Hybrid excuses: The government didn't help?
Not possible without the Japanese government?Recently, ex-Toyota man, Jim Press of Chrysler, defended the lack of hybrid vehicles coming from American automakers claiming, "the Japanese government paid for 100% of the development of the battery and hybrid system that went into the Toyota Prius."
Is this a fair excuse? Is it proof that the US government should get more involved? Is it proof that the US government has been too greased by the kickbacks from cheap oil?
Labels: Hybrid Vehicles, toyota prius
posted by Dahcredyns at
8:37 AM
5 Comments:
Obviously, the government has been "greased" by big oil.
Automakers deserve plenty of blame, regardless of government intervention, for not developing more fuel efficient technologies sooner.
Still, how can you blame them when gas cost less than $1.50 per gallon when Toyota was developing the Prius?
Cheap gas might have fueled our economy for a few decades, but its about to strangle it now.
Good points. That's on key with my latest post.
Still, I think the government must now get involved, but instead of incentivizing change through corporate tax incentives. Give the incentives to the people and let them give the victors the spoils.
I trust the people far more than corporations.
US Government did help the big 3. Look up PNGV. US tax payers paid 1.5 billion dollars in the 10 years project that produced zero hybrid production.
Dennis-
That is true, and US automakers even developed hybrid prototypes, but decided they weren't marketable.
And with gas prices ranging between about $1.00 and $1.50 during that time, it's not too hard to understand Detroit's lack of vision.
Additionally, I don't know much much the Japanese government invested in the Prius, and how much it insisted some ROI be achieved.
Still, that 1.5 billion is nothing compared to the amount of money that the US government spent per year subsidizing the cost of foreign oil during that time.
Had Americans been paying the real cost of foreign oil dependency at the gas pump during that time, I imagine there would have been much more interest in fuel efficient automobiles as well.
No! It's just a lame excuse! He's just looking for another corporate hand-out. GM developed ev-1 an electric car 15+ years ago, and then promptly surrendered that lead to Toyota and the Japanese. Corporate greed killed it, now corporate greed wants a piece of it.
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