Whew... That's much better !!!!



Cheers;

MSantos

Good catch Bob!

Mods: EV mod, VVT-i emblem, sport pedals, OEM cargo mat, JDM Prius interior footwell lighting, Sylvania Silverstars 9003ST, DICE iPod kit, OEM all-weather mats, TomTom ONE v2, LED licence plate lights.

Thanks for the clarification, bw.

The original post was disturbing. I'm aware that there are issues with large scale mass production of nickel metal hydride batteries (tens of millions of units). But if Toyota could not even consistently produce 200,000 battery units per year, we would be in far worse shape (in dealing with the energy challenge) than even I imagined.

The title to this thread repeats the misleading, topic sentence of the original article:
Perhaps there is someway we can get a better thread title:

• 2007 saw record Prius sales
• Competition will moderate Prius sales increases in 2008
• Exploding Prius sales in 2007 stands as a record increase
• Exceptional 2007 Prius sales growth will be hard to match

Thoughts? Suggestions?

Bob Wilson

ps. I checked back at the autobloggreen site and the original author doesn't seem interested in a correction. Oh well, it doesn't really matter since in 12 months we'll have the 2008 sales figures and her article will have faded into obscurity.

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Thanks, Bob, for your tenacity!

I like title #4. It expresses the probable intent of this thread.

Steve

STOP terrorism - Drive a HYBRID

Vehicles:
350 miles a week ------------ 2006 HCH II, Magnetic Pearl, w/NAVI (born on May 25, 2006)
350 miles a month ---------- 2003 Mazda Tribute ES-V6
350 miles a year (for now) - 1986 Mercedes 560SL

I agree with gumby. Suggestion #4 seems to be the most fitting/appropriate.

Mods: EV mod, VVT-i emblem, sport pedals, OEM cargo mat, JDM Prius interior footwell lighting, Sylvania Silverstars 9003ST, DICE iPod kit, OEM all-weather mats, TomTom ONE v2, LED licence plate lights.

One might think that a slowing USA economy might also make it difficult for Toyota to exceed in 2008 what it accomplished in 2007.

I think battery production is a limiting reagent.... however, just a thought here....

Do you think most of the people who want(ed) a hybrid already have one?
Maybe the demand is softening a little?

I do see fewer and fewer newcomers to sites like these...

I think the exponential growth is no longer there...
Also, I don't think Hybrids are a mystery anymore.
I have to explain my car to ever fewer people.
( I still get a few who confuse hybrid and flex fuel... so I want to make my hybrid a true flex fuel... then I'll cover all the bases. )
-John

I don't think it is a production limit as much as the Prius is likely to see more competition. BTW, I'm looking at the NHW11 batteries and I really don't see them limited except by possible patent holder requirements. If I understand the timing, by 2015, it will be over and we'll see NiMH batteries like nobody's business.

Bob Wilson

Operation Iraqi Oil Freedom:

Automatic, stock, project car.

My other 1500 cc car:

Automatic, stock, backup car.
Free speech, dialog and knowledge thrives without the poison of SPAM.

That fact of Nickel is based on the fact that they will be using NMH technology for their batteries. Lithuim Ion batteries have been in development for hybrids for several years now.........from what i've read. Toyota will continue to produce Prius's no matter what the challenges are to meet the demand.