NPR: Toyota's Car of the Future Had Distinctive Beginning

[zenMachine]

Prius began as a vague concept in the brain of Toyota's chairman, Shoichiro Toyoda.

In 1992, he was worried about the future of the automobile and the future of oil. Remember, this was just after the first Gulf War. So he gathered his top engineers and told them to design the car of the future.

They began small, spokesman Paul Nolasco says — with the driver's seat...

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.p...toryId=15789672

[donee]

Hi zen...,

Disappointed to see an NPR reporter fall for that industry guff about Toyota making the Prius for the image so they could sell full sized pickup trucks (which just happen to be competitive with american pickup trucks). And I think she also took the mileage reduction stuff from some industry mouth piece too, as she did not mention that ALL CARS lost mileage between 2007 and 2008 model years due to the EPA revamping its mileage rating testing methods.

[priusmaybe]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(donee @ Oct 31 2007, 06:18 PM) [snapback]533136[/snapback]</div>

Hi zen...,

Disappointed to see an NPR reporter fall for that industry guff about Toyota making the Prius for the image so they could sell full sized pickup trucks (which just happen to be competitive with american pickup trucks). And I think she also took the mileage reduction stuff from some industry mouth piece too, as she did not mention that ALL CARS lost mileage between 2007 and 2008 model years due to the EPA revamping its mileage rating testing methods.
[/b]

"So last Century" Please.


Would someone just tell me, what else and who else, has a car in production, that is as green, gets the gas mileage while still being a midsize hatchback, and has the warranty (along with the potential for reaching 100,000 miles? There is a lot of talk, prototypes and hype - but what can be had by the average person, today for $21,000- $27,000.

[Bill Merchant]

I just fired off an email to NPR, Day to Day, Madeleine Brand, and the producer and editor of that hit piece. The "green sheen" has slipped because the EPA rating went down? No mention that it was the EPA that changed, not the car. Corn oil, hydrogen, and compressed air as power sources? Sure, pick up a $5 burger at the hydrogen filling station...

NPR is "so last century"...

[malorn]

[quote=donee @ Oct 31 2007, 05:18 PM) [snapback]533136[/snapback]</div>

Hi zen...,

Disappointed to see an NPR reporter fall for that industry guff about Toyota making the Prius for the image so they could sell full sized pickup trucks (which just happen to be competitive with american pickup trucks). And I think she also took the mileage reduction stuff from some industry mouth piece too, as she did not mention that ALL CARS lost mileage between 2007 and 2008 model years due to the EPA revamping its mileage rating testing methods.
[/b]

Why does the truth hurt some of you so much? The media finally is questioning Toyota's "green" image. The next couple of years will be very interesting for toyota. Toyota is in business to make money. Do you think toyota makes more money on a Prius or a Tundra? Think about it before you reply. Remember it also costs around $100,000 /day to run those transports across the pacific,] $4 a gallon for the diesel fuel that is 25,000 gallons a day. How many days does it take to move the Priuses across the Pacific? Some interesting math.

I will bet you this story started as an idea from Toyota, two years ago it would have been nothing but praise and trashing of every other car company.

[zenMachine]

Actually, I listened to the program on the radio, and the story came across as quite positive. Some of the comments were actually tongue-in-cheek, particularly the 'so last century' punch line. Of course, when you read the text it's harder to sense the nuanced tones.

I think you can download the audio version...

[donee]

Hi All,

I have no finacial interest in any automotive retailing enterprize, GM, Toyota or anything else. Unlike some that may be posting on PC.

Toyota Tundra's are made in Texas, and are not shipped across the ocean to the US.

Analysis on PC here has indicated the Prius more than makes up for the transportation fuel from Japan, just as it makes up for its extra production costs. Think about it. How much was your transportation charge for the Prius? The bulk of that cost is the ship and train diesel fuel costs. Is it less than the fuel savings in one year of running the Prius - it is or me. Are you going to get a new car every year? Or use one for several?

[patsparks]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(donee @ Nov 2 2007, 09:44 AM) [snapback]533624[/snapback]</div>

Hi All,

I have no finacial interest in any automotive retailing enterprize, GM, Toyota or anything else. Unlike some that may be posting on PC.

Toyota Tundra's are made in Texas, and are not shipped across the ocean to the US.

Analysis on PC here has indicated the Prius more than makes up for the transportation fuel from Japan, just as it makes up for its extra production costs. Think about it. How much was your transportation charge for the Prius? The bulk of that cost is the ship and train diesel fuel costs. Is it less than the fuel savings in one year of running the Prius - it is or me. Are you going to get a new car every year? Or use one for several?[/b]

Well that all depends, if you buy a GM product you will most likely want to be rid of it after 11 or 12 months but I had my last Toyota for 14 years, longer than any other car I have ever owned. I was sad to see it go and the new owner is a very happy man.

The Prius has a satified owner rating of 95 to 98% depending which survey you read so I can only guess that same satisfaction means lower turnover rates. This is just a guess mind you.

The fuel consumption of a car carrier is about 8kg of fuel oil per day per vehicle ( http://www.ship-technology.com/projects/courageous_ace/ )
The ships travel at around 20 knotts and the distance from Tokyo to California is 5500 miles, this gives a travel time of less than 12 days so a total oil cost of under 96 kilograms. A Prius will save this amount of fuel in the first three tanks of fuel or 3000km if you drive a Prius at 5L/100km instead of a midsized domestic car consuming 12L/100km. I have rounded number so this may not be exact but it's close Even if I am 100% out the Prius will still break even on transport CO2 emissions after 6000km. I used California as the destination to eliminate land transport costs, after all most US domestic production happens on the northern border of US doesn't it? It would of course use less fuel if Toyota land their cars anywhere north of LA. I can't see how there could be much difference in the land transport CO2 emissions but I stand to be corrected.

Anyone want to talk about the amount of greenhouse gas the transport of 60kg of materials used to make a battery cost the environment?

[F8L]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(patsparks @ Nov 1 2007, 06:16 PM) [snapback]533649[/snapback]</div>

Well that all depends, if you buy a GM product you will most likely want to be rid of it after 11 or 12 months but I had my last Toyota for 14 years, longer than any other car I have ever owned. I was sad to see it go and the new owner is a very happy man.

The Prius has a satified owner rating of 95 to 98% depending which survey you read so I can only guess that same satisfaction means lower turnover rates. This is just a guess mind you.

The fuel consumption of a car carrier is about 8kg of fuel oil per day per vehicle ( http://www.ship-technology.com/projects/courageous_ace/ )
The ships travel at around 20 knotts and the distance from Tokyo to California is 5500 miles, this gives a travel time of less than 12 days so a total oil cost of under 96 kilograms. A Prius will save this amount of fuel in the first three tanks of fuel or 3000km if you drive a Prius at 5L/100km instead of a midsized domestic car consuming 12L/100km. I have rounded number so this may not be exact but it's close Even if I am 100% out the Prius will still break even on transport CO2 emissions after 6000km. I used California as the destination to eliminate land transport costs, after all most US domestic production happens on the northern border of US doesn't it? It would of course use less fuel if Toyota land their cars anywhere north of LA. I can't see how there could be much difference in the land transport CO2 emissions but I stand to be corrected.

Anyone want to talk about the amount of greenhouse gas the transport of 60kg of materials used to make a battery cost the environment?
[/b]

Listen to the guy from down under. They are VERY knowledgable in shipping/recieving products for their economics to thrive. For Australians, distance effects their every day life considering their distance from other large nations and the simple fact they are the most urbanized country with the vast majority of their population living in a few large cities.