Over a year and a half ago, in a blog entitled “Why Toyota and Honda Dislike Lithium?”, I argued that both car makers were being rather conservative and cautious regarding a lithium-based transition to electric propulsion in the global car industry because it was in their own interest to behave this way. They had invested heavily in a nickel-based battery technology and found no need to shift to lithium until they could have made sufficient profits out of a rather obsolete but still commercially viable battery technology.
In another contribution on a similar subject published a few months later, I indicated that following this kind of approach could imply their lagging behind General Motors insofar as electric automobile technology. (I did not refer to Nissan (NSANY.PK) there because not too many people knew at the moment that Nissan was preparing a big surprise for the world with the launch of its all-electric Leaf car to be revealed only some time later.) I then concluded that in order to retain its largest share in the automobile market of the world, Toyota (TM) needed to modify significantly its then conservative business strategy, a contention that in a way applied to Honda (HMC) as well.
Lastly, following Hyundai´s announcement that later this year it would launch the world´s first mass-produced hybrid with lithium ion batteries, I acknowledged, in a third piece on the matter published in August this year, some progress made by Toyota and Honda pertaining to the so-called “lithium rush” in the automobile industry while insisting that probably more work required to be done to prevent Hyundai from leapfrogging them particularly in the electric hybrid car market. I therefore anticipated that Toyota and Honda will most likely rethink their business strategy so as to finally become more aggresive in terms of using Li-ion batteries in their next different car models.
As of now, both car makers seem to be moving slowly albeit firmly towards the kind of renewed business strategy I recommended more than a year ago. In fact, Mr. Takanobu Ito, Honda´s new CEO, who has replaced Mr. Takeo Fukui, since the beginning of the year and is well known for his strong stance against lithium-ion battery technology, is now declaring publicly that “there could be plenty of demand for battery-powered electric cars”, while preparing to wrap off a new electric car concept at the Los Angeles auto show in about two weeks from now. Likewise, according to the same report, Toyota, “also a recent EV convert”, is almost ready “to unveil the electric RAV4, co-developed with Tesla Motors Inc”, at the same auto show.
Times do indeed appear to be starting to change in the global car industry. Being left behind are all those skeptical analysts that keep arguing that Li-ion batteries are not ready for prime time. They are now probably wondering: Is this for real?
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