Why Toyota is not selling electric cars

So rather than address any of those lessons learned, the choice was to try a new pivot.

No worries. That's what I've come to expect when a narrative gets questioned.

 

I agree. The people at Toyota are no dummies. They know how to make quality cars, and they know how to make money doing it. In the end, Toyota may end up owning Tesla.

 

And done...

 

Radio Shack???? Battery of the month club. Every assembly line worker paid to go to the store and get their free battery: Poof! An electric car.

 

And the cost of fossil fuel is cheap, cheap, cheap! As is evidenced by the fact that the vast majority of the electrons used by BEVs are produced by burning fossil fuel.

 

The cognitive dissonance is strong in this one.

 

That’s not impossible, although I suspect that Daimler is more likely.

 

Yeah, a better match for quality/fit and finish for sure.

 

Currently, in the US at least.

 

Toyota’s strategy is ... very Toyota: It’s “fine,” not adventurous, and totally Kaizen. And not surprising (although I think their planning for HFC in day-to-day passenger-car usage is pretty unrealistic). There is a high-end market they’re missing, though. If they don’t want to go after that market, that’s their prerogative...

 

I mostly agree, but Musk already has the rich folk covered. I still think Toyota is waiting for "the horse to be put in front of the cart" so they can make the volume money off regular folks. Remember now, the hybrid Prius was/is not a use restricted vehicle...and it still took time to be accepted by the masses. Let someone else pay for it this time. For now, Toyota still makes the best TCOs out there.

 

That doesn't appear to be the case: 2019 5-Year Cost to Own Awards | Kelley Blue Book
Lexus made more appearances than Toyota.
The Prius-C did take it's category for 2019.
Subaru too the prize for best TCO brand.

 

In as many years, I have purchased or assisted with the purchase of a 2010 Prius, 2 ea. 2012 RAV4's, a 2014 Corolla, a 2015 Prius, a 2017 Rav4 HV and a 2018 Tacoma...and for each year, Toyota beat anything else I was looking at in said categories to date, long term. This old man has been turning wrenches more than long enough to know what to put the Wife, Kids, self and both Mothers in.

...and I have never used "Blue Book" opinions or projections...especially on "New" cars.

Don't worry Zythryn, Tesla still does the best BEVs...for now.

 

Where can one get a coal burning car these days? There are homes still burning it for heating. There is convenience is getting home and car fuel from one source.

In terms of efficiency, a plug in makes better use of those fossil fuels than a combustion powered car.

They had already owned them. Toyota opted to sell their Tesla shares when the partnership ended.

They still own some of their Tesla shares from their partnership.(Like the Rav4 EV, the B-cell was made with help from Tesla)

Toyota waiting for BEVs to be affordable is a reasonable excuse for not having a BEV, but there is a hitch in it.

They have made, are making now, and bringing back; the Supra, MR2, FJ Cruiser, and some power Lexus hybrids in the price range of the Model S. These aren't daily driver appliances. These are cars that are viewed as 'fun', and their value to the brand is more in generating press and getting people into the dealerships than in their actual sales. The and LC and LS are also showcases for Toyota's new RWD hybrid system. They may not be seen as fun, but the Mirai and Prius can go that list for their technology.

 

I am happy you have had such good luck with Toyota vehicles. They are great cars, just not objectively matching your claim of the lowest TCO today.
And I am worried, simply because of your view that Tesla makes the best BEVs. I feel other companies could do much better, but aren't.
But until they do, Tesla will have our family's business.

 

I'll not be the first on my block to own any Chinese made car.

Similar to the E85 capable cars. Tax break to the manufacturer for building them and the tax break doesn't depend on them using E85 since they can run on E-10. The majority will never see a drop of E85 other than the upper mid-west. There are zero E-85 stations in , MT, DE, CT, RI, VT, NH and Maine, only 7 in MA, 2 in NJ, 1 in UT. And those that do run E85 will use substantially more fuel per mile driven and unless the price of E85 is substantially less than E10, cost more per mile as well.
E85 vs. Gasoline Comparison Test | Edmunds

Confused. Daimler owning Telsa? Toyota owning Daimler? Guess I don't have the background knowledge to understand this.

And it is still not accepted by a lot of people. Not a truck, not an SUV or Crossover, not interested. Or rhe long held belief from the early days that they are slow, incapable (by people who have never driven one). If other makers follow Ford dumping everything that isn't one of the above mentioned platforms (other than the Mustang), Toyota and others who still sell cars will get even more sales since there won't be as much competition.


I didn't realize the Tesla 3 wasn't a hatchback like the S. That would make it a 'no sale' for me at pretty much any price.

 

I think Toyota believes that 2019/2020 is the time to really push their hybrid technology into the mainstream after investing billions on it. With a 50mpg Camry, a 50 mpg Corolla, a 39mpg RAV4 and the UX250h they have the strongest HEV lineup ever in North America, not even counting the Prius. In Europe, they have the hybrid CHR and Auris and half of Toyota sales are hybrids, as diesel sales fall off. Their new hybrids compromise nothing in performance or practicality and come with the reliability and low TCO Toyota buyers expect. Battery and fuel cell technologies are still evolving rapidly. Once they are ready for cars that can truly compete with conventional cars, Toyota will be ready with products. For now, it's pedal to the metal on hybrids.

 

Somebody suggested that Toyota could end up buying Tesla. I replied that that’s possible, but I bet Daimler buying Tesla is probably more likely.