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Toyota to invest $1.3B in Kentucky factory to build battery packs and new EV

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Re: Toyota to invest $1.3B in Kentucky factory to build battery packs and new EV

#101

Post by quonn »

itsoktocry wrote: post #92
brandonagr2 wrote: post #27

Earlier quoted context omitted.

What about Toyota's plans makes you think they will ever catch up to everyone else with EVs?

> What about Toyota's plans makes you think they will ever catch up to everyone else with EVs? Their history of engineering and execution. What makes you think think they can't? EV proponents like to argue that the simplicity is what makes EVs so great, but at the same time making arguments like "no one can catch up". Believe it or not, it's not a certainty that EVs are going to be the solution, rather than just an i…

What else?

Re: Toyota to invest $1.3B in Kentucky factory to build battery packs and new EV

#102

Post by quonn »

itsoktocry wrote: post #95
luuurker wrote: post #53

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Hybrid. I'm nitpicking, but current full electric Toyota cars are not that good or popular.

Electric cars are not that popular, period. Hybrids may turn out to be a more popular option.

Hybrids have basically all the possible parts that can break.

Re: Toyota to invest $1.3B in Kentucky factory to build battery packs and new EV

#103

Post by kycommenter »

psychlops wrote: post #2

How much does Toyota pay in taxes in Kentucky or are we subsidizing the factory?

I don't know how much they currently pay in taxes, but when Toyota built the plant in the 80's, Kentucky gave $125M in incentives. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Martha_Layne_Collins#Toyota_As...

Re: Toyota to invest $1.3B in Kentucky factory to build battery packs and new EV

#104

Post by enragedcacti »

belltaco wrote: post #49
dumbo-octopus wrote: post #24

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Toyota initiated the hybrid as a modern platform, and they continue make the best selling hybrid in the world (Prius). But since they don't want to be in the business of making undesirable vehicles with short lifespans that require expensive maintenance, they have stuck to hybrids rather than full electric and all the extremely costly low lifespan batteries that go into them. Speaking as a 2004 Prius daily driver, th…

> But since they don't want to be in the business of making undesirable vehicles with short lifespans that require expensive maintenance Then why did they go all in on hydrogen cars? https://www.hydrogeninsight.com/transport/analysis-it-is-now...

Because the Japanese government bet big on hydrogen and heavily subsidized the industry. Also, is there any evidence that hydrogen vehicles have short lifespan or require expensive maintenance? I don't disagree about how undesirable they are based on fuel cost but its hard to suss out how much of that is just based on extremely low production.

Re: Toyota to invest $1.3B in Kentucky factory to build battery packs and new EV

#105

Post by gergi137 »

itsoktocry wrote: post #89
mbesto wrote: post #54

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> I know people around these parts think that Tesla has uncovered some magical factory building ability, but can you even consider the fact that maybe Toyota knows what they are doing? Not a Tesla fanboy (I'm turning mine in for a Rivian), but the OP wasn't saying this, not sure how you got that conclusion. They are saying for a car company they are (1) way behind and (2) any investments they are making won't reach f…

>not sure how you got that conclusion. The OP drew a direct comparison from what Tesla spent on a plant, to what Toyota is spending on a factory. How can you draw a different conclusion? What makes Tesla "right" and Toyota "wrong"? > They are saying for a car company they are (1) way behind and (2) any investments they are making won't reach fruition for years, nor likely make a dent in the industry. Way behind what?…

Nope, the Model Y was the best selling vehicle in 2023, regardless of powertrain.

https://insideevs.com/news/706169/tesla-model-y-best-selling...

Re: Toyota to invest $1.3B in Kentucky factory to build battery packs and new EV

#106

Post by [deleted] »

quonn wrote: post #101
itsoktocry wrote: post #92

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> What about Toyota's plans makes you think they will ever catch up to everyone else with EVs? Their history of engineering and execution. What makes you think think they can't? EV proponents like to argue that the simplicity is what makes EVs so great, but at the same time making arguments like "no one can catch up". Believe it or not, it's not a certainty that EVs are going to be the solution, rather than just an i…

What else?

[deleted]

Re: Toyota to invest $1.3B in Kentucky factory to build battery packs and new EV

#107

Post by rootusrootus »

josefresco wrote: post #74
kjksf wrote: post #59

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Ignoring that Prius is a hybrid and not an EV: Toyota sold 30k in 2023, the lowest number ever. Tesla sold 400k of Model Y and 210k of Model 3 and 31k of Model X in 2024. So Model Y outsold Prius by 13x in US in 2023. --- https://carfigures.com/us-market-brand/toyota/prius-family https://cleantechnica.com/2024/01/29/tesla-model-ys-huge-gro...

Look at the insanely huge sales of the RAV4 hybrid. Americans don't buy small cars, we buy SUV/CUVs and Toyota is the king.

Didn't the Model Y outsell the RAV4 in 2023? I guess there are estimates that go both ways on that, but nobody really disputes that the RAV4 and Model Y are neck-and-neck. Would be nice if Tesla released actual numbers.

Re: Toyota to invest $1.3B in Kentucky factory to build battery packs and new EV

#108

Post by mjamesaustin »

itsoktocry wrote: post #92
brandonagr2 wrote: post #27

Earlier quoted context omitted.

What about Toyota's plans makes you think they will ever catch up to everyone else with EVs?

> What about Toyota's plans makes you think they will ever catch up to everyone else with EVs? Their history of engineering and execution. What makes you think think they can't? EV proponents like to argue that the simplicity is what makes EVs so great, but at the same time making arguments like "no one can catch up". Believe it or not, it's not a certainty that EVs are going to be the solution, rather than just an i…

What makes me think they can't catch up is watching them spend dramatically less than their competition on the needed infrastructure when they are already very far behind.

To catch up from behind, you need to do more than your competition.

Re: Toyota to invest $1.3B in Kentucky factory to build battery packs and new EV

#109

Post by josefresco »

rootusrootus wrote: post #107
josefresco wrote: post #74

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Look at the insanely huge sales of the RAV4 hybrid. Americans don't buy small cars, we buy SUV/CUVs and Toyota is the king.

Didn't the Model Y outsell the RAV4 in 2023? I guess there are estimates that go both ways on that, but nobody really disputes that the RAV4 and Model Y are neck-and-neck. Would be nice if Tesla released actual numbers.

Doesn't look like it.

4. Toyota RAV4 (434,943 units sold)

5. Tesla Model Y (385,900 units sold, estimated)

https://www.caranddriver.com/news/g43553191/bestselling-cars...

This source says the Model Y sold 403,897 (still behind the RAV4) https://www.visualcapitalist.com/best-selling-vehicles-in-am...

This source says Model Y sales were 394,497: https://www.cnbc.com/2024/01/06/top-10-best-selling-cars-in-...

Re: Toyota to invest $1.3B in Kentucky factory to build battery packs and new EV

#110

Post by rootusrootus »

itsoktocry wrote: post #95
luuurker wrote: post #53

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Hybrid. I'm nitpicking, but current full electric Toyota cars are not that good or popular.

Electric cars are not that popular, period. Hybrids may turn out to be a more popular option.

> Electric cars are not that popular, period.

That is a matter of opinion. As a brand new technology, I think a market share approaching 10% is incredible. Only fans thought this was possible even 5 years ago.

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