Toyota VP: we'll sell nothing but hybrids by 2020
Hmmm, now I'm curious. According to the International Herald Tribune, Masatami Takimoto, Toyota's executive vice president in charge of powertrain development, said that he expected hybrids will power "100 percent" of Toyota's vehicles by 2020. Now, technically, a hybrid can be a lot of things, but in the IHT article, the word "hybrid" is used in the common gasoline-electric hybrid sense. The quote comes in the context of an article about how hybrids are becoming more and more profitable for Toyota.So, either the IHT is being unclear or Takimoto knows something we don't know (ahem, hydrogen) and a lot of news we've reported recently is all wrong (see: Toyota's diesel hybrid or ultra-clean diesel). It's probably a bit of hyperbole on Takimoto's part, but it's still a strange thing to say, considering all the alternative-fuel research going on.
[Source: International Herald Tribune via HybridCars]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Mike 10:36AM (5/11/2007)
I think Toyota's executive vice president Masatami Takimoto is extremely premature to talk about Hybrid being 100% of sales by 2020.
The fascination with hybrids and the ooo la las of Hydrogen is ok, but lets get back down to earth.
The futur and destiny is already set for Plug-in Battery Electric Vehicles (Bev) and if automakers such as Toyota dont start to distance themselves with the American Republican's pro-hydrogen or the oil industry's policy of anti-(BEV), perhaps one day soon, they will all wake up and find there are new strong competitors in the market supplying to the demand of the consumers who expect (BEV) cars.
Who knows, perhaps by 2020, Toyota might not exist or might be bought out by one of the new (BEV) competitiors.
Reply
TG 11:13AM (5/11/2007)
Yes indeed Mike.
I suggest that Toyota forecast is really just their wish to keep selling the ice products with extra battery pack.
When drivers everywhere learn that freedom from gas pump abuse is possible and that hybrids are just as dead in the driveway as any gas guzzeler when the sign, ** Sorry No Gas Today ** sign goes up, they will opt for the BEV in droves. = TG
Reply
JoSCh 11:35AM (5/11/2007)
Well, what the linked article said was "By 2020, Takimoto said he expected hybrids to become the standard drivetrain and account for "100 percent" of Toyota's vehicles." so the headline was misleading.
Also, I'm just guessing, but it's possible that something was lost in translation, since I doubt english is Mr. Takimoto's first language, and the linked article was definitely published in english.
I would imagine what he meant was that 100% of Toyotas will be fueled by something other than 100%petroleum based gasoline.
That or it's a giant C-O-N-spiracy by Toyota against the west. Probably that... again. Pran D round-eye!
Reply
Matt 1:39PM (5/11/2007)
Can't we get over the "hybrid hype"? Unless fuel economy is dramatically improved - it doesn't matter if the car is a hybrid or not. A fleet of hybrid Hummers (or Tundra Crew Max's) doesn't mean much. The Geo Metro got 50+ mpg a decade ago...
Reply
Bob R. 2:56PM (5/11/2007)
Matt -
Regarding hybrid "hype"... what makes some hybrid models so popular today, compared to the Geo Metro you mention, is the following:
1. Hybrids can achieve the same real-world fuel economy as a Geo Metro but in a much larger car. (The Prius is classed as a mid-size, nearly as big as a Camry, for example.)
2. Hybrids get their fuel economy as an "automatic"... the US market is dominated by automatic transmissions and most hybrids are CVT, making the transition easy for a wide segment of the car buying public.
3. Hybrids can match or out-accelerate most of the similarly-sized conventional cars touted as high-MPG. A Prius can beat a Geo metro in most performance measures.
Just to be clear: I'm not dissing people whose needs are served well by a small stick-shift high-MPG car. Not everything must be a hybrid. But there's way more to hybrids than just "hype".
- Bob R.
Reply
TG 9:20PM (5/11/2007)
Bob R.
How do you *hype* an hybrid out of your driveway when the gas pumps bear the sign...
** Sorry, No Gas Today**,
I humbly ask in a most respectful and good-natured way? = TG
Reply
Benson Leung 1:00PM (5/14/2007)
TG : PHEV, that's how.
Reply
TG 2:49PM (5/12/2007)
Nice try Benson,
But you can not drive a hybrid without gas in the tank... major damage. = TG
Reply
Tim Russell 2:59PM (5/12/2007)
TG, while a BEV with enough range will fit many peoples daily needs a PHEV with a drive system like the Volt concept would be a better choice for many. That being a hybrid that is a BEV but gets around the limited range problem by having an onboard generator. That could be a gas, diesel or ethonol ICE or a fuel cell. A BEV only car means you have to rent or own another vehicle to take a trip outside your range. I can see room for BEV and PHEV, the research into better batteries serve to improve both and both reduce the use of fuel.
Reply
josh 7:50AM (5/15/2007)
Seems Mr. Masaka Tackifuckys' job is dependant on hybrids. But German carmakers will proof him wrong.
Reply