Toyota plans two new hybrids and lithium ion batteries
June 12, 2008 by Alborz Fallah
It has got to a point now that we have a special button on the keybord, which when pressed, automatically types Hybrid! Such is the popularity and current media frenzy over the electric cars.
With the recent announcement that Toyota will begin hybrid Camry production in Australia and Thailand in the next two years, GM & Ford must be a little worried. Of course GM has also announced it will have a hybrid/diesel Commodore out around the same time, as for Ford… well, we’ll have to wait and see.
However the American manufacturers have yet another reason to be worried, following the announcement today that Toyota will build two new hybrid vehicles and start production of lithium ion batteries next year.
Toyota says there will be two unique models, one badged a Toyota, the other a Lexus, both will sit above the third-generation Prius car, also due in 2009. The new Prius as well as the two new models are expected at this year’s Detroit auto show.
Executive vice president of Toyota, Masatami Takimoto, said the new models will be larger than the Prius. “It’s a totally new car,” he said.
Unfortunately, Toyota has decided to stick with the current generation’s nickel-metal hydride batteries for the updated Prius instead of moving on to the long-awaited lithium ion batteries. Toyota has previously blamed this delay on the need for more safety testing.
Toyota’s Lithium Ion batteries, which are light in weight and high in power, will be built by Panasonic EV Energy Co starting in 2009. They will see the light of day with a debut in Toyota’s first plug-in hybrid, due in 2010.
The two new hybrid models come as no surprise as the rest of the Japanese manufacturers continue to play catch up. Honda has already promised four hybrid vehicles by 2015 while Nissan will start mass-producing lithium ion batteries next year.
Moving on from lithium ion systems, Toyota is in the process of setting up a 50+ person strong team of battery researchers to develop a post-lithium ion battery with even better performance.
The race is on for the Big T to achieve its goal of selling 1 million hybrid vehicles a year by the early 2010s.
Print it: 
Begs the question if all successful why a huge amount of $ on behalf of taxpayers where handed out when this deal was already done and dusted long before PM announced in Japan. Shame he cant show same attitude with little cars like Ford Focus and Holden.
why still solid battery? Recycle and depose these solid battery cause more problems than green house gas. why not fuel cell battery? it just generats heats and water.
Cleaner batteries at last! Well I’ll be, Toyota following the lead of other manufacturers eg.VW etc.
Toyota was not the first? Though I am sure our resident Toyota freak will claim this in the near future.
Yes, Naughtyius Maximus, I am also puzzled as to why Mr Rudd feels the need to give our Tax payer money to a multi billion dollar Japanese company to do what they are already doing???????
Because Rudd has helped encourage Toyota to keep doing what it is doing… in AUSTRALIA (10000 hybrid camrys a year from the Altona plant)
The vehicles mentioned in the article are most likely not going to be built here.
Fuel cells are the future SEAN, just not the near future; the problem is transporting the liquid hydrogen to fuelling stations, because hydrogen by itself is extremely combustible, and also a very strong reducing agent. Just think hindenburg :P
Jimbo – i have never claimed Toyota to be first … EVER !!
However, they and Honda are the leading developers of hybrid techonogy … am i wrong – NO !!
Toyota has long been developing lithium-ion batteries but have not been completely convinced with the reliability of the cooling process for them hence why they invested greater time and resources in added R&D, the exact reasons why Toyota have established a reputation for engineering reliable, dependable and durable hybrid systems which ismuch, much more i can say about GM
Leaky batteries anyone … !!
oops, lets not forget complete hybrid system shutdowns … OOOCH !!
Lets face it Jimbo freak – you speak absolute pure rot which are pathetic because Toyota is screwing your beloved Holdens and Fords to wall with a massive size 20 steel capped boot.
Holden and Ford clowns are the most pathetic losers of all.
damn … stuffed that – goog move !!
Sean – were is your evidance that batteries are going cause more problems then green house gases. I am not into empty, bullsh*t comments that can not supported so unless you can provide a referance to that your comment, i will consider your statement as pure rot otherwise.
And here is something else for to you consider, batteries can and will be recyclable to a certian extent and disposed of in a controlled manner unlike green house gases that released into the atmosphere uncontrollably.
Millions upon millions of vehicles everday around the world pump Co2 emmissions uncontrollably into the atmosphere were as batteries will be able to be disposed of in a controlled fashioned.
Good Move Toyota …,
Hey what’s this about my “beloved Holdens and Fords”. I drive a Peugeot and the thought of Ford and Holden bores me almost as much as Toyota. (with the exception of the Monaro) Also if you had read my post I mentioned VW, not the others.
I’m sorry dude, I was in a mischievous mood and I knew any comment like the one above would send you around the bend and I couldn’t help myself. And yes I’m sure you know allot more about this than I do.
I am personally looking forward to Peugeot and VW’s diesel Hybrids, as they will have some outstanding real world improvements in efficiency. I am genuinely surprised Toyota is not doing the same.
Incidentally, did you know that Hyundai is bringing out an Elantra that is a LPG Hybrid with lithium ion based batteries? Would you know if Toyota has anything like this in the pipelines?
Incidently, did you know that Hyundai is bringing out an Elantra that is a LPG Hybrid with lithium ion based batteries? Would you know if Toyota has anything like this in the pipelines?
LOL Golfschwein, I don’t think Dingo will see the funny side though.
Bugger I cut and paste twice.
I honestly thought Dingo had stolen Golfy’s name. It sure seemed like one of his posts, haha.
NM, IMO… Toyota is in bed with the Japanese Government, if you please the car maker you will please the Government and can convince them to sign pacts, treaties and so forth easier.
I doubt GM or Ford share the same level of relationship with the US Government so theres probably less incentive to do such sort of stuff.
Jimbo – i am not unaware of Toyota making a LPG hybrid but i do know for fact they were the first to come to the market with a diesel hybrid through it’s subsidary ‘Hino’ whom now are increasing thier range of diesel hybrid trucks.
Each manufactuer is doing thier individual thing and at the end of the day – Toyota is certainly doing thier share. Hybrids are not the only new technology they are investing in but diesels aswell.
in Europe were diesels are the most popular, Toyota currently has a 1.4, 1.6 and a 2.2 diesel engine available for thier cars including Lexus which now has a IS220d.
So just remember, Toyota (as with most manufactuers)has invested considerable money in recent years in cleaner and greener petrol, diesel and hybrid drivtrains.
The Germans arguably remain the leaders for diesel technology while the Japanese arguably remain the leaders in hybrid tech while Americans remain the leaders in ancient push rod V8’s
Golfschwein,
You’ve been censored, (anyone wondering what Jimbo is referring to?), and sadly you’re not the only one…
…but your post was hilarious!
Long Live Freedom!!!
Thanks Millatime. It’s fun, but best gone. Might’ve had WWIII on our hands.
Let’s face it Goog move (you were right the first time with the spelling on)
But I think what riles people up about the Prius is the fact that Toyota charge sooo much more for it than the similarly sized non-hybrid’s in their range. Nobody here seems to be carrying so much about the Civic Hybrid. Nor are they anti-hybrid? It’s a good technology that should be affordable to the masses but the car is over-priced and underdone. simple as that.
ALL this fuss to produce a car that will still cost more on fuel bills than an E-gas Falcon!!! WTF?
If Hyundai gets it’s finger out and gets a jump on Toyota with their $10 a week LPG hybrid then these over priced petrol hybrid’s will look stupid!!!!!
Thats what i say Carl!! These hybrids still use petrol, as petrol gets to $2, LPG will still be around the low 60c/L and a Prius will cost as much to run as a E-Gas Falcon/LPG Commodore. I think the Hyundai LPG hybrid is the smartest yet. My EGas falcon i get easily around 8L/100, thats about 6 bucks! If only ford/holden made LPG versions of the territory/captiva and focus/viva, i can see why they wont make them.. because its not trendy. They are investing so much money into a technology that essentially is still using petrol. None of them besides Hyundai has decided to go for an alternative fuel, even CNG for europe would be a smart idea. I say reduce our dependance on oil, the likes of Honda, Toyota are just extending our dependance on oil.
Companies like Hyundai that think out of the square will in the next 10 years do to Toyota what Toyota did to ford and Holden!!!
RoFlmaTiC Says: June 12th, 2008 at 10:06 am
Reference to Aussie jobs.
NM response…..have you forgotten about Ford with the Focus and Holden. Or are you like Rudd and go over to Japan pathetically gaining kudos for BS when already done and dusted and then being feeble to really let rip with whaling. Or have you forgotten he let rip about human rights abuse to a uni in China. Wont challenge on that front as whales is not a PR blurb. What a wally of a man!
Dingo – your not far off the mark staing that Toyota are the leaders in Hybrid technology but have you considered that other maybe as advanced but choose not to produce such for the market. However it is obviously a market where others are playing catch-up to get models on the market.