True? Toyota just killed the PiP?

If true, that is a real disappointment. And I too will be limiting future Toyota buys. We love our Nissan Leaf, and I think a Tesla will be next.

However, I don't think they can discontinue EV's. If they want to sell in California, they need to have an EV or a fuel cell vehicle. Since hydrogen stations are few and far between I doubt Toyota can get away with dumping the PiP. They may limit sales to certain regions.

 

No, I didn't see anything saying specifically that the PiP was being killed in that article.

This is likely a repeat/rewrite of old news that Toyota is killing off the Rav4 EV which is their battery-only car.

 

Pure EVs are going, no mention of hybrids.

I suspect that the hybrid concept will be needed in the early days of FCVs until Hydrogen filling stations proliferate.

 

I would agree that the article doesn't explicitly state Toyota is killing the PiP.
With Toyota only selling the PiP in some carb states though and not willing to sell nationwide, or even in the number two state for hybrid sales, it leaves a small question. Will they, once they start selling FCVs, also discontinue the PiP if the sole reason for the PiP is to generate ZEV credits?

 

I don't think PHVs get ZEV credits anymore, and the amount of credits a FCEV gets per car may make a FCEV alone enough to meet CARB requirements.

 

Toyota Motor Corp announced that it will discontinue the production of electric cars by December 2014.

I agree.

 

If Toyota announces a price point for the fuel cell vehicle equal to the plug-in Prius, it will be a game changer. In effect, Toyota is 'betting the farm'. Whether or not they achieve it, we'll find out soon enough. The real race:

• 150 mile Leaf
• Fuel-cell Prius

Bob Wilson

 

I'm still skeptical, for a number of reasons:

• Fuel Cell stack longevity
• Hydrogen infrastructure
• Cost of hydrogen fuel
• Environmental cost of hydrogen fuel

Even ignoring all the massive technical challendges, I just cannot see why we should spend all that money on infrastructure to use NG when we could build clean wind/solar instead.

 

The thread, "Toyota Shows Disdain for Plugins..." is somewhat of a chronology of Toyota's (et al) goings on. 1st their lobby arm pays off politicians in order to give huge carb credits to hydrogen cars, while limiting plugin credits .... then after the oil industry refused to build the hydrogen highways (too huge of a money looser) the Fuel cell lobby just forced the billion(s) dollar expenses to get charged to everyone's dmv fees ... then the hydrogen lobby skewed hydrogen 'benefits' - saying how the tech is green, all the while using natural gas as fuel stock .... then Toyota limits plugin sales to only a handfull of states ... then their advertising smear campaign tries to convince audiences how crappy the plug is because it's only for people who have hours to waste charging. Did I miss anything? It sickens me.
.

 

The refresh of the pip was delayed until the end of 2016. The delay means it was not cancelled. Toyota canceled the nation wide roll out of the pip last year, and they don't seem to want to sell it in states that don't give it zev credits.

When the fcv comes out next year, assuming it can get a safety waiver, as it violates us safety laws, toyota only has to sell a tiny number to satisfy the zev mandate through 2017. Its lobbiests were able to get a huge number of zev credits for each fcv. This bonus runs out in 2017, which means they will be bashing plug-ins, until they get more credits in the future from carb, and more tax payer money - unless people speak up.

They aren't betting the farm. They have already bet billions. They are effectively using their lobby to get high subsidies for the cars. The way you make a $100,000 car sell for $25K, is you get the government to give you $75K for each car. This would not be a game changer though, as the goverment will only do this on so many thousands of cars. CARB currently is giving 26 ZEV credits, $5000, and a HOV sticker for each car and $220M for hydrogen fueling. The US government $8000/car (expiring this year). The Japanese government $20,000/car (may only be for cars sold in japan, we don't know yet). US government $2.8B for R&D, japanese government about $2B. I expect maybe 10,000 cars in california in the next 3 years.

Toyota is betting that regulators will keep giving them money for decades until they get it right. ;-)

 

Let's not forget, Tesla exists today and is expanding due to selling those credits.
Speaking of Tesla, They have beauty, style, form and function. They have cruising range, and have been offered huge tax credits to build their battery Gigafactory in California, amongst a few other states.

Musk knows that the future of the ev is in faster charging, more battery capacity.

I think it's obvious that, for now, the hybrid plug ins make the most sense. Tesla is being used by the rest of the industry as an R&D company. Let them blaze the trail. For me, I don't see the hydrogen vehicles as being even close to a good idea, especially in light of what Tesla is doing. But this industry now is use what works now, work on what will work later.

 

Where does the referenced Financial Post article say that Toyota is killing the PIP?

I couldn't find it in the title or anywhere in the article .

It does say they are discontinuing EV's but what does that have to do with the PIP.

The reasoning they quote. "The problem with EVs in general is that current battery powered cars do not have sufficient power to cover long distance travel." plainly does not apply to the PIP.

 

Just wanted to jump into this thread to clarify that the Prius Plug-in Hybrid is not being discontinued.

Nathan Kokes
Vehicle Marketing & Communications
Toyota Motor Sales

 

Thanks for throwing us a bone Nathan ... and on the weekend no less. Any chance we can leave a little meat on that bone ? ... like a future commitment of more PiP pure ev range? Maybe selling in all, if not at least more States? Maybe knocking off the damning anti plugin commercials? Or would that make the FC vehicle look too unattractive.
.

 

Hey, I got it.
4th generation coming 2015! | Page 133 | PriusChat

Where is my brownie, damn it

 

So what vehicles are being discontinued?

 

for a minute there, i thought i had a collectors item.

 

I very seriously doubt that he is authorized to provide any meat at this time.