Comments on: Look Out, Here Comes Toyota: Plans to Mass Produce Lithium-ion Plug-in Hybrids in 2010

By: Robert Parks

Robert Parks — Sun, 07 Jun 2009 04:40:37 +0000

Lyle

Why are you wasting your time with the Volt—Mitsubishi is here, the Mini Cooper is electric, Toyota will beat GM as they always do. Why are you betting on a bankrupt company that no one can trust which is run by a bunch of cowards? Just look hoe the executives sold out their stock and how dealersthat have been in business for fifty years are being treated. The Volt is dead.

By: JW

JW — Sat, 21 Jun 2008 00:26:02 +0000

I am not a mechanic nor am I in the auto industry. I am just a consumer. Right now I drive a 1996 Toyota Camry Wagon and a 2001 Lincoln LS. I have owned Pontiac, Chevy and Ford. The Toyota has been hands down the better car in every respect. Its has out engineered the US cars and there is no comparison in quality and construction fit and finish. Its an embarrassment that US manufacturers just cannot stay ahead of any curve and have for so many years taken advantage of the American consumer. GM, Ford and Chrysler do not just have a hybrid problem, they have to win back all the American consumers they suckered with the poor quality junk they have peddled for so many years. Has it improved over the Pinto and the Vega? Sure it has, but its still no Toyota. That’s what drives consumers to Toyota, its not just the Prius.

By: Dr Mark

Dr Mark — Tue, 17 Jun 2008 17:51:17 +0000

Toyota has always tried to downplay “all-electric” operation, probably because they had so much invested in the parallel-hybrid (Synergy drive) which by it’s nature compromises performance when operated in an all-electric mode. With EV operation still below $.03/mile and gasoline now around $.20/mile (admittedly, only $.10 for a Prius) who wouldn’t want to cut their $100-$200 a week habit back to $30? So, since Toyota can’t make this argument anymore they had to make the car. You can bet it will be a Series, not Parallel hybrid.

By: zig

zig — Sun, 15 Jun 2008 01:41:28 +0000

GM is playing catch-up to Toyota, not the other way around. Anyone driven a Volt yet? Prii abound…GM is trying to win the PR war because THEY DON’T HAVE A CAR.

You just know GM will disappoint in the end.

By: john meschede

john meschede — Sat, 14 Jun 2008 22:58:46 +0000

Boooooo, HISSSSSS Toyota bad , GM good. Seriously, Toyota makes a good car, but its not AMERICAN. GM is the standard by which all other car makers judge automobiles. GM is the 600 lb gorilla and when it wants something, it will get it. Like the lion’s share of the global electric car market.(so long as the Volt has sexy styling and a low price).

By: Scott

Scott — Sat, 14 Jun 2008 18:34:46 +0000

If it’s a Prius, I don’t want it. Those cars are so ugly.
If it has less than 25 mile electric range, I don’t want it. It’s not worth the batteries unless you can have a decent range.
Parallel hydrid? I don’t want it.

Unless Toyota surprises me with something as advanced as the Volt without their terrible Prius look — and I don’t think they will — the Volt is a sealed deal.

By: doggydogworld

doggydogworld — Thu, 12 Jun 2008 19:39:53 +0000

180 posts for an item with zero news content? Sheesh. Watanable announced the program to place a few hundred lithium plug-in hybrids with fleet customers FIVE MONTHS AGO:

http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601101&sid=aCHIecOjRDRs&refer=japan

The recent announcement had no news about plug-in hybrids. There was some minor news about Prius3 (NIMH, no plug) and two other hybrid models being announced at the next Detroit Auto Show. Also they’re hiring 50 researchers to work on “post-lithium” batteries and they’re accelerating “development of small electric vehicles for mass production” (think i-Miev, here).

By: dagwood55

dagwood55 — Thu, 12 Jun 2008 19:10:14 +0000

177 Jeff, 179 Nasaman,

If they hold the line on pricing at $21K, Toyota will, very likely, be increasing their profit margin. They have made significant reductions in the price of the HSD components and, over time, the NiMH battery prices should be falling (recently, they cut the price of the battery at the parts counter).

I also noticed this: “Toyota is expected to offer three trim levels: base, luxury and eco, with the base model starting around $21,000.’

And I have to wonder what one gets when one orders the “eco” package. My kids refer to the car as “eco-friendly” when it’s dirty.

(speaking of “eco”) 173 Eco,

The Flextreme is not the only platform that can save one money. Switching from a vehicle with 25mpg EPA combined to the 50mpg of a Prius will still save a fair amount of money. And if, as the recently linked article points out, the Prius is pretty inexpensive, this affords many people the opportunity to chop their fuel use in half. And Prius reliability has been very, very good.

By: RB

RB — Thu, 12 Jun 2008 17:57:19 +0000

#179 nasaman — So maybe GM should have an auction (now) for the first 1000 Volts to be offered for sale, and see what they bring? They can be sold “if, as and when available, delivered to Chevy dealer of your choice”. My guess is that each would go for greater than $50K.

By: nasaman

nasaman — Thu, 12 Jun 2008 17:15:38 +0000

177 Jeff M……..
Great link, Jeff! If the new Prius gas engine generates around 100 bhp and the electric motor about 60 bhp, as the article says, there is certainly enough electric “ooomph” for the car to maintain highway speeds (60+ mph) until the battery drops to min SOC, which puts the new Prius much closer in performance to the Volt.

Of course, this article’s REAL BOMBSHELL is that the Prius selling price will stay the same….. around $21,000 for the base model. This means the Volt will HAVE to compete in price with the new Prius from the “git go” —any Volt base price above about $25K will cause the automotive press to declare Prius the hands-down victor, and $30K or more will be “game over” (except for Toyota haters or die-hard Volt enthusiasts). That would mean Volt is destined to occupy a Tesla-like niche market rather than its hoped-for mass market.