vehicle's front grille," and Toyota for "expanding its dominance of the hybrid-car market with its new plug-in version of the Prius." Click on the image above to be taken to...

I'm not sure it's socially acceptable to admit to enjoying driving these days. It's a bit like saying you're into hare coursing. I'm afraid I do, though – like driving, that is (coursing I don't know – I've never tried it. I can't imagine I would. I like hares). And cars don't get much more enjoyable to drive than this one. It's not the quickest, the cleverest or the flashiest. That's part of its brilliance. Too many sports cars these days have so much power, and massive fat tyres to keep them on the road, and all sorts of sophisticated electronics to help you keep control, that you may as well not be (in control). It's like driving by proxy. Not so this one. A modest two-litre flat four boxer engine, a little under 200bhp, 151lb ft... sorry, I'm turning into a boy. Basically, it's not very,...