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Market Research for Toyota

Discussion in 'Gen 2 Prius Accessories & Modifications' started by btsavage, Dec 19, 2007.

  1. btsavage

    btsavage New Member

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    It is my hope that this post will be read by Toyota strategists / market-researchers.

    Toyota, I assume you are reading the threads all over Prius chat, as it's an obvious way to determine market demand, and what with all the modding, it's a way to get fantastic feedback about customer response to new features without spending ANY research dollars...

    Here is a post from a more cautious, conservative PriusChat member, who's too scared to do anything that might void my expensive extended warrany...

    If it did NOT void my extended warranty, I would happily drive into a certified Toyota dealership TODAY, and happily spend $2000, (or even grudgingly spend $5000) To have my 2008 Prius converted into a plug-in hybrid. After this mod I would expect to be able to charge my car up at home with a normal extension cord (120 V), and to drive up to speeds of 34 MPH, (45 would be AMAZING...) on only electric. I would expect to be able to cover at LEAST 50 Miles of mildly-hilly terrain before the charge was gone and the engine had to kick in. I would willingly sacrifice even a fairly large portion of my trunk-space for batteries, up to 1/3 of it...

    Others in this forum please reply to this message with how much YOU would pay for the plug-in hybrid upgrade (done officially through a Toyota sponsored venue.) Also include the necessary parameters that would make you even consider it.

    I really hope that the numbers work out making it something economically feasible for Toyota to be able to offer at scale.
     
    #1 btsavage, Dec 19, 2007
  2. btsavage

    btsavage New Member

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    Another feature I suggest Toyota should offer as an "upgrade" is the EV mod.

    Even knowing that it only costs $45 to install the Coastal EV mod, I'm sort of a risk-averse consumer when it comes to my extended warranty / battery-life.

    I would happily pay as much as $300 to have the EV mode "enabled" on my 2008 Prius at a certified Toyota dealership, if it didn't void my extended warranty. I know it's already in the computers, just turn it on.

    Even simpler! I would be willing to install the Coastal EV mod MYSELF, and then pay Toyota $250 just to have the mod "blessed" by Toyota and thereby not affect my warranty.

    This has GOT to be cost effective for Toyota. I image it increases the risk of battery failure within the warranty limit by maybe 1% averaged across all people. Let's imagine 100 people accept this deal. Now, for 99 of them, Toyota gets an additional $250 that it wouldn't have gotten before. For one of them, the battery dies while under warranty when it wouldn't have before. Now, if the cost of replacing this system is $24,750 then Toyota breaks even. More likely it costs something like $8,000, and Toyota makes a $16,750 profit, (that's $167.5 per person who does this mod.)

    Not only would this be profitable for Toyota, it would provide INVALUABLE research into how the EV mod affects battery life for American drivers, data that could otherwise not be reliably collected.

    I STRONGLY suggest that Toyota bargain with us hackers! It's such a good deal for YOU Toyota!
     
    #2 btsavage, Dec 19, 2007
  3. btsavage

    btsavage New Member

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    Toyota, if you come out with a fully electric car sometime soon, I will buy it.

    Let's imagine that it can only go 50 miles on a charge and has a top speed of 45 MPH. Then I'd only pay something like $5,000 - $7,000, and I'd keep my Prius, it'd be the commuter car and the Prius the all-around car.

    Now let's imagine that it can go 500 miles on a charge and had a top speed of 75 MPH. Then I'd pay up to $30,00 for it, and I'd sell my Prius.

    And now the in-between car. Let's imagine that 80% of gas stations around California (just CA is enough...) have electric recharge stations that can recharge my electric car in just 10-15 minutes. (For the previous 2 I assumed an overnight charge with a normal 120V outlet, and no change to gas-stations.) The car can go something like 100-200 miles on a single charge depending on how you drive, and has a top-speed of just 65 MPH. In this case I would (reluctantly) sell my Prius, and by one for up to $20,000.

    Others, please respond with how much you would be willing to pay for these 3 cars, and if you would/wouldn't sell your Prius if you bought one.
     
    #3 btsavage, Dec 19, 2007
  4. ny biker

    ny biker Member

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    I would spend $0.00 for any of the cars you described.

    I live in a condo and park in a lot that does not have assigned spaces. I have no access to outdoor electrical outlets. Even if some were installed in the lot, there is no guarantee there would be an empty spot near it for me to park.

    I can afford only one car. I need that car to be able to drive at highway speeds for hundreds of miles. I do most of my long-distance driving at night, when there is no guarantee that I will be near an open gas station. So I need to be able to fuel the car completely at the start of my trip and not worry about refueling it until I get to my destination. I travel alone and will not risk my safety by hanging around a gas station at night waiting for a battery to recharge.

    I'm sure it's nice to have a garage with a place to plug things in, but in the 43 years I have been on this earth I have never lived in a place that had one, and I don't see it happening anytime in my future.
     
    #4 ny biker, Dec 19, 2007
  5. SureValla

    SureValla Member

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    right now I would also pay $0.00 but again that is because I live in an apartment building and park in a lot.

    I do however plan to get a house sometime in the next 5 years and would thus have access to an outlet. So if I had to extrapolate I would pay no more then $2500 for the upgrade. I dont think I could rationalize 5000. I know no one wants to do it for this little so its kind of a moot point.
     
    #5 SureValla, Dec 19, 2007
  6. skruse

    skruse Senior Member

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    We need to plan for where we want to be, not where we have already been. It is time for a paradigm shift - electrical outlets standard at apartments. We have major transportation and air quality problems. We need credible solutions including PHEVs good for 150 miles, photovoltaic panels on every roof and at the side of highways as in Germany.

    This will help discourage SUVs and other inefficient vehicles. Even UPS now uses EVs for local deliveries. See "A Greener Brown" http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2007/12/19/BUA5U03D9.DTL
     
    #6 skruse, Dec 19, 2007
  7. ny biker

    ny biker Member

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    Well that's fine. But until it's a reality, I'm keeping my current car.

    By the way, you also will need electrical outlets along all the urban streets where people park because they don't have driveways, or because their apartment/condo only provides for one space and their family owns more than one car. Where I live, we do not have enough parking spaces in lots to even provide one space per unit, so many people have no choice but to park on the street.
     
    #7 ny biker, Dec 19, 2007
  8. Neicy

    Neicy Member

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    I would jump at the chance to upgrade to PHEV if it didn't void the warranty. It does NOT mean that I can't use the car as it is now set up, it only means that I would be commuting and doing most of my errands on battery only. I would even be satisfied with 20 mile capacity. I would gladly pay 5K for it. Why? Because as time goes on I believe the opportunity to charge our vehicles will become more commonplace. Instead of just feeding the parking meter for parking your car as we do now, it will also have an outlet that unlocks when you insert your money. Maybe two separate slots needed. I wouldn't need EV mode, but that would be a nice extra. Most newer houses around here have external outlets now, but mine does not. No garage. I run an extension cord along a fence to my car for my EBH anyway, so I could just add an extra plug for a charge. It would be sweet. I am not concerned with whether I would save a bundle of money in gas. For me it's the principle of it. I just don't want to be as dependent on gas as I am now. But the price has to be within my reach too.
     
    #8 Neicy, Dec 19, 2007
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