Tall Pete: Right. Toyota didn’t get any PNGV money BUT they decided to develop a hybrid car because they feared to lose ground on that market to the americans because of the PNGV program.The irony is that the american car companies, that did receive the money, didn’t go forward with hybrids while Toyota, that worked on its own, decided to pursue the effort.  (Quote)

Without government largesse, Toyota was forced to do a realistic project that could and did make money.

Doug Korthof: Your question is irrelevant to the issue of whether it’s easy to do or not.The reason Toyota stopped making the EV95 NiMH battery was the Chevron-GM lawsuit, not anything to do with the car itself; and as for EREV, as I stated, Alan Cocconi did this 15 years ago using a trailer.The point is, GENERAL MOTORS AND CHEVRON DON’T WANT TO DO IT!Sure, it’s easy to do, but not if they are sabotaging it.  (Quote)

Doug,

Take a deep breath and count to 10. The GM you are referring too no longer exists. They went bankrupt a few months ago, remember? The new one is now owned by the government, and George Bush is no longer President, it’s a Democrat!!! I would think that would give you some hope for a change. What’s the matter, not an Obama fan either?

Noel Park: #77Not me. I think they’re right. It’s the only way you can sell a car with an $8000 battery, IMHO. Kind of like selling Hyundais.  (Quote)

I am all free for warranties too but they aren’t free. Actuaries value them and not for the consumer’s benefit. How about they require the manufacturers to offer 10 years warranties but allow them to offer less.

It is extremely frustrating that I will have to pay for a 10 year warranty that California wants but I don’t. I will have to pay for a 16KWh battery that those driving 30+ miles per day can make use of for 10 years but mine will be largely lost to the calendar. I will have to pay for ~10% capacity in reserve to preserve performance on mountains that my car will most likely never see. This is about $4k for nothing for me.

Koz: Can you lobby them to relax the 10yr warranty requirement for EREV’s with greater than 10 miles range?

#77

Not me. I think they’re right. It’s the only way you can sell a car with an $8000 battery, IMHO. Kind of like selling Hyundais.

The reason Toyota stopped making the EV95 NiMH battery was the Chevron-GM lawsuit, not anything to do with the car itself; and as for EREV, as I stated, Alan Cocconi did this 15 years ago using a trailer.

The point is, GENERAL MOTORS AND CHEVRON DON’T WANT TO DO IT!

Sure, it’s easy to do, but not if they are sabotaging it.

Dave G: If it were so easy, why doesn’t Toyota do it? Why did Toyota kill the RAV4-EV?We are talking about mass produced vehicles here. With current battery technology, electric SUVs are not cost effective. So we are talking about compact cars. In this context, what GM is saying makes sense.  (Quote)