Chevy Volt slaps Toyota into action, competing plug-in hybrid planned
The Chevy Volt has enjoyed a fair amount of buzz the last several months, which must sting for Toyota who previously was the king of green cars with the release of its updated Prius line. Though the Chevy Volt won’t roll off the production line until the end of 2010, Toyota is jumping in with a vengeance, it just announced plans to produce its own plug-in hybrid also by 2010.
Walking in the same footsteps as GM with the Chevy Volt, Toyota also plans to utilize lithium-ion battery technology and will be partnering with Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., the company who creates Panasonic products, to manufacture the batteries. That’s according to the Associated Press.
To top it off, Toyota plans to jump ahead, “it’s setting up a battery research department later this month to develop an innovative battery that can outperform even that lithium-ion battery.”
Toyota’s President, Katsuaki Watanabe, indicated that a breakthrough in technology was critical in allowing further expansion of the automobile market, he said “without focusing on measures to address global warming and energy issues, there can be no future for our auto business.”
This is a rapid shift for Toyota, who until very recently has shrugged off plug-in hybrid technology like the Chevy Volt as a bad strategic direction.
Granted, there are a great many other sources for fuel, but plug-in hybrids represent and immediate and actionable solution. Obviously Toyota now agrees.
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June 12th, 2008
“Toyota is jumping in with a vengeance, it just announced plans to produce its own plug-in hybrid also by 2010.”
- Actually, this is what they have been saying for months. The press misinterpreted this press release from Tokyo dated June 11. Toyota still plans of offering “fleet” plugs-ins to “select test markets” (about 300 cars total) in 2010, but no plans to release to consumers (you and me) until 2012. They are still, far behind GM.