[Mister Dave]

Lexus President Says Electric Car Push Is Happening Too Soon

Is another legacy car maker failing to fully grasp the current trends in the automotive industry?

Click bait title, stupid subtitle. I think Sawasan has a good point.

If we are looking for the best solution it is my opinion that the best solution is not only EV; we must consider petrol, hybrid, plug-in hybrid and fuel cell. If we focus on EV only we will not provide the answers people need.

 

[P0234]

He means happening too soon for them to have an adequate supply of batteries.

 

[jcanoe]

The Lexus president is just feeling the effect of what futurist Daniel Burris calls "Blur, Streak, Gone!" The first time most people experienced this was in 1977 when Star Wars Episode IV - A New Hope appeared on movie screens across the globe. Burris uses the Star Wars Millennium Falcon starship's jump to light speed and into hyperspace as a metaphor for technological change that seemingly comes out of nowhere and quickly disrupts the status quo. We are living this now as electrification of the automobile shifts from something for hobbyists and a novelty from a start up firm for those who can afford a $100k+ vehicle to viable transportation for those who previously had purchased Japanese and German luxury and near luxury vehicles.

 

[ItsNotAboutTheMoney]

Lexus President Says Electric Car Push Is Happening Too Soon
...

Click bait title, stupid subtitle. I think Sawasan has a good point.

It could be a reasonable point if Toyota had actually considered BEV rather than sticking to preconceived notions that it's only good for stupid, tiny urban EV vehicles, as if the revolutions caused by lithium ion batteries and modern power electronics have never happened.

 

[Mister Dave]

It could be a reasonable point if Toyota had actually considered BEV rather than sticking to preconceived notions that it's only good for stupid, tiny urban EV vehicles, as if the revolutions caused by lithium ion batteries and modern power electronics have never happened.

I don't know if we can ascribe Sawasan's opinion to that of Toyota. His all in (all powertrain options) approach is sound. Maybe not the fool cell, but they get some crazy ZEV credits from it so from a short-term business angle it sort of makes sense.

At least he's not washing the subject in a "the future is all electric" glow while selling 500K+ light trucks a year in the U.S. People in Montana and rural areas in general give a flying fig about BEVs.

 

[Steverino]

t least he's not washing the subject in a "the future is all electric" glow while selling 500K+ light trucks a year in the U.S. People in Montana and rural areas in general give a flying fig about BEVs.

Somewhere in another thread a comment was made that Tesla should have released a truck before the Model 3 because that's where all the action is these days. I think that would have really rocked the auto-world. But unless there are plenty of SC's in places like Montana, people there would likely still keep all their flying figs.

 

[Mister Dave]

Somewhere in another thread a comment was made that Tesla should have released a truck before the Model 3 because that's where all the action is these days. I think that would have really rocked the auto-world. But unless there are plenty of SC's in places like Montana, people there would likely still keep all their flying figs.

Continuing to make more sedans wasn't the best choice.

Light trucks are sold all over. I agree that a BEV truck won't sell in Montana. But it's not going to do so well anywhere else.

The batteries are too heavy, and contractors go where the work is, not where the supercharger is. The SC network doesn't help them. An EREV truck like the Workhorse is the right plan to work with current battery tech.

 

[obermd]

Remember that Lexus is a division of Toyota, which has been pushing Hydrogen Fuel Cells for the past decade and is now in the position of having to play catch up.

 

[Mister Dave]

Remember that Lexus is a division of Toyota, which has been pushing Hydrogen Fuel Cells for the past decade and is now in the position of having to play catch up.

Toyota is also kicking everyone's butt on hybrid sales - #2 on the IE sales scorecard ATM (Prius Prime).

 

[Mister Dave]

Lexus may add hybrid power to future, high-performance F Sport models

 

[Raymondjram]

Toyota has tried twice to sell the electric RAV4.
http://www.ebay.com/motors/blog/green-car-2002-toyota-rav4-ev/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Toyota_RAV4_EV

I still have the factory service manual for the first generation 2003 RAV4-EV for sale;
https://gm-volt.com/forum/showthrea...ory-service-manual-for-sale&highlight=RAV4-EV

The second generation 2010 RAV4-EV used Tesla power trains and battery packs. On the DIC it would show "Powered by Tesla".

The present hybrid RAV4 probably sells in good numbers since it is the only hybrid CUV on sale now. Ford stopped selling the Escape Hybrid and the C-Max Hybrid/PHEV years ago but may bring the Escape back. GM is still holding back after producing a fleet of 2008 electric Chevy Equinox.

 

[obermd]

Toyota is also kicking everyone's butt on hybrid sales - #2 on the IE sales scorecard ATM (Prius Prime).

If that's the case, then why hasn't Toyota hit the 200,000 unit sale limit on the Federal Tax Credit (which includes hydrogen fuel cells as well)? Tesla has hit it and GM is likely to be next.

I agree that Toyota got a head start with the original Prius, but as a corporation they went down the fuel cell path for political reasons and are now playing catchup when it comes to EVs (PHEV and BEV).

I read the linked article and got a real chuckle out of

You can’t make an electric Land Cruiser work, for instance – and there are people in remote parts of the world whose lives depend on that car.

as it doesn't take into account that you can install a solar power system anywhere in the world to recharge the car. All of a sudden you no longer need oil for that vehicle.

 

[JuneBug]

Toyota has tried twice to sell the electric RAV4.
http://www.ebay.com/motors/blog/green-car-2002-toyota-rav4-ev/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Toyota_RAV4_EV

I still have the factory service manual for the first generation 2003 RAV4-EV for sale;
https://gm-volt.com/forum/showthrea...ory-service-manual-for-sale&highlight=RAV4-EV

The second generation 2010 RAV4-EV used Tesla power trains and battery packs. On the DIC it would show "Powered by Tesla".

The present hybrid RAV4 probably sells in good numbers since it is the only hybrid CUV on sale now. Ford stopped selling the Escape Hybrid and the C-Max Hybrid/PHEV years ago but may bring the Escape back. GM is still holding back after producing a fleet of 2008 electric Chevy Equinox.

The RAV4 EV was produced in limited quantities only to satisfy some California ZEV quota. As far as I know, it was only sold there, and Toyota built the bare minimum just to fulfill the quota.

 

[jcanoe]

Toyota has not hit the 200k ceiling for plug-in vehicles because the vast majority of their hybrids have been non-plug in Prius vehicles. The original plug-in Prius was underwhelming in the market place. The latest Prius Prime is doing well. Fuel cell vehicles or other alternative fuel vehicles do not count towards the 200k ceiling.