Just four years ago, Tesla and Toyota entered into a relationship where the former would supply battery packs for the latter's RAV4 EV. In turn, Toyota invested $50 million in Tesla, and sold the NUMMI facility — which Toyota once shared with General Motors — for $42 million. Things have changed, in the sage words of Bob Dylan.
Bloomberg reports the relationship — coming to a close with the end with the RAV4 EV program and Toyota's new focus on hydrogen — was marred early on when engineers for both automakers fought over the EV crossover's parking brake and an enclosure that would protect its battery from the road. Further, proprietary issues between Tesla and Toyota regarding energy-capture systems.
With most of the 2,600 RAV4 EVs delivered, Toyota changed its focus on hydrogen, a technology Tesla CEO Elon Musk mockingly refers to as "fool cells" due to their complexity and high costs hindering any success hydrogen may have. In response, Toyota Motor Sales senior vice president Bob Carter proclaimed "competitors who dismiss fuel cells out of hand do so at their own peril," and personally doesn't care what Musk or other detractors think about the parent company's new path.
While the partnership may be "on hold" for the time being, both companies are working with other automakers in separate projects, such as Toyota and BMW co-developing a sports car, and Tesla providing batteries for Daimler's Mercedes B-Class EV.
The post Tesla-Toyota Relationship On Hold After Rocky RAV4 EV Program appeared first on The Truth About Cars.
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