Lexus: "Hybrids aren't just a transition technology"
Lexus big boss in Europe Andy Pfeiffenberger was interviewed by news agency Europa Press and discussed the future of the brand and his perspectives on the auto industry. First and foremost, Pfeiffenberger stated that hybrids are here to stay: they aren't just going to be mated to gasoline engines, they can be used for virtually all powertrains, including hydrogen, and he stated that that's where the future is. Speaking about the future of the auto market, he said that Lexus was ready for a more difficult market. CO2 regulations in Europe have placed the marque ahead of the competition, although sales have dropped by 11 percent. Last, but not least, he announced a new subcompact model to compete against the BMW 1-Series or the Audi A3, a segment where Lexus doesn't have a presence, currently. Just for fun, we checked out how the Lexus badge looks on an Auris, Toyota's subcompact hatchback on sale in Europe. Like it? Edited: Thanks to Joaquin for noticing the wrong link.
[Source: Europa Press]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Red 12:51PM (10/07/2008)
He's under the assumption that the future goes the way of hydrogen energy, etc. Nothing right now is guaranteed, but the one thing that pretty much is a guarantee is, hybrids, at least right now, are primarily transition technology.
Another case of Toyota/Lexus attempting to maintain relevancy and some spotlight while everyone looks toward the Volt, Tesla, etc.
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tankd0g 2:52PM (10/07/2008)
More like a dead end. The last modernization of the ICE.
Noz 6:55PM (10/07/2008)
I disagree...HYBRID means two technologies...it doesn't mean IC and battery.
The concept will be around for a LONG LONG time.
Alain 2:31PM (10/08/2008)
I dont see how the market could totally shift to the Volt or the Tesla or plug in vehicles, it would end up being a niche market segment. Only people with (preferably) closed car garages (perhaps open carports) would be able to use it effectively. I live in a Townhouse with numbered parking spaces outside, should I be running extension cords throughout my house and out my front door/window to charge my vehicle? Of course you could say we could charge it at work, but how would I get to work on say monday after driving it over the weekend? What happens to those who live in apartment buildings? will they be running thousands of feet of extension cords outside of their windows? You could argue that the persons who own and operate the apartment building could install plugs at parking spaces in for those who live in the apartments (or condo's) but this would only happen after plug in's become amazingly popular and amazingly cheap.
So lets just be serious, for the plug in hybrids will not become the norm not for a very very long time. They will be a great choice for those who live in single family homes, or for businesses purchasing a fleet of vehicles, but other then that I do not see a viability. Its great for marketing purposes But I really think Chevrolet needs to release a hybrid vehicle if it really wants to upright its ship after all the pomp and circumstance. As hybrids get cheaper to build you'll see small Toyota Auris hybrids parked outside of apartment buildings. Will you see that with plug ins?
PeterG 2:20PM (10/08/2008)
Uh most of us find the Volt and Tesla nothing more than curiosities. We don't buy $40K to $100k cars.
BoneHeadOtto 2:05PM (10/07/2008)
>>Another case of Toyota/Lexus attempting to maintain relevancy and some spotlight while everyone looks toward the Volt, Tesla, etc.
no Toyota just maintains realism. Toyota will complain that plugin hybrids are not ready for main stream then likely be first to the market with one. And yes hybrids are a transition technology but so is all technology. I think hybrids will have longer legs than anyone currently thinks. Hydrogen and full electrics are not jumping in to save the day just yet. In the mean time that award will go to the hybrids.
As for volt and tesla, Toyota has its pulse on the industry and the battery tech. They know when they can produce a reasonable profitable vehicle. But they are not going to talk big for years only to release a product they loose money on. Thats not the Toyota way.
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Red 3:04PM (10/07/2008)
You're right. The Toyota way would be to steal everybody's technology and sell millions of vehicles. *cough cough*
Ra Conteur 3:09PM (10/07/2008)
"Toyota just maintains realism. Toyota will complain that plugin hybrids are not ready for main stream then likely be first to the market with one."
Ummm. How does public deception qualify as realism???
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rojo.diablo 5:50PM (10/07/2008)
Funny how Toyota is sounding more and more like the stubborn, misinformed big three of old.
People don't want to pay for gas. Period.
Regardless, Red, I think you are exactly right. It's marketing, plain and simple. They have invested huge amounts of capital in their popular hybrid techs and need to keep them as relevant as possible while they work on a cost-efficient product to compete with the likes of the Volt and hopefully Chrysler's trio. With products promising zero or near-zero gas usage (for many commuters anyway) only a little more than a year away, who would bother buying a hybrid now?
My real question is: what kind of hybrid are we really talking about? Too few in the general public actually understand the difference between parallel and series, so the PR campaiging doesn't seem to properly differentiate.
Parallel hybrids are completely transitional and SHOULD NOT EXIST beyond the next five years. That doesn't mean the companies won't stubbornly continue producing them, but there is no actual need when a series PHEV will not only be easier to design but more fuel efficient as well.
As far as hydrogen is concerned, all of these execs still seem to think hydrogen is this great, automotive holy grail when the progress of 'simple' battery technology is handily outpacing anything the hydrogen proponents can bring out. I'm really beginning to wonder if even the H-spin isn't just more limelight bandwagoning since too many still see it as this near-mythical future tech like a flying car.
The air industry can have the hydrogen.
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stevejust 7:13PM (10/07/2008)
Nice work on the photoshop... before I read the blurb I am embarassed to admit that I thought the photo was supposed to be a preview of the mysterious Lexus dedicated hybrid car. The lack of turn-signals on the side mirrors should have been a dead give-away...
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Jruhi4 12:04PM (10/08/2008)
Xavier, you should fix that Europa Press link, which leads to a French-language article on Simone de Beauvoir that has nothing to do with Pfeiffenberger or Lexus.
Surely, this is the link you meant to post:
http://www.europapress.es/epsocial/rsc/noticia-lexus-considera-hibridos-son-tecnologia-largo-plazo-no-transicion-20081006162401.html
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