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Toyota, GM, Ford: Showing Off Green Cars Amid Economic Gloom

Dawg,

Dissing Toyota is a proud American tradition <g> dating back to the 1970's when their early cars first started putting a (small) dent in Detroit's sales. You almost took your life in your hands by buying Japanese in the Michigan area back then--literally--lots of stories of broken windshields and ugly threats towards anyone who dared break with the Big Three.

Fast forward 40 years and most Americans I would posit love Toyota--or at least their products, even in Michigan. Why? They've driven/owned their cars, simple as that, and/or have read what the company has contributed to the US economy in the way of new plants and good jobs, not to mention factory-efficiency models that Detroit now emulates.

But there will always be a hardcore contingent of so-called patriots who think it's their duty to bash the Japanese. Not worth the energy responding to them if they can't see how/why the industry has evolved the way it has--and why Toyota continues to lead here. In short, the Japanese don't sit on their laurels, and constantly push the envelope, even if it seems contrarian at the time. They also question themselves continuously, and seem immune to the smugness that seems to permeate companies like GM.

Best example: in the mid-90's, at the same time GM was crushing its electric cars and starting up its Hummer line, Toyota was introducing the Prius--with gas @ about $1/gallon. Which company looks prescient (and brilliant) now? Which has the lion's lead in both battery and hybrid tech?

Anyone notice Panasonic EV (50% owned by Toyota) just bought out Sanyo for its lithium battery tech? Methinks a juggernaut is born. Meanwhile Ford is already crying about possible battery shortages in its brand new, yet to be sold Fusion hybrid due out later this year. The pack supplier? Sanyo.

Meanwhile Toyota announced last year that it's spending a cool billion on battery development, with dedicated factories for both NIMH and lithium packs. GM is still shopping suppliers for the Volt, and will be at that supplier's mercy when it comes to production schedules and the like.
Which car company would you bet on?