Tesyota? Is that a thing? What do you make of this report that there could be a partnership with Tesla and Toyota?

[Medved_77]

Moderator comment - post originally appeared in I hope we didn't hear it here....

More rumours about potential partnerships, this time with Toyota:

Tesla and Toyota Are Considering Jointly Developing a Small Electric SUV Platform

Tesla and Toyota partnership is imminent as the two companies together may make half-priced electric vehicles. This is a win-win approach for both companies.

www.torquenews.com

 

[EVWatcher]

How did this one post from April 2020 get reactivated last Thursday?

 

[Jason71]

How did this one post from April 2020 get reactivated last Thursday?

Maybe Toyota finally realised they had dropped the ball big style when it comes to EV's and needed a way to get back in the game quickly. Can't buy Tesla, too over priced. So a partnership makes sense for them.

 

[Llama.]

Moderator comment - original thread/poll starting post

Have a look at the report linked below which suggests that Tesla and Toyota might team up to develop a low cost EV platform.

Tesla $25K Compact SUV EV Co-developed with Toyota?

What do you think about this idea of a strategic partnership? It suggests they would co-develop a new platform which Toyota and Tesla would sell with their own badges. A bit like the Toyota / Subaru partnership and many others.

What would the benefit be for Tesla in taking this approach? More production capacity for a company that isn't demand limited? Are Toyota so stuck in their PHEV mindset, that this is the sort of approach they need to be able to compete?

 

[TrickyRicky]

Or what about this news from Carwow yesterday :

New Tesla electric car revealed in renderings – sub £18,000 pricetag for VW ID3 alternative

 

[phil4]

Isn't this the same Toyota that seem wedded to Hybrids, and have lobbied very very hard to ensure petrol cars and hybrids will be around for some time? Do such a forward thinking company currently have an EV car at all?

Other than that issue, I'm not sure there's any real downsides, provided Tesla don't lose their identity, and USPs.

 

[Limey]

Toyota buying Tesla parts, AP or mothership system will only be good for them and consumers.

 

[Jason71]

Tesla dynamics with Toyota build quality. That sounds like a win to me

 

[Medved_77]

Here's the article that explains how the proposed partnership will work. It's in Korean so use Google to translate it:

[단독] 테슬라·도요타, 반값 전기차 만드나… 제휴 임박

테슬라와 도요타가 작년부터 제휴를 검토해 최종 단계에 근접한 것으로 알려졌다. 28일 일본 자동차 업계 관계자에 따르면, 테슬라와 도요타가 소형 전기 SUV 플랫폼(차의 기본 뼈대)을 공동 개발하는 것을 검토 중이다

n.news.naver.com

Here's an excerpt:

It is reported that Tesla and Toyota have reviewed the partnership since last year and are approaching the final stage. According to an official from the Japanese automobile industry on the 28th , Tesla and Toyota are considering jointly developing a small electric SUV platform (the car's basic skeleton). The partnership review has been conducted since last year. Toyota provides the vehicle platform to Tesla, and instead, Tesla provides some of the electronic control platform and software technology onboard its vehicle to Toyota.

When the partnership with Toyota is established, Tesla will be able to launch a compact SUV electric vehicle at low cost using the Toyota platform . In addition , Tesla's sales in Japan, which are around 1,000 units per year , are likely to increase significantly.

 

[CLK350]

FYI The whole article translated at the source, and comments in an earlier thread

 

[Llama.]

FYI The whole article translated at the source, and comments in an earlier thread

Thanks for linking to that Tesla investments discussion. Feel free to offer your thoughts here on this more specific thread.

I agree and think it’s plausible and positive for both parties.

 

[Adopado]

Maybe Toyota finally realised they had dropped the ball big style when it comes to EV's and needed a way to get back in the game quickly. Can't buy Tesla, too over priced. So a partnership makes sense for them.

IMO it makes sense for Tesla too if they are going to get into the small, good value EV sector. They need a partner which can churn out big numbers, consistent quality and can cope with the smaller margins that come with this end of the market. It's great that Tesla has those big name projects that are always just over the horizon but at this rate they are never going to get around to the truly mass market value EV without a Toyota or equivalent manufacturer on board.

 

[Mr H]

Isn't this the same Toyota that seem wedded to Hybrids, and have lobbied very very hard to ensure petrol cars and hybrids will be around for some time? Do such a forward thinking company currently have an EV car at all?

Other than that issue, I'm not sure there's any real downsides, provided Tesla don't lose their identity, and USPs.

They have the Lexus UX if that counts. Chademo though so useless in Europe

 

[CalBlue 85D]

The second generation Toyota RAV4 EV (2012-1014) was a joint project between Toyota and Tesla with the battery and powertrain produced by Tesla and shipped to Toyota for assembly in Michigan. It was strictly a "compliance" car sold in California.

 

[RedMod3]

I'm picking up a Smart Car in May. Has Tesla and Toyota got together earlier and produced a small EV, we would have gone for that instead as we had owned a 2.9m long Toyota IQ for 7 years with no faults. I like Toyota cars.

 

[designrs]

The mass market needs a good EV below $30k. Toyota knows how to build cars cheep. An electric Corolla in the same price range as the ICE Corollas would meet that demand.

 

[interbear]

Tesla dynamics with Toyota build quality. That sounds like a win to me

I agree. This type of partnership is inevitable in my view. The car industry has been consolidating for years, it’ll be accelerated as ICE manufacturers try to find a way to get on the EV bandwagon. Tesla has unrivalled experience and battery tech so I am sure they will establish partnerships to drive the EV movement forward.

 

[Yev000]

O This is an April fools joke

 

[miimura]

The second generation Toyota RAV4 EV (2012-1014) was a joint project between Toyota and Tesla with the battery and powertrain produced by Tesla and shipped to Toyota for assembly in Michigan. It was strictly a "compliance" car sold in California.

I am still driving one of those "compliance cars" that I bought new in 2013. It was actually assembled on the main RAV4 assembly line in Windsor, Ontario, Canada. Strangely, they were still producing the EV with the 2012 body style in 2013 and 2014 after the ICE and Hybrid RAV4 had moved on to a new body style. The chassis was largely unchanged under the new sheet metal though.

I seriously doubt Toyota and Tesla will go down that path again. There is a lot of friction that remains between Toyota and Tesla maintaining and servicing these cars.