Toyota Shows Distain: Even for their Own RAV4-EV

I have lived through hurricanes and don't ever recall not have gasoline available. But I do recall not having electricity for days..

 

Perfectly valid concerns which is why we have a natural gas powered, 16 kW emergency generator. But we also lived through the April 2011 tornadoes that wiped out the TVA transmission lines.

During that four day outage, the nearest operating gas station was 40 miles away. So I left our inverter equipped Prius running to power the house while I drove to pickup gas and takeout.

Bob Wilson

 

you sound completely anti ev, am i correct? while i agree we need a mix of technologies, 'forgetting to plug in', or power outages are non issues. we have also had all the gas stations closed when the power is out.

 

Poor deflection.

I covered the relationship between the car and company in my post, which you appear confused on.

The Hyundai Genesis was the brands high end flagship car; think fancy Avalon that is rear wheeled drive. It has been out for awhile now, with the second generation arriving in 2013. I think a Kia sibling, the K900, came out then too.

Hyundai has since decided to start their own luxury brand. Likely for reasons along the lines of what I read from a poster, "Why would I want to take my luxury car into service where a kid takes his Elantra." Genesis Motors first birthday is next month. They already sell two cars, the G80 and G90. The G80 is the renamed Hyundai Genesis, and the G90 appears to be a stretched version. Future plans appear to be another car, I guess smaller, a coupe, and two SUVs.

I haven't heard a rumor for a plug in, but I don't see why not if Hyundai offers one on the platform elsewhere, and all but Lexus offer one in the luxury segment. I would bet it easier to adapt their hybrid system to RWD than HSD type ones.

 

Sorry, I have a charger powered vehicle (golf car) and I've failed to put in on its charger more than once. Just as I failed to fill up the mower's gas can. Stuff happens. Though never ran out of gas on the road. Your margin for error, your ability to recover, is different with a gas fueled vehicle. You can go days or weeks forgetting and not be really affected.

 

A golf cart really doesn't compare.
I have forgotten to plug in my electric car a couple of times. Neither time was an issue.
I have remembered to plug in my electric car about 4000 times.

Some car apps will send you a warning if the car isn't plugged in by a certain time, and all of them allow you to check on the charge status.
When you plug in daily, it is pretty easy to get in the habit.
I have forgotten to get gas, or been in too much of a hurry, hundreds of times. Most of these times it wasn't an issue, once it stranded me, and quite often it made me late.

With gas cars, because you fill up infrequently (once a week for many), it is much easier to forget.

 

Caution, some folks set their hair on fire if there is any hint someone runs out of gas even intentionally. <GRINS>

Bob Wilson

 

When Sandy hit this area, it took out a lot of gas stations and the stations that could operate had lines that stretched for blocks.
$2.5M in Sandy aid awarded to N.J. to buy 52 generators for gas stations | NJ.com

 

Not anti EV at all, just pro Toyota and Hybrid. I believe that EV, Hybrid and Hydrogen can all be viable options to the masses. What I don't like, is that on PC, Tesla is the only way to go, everything else is outdated or will not be successful.

 

i agree with you, but i have an ev bias after owning a pip.

 

Hyundai Genesis came in a coupe and a sedan, they are not that expensive and will continue to be sold as a Hyundai. Hyundai and Kia came out with ultra luxury vehicles several years ago, Hyundai Equus with a price tag in the high $90K range and Kia came out with the K900. Now who is gonna pay that much for a Hyundai?? So it only made sense that Hyundai has started their own high end division as Toyota did with Lexus. Genesis is Hyundai's high end division that was just rolled out.

 

Sandy was the storm of all storms, most hurricanes are not that deadly.

 

I don't know where you get that.
I'm a huge Tesla fan, and even I don't believe the bolded statement.

 

I said PC, I did not say it was you or name anyone.....their are some who have a disdain for Toyota for their belief in Hydrogen. Their are some who continue to attack Toyota for their lack of desire to make EV vehicles at this time. I just don't think this is the platform for attacking Toyota. I am a long time Toyota owner and every vehicle I have owned has provided me with many years of reliability. They sell products that are made to last and are attainable for most to buy. If you don't want to continue to drive Hybrids or future Hydrogen vehicles, then don't, buy the next latest EV from Tesla, GM, Kia or from whomever. I will continue to spend my hard earned money into a company that has provided me with exception vehicles.

 

I don't think the president of Toyota is anti-plug-in, after all he did the deal with Tesla, that probably was more profitable to toyota than the prius in that time period.

The North american heads of toyota and lexus, and the chairman of the board seem very anti-plug-in. The chairman has been working with hydrogen for over 2 decades and he simply doesn't seem to understand how far it is from comercialization. I can't give the north american heads a pass though.

So next year toyota plans to make 3000 fuel cell cars, and tesla plans to make over 100,000 long range bevs. GM is joining in also. The prime seems like a good fit for the japanese market, but they could have had it on the market 2 years ago, if plug-ins had support. My guess is the prime will drastically outsell the mirai in japan, which may be one reason for the foot dragging.

I welcome Toyota back with the prime. I hope they add bigger packs, and realize plug-ins make sense today. Hydrogen is at least a decade away if it ever takes off. I don't know who would possibly buy a Lexus hydrogen, when they can buy a bmw 330e or tesla model 3. They both should be much easier to fuel with much better handling.

 

I share your opinion and see a spectrum of efficient car (and truck) solutions. I remain disappointed that Toyota handled the 2016 so poorly.

Now Toyota has announced fixing the 'show stopper' problem, TSS-P, with the 2017 Level 2 ECO (not yet on the showroom floors.) I also see promise in the Prius Prime. Yet Toyota USA continues to abandon important Prius technology whose engineering is already done:

• 1.5 kW inverter - done that on 2003 and 2010 Prius
• tow package - done that on 2003 and 2010 Prius
• rear wheel drive - the only one I've not attempted on a Prius but bought on my daily driver

Toyota USA continues to ignore my requirements. Luckily, I found one that does.

Bob Wilson

 

It suggests an attitude about safety. Understand I was never a fan of 'Betsy' and the unfaithful Toyota lawyer. Actions speak louder than what comes from the unfaithful.

Bob Wilson

 

Yes, but we worry our beloved Toyota could fall off the pedestal. A few years back, Honda was bragging about having the best fuel efficiency of all car makers and prided themselves on focusing on mpg. They took quite a fall as a few missteps tarnished their image and products. We just don't want Toyota to screw up like Honda.

 

An ICE car has to go days to weeks without refueling because it is an inconvenience to get gas. Think about it, is stopping for gas something you actually want to do when you are heading home after work, or running late in the morning? many here have cooed about how little they have to go to a gas station after getting their Prius. Less time at gas station = happiness

If many here actually felt that way about Tesla, they wouldn't be upset with, or even feel betrayed by, Toyota for their lack of interest in plug in cars while trying to drum up more tax dollars to support their hydrogen cars.

Looks like someone should spend time editing Wikipedia.
"Initially envisioned along with the plan for Hyundai's new luxury sedan Hyundai Genesis in 2004" - Genesis Motors - Wikipedia
"The Hyundai Genesis would be rebranded as Genesis G80.[11]" - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hyundai_Genesis
"The 2016 successor to the Hyundai Equus will be rebranded as Genesis G90[8]" -
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hyundai_Equus

Only the Genesis Coupe is still on the Hyundai site, which follows what one of Wikipedia's source articles reported, that the sedan was moved over When Genesis Motors started, and the coupe will stay with Hyundai for a little longer. Possibly until time for the redesign.

I've explained the tow rating issue before; it is because of trailer regulation differences between markets and marketing. Very few new, actual cars have a tow rating in the US. It does make it easier to sell a crossover or SUV to someone that needs to tow, but it is also because the cars' tow rating would be half what it is in Europe or elsewhere. If the SAE standard for determining vehicle tow ratings is used, like Ford GM and Ram do for trucks, then it will be even lower.

RWD has a negative impact on efficiency, and there is little demand for it in the Prius' segment.

I agree on the inverter, but I think it will be like factory nav; aftermarket will be better and cheaper.