Toyota lays down hybrid gauntlet

Toyota lays down hybrid gauntlet

Pivotal battle with GM on horizon; Toyota says it will beat CAFE deadlines

Mark Rechtin
Automotive News
January 13, 2008 - 9:56 pm ET
Toyota President President Katsuaki Watanabe says the automaker will not
wait for the latest CAFE standards deadline.

DETROIT - In an escalating war of green-fuel rhetoric, Toyota Motor CEO
Katsuaki Watanabe laid forth several bold moves for the automaker in the
next several years.
In a speech delivered here Sunday evening, Watanabe proclaimed that Toyota
will:
-- Deliver lithium-ion hybrid vehicles to demonstration fleets in 2010.
These vehicles include plug-in hybrids that already have been under
development. Toyota, in fact, already has two plug-in prototype vehicles in
demonstration tests with the University of California, but they have
lower-tech nickel-metal-hydride battery packs.
-- Unveil new hybrid models for the Toyota and Lexus brands at the 2009
Detroit auto show. These will be production vehicles in addition to the
Prius, and will be offered only with hybrid powertrains.
-- Increase investment in cellulosic ethanol derived from wood waste,
through a Toyota affiliated company.
-- Launch clean-diesel V-8 versions of the Tundra pickup and Sequoia SUV
within the next 24 months.
-- Expand the Panasonic joint-venture battery factory, adding an assembly
line dedicated to automotive battery applications.
-- Sell 1 million hybrid-powered vehicles by 2011 or 2012.
-- Meet the CAFE standard of a 35 mpg vehicle fleet " well in advance" of
the 2020 regulation's start.

Watanabe outlined these advances in rough form, but well-placed Toyota
sources advanced his general remarks with specifics. The sources spoke on
condition of anonymity, so as not to upstage Watanabe's announcement.

Although General Motors has announced similar targets for lithium-ion and
cellulosic ethanol technologies, it is doing the research through small or
start-up companies that are not connected to GM. Watanabe said Toyota will
do the r&d in-house, which he said would be " faster and more efficient."

Regarding CAFE, Watanabe said " we will not wait until the deadline to
comply" with the regulations.

Outstanding! The prius has been a great step forward in hybrid
technology, and it is good to see that Toyota is continuing to lead
the way. Hopefully this move will further force companies like Ford
and DaimlerChrystler to rethink their business strategies and start
making safe, affordable, fuel-efficient cars. We will see.

"Ed White" <cewhite3@> wrote in message
news:13olmde2toivta1@corp..com...
> Toyota lays down hybrid gauntlet
>
> Pivotal battle with GM on horizon; Toyota says it will beat CAFE deadlines
>
> Mark Rechtin
> Automotive News
> January 13, 2008 - 9:56 pm ET
> Toyota President President Katsuaki Watanabe says the automaker will not
> wait for the latest CAFE standards deadline.
>
> DETROIT - In an escalating war of green-fuel rhetoric, Toyota Motor CEO
> Katsuaki Watanabe laid forth several bold moves for the automaker in the
> next several years.
> In a speech delivered here Sunday evening, Watanabe proclaimed that Toyota
> will:
> -- Deliver lithium-ion hybrid vehicles to demonstration fleets in 2010.
> These vehicles include plug-in hybrids that already have been under
> development. Toyota, in fact, already has two plug-in prototype vehicles
> in demonstration tests with the University of California, but they have
> lower-tech nickel-metal-hydride battery packs.
> -- Unveil new hybrid models for the Toyota and Lexus brands at the 2009
> Detroit auto show. These will be production vehicles in addition to the
> Prius, and will be offered only with hybrid powertrains.
> -- Increase investment in cellulosic ethanol derived from wood waste,
> through a Toyota affiliated company.
> -- Launch clean-diesel V-8 versions of the Tundra pickup and Sequoia SUV

CLEAN diesel??? Yeah, right. No such thing. They just end up emitting
invisible, tiny particles which are STILL carcinogenic and, because of their
small size, get much further into your lungs before lodging in place.


> within the next 24 months.
> -- Expand the Panasonic joint-venture battery factory, adding an assembly
> line dedicated to automotive battery applications.
> -- Sell 1 million hybrid-powered vehicles by 2011 or 2012.
> -- Meet the CAFE standard of a 35 mpg vehicle fleet " well in advance" of
> the 2020 regulation's start.
>
> Watanabe outlined these advances in rough form, but well-placed Toyota
> sources advanced his general remarks with specifics. The sources spoke on
> condition of anonymity, so as not to upstage Watanabe's announcement.
>
> Although General Motors has announced similar targets for lithium-ion and
> cellulosic ethanol technologies, it is doing the research through small or
> start-up companies that are not connected to GM. Watanabe said Toyota will
> do the r&d in-house, which he said would be " faster and more efficient."
>
> Regarding CAFE, Watanabe said " we will not wait until the deadline to
> comply" with the regulations.
>

Mike hunt wrote:
> Make that $2,500 in INDIA, where the average person lives on $1 a day
> LOL

Per capita income is $1089, which is like $3 per day. And the purchasing
power parity in India is over $4000.

The per capita income in the US is around $30,000, so the average person
in India has about 1/7 the purchasing power as the average person in the US.

Jeff