Toyota preparing to mass produce lithium batteries?

A lithium-powered hybrid?

The Toyota and Matsushita hybrid vehicle battery partnership, formally called Panasonic EV Energy Co, have begun studying the process of mass producing lithium-ion batteries for hybrid vehicles.

Additionally, Toyota President Katsuaki Watanabe, again reiterated the company's focus on hybrids as a key to a sustainable future, as well as the goal of offering a hybrid option for every Toyota vehicle.

Toyota is "a hybrid company"

A Toyota Prius hybrid car

Despite the fact that Toyota has received a lot of criticism from some environmentalists regarding its alliance with US automakers over CAFE, Toyota claims it was worth it.

"We have taken hits because of our alliance," U.S. president of Toyota, Jim Lentz, said of the unified stance with U.S. companies on the No.1 regulatory issue to face auto companies in years. "We were willing to take those hits to get a standard the industry could live with."

Nonetheless, Toyota isn't afraid of the new CAFE standards coming out of Congress.

"We're a hybrid company, especially on the passenger car side," Lentz said, noting that in addition to the conventional hybrid cars that Toyota is now selling, such as the Prius and Camry hybrid, Toyota will continue to test plug-in hybrid vehicles.

Toyota confirms 3rd generation Prius plans

Better battery, better software, better price

When Toyota moved from the first generation Prius to the second generation Prius, increased power and fuel economy was achieved. Most of this increase was accomplished by software and by a smaller and lighter battery pack, according to Toyota.

Expect the same for the 3rd generation Prius. (Finish)

Toyota's next plug-in hybrid?

The best plug-in hybrid Toyota has to offer?

It's great that this golf cart looking car is a plug-in hybrid vehicle and can improve posture, but what the heck?

It doesn't look very aerodynamic, and it looks as if it would have a hard time cruising down anything but a path or sidewalk.

I know Japan is a far different sort of driving culture than America, but what is up with the Tokyo Auto Show?

Toyota will also be showing the Hi-CT plug-in hybrid concept, "an edgy, urban vehicle, " according to the AFP "inspired by the lifestyles of youth, with a removable rear trunk and a deck to store surfboards and bicycles."

In terms of hybrid vehicles, Toyota will also show the FT-HS hybrid and the Crown luxury hybrid concept.

Honda, Toyota lead U.S. fuel economy

Prius balances Toyota's gas-guzzlers

Honda Motor Co. had the highest fuel economy of any manufacturer selling automobiles in the U.S. with 22.9 mpg, a slight decrease compared with its 2006 lineup, according to MSNBC.

Toyota posted a 22.8 mpg average for its 2007 vehicles compared with 22.4 mpg the previous year, largely driven by the Prius and Toyota's other hybrid vehicles.

22.9 mpg is the best fuel economy in America? There is only one word to describe America's fuel economy: pathetic.

Toyota's lithium contradictions and the third generation Prius

Will it be lithium powered?

Katsuaki Watanabe, Toyota's top guy, has been very bullish regarding lithium batteries and their ability to power Toyota's hybrid cars. He was even quoted by BusinessWeek a few months ago confirming that lithium batteries were ready for Toyota's hybrids.

Shortly thereafter, however, rumors emerged from Japan claiming that lithium would be delayed, and multiple Toyota executives have seemed to confirm these rumors. Earlier this week Kazuo Okamoto, Toyota's research and development chief, for example, claimed that Toyota's Third Generation Hybrid Synergy drive had not been delayed, however, Okamoto also made it seem as if the next gen Prius would not utilize lithium.

Likewise, regarding lithium batteries, ...Finish: Lithium contradictions and the third generation Prius

Next generation Prius on track?

Has Toyota lost some hybrid mojo?

"I know there's a lot of speculation in the United States that we're delaying the Prius because of battery development issues," Toyota research and development chief Kazuo Okamoto told Reuters. "That's not the case."

Really?

Additionally, Kazuo stated that Toyota would not race GM to put the first commercially available plug-in hybrid on the road. GM has previously announced 2010 as their launch date.

Additionally, the first plug-in Prius hybrids will probably be very similar to current Prius hybrid technology.

"The plug-in will be an extension of the system we're using with the Prius," he said. "We see some advantages. For instance, we can add trunk space and have a lighter vehicle."

If GM is serious about the Chevy Volt and, more important, the launch date of the Volt, there is a real chance that GM could surpass Toyota in terms of viable, green technology. Now that truly would be shocking!

Can Honda build a Prius-contender?

One possible new hybrid from Honda

Honda is the undisputed greenest major automaker, yet when one thinks of green automobiles, hybrid cars automatically come to mind.

When it comes to hybrids, Honda is far behind Toyota. How did that happen?

For starters, the first generation Honda Civic hybrid, for example, was almost more of a mild hybrid than a full hybrid. Even today's Civic hybrid doesn't offer as powerful of a hybrid powertrain as does the Toyota Prius. Quite simply, the Prius is the superior hybrid, especially for urban drivers.

That doesn't mean the Civic hybrid isn't a great car, it is. Finish: Can Honda build a Prius-contender?

Hybrids to help buoy Toyota through subprime mortgage crisis?

Toyota not worried about slumping housing market?

A number of automakers and analysts have already cautioned that the subprime mortgage mess threatens to greatly disrupt the economy and, therefore, people's decisions to purchase automobiles.

Toyota, on the other hand, isn't worried according to both Reuters and the AFP. "We now expect the US car market to shrink slightly this year compared with the previous year, while Toyota continues to strive to meet its initial target," Toyota Motor president Katsuaki Watanabe told reporters.

"Toyota has been outperforming the market by a modest margin," he said.

And, Toyota has reason to be confident. July was a rough month for automakers, yet it was a stellar month for the Toyota Prius. Hybrid cars, it appears, might just help propel Toyota past all competition.

Ohh, that quirky little Prius.

GM's hybrids: The wrong start?

Large SUVs will become GM's first hybrids

When the first full hybrid vehicles from GM hit the streets this Fall, they will come in the form of full size SUVs. And, why should anyone be surprised that GM would start with large SUVs, such as the Yukon hybrid or the Tahoe hybrid?

If large trucks are GM's bread, then large SUVs are GM's butter.

Of course, GM's bread and butter isn't as tasty to consumers as it was a decade ago. Sure, more fuel efficient hybrid versions of these gas-guzzlers might help stem the public's growing disinterest in such vehicles, but will they provide any new marketshare?

--> Finish: GM's hybrids: The wrong start?

The Chevy Malibu hybrid: GM's Big Mistake?

GM plans massive marketing blitz to challenge Camry

The Chevy Malibu is of critical importance to GM, thus the automaker will use a six-speed transmission with a four-cylinder engine to increase fuel economy. In addition, GM will spend more than $100 million marketing the Malibu in an effort to challenge the Toyota Camry.

That's great, but how much buzz would a full hybrid version of the Malibu have brought to GM dealers?

GM's Bob Lutz has essentially called the Toyota Prius a marketing coup. It's not that the Prius is breaking sale's records for any category outside of hybrid cars, rather it's the fact that the Prius is a PR machine. Even if the Prius isn't selling, it's still driving buyers into Toyota.

Moreover, while the Toyota Camry hybrid might only sell a little more than 50,000 units this year, I'll bet the Camry hybrid has also helped drive more buyers into Toyota.

So, why not a dual mode Malibu hybrid? GM's dual mode technology is ready to roll. Selling 50,000 Malibu hybrids in 2008 wouldn't just make GM the second best hybrid vehicle seller and validate GM's hybrids, it would drive incredible buzz to GM.

What's the deal? Can't GM compete?

Toyota "bemused" by hybrid delay rumors

Third generation Prius still on track?

"We've been very interested to note stories in The Wall Street Journal over the past couple of days purporting that the introduction of a next-generation Prius has been delayed because of the slow pace of development of lithium-ion batteries," writes Irv Miller, Group Vice President, Toyota Corporate Communications, according to Car&Driver.

"For that matter, we've not shared much information about a next-generation Prius, since--like most companies operating in a highly competitive market--we don't talk explicitly about future product. And we've not discussed the type of battery that any hypothetical next-generation version of Hybrid Synergy Drive might use."

HMMMM!???? That isn't exactly true. Toyota CEO Katsuaki Watanbe, claimed that lithium batteries were ready for the third generation Hybrid Synergy Drive, at least according to Business Week. Watanbe's statement was not a rumor from a reliable, but unconfirmed source, it was a direct quote.

Nonetheless, Miller's press release does seem to conclusively confirm that lithium batteries are not yet ready for primetime in Toyota hybrid vehicles - at least not until Toyota can guarantee those batteries for 150,000 miles. Thus, the real question is, can Toyota achieve that kind of battery guarantee by late 2008 or early 2009 - the rumored launch of the third generation Prius?

Then again, was the speculated 2009 launch date ever more than a rumor?

Volt road ready this Spring?

Still, a long way to go

GM's Bob Lutz is a spin-master.

“I think that our No. 1 competitor has some problems with their technology, and I do think that it very definitely opens a window of opportunity for us to be first to market with a genuine plug-in hybrid,” Bob Lutz said at an automotive industry conference in Traverse City where the battery deal was announced.

While I believe that GM might offer the first "genuine plug-in hybrid", GM is also facing serious problems. For example, the Chevy Volt is still just a concept. It won't be road-ready - for testing - until the Spring of 2008, at the earliest. Additionally, if GM does produce the Volt by the end of 2010, as planned, the costs are expected to be very high. Thus, GM is considering a plan to sell Chevy Volts with optional battery leases to help make the cars a little more cost-effective.

But, back to Toyota's problems. Finish Volt road ready by this Spring

No slowing Prius sales

Camry on pace for more than 50,000 sales in first year

For July, while car U.S. car sales slumped, the Toyota Prius continued to be a hot seller, recording over 16,000 units sold.

The Camry hybrid continues to be a strong seller for Toyota as well, achieving over 4,300 units sold. Ultimately, for 2007, Toyota's hybrid Camry will probably outsell the combined sales of all other hybrid vehicles, minus the Prius.

CAFE: Toyota's bad, growing addiction?

Toyota just loves trucks too much?

Toyota has long made excellent vehicles, but when it comes to the environment, Toyota has always lagged far behind its Japanese rival, Honda. Nevertheless, when Toyota pushed ahead with the Prius, despite mockery from the rest of the automotive world, it seemed the automaker might just be ready to push ahead of Honda.

Then again, it isn't just the Prius, it's all of Toyota's hybrid vehicles.

While most hybrid hype is placed upon the Prius, the Toyota Camry hybrid has quietly become a strong seller itself, a trend that I bet will only pick up pace. Moreover, if Toyota is correct when it claims that the price difference between hybrids and conventional gasoline vehicles will disappear within the next decade, then the Camry hybrid might soon outsell the Prius.

Thus, it's completely dumbfounding that Toyota continues to join the Big 3 against a significant increase in CAFE. If the future is all hybrid, as Toyota claims, and the hybrid price differential will soon end - another Toyota claim - then 35 mpg fleet economy should be a cake-walk by 2020.

So, what's up with Toyota? Does it fear high CAFE standards will destroy U.S. automakers and bring a backlash against foreign autos? Is Toyota still uncertain about the future of hybrids? Or, are the ridiculous profit margins of large, gas-guzzling vehicles just too bloody addictive?

Where's the kaizen?

Green Technology: GM versus Toyota

Automotive Evolution: Adaptation versus the Big Bang?

Ever since the Chevy Volt Concept debuted at NAIAS, many auto journalists have called it a Prius killer, claiming the technology was so much more advanced than the Prius, or at least claiming that the Volt's technology was so much more advanced than Toyota's hybrid technology.

The other day, another similar comment was made by BW's David Kiley, "GM, of course, was the hit of last January’s Detroit auto show when it debuted the Chevy Volt plug in. It was the first time in recent years that GM appeared to be ahead of Toyota, or even equal, in the arena of alternative and greener vehicles."

What? Why?

Thus far GM offers a few mild hybrids (Yes, I know they offer full hybrid buses!). More important, there isn't yet a fully functional Volt, and yet some can claim the technology is better than Toyota's hybrid vehicles?

--> Finish Green Technology: GM versus Toyota

New hybrid tax credits only for plug-in hybrids?

No new tax credits for regular hybrids?

I have to hand it to Congress. Only Congress can create a lot of buzz while actually doing nothing, such as is with the proposed tax credits for plug-in hybrid vehicles (more).

Now, I'm as big a fan as any regarding plug-in hybrid vehicles, but America can't get enough buyers into conventional hybrid cars. So, how can tax credits for plug-in conversions accomplish anything?

The biggest seller of hybrids, Toyota, is facing the end of any tax incentives for buyers of Toyota hybrids, including the best selling Toyota Prius. With better tax incentives, imagine how many more Prii, Camry hybrids and Highlander hybrids would be selling.

Moreover, if there are not enough hybrids on the road already, how is converting a small percentage of them into plug-ins going to accomplish anything other than buzz among politicians, celebrity-advocates and a handful of rich treehuggers?

I say extend Toyota's tax credits first. If the Prius becomes the best selling car in America because of tax credits, so be it. Millions and millions of 45 mpg hybrids on the road is a good start and it is probably the fastest way to more hybrid competition amongst automakers, as well as the fastest path to mass-produced plug-in hybrids.

I mean, c'mon. How many Americans can really afford to buy a Prius and spend another $10,000 to convert it into a plug-in hybrid that voids the battery warranty? Move forward with the plug-in tax incentive, but not without extending Toyota's tax credits or making larger tax incentives for all hybrid buyers.

Lithium - Toyota's revolutionary 3rd Generation Prius?

Are Computers just the beginning of the lithium revolution?

Recently, someone asked if I truly believed that the integration of lithium into hybrid cars was revolutionary - something I had claimed regarding Toyota's decision to use lithium batteries in the third generation Prius.

Absolutely, I replied.

Finish --> Lithium - Toyota's revolutionary 3rd generation Prius

Does Edmunds.com hate Toyota?

Is Edmunds.com biased against Toyota?

Yesterday, some eco-activists used Toyota to bring some attention to global warming. Essentially, the protesters questioned Toyota's environmental commitment and their apparent hypocrisy on the matter claiming that producing hybrid cars doesn't balance also producing gas-guzzlers.

“Building Priuses does not give Toyota license to mass-produce the Tundra,” said Sarah Connolly, the co-director of the Freedom from Oil campaign for Rainforest Action Network. “If Toyota really believed in curbing global warming, why did they argue with the Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers in the Supreme Court that CO2 is not a pollutant and that the EPA should not have the right to help regulate greenhouse gas emissions?”

Edmunds.com took license to title this action 2007 New York Auto Show: Anti-Toyota Activists arrested. In reality, these activists are not anti-Toyota per se, rather, these activists are anti-gas guzzling - a U.S. automaker speciality. Since U.S. automakers aren't really doing anything to help the environment, Toyota is the natural scapegoat to use for this global warming message. That's fine, but why did Edmunds use the story as an indictment against Toyota, instead of an indictment against gas-guzzling - the real point of these activists?

Hard sell? Hybrids help drive record Toyota sales

Almost 20,000 sold in March

With significant help from hybrid cars, Toyota posted "best-ever monthly sales" for the month of March. The Toyota Prius achieved the best month of sales for the second month in a row with 19, 156 vehicles sold, an increase of 133.2 percent according to Toyota.

The Camry hybrid achieved sales of 5,144 units sold in March, while the Highlander hybrid achieved 2,501 units sold. In addition, Toyota also sold 1,471 units of the Lexus RX400h hybrid.

While some of this increase in hybrid sales might be attributed to a decreasing tax credit for Toyota hybrids, that's still an amazing month. Too bad the credit is expiring, I guess Congress just doesn't feel the need to get as many foreign oil dependency fighting, global warming reducing automobiles on the road as fast as possible?

Stupid Toyota to build hybrid plant

Silly Toyota keeps trucking along with hybrids, like this hybrid Camry

Toyota is going to build a new hybrid parts factory in Japan according to several news sources. Not much is known about specific plans for the hybrid plant, but it seems obvious that Toyota keeps ramping up for greater and greater production of hybrid cars.

Yet, Toyota's hybrids are consistently questioned. Series hybrids are better than Toyota's parallel hybrids. Toyota's hybrid powertrain is too complex. The Prius just doesn't make sense.

Apparently, Toyota is the dumbest automaker on the planet, staking their future on second rate hybrid technology. Of course, one has to continually ask, where are these technologically superior hybrids vehicles?

Aura hybrid versus the Prius? Nonsense!

GM's first hybrid sedan

Hybrid cars have become incredibly important buzz generators in the automotive world. Thus, I use the term hybrid vehicle very lightly when describing mild hybrids, such as the Saturn Vue hybrid or the upcoming Saturn Aura hybrid.

It's not that I hate these hybrid vehicles. In fact, if GM offered both mild hybrid and full hybrid versions of these vehicles - letting consumers choose their hybrid package - I'd be incredibly supportive of mild hybrid technology. Since this choice does not exist, I see GM's mild hybrids more as a PR effort, rather than a technology effort.

Finish Aura hybrid versus the Prius

Toyota tax credits set for another reduction

Are you in the market to buy a hybrid?

Have you been out shopping for hybrid cars recently? If so, then you know there are some pretty good deals being offered on hybrids. For Toyota hybrids, the deal might never be sweeter. The current tax credits offered on Toyota hybrids are set to again be cut in half in April. So, if you were thinking about a new Prius, Camry hybrid or Highlander hybrid, you might want to act now.

Hybrid Advantage: Is Toyota Unstoppable?

Hybrids have given Toyota a nice sales boost

Yesterday, I was walking in Pasadena and it seemed everywhere I looked, I saw a Toyota Prius. In Southern California the Prius is a very popular car.

While some critics speak of slowing hybrid sales, the reality is that hybrid sales are catapulting Toyota past every other automaker. Yet, the best of hybrid technology is yet to come.

Finish reading, Hybrid Advantage.

Hybrid X: Is this the third generation Prius?

Wow!

According to Erin Riches of Straightline, the Toyota press conference at the Geneva Auto Show was packed, as the hype around the Hybrid X had boiled into a froth.

So, is the Hybrid X the third generation Prius? If so, and if this vehicle can hit the streets sometime in 2008, Toyota is going to become an almost unstoppable force in the automotive world. Imagine this hybrid with lithium-ion batteries, significantly increasing both the performance and the fuel efficiency of the third-generation Prius compared to the current Prius.

This hybrid says one thing: future.

Toyota might be the king of hybrid cars right now, but this vehicle could be the beginning of a new hybrid vehicle empire for Toyota.

Read more of Erin's report.

Toyota confirms plug-in hybrid development

Just plug-in your Prius?

Toyota confirmed today that it is now working on plug-in hybrid vehicles. "We are doing consumer research right now as well as product development," Toyota North America President Jim Press told Reuters in an interview. Additionally, Mr. Press claimed that batteries are still the biggest obstacle to plug-in hybrid development and that Toyota would be willing to work with other automakers to develop such batteries. "We would be quite open to any kind of sharing," Press stated.

Is this a prelude to Hybrid X?

Hybrids help Toyota sales soar

Hybrids helped Toyota post best-ever February sales

While the conventional Camry drove Toyota to the best February ever for the automaker, hybrid cars played an important role as well. Toyota sold almost twice as many Prius hybrid cars this February compared to last year, achieving its best monthly sales ever. The Camry hybrid posted sales of 3,332 units, while the Highlander hybrid achieved sales of 1,892 vehicles.

On the Lexus side, the RX 400h achieved sales of 1,249 units.

As a result, Toyota hybrid sales are now up 45 percent compared to last year at 33, 182 hybrid vehicle sales. Imagine if Toyota still qualified for the full hybrid tax credit!

Toyota's Tundra Mistake?

Why not a Tundra hybrid?

When I walked into the Toyota section of the Los Angeles Auto Show, I was almost appalled. This is the king of hybrid cars, I wondered, as huge gas-guzzling trucks loomed everywhere. Consequently, I wasn't surprised to find the same scene at NAIAS in Detroit. At least in Detroit, however, Toyota was also displaying the FT-HS hybrid concept, which made me a bit more forgiving.

While I realize that Toyota needs to challenge America's Big 3 in this pickup truck segment, I don't understand why Toyota didn't include a hybrid version. Recently, Toyota announced that more Toyota models would have to be converted into hybrids to achieve Toyota's future hybrid sales goals. So, why not start with the Tundra hybrid? Wouldn't a pickup hybrid have been the perfect way to show-up Detroit?

I know in the past there have been some concerns regarding Toyota's Hybrid Synergy Drive and towing capabilities, for example. Is this still an issue, or did Toyota just blow an opportunity?

GM hybrid trucks in 2008?

Trucks are one of the most important automobile categories in the U.S., and it seems shocking that a hybrid version of a truck or two has yet to hit the U.S. market.

That will surely change before the end of 2008.

In the past, Toyota has acknowledged that a Toyota Tundra hybrid is a possibility. It might be more of a possibility now that GM is entering the hybrid truck space.

GM has confirmed that the Chevy Silverado and the GMC Sierra pickup trucks will be offered with dual-mode hybrid powertrains in late 2008. Some of these hybrid trucks, or all of them, are scheduled to built at the Oshawa Truck Assembly Plant in Ontario, Canada.

(Source: Reuters)

What to expect from the 2008 Highlander hybrid

A Hybrid Highlander at 2007 NAIAS

So, what can you expect from the newest version of the Highlander hybrid? Well, the 2008 Highlander hybrid will not offer any changes to the Hybrid Synergy Drive, nor to any of the hybrid technology powering this vehicle.

Essentially, the 2008 Toyota Highlander hybrid will receive mostly cosmetic changes. Nonetheless, for larger families interested in hybrid technology, the newest hybrid Highlander does offer at least a few interesting upgrades.

The new Highlander hybrid is both wider and longer than the previous hybrid Highlander so there is more interior space. Unfortunately, this extra size adds extra weight. That extra weight will almost assuredly cause decreased acceleration. Fortunately, however, Toyota has indicated that the weight increase will not cause a decrease in fuel economy.

Ultimately, the extra size creates more room for larger families seeking a hybrid. In addition, the latest Highlander hybrid offers more airbags - a total of 7, and AWD is no longer optional. Instead, AWD is standard on all hybrid Highlanders.

What if Toyota takes over Subaru?

Are hybrid Subaru's THE car for environmentalists?

There have been a lot of rumors that Toyota would like to take over Subaru, a company in which Toyota already has an ownership interest. However, such a move has been difficult because of current regulations - regulations that might soon change.

So, what if Toyota took over Subaru?

Many fans of Subaru vehicles are the outdoor, environmentalist type. Thus, wouldn't Subaru hybrid vehicles be the perfect fit for this segment of auto customers? Subaru and Toyota have already had discussions regarding hybrid car technology, so this match just seems perfect. In fact, Subaru could almost become Toyota's Saturn Division. Except, Subaru would be the super clean and green division of Toyota.

Prius for $219 a month, or a low-interest loan

Now that Toyota has significantly increased its capacity for producing hybrid cars, particularly the Prius, it is offering new incentives. For example, Toyota will offer 3 year leases on the Prius starting as low as $219/month. Additionally, Toyota will also offer low-interest loans on the Prius.

Toyota Prius sales were up 4 percent in January compared to the previous year, despite a 50 percent reduction in the clean vehicle tax credit.

Hybrid Vehicles Dead? Toyota Prius sales soar in January

Are hybrid vehicles losing their appeal?

Despite lower gas prices and a federal tax credit that was reduced by 50 percent, the Toyota Prius had its best January on record, selling 8,299 units. The Camry hybrid posted sales of 2,801 units, the Highlander hybrid reported 1,810 sales, while the Lexus RX400h reported 1,245 units sold.

So, if Toyota sold more than 14,000 hybrid cars in January with only a reduced tax credit, how many more would Toyota have sold if it still qualified for the full tax credit? Considering the seriousness of foreign oil dependency, pollution and global warming, it is simply silly that Toyota is being punished for being too successful doing the right thing.

--> More on Hybrid vehicles dead? Prius sales soar in January

The Prius Effect? Only to those with the loser effect

GM saw a joke in the Prius, Toyota saw the future

The 'Prius effect'. That's what competitors have labeled the success that hybrid cars have provided for Toyota. Boy, it's sadly comical how losers look for excuses in everything, and the Prius effect is a prime example of that 'loser effect'.

"We didn't appreciate the image value of hybrids," concedes GM's research and development chief, Larry Burns in a BusinessWeek interview. "We missed that."

That's not the only thing GM missed!

This 'Prius effect' statement has also been echoed by both GM head Rick Wagoner and by GM product guru, Bob Lutz. Even worse, Bob Lutz claimed that GM could have beat Toyota to the Prius, if they had used a fraction of their billion dollar marketing budget for this purpose.