Unbelievable that Toyota had the hybrid, along with Honda in goddamn 1997.
Five years later there should have been huge numbers of hybrids, and the first plug-in hybrids. Ten years later their entire lineup should have been plugin hybrid capable.
When Tesla released the Model S, they should have been heads down with a competitor. The fact that every car company could buy a Model S and drive it around and not have drop-everything skunkworks doing EV development shocks me. The fact that Toyota is among the last to do it is breathtakingly dumb.
When Tesla released the Model S, Toyota should have had, at a minimum, an effective 40 mile range PHEV with all electric mode, and by 2020, should have had options for 50/100 mile hybrids, which make PHEV hybids effectively full EVs for 95% of consumer driving.
The hydrogen shit was ridiculous. JAPAN IS AN ISLAND WITHOUT OIL RESOURCES. They import virtually all their oil. Electrification makes them much more economically independent. The only place hydrogen was coming from was oil, unless they have some unknown methane reserves I am unaware of.
Toyota is full of good engineers still, and are effectively the largest car company in terms of volume production (I know VW may technically be larger, but they seem more balkanized in brands and acquisitions).
Toyota likely could close by simply partner-acquiring one of the bigger Chinese EV makers and battery companies (although there is that wee little China-Japan historical hatred).
> Electrification makes them much more economically independent.
The Japanese electric grid is so shitty you won't even believe it. They have single phase 100V power. Half the country is 50Hz and the other half 60Hz.
Their grid just plain can't handle electric cars at scale without a full and complete overhaul.
> The hydrogen shit was ridiculous. JAPAN IS AN ISLAND WITHOUT OIL RESOURCES. They import virtually all their oil. Electrification makes them much more economically independent. The only place hydrogen was coming from was oil, unless they have some unknown methane reserves I am unaware of.
The hydrogen was generated from nuclear power. They have a lot more of these sources than they do for a lithium ion supply chain.
> The fact that every car company could buy a Model S and drive it around and not have drop-everything skunkworks doing EV development shocks me.
I think every company did back on the envelope calculation and in about 10seconds realised they won’t ever have the battery supply to satisfy even 10% of their sales for decades. Only Tesla managed to convince Panasonic to build new factories.
I don't think buying Chinese battery/BEV company is an option due to national security. Worst thing happened in Japan was Nissan sold AESC to Chinese conglomerate. Govt should relief it instead of sunsetting companies like JDI.
Five years later there should have been huge numbers of hybrids, and the first plug-in hybrids. Ten years later their entire lineup should have been plugin hybrid capable.
When Tesla released the Model S, they should have been heads down with a competitor. The fact that every car company could buy a Model S and drive it around and not have drop-everything skunkworks doing EV development shocks me. The fact that Toyota is among the last to do it is breathtakingly dumb.
When Tesla released the Model S, Toyota should have had, at a minimum, an effective 40 mile range PHEV with all electric mode, and by 2020, should have had options for 50/100 mile hybrids, which make PHEV hybids effectively full EVs for 95% of consumer driving.
The hydrogen shit was ridiculous. JAPAN IS AN ISLAND WITHOUT OIL RESOURCES. They import virtually all their oil. Electrification makes them much more economically independent. The only place hydrogen was coming from was oil, unless they have some unknown methane reserves I am unaware of.
Toyota is full of good engineers still, and are effectively the largest car company in terms of volume production (I know VW may technically be larger, but they seem more balkanized in brands and acquisitions).
Toyota likely could close by simply partner-acquiring one of the bigger Chinese EV makers and battery companies (although there is that wee little China-Japan historical hatred).