Comments on: Japanese government funded Toyota Prius?

By: Ally Hagu

Ally Hagu — Wed, 02 Sep 2009 04:16:03 +0000

The Japs conquered the car markets very systematically, picking, in about 1971, Switzerland as test terrain for Europe.
The Prius is an accident! Toyota was preparing for stricter fuel standards in Cailfornia. By the time the car came out, fuel standards had been relaxed again, due to the oil lobby in Wash. DC.
We do need to reduce the fumes in the cities and the noise plus of course spend less Dollars in the Middle East. So the Prius makes sense, but I am not sure if I can afford one.

By: electromechanicAl

electromechanicAl — Wed, 25 Jun 2008 21:56:43 +0000

Please,
The U.S. Government buys big cars and big trucks. They all require factories and assembly lines. Does the DNR in anyone’s state in the U.S. drive fleets of Chevy S-10 trucks? NO they drive 1/2 to full ton pickups and big utility vehicles. When is the last time you saw a politician get out of a Dodge Neon? NO they drive Big Cadillacs or Lincolns or Chryslers. Does the Secret Service drive Ford Escapes? NO they drive Ford Excursions. The automakers in the U.S. are left with plants that build big cars and trucks. So what now (?) a bunch of no-it-alls criticizing the auto-makers for making big cars. Maybe the automakers in the U.S. should do it all for free. Pay the workers $15 an hour. They should build assembly plants when no government agency in the U.S. buys the cars they build. Nonsense.
Thank you.

By: electromechanicAl

electromechanicAl — Wed, 25 Jun 2008 21:35:39 +0000

This is such nonsense. Why is this being discussed and why do I even reply…. To say the Japanese government contributed nothing to the development of the Prius is like saying the Highway Patrol (in the U.S.) doesn’t drive Ford Crown Victorias. In other words, the Japanese Government has purchased enough Toyotas to fund just about any Toyota project. It might not appear on paper that way. The U.S. Government likewise purchases Fords, Chryslers, Cadillacs, Chevrolets etc.

By: Sparksy

Sparksy — Fri, 06 Jun 2008 06:41:31 +0000

“tyler Says:
April 3rd, 2008 at 8:52 pm
no wonder jim press is Former head of Toyota North America. i think Chrysler should get rid of him as well. ”

Good point, I wouldn’t want this clown on my team.

By: Sparksy

Sparksy — Fri, 06 Jun 2008 06:37:08 +0000

“No Name Says:
April 3rd, 2008 at 9:34 pm
Swampdawg – The big three don’t make car batteries just put them in their vehicles, besides standard non-hybrid cars don’t need the same batteries as a hybrid. So you argument fails on all counts.”
Toyota don’t make the hybrid vehicle battery either, it was made by Panasonic, Toyota “just put them in their vehicles”.

By: Sparksy

Sparksy — Fri, 06 Jun 2008 06:30:41 +0000

Carl,
The transport costs of transporting the nickel half way around the world would be under $100 which is about what it would cost you to send a 15kg parcel from Australia to the USA via UPS The nickel mine in Canada is less polluted now than it was in 1930 which is long before the Prius battery went into production. The nickel for batteries accounts for about 1% of production, the balance is used in high strength steel, alloys and stainless steel, something you might find in abundance in a Hummer. You may even have some Sudbury nickel in your pocket, in a coin.
It is worth noting the report you refer to was contrived by a marketing company CNW Marketing not written by a reputable research agency. I wonder who paid them? Would it have been GM? Hmmm?
The battery is made of nickel (valuable and recyclable) plastic (recyclable) and steel (Recyclable) with a caustic electrolyte which can be neutralised and disposed of safely and legally in the sewer. Toyota will pay $200 for any battery returned to them for recycling and I’m sure they will get $300 from the recyclers.

By: Sparksy

Sparksy — Fri, 06 Jun 2008 06:10:12 +0000

I guess Toyota are the first company that recieved government assistance to build a car they actually proceeded to market, unlike when Holden received a heap of assistance from the CSIRO in developing the Ecommodore which never made it to market even if the concept was proven. The sad thing is the Ecommodore used all Australian engines while the current Commodores all have imported engines, so not only did Holden take the government assistance but they flushed it down the toilet when it was finished. Well not right down the toilet, they run the concept car around the motor shows which is pretty lame.
I wonder what the Japanese government have recieved in taxes from Prius sales globally? I suspect if they did pay for the developement of the hybrid system they are getting a great return on the investment, a lot better than the Australian government got from the Ecommodore!

By: Macro

Macro — Sat, 05 Apr 2008 03:43:37 +0000

Carl………US researcher never favor anything “real green”, simply because their nation needed so many supporter to support their rubbish big cars in order to keep Ford and GM alive.

Last year they even have a award for a US SUV “hybrid” which does less than 20mpg as “green car of the year”, well, that let me laugh for a while.

so, when it comes to green I don’t know who to get advise from , but certainly not from US’s

By: Macro

Macro — Sat, 05 Apr 2008 03:37:08 +0000

Ab, you have my support

those muscle car do get us excited, but there is no point to drive them everyday on a public road.

even with Crysler’s so call ACTIVE CYCLINDER MANGEMENT, the 300C V8 fuel consumption can get lower than 15L/100KM…

idiot will drive that.

I have driven the Prius from Melbourne to Sydney, and @110KM/H, it still has good acceleration to help me get past trucks, mind you, I got 4 people on board, and I am over 100KG, which = 2 thiner female , + a hell load of accessories at the back.
The Prius may be a bit expensive here for new, but you can get a second hand @40000-50000KM for $25K, why not ?

By: Dlr1

Dlr1 — Fri, 04 Apr 2008 11:28:59 +0000

I cant help but find the following quote amusing “According to their figures, the Hummer H3 is expected to do an average 300,000 miles through its driving life, while the Prius is expected to last just 100,000 miles.”

Have i missed something? From all the comments ive read about the H3 i cant help but think they got the two mileages mixed up. 480,000km from a H3? are they kidding. How many POS hummers will do this before replacing EVERY major component. And having seen a few prius(es?) with over 200,000km and still going strong their “research” seems a bit suspect.