Toyota to sell batteries to other automakers
Click above for a gallery of the Toyota FT-EV concept
Part of Tesla Motors' ongoing business plan involves selling complete lithium ion battery packs to other auto manufacturers. The most recent example of this strategy was just announced at the Detroit Auto Show, with Tesla supplying packs to Daimler for its smart ed. Daimler, for its part, also wants to sell battery packs to its competitors. Joining these two manufacturers may soon be Toyota, as Executive Vice President Masatami Takimoto has said in an interview that the Japanese giant would like to produce packs for its rivals. Since Toyota has such a large investment into batteries for its current and future range of hybrids, plug-ins and fully electric vehicles, it only makes sense to capotalize on all forms of incoming profit. Toyota owns 60 percent of a joint venture with Panasonic to produce lithium ion batteries specifically for use in electric vehicles, and the JV already sells nickel metal hydride packs to some automakers.
Gallery: 2009 Toyota FT-EV Concept
[Source: Bloomberg]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Doug 6:42PM (1/14/2009)
With everyone getting in the battery business, I wonder if they'll be willing to sell to the homebrew EV crowd.
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LaughingTooHard 8:20AM (1/15/2009)
Let's look at the current version of the battery pack: The Internal Combustion Engine.
A quick search shows of "(make) crate engine)" yields many people selling rebuilt crate engines but these are the makes that do it new blocks and directly:
http://www.gmperformanceparts.com
http://www.fordracingparts.com
http://www.mopar.com/
I did try and could not find a factory direct source for Honda, Toyota, Nissan, BMW, M-B, Audi or VW.
Someone people correct me if I am wrong, but I think one day you'll be able to buy the whole E-Flex platform from GM but not the Synergy Drive platform from Toyota.
That business philosophy should be the same for batteries, you'll should be able to buy Flex batteries but I wouldn't bet on Synergy Drive packs.
Not sure why they wouldn't but I am biasing that on current thinking of the companies.
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Serge 10:48AM (1/15/2009)
Interesting change of tone for Toyota. First, they were dismissing PHEVs as a fad, claiming HSD is it. Now, they are going all out on BEVs and electric-only power-train. What's, next? I'll bet some money on Honda releasing a BEV or PHEV version of FCX Clarity in 2010.
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