Toyota 'electric Only' Scrapped, Japanese Plugin Sales Very Lo

[cootuk]

http://mobile.reuters.com/article/idUSBRE88N0CT20120924?irpc=932

"TOKYO (Reuters) - Toyota Motor Corp has scrapped plans for widespread sales of a new all-electric minicar, saying it had misread the market and the ability of still-emerging Battery technology to meet consumer demands...

..."The current capabilities of electric vehicles do not meet society's needs, whether it may be the distance the cars can run, or the costs, or how it takes a long time to charge," said, Uchiyamada, who spearheaded Toyota's development of the Prius hybrid in the 1990s.

Toyota said it was putting its emphasis on that technology, an area in which it is the established leader. Toyota said on Monday it expected to have 21 hybrid gas-electric models like the Prius in its line-up by 2015...

FAR FROM TARGET

...Toyota is also far from its plug-in hybrid sales target. The automaker planned to sell between 35,000 and 40,000 Prius plug-in hybrids in 2012 in Japan. So far it has sold only 8,400, or about 20 percent of its target...

"We believe that there is social demand for the plug-in hybrid, but our efforts to let the customers know what it is have not been enough," Uchiyamada said..."

Snippets from the release.

[kithmo]

The technology for pure electric cars isn't ready yet and they are way too expensive. 8+ hour charge and less than 100 mile range is not what most people want. When they come down to similar prices as conventional ICE cars and they shorten the charge and double the range, they will sell in droves and I'll buy one.

IMO the main reason the Prius plug-in has not sold, is the measly 12 mile EV only range, not worth the extra money to me. It will be interesting to see if Toyota reduce the price of the plug-in now it's not selling and even more interesting to see what the price will be after the government grant runs out.

[Bibsy]

Don't forget Tesla's new solar powered charging stations that can charge (a Tesla) in 30 minutes, giving 180 miles at 60mph. And the charging is free.

Not exactly mainstream, and all in California at the moment, but they plan to roll it out worldwide, and of course it might act as spur to development for other manufacturers and prices will drop.

Launched a couple of days ago.

http://www.theregister.co.uk/2012/09/26/tesla_supercharger_network/

[Madasafish]

Don't forget Tesla's new solar powered charging stations that can charge (a Tesla) in 30 minutes, giving 180 miles at 60mph. And the charging is free.

Not exactly mainstream, and all in California at the moment, but they plan to roll it out worldwide, and of course it might act as spur to development for other manufacturers and prices will drop.

And shortens Battery life...

[wass]

People have seen the development of the mobile telephone go from something which weighed 20kg complete with batteryo something which gets lost in a small ladies handbag. Maybe the majority of people are unwilling to buy anything which has less effective range between refuels than their conventional petrol powered car.

If a Battery will charge in 8 hours AND then be capable of providing 8 hours travel at reasonable speeds , then I would imagine people being very interested. Currently, cars travelling on batteries are running for around an hour on a recharge...... rather like having to fill your car with fuel every 60 miles. ( and it takes ages to refuel too)

[johalareewi]

There would appear to be some fast charge electric buses in California.

Full charge in 10 minutes.

http://www.veoliatransportation.com/featured-stories/ecoliner-electric-bus

[pmf]

For me the issue and failure of the plug in to thrive as well as expected is the price. It seems a sensible progression from the standard hybrid to the plug in to increase Battery range particulary when recharging is available. However the price difference really doesn't make ecomomic sense for the majority of people. The plug in should have been a replacement at a like for like price. The current hybrid premium on the price is already enough to put most people off switching to a hybrid. The technology is now over 10 years old in mass production but we haven't really seen prices come down in relation to petrol/diesel cars as I would have expected.

[cuius]

While it's not easy to compare prices due to different trim designations, the "premium" for hybrid in the new Yaris is not high - Yaris Trend 1.33 auto £15,395 - Yaris T4 HSD £15,895. Savings in road tax, fuel and BIK for company car drivers would get that premium back in the first year

[Madasafish]

I would imagine Toyota sold the first 3-4 years' Prius output at a loss and moved into profit as cost reduced.