The Volt is GM's effort to leapfrog the Prius, and ever since this site began, Toyota has publicly remained very conservative about plans to produce plug-in cars.

Previously they have only openly committed to produce about 500 plug-in Priuses for global fleet testing by the end of this year.

According to the Japanese newspaper Nikkei, that's all about to change.

Toyota has now committed to mass producing plug-in hybrid cars in 2012. These cars will apparently be plug-in hybrids, not pure electrics or EREVs. The company intends to produce from 20,000 to 30,000 in the first year. They are expected to be able to drive from 12.4 to 18.6 miles on battery power alone. Of course like most plug-in hybrid designs, the gas engine could operate even within that range when needed for power.

Toyota has already well-established a joint venture with Panasonic for the production of lithium-ion batteries to power these cars.

Toyota is also said to want to price the car similarly to the Mitubishi i MiEV 100 mile range pure electric car which has already gone on sale in Japan. That vehicle costs $47,800 before subsidies.

Thus Toyota has now joined the growing list of automakers hoping to mass produce electric cars. Though the EREV design of the Chevy Volt may be the most logical, there will clearly be some very significant competition of all types in a few short years.

And so it is clear on this Independence Day that this country's freedom from oil may fast become a reality.  Happy 4th of July to all.

Source ( Reuters )

 

Bring it on! By 2012 there should be a decent amount of choices, EREV vs. plug ins. 18 miles AER won't do it for me, even the 40'ish AER for the Volt could be improved, but there is always room for competition. What is it, 10% or 20% of american commuters drive less than 15 miles a day? Whatever the percentage, the less expensive Toyota plug in could work well for them.

 

I hope only Ford can survive and prosper, because they didn't get bailout like the other Loser Two

 

This is all good news. The more auto companies that start thinking "electric is the selling point" regardless of their implementation is a move in the right direction.

 

I completely agree, ziv! ....And one of those choices will hopefully be based on the newest vehicle GM has introduced since the reorganization started, the 2010 Chevy Equinox crossover with the small 2-mode drive, a large lithium battery and a PLUG! (Most of the design & testing has already been done on the virtually-identical Saturn Vue Plug-in.)

 

Well, at least not yet.

I would be very surprised if Ford is not standing, hat in hand, at the taxpayer trough, in the very near future. How can they compete with other car makers who have received large infusions of cash and has the govt backing them to succeed.

While I am impressed the Ford has held out this long, I am not confident they can continue w/o some sort of Govt assistance to balance the equation.

JMHO, of course! Have a Happy 4th!

 

Not yet, I fear is the correct thing to say. Do hope I am wrong!!!

 

"Whatever the percentage, the less expensive Toyota plug in could work well for them"

What makes you think it will be less expensive?

The last I seen Toy was looking ar 42K for the plug in

 

Anything that relives us from our dependence on oil is a good thing.
Go Toyota! Go Volt! Go Lyle! Have a Happy Fourth.

/the stone age did not end for the lack of stones

 

It may not be that important a point, but that plug-in Toyota in the picture above is kinda goofy lookin.

Especially when compared to the Volt.

 

I'm a "VOLT" man !

 

Actually I was hoping to see a Lyle test drive of the newest Volt mule today. Maybe later.

Also I know that they are for different markets, however I think it would be interesting to see a head to head comparison of the Volt to the Camaro, carbon footprint and all. Would a Volt that used electricity powered by coal(or other sources) have a lesser carbon footprint than a Camaro? How about a the cost of the carbon reduction? Or if I drove a Camaro how many carbon offsets would I have to buy to equal the green footprint of the Volt?

/Anyway I was hoping to see red white and blue Volts today. Maybe next year.

 

Ford must file BK. There is no way that Ford can afford to continue to build cars when the other two now have a much lower labor cost. Ford will not be able to compete with these two. Do you think the UAW is going to give in to Ford's request to lower their labor costs, just because GM and Chrysler had to break the UAW strangle hold? Also as of last month Ford taped its last 10 billion in loans. Ford is still not showing a profit and is not expected to until early next year. Ford can not survive that long and it would not be in Ford's best interest to try and do so. All Ford has done by claiming they are not using government funding is to extend their death at the hands of the UAW. This will occur especially if GM and Chrysler come out of BK quickly, which appears to be what is happening. GM and Chrysler will be able to produce vehicles much cheaper than Ford can. Ford, like GM has greatly improved their quality, but it won't carry them through this.

 

Great article Lyle, have a very happy independence day!!!

 

nasaman,
let me be sure I have this straight. There will be a 2010 Chevy Equinox PLUG-IN? 2010? Really? When will this vehicle be for sale?

 

Why would I buy a car that needs to be plugged in for only 12 to 16 miles of 30mph or less speed of travel? That just doesn't make sense to me. Bring on the Volt please. I think Toyota is seeing the effect that GM saw when the Prius was introduced - Oh no, we're falling behind what the public wants!

It is said the Volt is a game changer, and the effects are starting to show. Though I'm disappointed in the government bail out and that GM now stands for Government Motors, I'm happy to see GM did have it right with the Volt, they were just late getting into the game.

With proper marketing the Volt will be a complete success.

 

Sure would love to see a plug-in or Voltec based Chevy crossover !!!!!

 

Nice to see Toyota commiting to the Plug-in movement. I don't be-grudge Toyota for doing this. As said on this site many times before, for every plug-in car that comes to the market, also comes a validation of the technology in general. When the rubber finally hits the road, we'll be able to see for sure how the differing approaches compare to one another. The plug-in Prius should be a formidable competitor to the Volt, although I still think the EREV is the better of the two differing schools of thought.

Goes without saying I guess, but I'll say it anyway....GM needs to keep on its toes, and figure the Voltec platform for multiple vehicles.

 

Lyle said Though the EREV design of the Chevy Volt may be the most logical, there will clearly be some very significant competition of all types in a few short years.
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Amazing things pushed forward by Bob Lutz, Wagoner, GM, the Volt design team, Lyle and rag-tag bloggers --- not a particularly unified or beautiful combination, but making amazing things happening.

 

Todd, it's my understanding that the Prius is being opened up to go faster in the all-electric mode.
I agree thought that that range is meager and not much of a selling point.
Be well,
Tagamet

HAPPY INDEPENDENCE DAY and thanks to all the people who gave so much to protect our Freedom. No Vets, No Freedom

 

20,000 to 30,000 Plug-in Priuses in 2012, whereas our expectation is 60,000 Volts in 2012. Since the prototype test vehicles, using two NiMH batteries had a range of 7-8 miles, it looks like the Prius will indeed sport a lithium battery with an initial capacity of 6 or so kWh, and a SOC use window of about 4 kWh.

I could make no sense of the cost numbers, since the $47,000 number was (1) before government incentives and (2) only "comparable." Since we could compare apples to oranges, that leaves us pretty close to nowhere on expected price. If the cost of the battery is $1000 per kWh, then the price premium would be at least $5000 over the $22,000 non plug in 2010 Prius. Still, with a USA government incentive of $3000, it looks pretty good for those whose daily commute runs 10 to 20 miles.

 

Sorry, RB, after it could no longer be edited I re-read my comment above & realized it could be misleading. The key phrase was, "hopefully be based on ..... the 2010 Chevy Equinox". IOW, because the new Equinox is essentially identical to the 2009 Saturn Vue, which went thru extensive testing as a PLUG-IN 2-mode hybrid, I'm hopeful the new Equinox will offer that same drive train (because the resulting crossover CUV should be able to tow 3,500 lbs, haul a family of 5 & lots of stuff while still achieving about 75 mpg)

 

Competition is the name of the game however, this should not be the issue with GM for they should be keeping their goal(s) in sight and keep progressing with their VOTEC concept. Others are going to smell profit and want a piece of the action. I still see the VOLT as being the best looking with best EV Techology and of course, I am just partial for success for an auto company that represented the best in this country to me for so many years. Hopefully GM can rise to that level again and not be so concerned about the Toyotas of the world.

Toyota is in deed an important company in our "World Auto Industry" with global infusion of products as much as GM is in Asia but, I would like to see GM be the US Flag Auto Industry and the VOLT being the US Flag EV.

 

Are you serious?! 18 miles AER and it costs more than a Volt? I thought the plug in Prius would cost $30,000 or less.
On the EREV development, I think Nasaman is right on the money, build a Compact SUV next, GM could sell 10,000 the first month. It might require an 18-19 kWh battery pack to hit the sweetspot, i.e. nearly 40 miles AER, but CUV's are expensive and the EREV price premium would be less noticeable than the comparison of Toyota's existing eco-friendly champion and the Volt.
Ford has a real winner in the Ford Fusion Hybrid, but it is around $4000 more than a Prius, so it is not getting the attention it deserves. I would love to see Ford build the 2011 FFH with a larger LiIon battery and expand its all electric capability, which could in turn increase its combined EPA mileage. People want to save money by using less gasoline, so having to spend an extra $4000 to do so makes the decision that much more difficult. Which is why GM really needs to work on reducing the price of the Volt...

 

I do not know but do wonder just how well the Japanese do at exporting their cars to China and Korea. I would not be surprised if those countries get a bit upset at the multi tiered import system that Japan has that makes imports so very expensive.

If anybody knows I would appreciate a reply.