How valid industrial choices are made. The simple act of listening to the customers spending their own money and not someone elses.

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.

Toyota, which had already taken a more conservative view of the market for battery-powered cars than rivals General Motors Co and Nissan Motor Co, said it would only sell about 100 battery-powered eQ vehicles in the United States and Japan in an extremely limited release.

The automaker had announced plans to sell several thousand of the vehicles per year when it unveiled the eQ as an pure-electric variant of its iQ minicar in 2010.

"Two years later, there are many difficulties," Takeshi Uchiyamada, Toyota's vice chairman and the engineer who oversees vehicle development, told reporters on Monday.

By dropping plans for a second electric vehicle in its line-up, Toyota cast more doubt on an alternative to the combustion engine that has been both lauded for its oil-saving potential and criticized for its heavy reliance on government subsidies in key markets like the United States.

"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.

When you're risking your own money, you vote with your actions....

But But, It's the future...it does not matter if it works on not!


"Solar Trust of America: FAIL! - Filed Bankruptcy in Oakland, CA, April 3, 2012 – On April 2, 2012
Bright Source: FAIL! - Bright Source warned Obama’s Energy Department officials in March 2011 that delays in approving a $1.6 billion U.S. loan guarantee would embarrass the White House and force the solar-energy company to close. Lost Billions of dollars but Getting More Money To Keep Trying. Can you say, “This isnt working?”
Solyndra: FAIL! - Obama gave Solyndra $500,000,000 in taxpayer money and Solyndra shut its doors and laid off 1100 workers in August 2011 After Billions in Losses due to failure to make a solar product that works!
LSP Energy: FAIL! - LSPEnergy LP filed bankruptcy protection and a sale of its assets in Feb 2012
Energy Conversion Devices: FAIL! – On February 14, 2012 Energy Conversion Devices, Inc. and its subsidiaries filed for bankruptcy
Abound Solar: FAIL! - Abound Solar received a $400 million loan guarantee from Barack Obama announced in June, 2012 that it would file for bankruptcy
SunPower: FAIL! - SunPower stopped producing solar cells last year at near bankruptcy restructured only with help of, get this, oil giant TOTAL who owns 60% stake. Irony! Still struggling…
Beacon Power: FAIL! – Beacon Power Corp filed for bankruptcy Oct 2011 just a year after Obama approved $43 million loan Government loan guarantee

Ecotality: FAIL! - ECOtality, a San Francisco green-tech company that never earned any money on the verge of bankruptcy after receiving roughly $115 million in two loan guarantees from Obama
A123 Solar: FAIL! -A123 received $279 million from taxpayers thanks to President Obama’sDepartment of Energy loan guarantees and after Solyndra bankruptcy is getting another $500M from Obama and it has lost $400M
UniSolar: FAIL! - Uni-Solar filed for Ch 11 bankruptcy in June 20 this year laid off hundreds got more Obama money still failing but still in business
Azure Dynamics: FAIL! - Azure Dynamics files for bankruptcy in June wasting millions in Obama “Stimulus” and tax credits. Azure Dynamics LLC filed for bankruptcy protection in Canada and the US. Azure laid off 120 of its 160 employees in Oak Park; Boston; Vancouver, British Columbia; and the UK.
Evergreen Solar: FAIL! - Evergreen Solar received $527 Million in Taxpayer money from Obama filed bankruptcy
Ener1: FAIL! received more than $100 million in government funding from the Obama administration filed for bankruptcy January 2012"

Relax, the indians are coming out with the tiny car that runs on compressed air. Considering this technology doesn't feature any major consumable part (like the batteries on the electric cars) I'm willing to bet this is the future.

It's just a matter of getting enough gas stations provide refills with compressed air.

Originally Posted by Gerula

Relax, the indians are coming out with the tiny car that runs on compressed air. Considering this technology doesn't feature any major consumable part (like the batteries on the electric cars) I'm willing to bet this is the future.

It's just a matter of getting enough gas stations provide refills with compressed air.

It runs on farts?



I'm all in!

Dunno about this, it might come as an option

I am for government subsidies to develop alternative energy sources.
It's sad to see so many failures.

Originally Posted by Kenny Sharp

I am for government subsidies to develop alternative energy sources.
It's sad to see so many failures.

The State already subsides failure more than enough.

Originally Posted by Kenny Sharp

I am for government subsidies to develop alternative energy sources.
It's sad to see so many failures.

Hmmm.... "So many failures" .... "government subsidies" ... the parts are all there ... and yet the wrong conclusion is what they keep coming too.

I'll buy an electric car when I can go into O'Reilly Auto Parts and buy a replacement battery for under $1000.
That kind of cheap electrical energy storage would quickly upset the status quo on many levels so I won't be holding my breath.

Originally Posted by Kenny Sharp

I am for government subsidies to develop alternative energy sources.
It's sad to see so many failures.

So by your logic we should award bigger subsidiaries the bigger the failure?

I'll buy an electric car, when the unsubsidized consumer price is equivalent to that of an average sub-compact.

Originally Posted by AintQytRite

So by your logic we should award bigger subsidiaries the bigger the failure?

It's all for good cause ... "campaign donations".

Remember electric rc flying in the 90's?
What about now? around 70% of the rc market is electric.
We just need it the right rechnology to develop.
The same will happen with cars.
Yes, the future is hybrid/electric or some other new techonlogy, but is not going to be internal combustion engines.

Originally Posted by yucafrita

some other new techonlogy, but is not going to be inernal combustion engines.

Mabey it's not going to be that new.

Everything old is new again.

http://www.foxnews.com/tech/2012/09/...ke-that-rides/