<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(galaxee @ Mar 18 2007, 01:04 AM) [snapback]407747[/snapback]</div> So then, it's horrible journalism is what you're saying, and the article was never pulled? If so, that's considerably messed up.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Onyx Dragon @ Mar 18 2007, 03:19 AM) [snapback]407752[/snapback]</div> Hi Onyx, In the USA people have freedom of speech. Even if that speech is wrong, misleading, and/or motivated by hidden agendas. Just ask Rush.
Hmm...so Ghosn changed his standpoint from Hybrids not being profitable to being low profit? Interesting. What most people don't understand is that these giant coorperations have MBA's and execs sitting in rooms planning 5-10 years ahead. Obviously, Toyota's push for Hybrid technology will hurt their bottom line. But here's what it's doing: 1) Being introduced in a phased manner i.e. Prius is a relatively small selling model, only <10% of Camry's are Hybrids etc. etc. This allows them to continue making massive profits on their existing conventional models while allowing economies of scale to gradually develop for the Hybrids, thereby minimizing impacts to their profits. 2) Have a pilot vehicle for future technologies i.e. The Prius. Sell it to the willing and develop maintstream vehicles like Camry and Highlander based on technologies that have been scaled and tested thanks to the pilot. 3) Gradually penetrate the minds of the masses, using the intellectual first (that's us folks) and then the unaware. 4) Eventually, when your economies have kicked in, make the switch to an alternative fuel source, while the competition are either trying to keep up with their own Hybrid technologies OR worse still, trying to launch both i.e. an alternative fuel source AND an electric powertrain + storage at a considerable expense. These points are definately a part of Toyota's business model.
For one thing, the batteries don't magically die at 100,000.00 miles. It's like saying "what are you gonna do with your automatic transmission when it dies at 100,000 miles" Toyota has a battery recycling plant. Most people haven't heard of it cause.. well it isn't exactly in full operation. Why? Well there aren't exactly many batteries to recycle yet cause they're all still running fine. Those that needed battery replacements were well over 200,000k and were running on the OLD battery from the last generation Prius. (Not bad for 2001 technology)
Well, I have to agree with Onyx Dragon. Those pics definately do not represent well for a company or a vehicle whose main reason for being is that it is "green" and "environmentally responsible". Maybe a better term for hybrids is "they're not as bad they could be", or "Hey, they're not perfect, but at least they show some potential". I just can't stand to see them misrepresented as the cure-all for the environment. They are a compromise, and the destructive aspects of such vehicles are simply juggled around.
The problem is that it's not Toyota's plant. It's a plant that has been in operation for a century. The area was already completely trashed by the 60's. It produces over 100K tonnes of nickel every year. Toyota buys about 1000 tonnes per year from this facility. Nickel is used in stainless steel production, as well as a million other things so to pin this on Toyota, or any one particular company, is really pretty absurd. Who ever said the Prius was a cure-all? The Prius is the best production vehicle on the road today (still in production, that is) in terms of environmental foot-print. That's because the other options are worse, not because the Prius is a cure-all.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(FarmTruk @ Mar 18 2007, 04:19 PM) [snapback]407993[/snapback]</div> If the nickle in your money came from this mine would you stop using it? What do you think the mines that sell metal to the US Treasury Dept. look like?
FarmTruck Are you the same person as Onyx Dragon or good friends? You both became members at about the same time, have locations in the same part of the country (I am sure someone in Virginia knows enough N.C. geography to make up another location or vice versa) and you have only posted to support Onyx Dragon's outrageous rehash of the same slander that we know all too much about. I and others here probably know all too well the way that trolls operate... Anyways, nice pics about your farm trucks on your link....
