Toyota's Masatami Takimoto on PHEVs
Nov 7, 2006 (From the CalCars-News archive)

We're still hoping to get a report from the
international EVS22 event in Yokohama, which
included a day-long workshop on PHEVs
<http://www.calcars.org/calcars-news/512.html>.
Meanwhile, here's a story originally published at
HybridCars.com about what has been describe to us
as an "inspiring" speech by a top Toyota
executive. (We have not heard back from the
company after requesting a copy of the presentation.)

Report from EVS22: Takimoto's Vision
By Rusty Heffner (from the UC Davis Institute of Transportation Studies)
http://www.hybridcars.com/carmakers/evs22-takimoto.html

Futuristic concept vehicles were on full display
this week at the 22nd International Battery,
Hybrid, and Fuel Cell Electric Vehicle Symposium—commonly known as EVS22.

But the clearest vision of the tomorrow's cars
was provided by Masatami Takimoto, Toyota's
executive vice president in charge of powertrain
development, during his opening address at the
conference on October 26 in Yokohama, Japan.

Takimoto spoke explicitly about plug-in hybrids.
Today's hybrids do not need to be plugged in;
however, the idea of extending a hybrid's
electric capability by plugging into a common
household electrical outlet has been gaining momentum in the United States.

Until recently, Toyota dismissed the idea as
impractical. Earlier this year, Jim Press,
president of Toyota North America, gave hints
that the company may be researching plug-in
technology. Takimoto's talk added fuel to the
fire. He showed slides comparing the current
generation Prius with a plug-in version, and
discussed the implications for fuel use,
greenhouse gas emissions, and operating costs.
While he made no announcements about vehicle
launches, Takimoto made it clear that a plug-in
vehicle could be in Toyota's future.

Breaking ranks from other car companies that view
hybrids as a stepping stone to some other
ultimate goal, such as fuel cell vehicles,
Takimoto positioned hybrids as a core capability
to be paired with any number of potential
technologies. Toyota is shifting the question of
future automotive technology from an either-or
position—hybrids or diesels, hybrids or fuel
cells—to a multiple choice question. And from
Takimoto's view, the answer is all-of-the-above:
gas-electric hybrids, plug-in hybrids,
diesel-electric hybrids, and fuel cell hybrids.

Up to this point, Takimoto's English-language
translator took these hyphenated hybridizations
in stride. But the translator tripped over
Takimoto's poetic descriptions of the perfect
vehicle—flying clouds, magic carpets, and
mythical Japanese characters. One thing was not
lost in translation: a top automotive executive
was speaking openly about critical issues
associated with his product, including accidents,
urban air pollution, global warming, and oil
dependence. Moreover, he took some responsibility
for these problems and articulated a strategy to resolve them.

Takimoto's presentation at EVS22 stands in sharp
contrast to the auto industry leader's standard
canned response to tough questions about product:
"Hey, we just build what people want." Toyota is
betting that, at some point in the future,
consumers will demand a more sustainable motor
vehicle—and they want to be the car company to
provide it. This strategy of anticipating and
influencing market direction has contributed to
Toyota's position as the most profitable, and if
current trends continue, the largest car company
in the world. Takimoto’s talk highlights a major
advantage that Toyota has over other automakers: long-term vision.