Surprise! Toyota will bring a battery-powered concept vehicle to NAIAS
by Sebastian Blanco on Dec 22nd 2008 at 12:29PM 
Click for a gallery of the 2010 Prius
Turns out there will be at least one more surprise in store at Cobo Hall. Here's what we now know about the vehicles that Toyota is bringing to the Detroit Auto Show next month:
- the 2010 Prius
- a brand new battery electric vehicle
I wish we could tell you more about that BEV, but the entirety of the press release is as follows (it's so short there's no need to throw it after the jump):
TORRANCE, Calif., Dec. 22 -- Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A., Inc. will display a battery electric vehicle concept at the 2009 North American International Auto Show. This display marks the world debut of this concept vehicle.
I'm pretty sure this is what they call a tease. This could be something along the lines of a Nissan Pivo or maybe an NEV or maybe even a true highway-speed electric car. Got any ideas?
[Source: Toyota]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
meme 12:53PM (12/22/2008)
Wouldn't it be this?
http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601101&sid=akRq_GCaGMRE&refer=japan
http://www.businessweek.com/globalbiz/content/aug2008/gb20080828_357593.htm?chan=top+news_top+news+index_news+%2B+analysis
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oollyoumn 1:29PM (12/22/2008)
More details would be great, but this is still better that reading who will make the wheels for the Volt, which won't be in showrooms until January 2011 or later.
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Randy C. 1:46PM (12/22/2008)
Green washing! Toyota has stated in the past that they support Hydrogen Fuel Cell (HFC) technology. So it is unlikely they will make a BEV Prius. This is in spite of the fact they made a very successful BEV the RAV-EV that Toyota insists doesn't work or exist.
Toyota may be feeling the heat from GM's Volt. But at this time Toyota can buy GM for pennies on the dollar and own the Volt anyway.
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Epyx 3:58PM (12/22/2008)
Or just watch them disappear. I really don't think Toyota wants to buy into GMs problems just to get the Volt tech.
jpm 5:06PM (12/22/2008)
GM's volt is officially doomed when this and the PHEV prius goes on sale.
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kert 5:13PM (12/22/2008)
Um, i think Volt is pretty much "meh" product anyway, with BYD and others bringing PHEVs out at way lower price points, plus all the city commuter BEVs coming out by the likes of Subaru, Mitsubishi, Pininfarina, Optimal etc etc.
Bill 5:16PM (12/22/2008)
Unless battery packs get a lot cheaper in a hurry none of these will be attractive in our land of $1.50/gallon gasoline.
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Stan Wellaway 7:06PM (12/22/2008)
Pretty soon it'll be easier to list the mainstream carmakers who are NOT bringing a battery electric vehicle to market. Year 2010 seems to be when the frontrunners line up on the starting grid alongside each other. Bring it on!
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CelticSolar 12:53AM (12/23/2008)
I assumed it would be the 1/X but that debuted last year. Talk (and concepts) are cheap. I want a real EV on the dealer lot.
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Miles Finucci 12:46PM (12/24/2008)
Variety reported today that, in another of a series of appalling career moves, Mickey Rourke turned down the role of Father Brendan Flynn in the movie "Doubt." The role was then given to Philip Seymour Hoffman who co-stars with Meryl Streep. The movie, set in 1964, does not feature hybrid vehicles, although Toyota did offer to provide a Prius as a product placement, but director John Patrick Shanley refused.
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Erik Levin 6:31PM (12/25/2008)
The GM's Volt is just a smoke screen to take the heat off after the EV-1 fiasco became public in "Who Killed The Electric Car" documentary.
I doubt it will ever be built with no prototype and no production date they will be one of the last car companies to bring a hybrid out if they ever get that far and by that stage I would think all other are bringing out plug-in battery electric vehicles so without a serious miracle the volt is doomed.
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Martin 9:04AM (12/26/2008)
You're an idiot, plain and simple.