It's looking as if Aussie readers hoping to drive greener might soon be able to do so in a locally-produced machine. The first word of Toyota's desire to build the Camry Hybrid in the land Down Under came in October at the Tokyo Motor Show. Without government handouts assistance, however, it wasn't going to happen. Fast forward to the present: all signs point to a deal getting inked by the end of July, with Australian government reps saying that talks with the automaker are progressing "fruitfully." Once the agreement is formalized, look for the Camry Hybrid to go into production at the Altona plant where the Australian-market Camry and Aurion sedans are currently built.

[Source: The Age]

Renault Trucks has designed a new "innovative, urban, hybrid technology concept vehicle." I think this truck simply must have been named with an eye towards the Google age, to be the first result in an internet search. How else to explain the name "Hybrys"?

Anyway, the Hybrys is a parallel diesel hybrid concept truck designed for refuse collection. It would be powered by a DXi7, 320 hp engine, an Optidriver+ robotized gearbox and an MDS (Motor Drive System) electric motor. While the press release doesn't mention idling, it seems like there's a lot of potential to seriously reduce emissions while the truck is standing still thanks to a feature of a key-less start that can power up "the wholly-electric power system before the diesel engine takes over." The system does offer "very much lower fuel consumption."

Renault's press release also talks about the marque's natural gas trucks and the potential to use B30 in a truck like this. Renault will display the Hybrys at the 29e Salon du transport routier d'Amsterdam later this month. There's another image of the trash truck of the future after the jump.

[Source: Renault, h/t to Domenick]