Toyota investing $50m in electric car firm Tesla

[Vampiel]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/business/10138918.stm


Toyota is to invest $50m (£35m) in US electric car company Tesla Motors, as the two firms announced a joint partnership to build electric vehicles.



The deal will give the Japanese giant a stake of about 2.5% in Tesla, which will build its new saloon model at a Toyota factory near San Francisco.



Analysts said Tesla, which was only formed in 2003, will benefit from Toyota's mass production skills.



In turn, Toyota will be able to access Tesla's electric battery expertise.


A lot of investment in electric cars recently. I predict they will be the primary car in the future to replace gas powered engines.

[Kraheera]

Sounds good to me, so long as the cars can accelerate quickly enough.

[Pagan Warrior]

Whatever happened to the idea of hydrogen based fuel cell vehicles?

[Nicholas]

Tesla motors already has a very effective electric car it goes 200 km or miles (can't remember Online I found 105 mpg..) without a drop of fuel. I'm not sure what's the matter with it that it isn't a mass produced idea already. I'm quite comfortable that the Tesla motor company is the pioneer which will make electric cars viable and affordable.


Whatever happened to the idea of hydrogen based fuel cell vehicles?

From what I've read and seen in documentaries they are too unrealistic. A powerful one if it crashed could explode. At least that's how they put it.

[Vampiel]

The nice thing about this is that solar panel technology is rapidly increasing making it viable option to become energy independent.

Unfortunately I don't think the market is big enough for solar panels so they will remain expensive. The only way they might be mass produced is if a few large construction companies work with solar panel companies to contract them out to each home for a discounted rate and include it in the price of a new home. Given the current housing market climate that won't happen for a long time if at all.

[BryonMorrigan]

Sounds good to me, so long as the cars can accelerate quickly enough.

You're kidding right? The Tesla Roadster Sport has one of the best 0-60 accelerations of all production cars in the world at 3.7 seconds. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_fastest_cars_by_acceleration)

[Nicholas]

You're kidding right? The Tesla Roadster Sport has one of the best 0-60 accelerations of all production cars in the world at 3.7 seconds. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_fastest_cars_by_acceleration)


It is a lovely little thing isn't it. ;)

[Kraheera]

You're kidding right? The Tesla Roadster Sport has one of the best 0-60 accelerations of all production cars in the world at 3.7 seconds. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_fastest_cars_by_acceleration)


I hadn't looked into it. THat's why I said that. :D

I'm, right now, working on getting all my debate points down on paper for my biological father. We have the most fascinating religious debates.

[memnoch]

It is a high risk/ high reward factor. I wish the best to them, but I don't know the outcome...Considering the S-model, which is already mass produced starts at $60,000 I think it will still be a luxury car that most people will not be able to afford.

[BryonMorrigan]

It is a high risk/ high reward factor. I wish the best to them, but I don't know the outcome...Considering the S-model, which is already mass produced starts at $60,000 I think it will still be a luxury car that most people will not be able to afford.

Kinda like how flat screen TVs were about 10 years ago...or how VCRs were in the early 80s...or how MP3 players were a few years ago...et cetera...

[Vampiel]

Kinda like how flat screen TVs were about 10 years ago...or how VCRs were in the early 80s...or how MP3 players were a few years ago...et cetera...

True enough. Either way gasoline powered cars are cheap and supply is saturated, they will be around for decades to come. However there is a drive to replace them oil is limited so something has to replace it. The major car dealers seem to be leaning toward electric cars. I just wonder what consequence this will have on the energy sector if that comes to fruition, hopefully it will mean cheaper solar power panels for homes and more nuclear power plants but only time will tell.

I think windmills and solar powered plants are a dead end because they take up to much real estate vs power generated.

ETA - as a side note I also wonder if all this oil we are pumping, not from the pollution it creates, but what if any consequence it will have what happens underneath the surface.

[memnoch]

Kinda like how flat screen TVs were about 10 years ago...or how VCRs were in the early 80s...or how MP3 players were a few years ago...et cetera...

And BetaMax, HDDVD's, DAT's, VR, Neo-Geo, and WebTV. All great ideas, some were beat out by a competitor, some were to pricey for people to afford, and some just never lived up to the hype. I'm all for advancing technology and this has plenty of potential, but then again a hydrogen or solar powered car may win out and this can join my list instead of yours.