Toyota Will Offer a Plug-In Hybrid Vehicle by 2010

[DaveinOlyWA]

yes, A/C is an option

[efusco]

Originally Posted by cnschult

toyota is a very conservative company and not nearly as innovative as many of you think. Their moto isn't "look what we created" but rather "whatever you do we can do better than you"

remember, honda had their hybrid insight on sale for a year before the first prius, and the prius didn't become a popular 'hot commodity' until the 2004 redesign, the anticipated phev prius will make its debut w/o lithium technology, which will follow a year or two later.

toyota may dominate the hybrid industry, but their lack of courage may allow everyone to catch up to them for the phev industry. speaking of which, please check out my new thread where i talk about a new phev i saw at the detroit international auto show called the fisker karma.

I think you've gotten some bad information. While the Insight sold in the US before the Prius, the Prius was the first commercially manufactured hybrid, as John pointed out, by a solid 2 years. Further, their design is much different than the Honda hybrid design and is, indeed, quite innovative.
While all big companies run the chance of falling off their pace and allowing others to catch up, I'm not convinced that there is any evidence that this is happening to Toyota. They continue to refine their transaxle design, software functionality, reduce the size of the electric motors and the size and efficiency of their inverters is all well ahead of any competition.

I think the future will be a lot of fun, very interesting, and ultimately to the benefit of all of us as the competition sharpens. But I certainly wouldn't start digging the hole for Toyota any time soon.

[hill]

Originally Posted by efusco

I think you've gotten some bad information. While the Insight sold in the US before the Prius, the Prius was the first commercially manufactured hybrid, as John pointed out, by a solid 2 years. Further, their design is much different than the Honda hybrid design and is, indeed, quite innovative.

Also, Honda only sold the Insight in a handfull of states, very limited production ... which is expected, when you only build a 2 seater. Moot, anyway, as it has gon by the wayside.

[fruzzetti]

Originally Posted by hill

Just published today is an article stating:
Lutz said the battery technology has shown no problems so far and a working lithium-ion battery pack for the Volt could be demonstrated by June 2008.
GM, Toyota battle turns electric - Boston.com
Saying GM "could" have ONE this year also implies they may NOT even have it by this year ... not that there really IS one.
Please provide a link to said video, as most have only seen the Volt being pushed. Thanks

I'd like to stress your very important point just a bit more, if that's ok.

In marketing-ese, the word could means don't. So when GM says it could have a working lipo battery for the car by whenever, they mean they don't have a working lipo battery.


Second,

Toyota isn't as innovative... Their moto isn't "look what we created" but rather "whatever you do we can do better than you"

Isn't this one of the definitions of innovation? What did Edison really invent? Not much. What did Edison improve upon? Almost everything his company ever touched.

And you must really understand the central tenet of Japanese engineering to see the difference between what I think you're calling "innovation" and what really makes innovation. American style innovation relies upon "next-generation" concept stuff. To use (I think) Michael Chrichton's analogy (which is elegant and fitting), American engineers swing as hard as they can every time, hoping for a home run (and occasionally they hit one); Japanese engineers are content with base-hit after base-hit, slowly improving upon a good starting point until it's matured and ready without the desperate attempt to leapfrog anything.

It really is part cultural.

~ dan ~

[DaveinOlyWA]

so true so true.

edison did not invent the light bulb, he only made one that would last longer than a few days...