So, what if the US fully funded the Volt for GM?
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From: Michigan's left coast
Go back and read my post - there's a lot of financial support for American industry in the form of the R&D tax credit. What companies do with that R&D is another issue altogether.
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From: O-Town
So now Toyota claims Press is lying?!
DN.com
DN.com
Toyota Motor Corp. on Wednesday denied it had received any funding from the Japanese government to develop its hit Prius gas-electric hybrid car.
Japan's top automaker rejected a March 24 Business Week report that quoted Jim Press, vice chairman and president of Chrysler LLC and a former board member at Toyota, as saying, "The Japanese government paid for 100 percent of the development of the battery and hybrid system that went into the Toyota Prius."
Japan's top automaker rejected a March 24 Business Week report that quoted Jim Press, vice chairman and president of Chrysler LLC and a former board member at Toyota, as saying, "The Japanese government paid for 100 percent of the development of the battery and hybrid system that went into the Toyota Prius."
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From: Michigan's left coast
Toyota vs. Press on the issue of who's lying is kinda like two bald men fighting over a comb.
My guess is that both parties are partially correct. If this works anything like in the US, then Toyota invested the money up-front on the Prius R&D effort, and then that investment was credited towards its corporate taxes by the federal government.
And speaking of that, I just so happen to be taking a break from my paperwork that's related to R&D tax credits for my prior year's work
My guess is that both parties are partially correct. If this works anything like in the US, then Toyota invested the money up-front on the Prius R&D effort, and then that investment was credited towards its corporate taxes by the federal government.
And speaking of that, I just so happen to be taking a break from my paperwork that's related to R&D tax credits for my prior year's work
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From: SoCal
Personally I would not have a problem with the US Govt. funding some kind of research for an electric vehicle. Just put it on our tab or print some more money. Not to mention the progress that would be made in fuel economy in the largest and most oil dependent economy on earth. That alone would help our foreign policy in regards to the Middle East.
However, unlike Japan our govt. doesn't work that way. The Japanese govt. builds an economy that is business friendly and they have numerous advantages for being a Japanese company that American companies don't get here.
Besides how could the US Govt. pay for the Volt but not help Ford or Chrysler and if so then the Japanese and Euro brands would ask for help too as they could claim that they build and sell vehicles here also.
However, unlike Japan our govt. doesn't work that way. The Japanese govt. builds an economy that is business friendly and they have numerous advantages for being a Japanese company that American companies don't get here.
Besides how could the US Govt. pay for the Volt but not help Ford or Chrysler and if so then the Japanese and Euro brands would ask for help too as they could claim that they build and sell vehicles here also.
Last edited by 99SilverSS; Apr 2, 2008 at 04:09 PM.
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From: SeVa
Those who view it as just another government handout need to take a real look at what's going on in the world. Toyota reaped a 100% financed development for the Prius, leaving Toyota not just with essentially a free drivetrain, but extra money to spend on other things... like overtaking GM globally as the world's largest automaker!
And on the war, yeah it was a bad decsion from the get go with alot of bad choices on the way as well as a big waste of money, but we sorta broke Iraq and need to at least get it to some point of stability before packing it up and leaving (which reminds me, why do we need a military presence in other more peaceful areas of the world?)
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From: Melbourne, Australia
If, in fact that is true, although Toyota disputes the claim (read here) then I want to go right back to the EV1 and ask why the Federal Govt at the time, didn't give GM the credit it deserved to get the vehicle out to the masses?
Sure GM sold the EV1 mainly to government agencies but the government did very little to push the concept other than legislate tougher emission laws for gasoline powered vehicles.
Sure GM sold the EV1 mainly to government agencies but the government did very little to push the concept other than legislate tougher emission laws for gasoline powered vehicles.
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From: SeVa
Sign of the times maybe? Gas was cheap, woma.... err, yeah gas was cheap... right car for the wrong time, I know where I work we had a charger for the EV1 and electric car only parking. Never saw one pull up, or even saw one.
Funny story though, it was also reserve parking for cutomers in general and when the other spaces were filled I would park a regular car there, Honda Insight guys would come along with thier hybrid Insights and get so pissed because the "electric only" parking space was filled they would compalin to management.
I suppose either Insight owners thought everybody else was to ignorant to realize the Insight was a gas powered hybrid or the opposite was true. In any event, it would brighten my day.
Funny story though, it was also reserve parking for cutomers in general and when the other spaces were filled I would park a regular car there, Honda Insight guys would come along with thier hybrid Insights and get so pissed because the "electric only" parking space was filled they would compalin to management.
I suppose either Insight owners thought everybody else was to ignorant to realize the Insight was a gas powered hybrid or the opposite was true. In any event, it would brighten my day.
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From: Michigan's left coast
If, in fact that is true, although Toyota disputes the claim (read here) then I want to go right back to the EV1 and ask why the Federal Govt at the time, didn't give GM the credit it deserved to get the vehicle out to the masses?
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From: Melbourne, Australia
What I refer to is not tax credits - there is a huuuuuge difference between rebates/credits and actually subsidizing the vehicle to guarantee its success. To repeat my comment, the EV1 really needed an impetus to get it out to the masses as it was the original, "mass produced" alternative energy vehicle.
For all we know, GM probably used the funds to badge engineer a Chev to an Oldsmobile...
Last edited by SSbaby; Apr 4, 2008 at 04:51 AM.
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Heh heh - just got this email from Chrysler in my inbox:
Chrysler posted today the following statement on the Chrysler media blog, http://www.TheFirehouse.biz:
Chrysler Statement on Hybrid Battery Development
There have been several news reports today concerning statements made by Chrysler LLC Vice Chairman and President Jim Press on battery development for hybrid vehicles. First of all, Press was not speaking negatively of Toyota.
In a recent interview, he referenced the close cooperation between the Japanese government and Japanese industry. He said the Japanese government strongly supported R & D (research and development) investment in battery development, and the Prius and other Japanese models benefited from that investment in industry.
He cited this as an example of cooperation between government and industry working together on public policy issues. He went on to say that he would like to see similar cooperation in the United States in order to find technological improvements that help give U.S. companies a competitive advantage.
Chrysler Statement on Hybrid Battery Development
There have been several news reports today concerning statements made by Chrysler LLC Vice Chairman and President Jim Press on battery development for hybrid vehicles. First of all, Press was not speaking negatively of Toyota.
In a recent interview, he referenced the close cooperation between the Japanese government and Japanese industry. He said the Japanese government strongly supported R & D (research and development) investment in battery development, and the Prius and other Japanese models benefited from that investment in industry.
He cited this as an example of cooperation between government and industry working together on public policy issues. He went on to say that he would like to see similar cooperation in the United States in order to find technological improvements that help give U.S. companies a competitive advantage.
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