Last month, Toyota shocked us with a triple whammy of an announcement: an investment of $50 million in Tesla Motors, an information-sharing partnership with the startup automaker, and a plan for Tesla to purchase the recently shuttered NUMMI (New United Motor Manufacturing) GM/Toyota plant in Fremont, California. However Toyota wouldn’t confirm that it was working with Tesla on an actual vehicle — until now. Toyota has officially announced the two are collaborating on a prototype EV — and it will be ready later this year.
So far, Toyota and Tesla are remaining mum on the details. We do know, however, that the prototype will contain Tesla’s lithium-ion battery system along with a body based on a current Toyota model. Tesla Prius, anyone? Or maybe a Tesla Camry? Stay tuned — we’ll update with more information as we get it. In the meantime, watch out for developments with the Tesla Model S, scheduled to go on sale in 2012.
+ Read More about Toyota and Tesla’s Partnership at Inhabitat
Hey which Tesla model is the one in the last photo (gray 4-door)? Looks a little different than the Model S, but I like it!
[...] and European electric cars have nothing on an EV currently in the works in Oman. Built by local company Noor Majan, the [...]
[...] how Toyota announced last month that it plans to build an electric vehicle with Tesla? It looks like things are moving [...]
I’ve been favorable to an electric car since it appeared feasible a few years ago.
However it remains a matter of geography whether the government of the day
Accepts the idea or not.
Here in Australia, for example successive governments are addicted to enormous revenue deriving from petrol taxes giving the introduction of EV cars a cold reception.
Today 5/aug/10 two channels announced the introduction of a small EV car that it would be on sale by the end of the year at the enormous cost of A$. 60.000 As one channel puts it and A$.80.000 another announced, and only governments Departments
Would be interested at the moment.
A couple of years ago, I think it was Honda that sent a few EV cars to be tested, only to be unceremoniously crouched as unsuitable for this country.