Toyota Offers $40k Off a $67k Car

Ed_Flecko

Ed_Flecko

Joined
Dec 1, 2014
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Location
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Because the car runs on hydrogen and, at the moment, all of the hydrogen refueling stations are located in California...I still thought this is fascinating. I just thought I'd pass it along.

I have thought for a long time that hydrogen will overtake EVs as soon as they get a little more promotion and I think someone (Toyota ?) thinks the same thing.

https://www.hydrogenfuelnews.com/hydrogen-car-2023-toyota-mirai/8563242/ and https://www.kbb.com/car-news/toyota-offers-40000-off-a-66000-car/

Ed
 
What a crazy vehicle. So after the 75 fills or less you have to pay for fuel and it is $200 plus to fill and gets a little over 400 miles on a tank? I think this could be really cool but the fuel price is too great to make it make sense along with no place to fill it.
 
KrisZ said:
Hydrogen makes even less sense as vehicle fuel as electricity. What was Toyota thinking with this one? Likely playing the environmental game from another angle.

I’m sure they knew full well it’s not going to go anywhere, just like EVs. They just chose a different horse it seems.
Click to expand...
No asked for hybrid tech and Toyota went out on a limb and dumped a few billion into it. Now they are crushing it compared to any competitor by a long shot. It’s standard on many models now as base and or only engine.
 
andrew_j said:
No asked for hybrid tech and Toyota went out on a limb and dumped a few billion into it. Now they are crushing it compared to any competitor by a long shot. It’s standard on many models now as base and or only engine.
Click to expand...
Yep, Toyota makes the best hybrids; I own one. The Prius was a game changer, as ugly as it was.
Toyota makes lousy EVs. I fully expect them to get better under CEO Sato.
 
andrew_j said:
No asked for hybrid tech and Toyota went out on a limb and dumped a few billion into it. Now they are crushing it compared to any competitor by a long shot. It’s standard on many models now as base and or only engine.
Click to expand...
The two aren’t even comparable. Hydrogen is not easily obtainable like gas and electricity.

And Toyota didn’t go on a limb, they watched GM and their EV1 very closely. EV1 failure likely steered Toyota towards a hybrid system.

Corporations don’t make decisions based on feelings and guesses.
 
A few comments in no particular order ...

- There's essentially no direct pay-back on the hydrogen fueled vehicles, but that does not mean it wasn't a good learning experience. Many times the challenges of a new course of action helps drive new technologies. I'm sure Toyota learned many things in designing and making this car, even if they didn't expect to make a profit from it. Toyota often does a good job at refining many technologies because they are willing to experiment and try things, even if they suspect the goal may not be met, because good things will come from the engineering journey, though they may not get to the desired destination. Many of the things they learn from these types of efforts can go into future mainstream use.

- If Toyota gives some massive discounts on their hydrogen vehicles, I doubt it makes much of a dent in their global wallet. Given the massive quantity of vehicles they sell world-wide, these few discounted cars they are (nearly) giving away won't affect their bottom line much, if any, at all.

- Hydrogen is abundant; there have been some very interesting newer discoveries of earthly sources that indicate a VAST supply is present and some is technically recoverable. That does not mean it's ready to use; processing still needs to take place. But there's PLENTY available; estimated at 200 years for projected use rates.

The Potential for Geologic Hydrogen for Next-Generation Energy | U.S. Geological Survey

A previously overlooked, potential geologic source of energy could increase the renewability and lower the carbon footprint of our nation’s energy portfolio: natural hydrogen.
www.usgs.gov www.usgs.gov
www.newscientist.com

Gold hydrogen: Is there a huge reserve of clean fuel in Earth's crust?

Geologists think there may be vast natural stores of hidden hydrogen gas within Earth, but no one is sure how much there is or how much could be recovered for energy
www.newscientist.com www.newscientist.com
Here is the info summarized in a YT vid:
 
andrew_j said:
I don’t think Toyota has tried seriously to make an EV.
Click to expand...
Think about what you said. You are suggesting Toyota would consciously go to the cost and effort to deliver an inferior product?
Why would anyone do such a thing?
In business there's a saying, "You never get a 2nd chance to make a 1st impression."
 
I hope it one day works for them. I would never count Toyota out. Once they get the EV dialed in look out, and if the EV goes belly up, or should wither on the vine Toyota will still have the upper hand in ICE and Hybrid. Time to hide..................
 
KrisZ said:
The two aren’t even comparable. Hydrogen is not easily obtainable like gas and electricity.

And Toyota didn’t go on a limb, they watched GM and their EV1 very closely. EV1 failure likely steered Toyota towards a hybrid system.

Corporations don’t make decisions based on feelings and guesses.
Click to expand...
EV1 was not hybrid , Porsche in 1899 had the prototype.

Ford is failing miserably on EV ,
JeffKeryk said:
Think about what you said. You are suggesting Toyota would consciously go to the cost and effort to deliver an inferior product?
Why would anyone do such a thing?
In business there's a saying, "You never get a 2nd chance to make a 1st impression."
Click to expand...
Plenty of companies of have done that. Get your feet wet . So many companies fail many times over including Apple, Microsoft however get it right when time is appropriate.
 
andrew_j said:
Ford is failing miserably on EV ,
Plenty of companies of have done that. Get your feet wet . So many companies fail many times over including Apple, Microsoft however get it right when time is appropriate.
Click to expand...
I'm sure Toyota will get it right. But they are hardly a startup car company; that's what surprises me. Not to mention they have been making the best hybrids for what, over 20 years?
 
Interesting offer......but who will know how to repair it when there is a problem. You're not going to just roll into the Toyota dealer for a quick fix. That is my concern at this stage of the game.
 
Toyota has great product development skills, great production quality competence and great marketing. If GM or Ford were Toyota with their shared lock on most of the vast US market, they'd own the world.
I do take exception with the assertion that Toyota builds the best hybrids. My 2018 HAH is notably quicker than the 2018 Camry Hybrid, yields better fuel economy per EPA numbers and cost less. Other than that, the Camry Hybrid might be a better car?
 
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