Toyota president says 'silent majority' questioning electric vehicle-only push: 'We shouldn't limit ourselves'
Toyota president Akio Toyoda is speaking out against the industry's push to go electric exclusively, saying some are afraid to say what he is saying about electric vehicles.
There is nothing wrong with electric cars as long as they use fuel cells. Those cars basically have their own mini-power plant generating the electricity that they need from fuel. You refuel them just like gasoline cars.
The big problem with current electric cars is that they are based on batteries... and batteries suck. There is no magic battery that is on the horizon either.
Fuel cells for the win. Let the fuel cell cars compete head to head with regular internal combustion cars on features, performance, price, etc. May the best technology win.
If the car manufacturers try to push battery powered electric cars on everyone, they will just go bankrupt for building a lot of shit people don't want. I will never have a battery-powered EV, for example. Fuel cells, on the other hand, I would be willing to give them a try.
Fun Fact: Elon Musk is busy converting Tesla to use fuel cells by 2024.
CRITICAL advantage of gas, and fuel cells, over batteries: Oxidizer.
Both use oxygen for oxidizer which means you don't need to carry the weight of the oxidizer inside the vehicle. Unlike batteries, or rocket engines that go to space, which do.
This is true... but I think the most important difference is the ease and speed of refueling. Fuel cells are just like gasoline powered cars in that respect... both can fill up in about 5 minutes.
Batteries suck. There is no way to make them not suck. Also, they depend on big centralized power plants for the electricity. It is all about control.
Never ever put al! your eggs in one basket
Diversity is our strength in this case.
Diesel is a better option. Cleaner too
Electricity is always "on demand" Burning coal and natural gas are required to generate electricity. That's why we have gas engines. Directly powered by burning the fuel. EVs are all about control.
I'm a big fan of the Japanese. for being a bot-like populace, they seem to be very intelligent otherwise.
I'm seriously considering buying a brand new Toyota plug-in hybrid. I don't need it, but it'd be cool. Is it a bad idea?
Until the power grid changes from coal to something else , he is correct.
Love my Toyota.