Toyota takes aim at GM's plug-in goal

[notacarguy]

Japanese company vows to deliver electric hybrids by 2010 like Detroit automaker.
Christine Tierney / The Detroit News

Toyota Motor Corp. pledged Sunday to match General Motors Corp.'s goal to deliver capable plug-in hybrid vehicles to customers by 2010.

Toyota CEO Katsuaki Watanabe outlined the Japanese automaker's commitment at a reception at the North American International Auto Show, reflecting the tense rivalry between the two automakers.

Toyota and GM are competing for both technological and global sales leadership.

The Japanese automaker pioneered gas-electric hybrid technology and is the world's leading seller of hybrids. But GM set out last year to stake its leadership in one area of hybrid technology by bringing to market a plug-in, the Chevrolet Volt, by 2010.

Continued at: http://www.detnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll...801140363/1148

[Tomko]

Toyota, how do you say pucker up and kiss this in Japanese?

[espo19047]

As SpongeBob said to Plankton after he said he wanted to rule the world:


"Good luck with that."

[marinerbc]

"I've noticed that evil usually defeats good unless good is very, very careful."-Dr. Leonard McCoy.

Dear GM: It is time to get this done, and defeat evil just this once.

[jkennedy293]

What are the odds that Toyota's PHEV explodes??

[TheGeneral]

The Terriable Tailgates.

[AMERICA 123]

Originally Posted by jkennedy293

What are the odds that Toyota's PHEV explodes??

You know .....I was ....they don't do well when they rush .....

[American_Muscle]

oooooooo toyotaa...go die

[FenwickHockey65]

Originally Posted by jkennedy293

What are the odds that Toyota's PHEV explodes??

"And now, ladies and gentlemen, toyota is proud to present our very own plug-in hybrid (which is in no way a copy of the Chevrolet Volt or Saturn Vue). And here it is!"
*car drives onto stage...BOOM*
"Dammit. I thought I fired the tundra design team. Crap."

[CRBoyd91]

If it looks like a toad like the Prius and the Volt looks like it does we'll see who's the successful one.

[paul8488]

Originally Posted by CRBoyd91

If it looks like a toad like the Prius and the Volt looks like it does we'll see who's the successful one.

The Prius was a top-20 selling vehicle in 2007 in the US.

Americans.
Love.
Toyotas.

They have very deep pockets and can hurry a product to market. Doesn't mean it'll be best... but there's alot to be said for being first. To most people 'hybrid' means 'Prius'. I am not a Toyota fan in the least... but I don't think GM fans can be all that boastful yet.

[AMERICA 123]

Originally Posted by paul8488

The Prius was a top-20 selling vehicle in 2007 in the US.

In this case , I wouldn't be so sure of 'normal extrapolation' .

Americans.
Love.
Toyotas.

Hmmmm well , when they get a smell of Momma's home cookin' - they'll be back .
Hey , "love"??? That depth of emotional attachment - for an appliance maker ????

Seriously , there are more than enough people here that would 'love' to buy an American car - and haven't 'felt' like they had a 'real choice' .

They have very deep pockets and can hurry a product to market.< maybe maybe not - just look how they have had to delay product , including the Corolla - at the last minute> Doesn't mean it'll be best... but there's alot to be said for being first.< - with real product> To most people 'hybrid' means 'Prius'. I am not a Toyota fan in the least... but I don't think GM fans can be < or should be> all that boastful........ yet.

You familiar with what happened to the '64 Barracuda when the '64.5 Mustang came out ? And then .... what happened to the Mustang when the '67 Camaro appeared, followed by the '71 ?

[Jimmy Jive]

Hmm this really has the potential to be a huge victory, or a crushing defeat.
If GM can't get the Volt here by 2010 (like Rick was saying), and Toyota does, it will seem like Toyota is beating GM at their own promise. And even if the Volt does roll out in 2011, it won't be the "iconic car" to change all cars.

On the other hand, if the Volt can beat the Toyota PHEV to market, and truely out match it in at least one of these categories (styling, equipment, price), then it'll be a tremendous victory for the General, and might even be a turning point in the battle between the two.

Very high stakes how this turns out. Very high stakes.

[MechEng]

Originally Posted by Jimmy Jive

Hmm this really has the potential to be a huge victory, or a crushing defeat.
If GM can't get the Volt here by 2010 (like Rick was saying), and Toyota does, it will seem like Toyota is beating GM at their own promise. And even if the Volt does roll out in 2011, it won't be the "iconic car" to change all cars.

On the other hand, if the Volt can beat the Toyota PHEV to market, and truely out match it in at least one of these categories (styling, equipment, price), then it'll be a tremendous victory for the General, and might even be a turning point in the battle between the two.

Very high stakes how this turns out. Very high stakes.

Well it's not the Volt that will be out first it will be the Vue plug-in that will be out first.

The Volt is a completely different animal than the Prius and GM has to educate people about it.

Don't get me wrong it would be fantastic if GM was first with Plug-In's but I don't think it would be the end of the world. The average consumer that would shop for a plug-in vehicle tends to be well educated and does a fair bit of reaserch into their vehicles. And hopefully the press and the general consumer will see how superiour GM's technology is to Toyota's.

In the end Toyota is investing in plug-in hybrids and clean diesel. GM is investing in plug-in hybrids, BAS mild hybrids, plug-in E-Flex, Clean diesel, Ethanol and Fuel Cells. And they are aiming higher than Toyota while doing it. GM needs to market this.

[jcgable]

Originally Posted by MechEng

In the end Toyota is investing in plug-in hybrids and clean diesel. GM is investing in plug-in hybrids, BAS mild hybrids, plug-in E-Flex, Clean diesel, Ethanol and Fuel Cells. And they are aiming higher than Toyota while doing it. GM needs to market this.

When was the last time you saw a Chevy commercial?