Toyota lobbies against GM Volt tax breaks

[mustang84]

http://blogs.automobilemag.com/6283606/gre...eaks/index.html

While GM celebrated its centennial today, Toyota was trying to crash its party on Capitol Hill, arguing to lawmakers that the 2011 Chevrolet Volt should not receive special tax consideration.

A tax package currently making its way through the Senate would provide a $7,500 rebate on plug-in hybrids with batteries rated at 6-kilowatts or more. Toyota’s Robert Wimmer said this requirement “redefines plug-in electric vehicles to seemingly eliminate consumer tax credits for all but one plug-in vehicle design.”

Waa waa, suck it up Toyota. It sure was great when you were getting tax rebates on the Prius and your government was funding your hybrid engine development. Now it's someone else's time to shine.

[Dragon]

oh the irony. the same company that got a massive chunk of money from the Japanesse government to develop the Prius is bitching about the government supporting GM

[cire]

This just indicates that Toyota views the Volt as a real threat to their domination of the hybrid segment. They should. The Volt is much more attractive and appealing than their dorky, egg-shaped abomination. If I were to purchase a dedicated hybrid model, the Volt would be my choice. Be afraid Toyota, be very afraid!!!

[z28luvr01]

[Croc]

HEY!! I REMEMBER THAT PHOTO!!

Still priceless months later.

[FUTURE_OF_GM]

F8ck them...

Remember when california refused to count anything but the Prius as eligible for their incentives? Pay back is a bitch, ehh?

[pow]

Remember when california refused to count anything but the Prius as eligible for their incentives?

Uh, no?

[Dragon]

Toyota’s plug-in Prius, still in early testing, will aim for a range of about 10 miles before tapping into its gasoline engine.

10mi seems pretty useless

[daves87rs]

Too bad, so sad....

[cletus8269]

that #6 post on that site had my support until that last sentence... if he cant pick up on that article's post date he's not as sharp a person as i thought.

[Camino LS6]

Congress needs to tell Toyota to piss-off.

[Robert Hall]

Congress needs to tell Toyota to piss-off.

Not going to happen, what with their lobbyists and the states that have Toyota plants...

[Camino LS6]

Not going to happen, what with their lobbyists and the states that have Toyota plants...

You might be surprised this go 'round.

[Sixty8panther]

Another reason to despise those dirtbags & the garbage they make!

[Intrepidation]

[loki]

lol ...unless they succeed.

68 love the sig pic. LOL

[Paolino]

10mi seems pretty useless

It'll get you to a gas station... :AH-HA_wink:

[FUTURE_OF_GM]

Congress needs to tell Toyota to piss-off.

Toyota has too much money for Congress to resist them.

Not to mention, this mostly DEM congress will try to nail the coffin shut on Detroit as fast as they can.

[GXT]

10mi seems pretty useless

It would be pretty much perfect for me.

Especially if I had to choose between:

1) $40,000+ and very limited availability with 40 miles or

2) $25,000 and wide availability with 10 miles.

Plus it would be better long term if the company making the vehicles could turn a profit instead of a loss on each one.

Actually, I think the 10 mile solution is the most appropriate solution at this time. With 10 miles of range pretty much everyone will use every bit of the battery in the Prius. With 40 miles of range (and due to other limitations of the Volt's design), IIRC, 1/3 of North Amercians will be paying for and hauling around almost four times as much battery as they will typically use. That's fine if we are just talking about "range", but it is another matter if I tell you that $150-$200 of your monthly lease is paying for a feature you don't want, need, or use.

Not only that, Toyota will be able to make ~8 times as plug-ins as GM given the same battery production capacity and those cars will be affordable to a much larger % of the public. Having the extra range does no good for oil use if it is being hauled around by someone who never uses it instead of in another car where someone would.

The US government needs to decide if it is actually interested in getting the US off oil or just giving bailouts to GM.

[Camino LS6]

Toyota has too much money for Congress to resist them.

Not to mention, this mostly DEM congress will try to nail the coffin shut on Detroit as fast as they can.

The Senate just passed it.

I think the tide is in GM's favor for once.