Toyota

Dismal Outlook for EVs on Both Sides of the Atlantic

Submitted by Paul Chesser on Thu, 01/19/2012 - 00:26

Nissan Leaf photoFor electric vehicle enthusiasts with the “if you build it, they will come” mentality, who endorse endless taxpayer subsidies for plug-in automobiles and infrastructure to charge them, there’s bad news this week.

DOE Bet on EV Charging Technology Puts Taxpayers in Reverse

Submitted by Paul Chesser on Thu, 10/20/2011 - 09:25

Volt recharging photoOn Friday NLPC reported that the Department of Energy may have made a bad bet on Ecotality, the car-charging company that is heavily dependent on $115 million in government grants to deploy stations for electric vehicles through its EV Project. It turns out that DOE may not only be gambling taxpayer funds on a shaky company, but may also have dumped a bunch of money into a technology with a questionable future.

Green Pressure Groups Try to Split National Association of Manufacturers

Submitted by Paul Chesser on Fri, 06/17/2011 - 11:44

National business associations have been targets of intimidation tactics by environmentalist groups for some time now. For example, Greenpeace trespassed on the grounds of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, and the eco-gangs attacked their climate change positions to the point where individual members left the organization. Meanwhile “Green” investors have pressured companies to leave the chamber as well.

Investors Flock to ‘Clean’ Tech, So Why the Subsidies?

Submitted by Paul Chesser on Thu, 05/26/2011 - 18:26

According to a report in USA Today, venture capitalists are throwing tons of money into clean and “Green” technology companies. In fact, investor Alan Salzman of VantagePoint Capital Partners says, “It's not alternative: We think of it as mainstream."

How mainstream? The newspaper says:

Several venture capitalists interviewed say it could be hundreds of billions of dollars — if not more — when adding up various slices, such as wind (estimated $60 billion) and solar ($20 billion to $30 billion).

Was GM/UAW Behind Toyota Bashing?

Submitted by Mark Modica on Wed, 02/09/2011 - 13:13

One year after federal prosecutors opened a criminal investigation into Toyota's unintended acceleration safety issues, a ten month investigation came to the conclusion that there were no electronic flaws that led to accidents involving Toyota vehicles. The causes were attributed to driver error and sticky accelerator pedals and floor mats. These were the exact causes that Toyota pointed to when congressional leaders decided to attack the automaker at a time when General Motors was struggling to regain sales after exiting its bankruptcy.

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