Featured Tesla exec tells it like it is

Any companies efforts to be "green" are just window dressing on the path to making money. The responsibility and ultimate control of corporate direction is a combination of buyer decision and government regulation....the companies just follow the profitability path forged by those two factors. (If you are older than 40, you know this as well as I.) So what I (and you) buy is how "green" becomes real or marketing.

 

agree with you except for the prius. if anyone at toyota thought it would be a profit center, they had amazing vision.

 

Not 40 yet, but we're on the same page here.

 

please see my post #2.

 

Companies, some at least, have a vision beyond immediate profits.
That is how you can tell which companies feel the future is electric. They are selling cars nationwide, rather than solely in CARB states.

 

I think Honda rushed on battery management in order to beat Toyota to North America. We know how that went. Then there is the issue of Honda pricing and dealers in general, with some decisions not ready for the time. The first Accord hybrid was the first power hybrid to market, and it might have done better as an Acura.

There also seems to be some culture clash in Honda between those that want efficiency, and those that want to do more in performance.

The hybrid systems replacing IMA look good. The new Accord hybrid rivals the smaller body gen3 Prius. The new Jazz/Fit hybrid bested the Prius c on the JC08. Toyota went and tweaked their car in order to regain the top spot.

We just aren't likely to see the Fit hybrid here. With cheap gas, and general American driver concerns for efficiency, you can be disappointed, but not blame them.

Except that they have to build the routes.
Unfortunately money is needed, and Tesla is following a plan to make that in order to get BEVs to the masses. They simply couldn't start big.
GM had a similar problem with the Volt. If the Recession hadn't happened, GM likely could have taken some more time in development and taken a lower margin on the car in order to grow sales. But the company went into bankruptcy instead, and they had to fight to not have the program axed.

They all expect a profit from their products. The forces that made the gen2 a hit in the US may have sped up the timeline on when the investment paid off, but they would not have invested as they did if didn't expect that eventual pay off.

 

uncle.

 

I think the key leader of Toyota at the time did have amazing vision. There is nothing wrong with making a profit. It is what is done with the profit that determines if greed or foresight is in charge. If greed is in charge, the companies days are numbered no matter how impressive the present quarter's balance sheet looks. At the other extreme, being forward thinking and being "green" (sustainable) are the same thing. The Prius is a testament to this truth during this episode of car engineering.

 

The people putting out the project definitely saw higher gas prices and government regulation, and saw future profits. They didn't see them in the first generation, and indeed the first generation lost money. Still it was great marketing and helped sell other toyota cars.

There was a core group of toyota executives that believed in 1993-1995 to green light the project. Definitely agree that they had great vission.

They wanted it roomy. Honda simply wanted it efficient. Toyota won.

They wanted a hard efficiency goal that could not be met by a SUV. GM and Ford went SUV thinking size mattered more than raw efficiency. Here toyota won again.

They wanted lower cost and unhealthy emissions and chose gasoline over diesel. The PNGV chose diesel wasting resouces over gasoline for GM, Ford, Chrysler, Mercedes. Audi also chose diesel. Gasoline atkinson valving won. Toyota was right here again.

I've listed a lot of big auto that was working on an efficient car. Toyota got the choices (compact 5 seater/gasoline hybrid) right while those other companies chose other less successful paths.

Similarly when it comes to zev, tesla chose the right path versus the other automakers (ugly, short range, hydrogen). Perhaps the other car makers will chose to follow tesla, two already seem to be doing that.

 

If you don't have a place to recharge a car overnight, the 2016 Prius is the most energy-efficient car you can buy.

 

That's true, but what if you have a place to charge at work, instead of at home.

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All depends upon your driving patterns and availability of charging.
As Hill said, if you have reliable access to charging at work or are willing to use charging elsewhere, plugins work well.
Plugin hybrids can be much more efficient, depending upon your driving patterns.

If you don't count any plugins, yes, the Prius is the best gas car around in terms of efficiency.

 

Today is Prius Day!

 

It'd be the perfect day for Toyota to reveal gen II PiP info - EV range - sales in all 50 - mpg in CS mode, etc.

 

what is prius day?

 

Don't know - maybe it's in May?


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The day the GEN IV goes on sale in Japan

 

Interesting article on Tesla in January Car and Driver. Speculation that the new model is too complex (gull wing doors etc) and will do damage to reliability reputation. Questions on the long term viability of a company that is 2 years late with a new model. Are they overextended etc.

 

only time will tell, but i'll likely be pre ordering the 35k job when it's available.