Toyota to Unveil Battery Electric Vehicle Concept At 2009 Detroit Auto Show
22 December 2008
Toyota Motor Sales, USA issued a short statement today saying that it will display a battery electric vehicle concept at the 2009 North American International Auto Show in Detroit next month. This display marks the world debut of this concept vehicle.
Toyota’s recent battery electric vehicle efforts have included the RAV4-EV compact SUV, as well as the Toyota e-com, a two-seater urban commuter car. Both used NiMH battery packs.
In a presentation on Toyota’s initiatives for sustainable mobility in October, Masatami Takimoto, Executive Vice President, said that, given issues of cruising range, cost, charging time and lack of a dedicated charging infrastructure, battery electric vehicles are currently likely to be used as compact commuter vehicles.
Takimoto also said that Toyota is accelerating R&D of a new generation of EVs, looking toward the early 2010s.
Rumor has it that they dug up an EV1 and copied all its secrets, and that they are bringing this vehicle in at under $15,000.
They use low cost Chinese brush type DC motors and carbon block power regulators.
The low cost lead acid batteries are also from China and cycle life is no problem as they will include (forged) Checker Auto life time guarantees.
Posted by: ToppaTom | 22 December 2008 at 07:11 PM
I am not sure about all these EV stuff...Do we even have enough lithium for all EVs to be made? i meant we want to go electric because oil is finite resource but isn't lithium finite as well? and what would happen to all the batteries being used? and enviroments that would be destroyed for digging up lithium? and CO2 emission from battery factories? i don't really think EV is great for enviroment. I think biofuel is better choice because it is infinite and CO2 nuetral...
Posted by: Sean Lee | 23 December 2008 at 12:31 AM
Yeah. What he said.
Posted by: Reel$$ | 23 December 2008 at 10:22 AM