KahnBB6
Well-Known Member
^^ Thank you for your opinion. This is pretty much in line with what I have observed so far as well: some exceptional EV conversions to muscle cars and/or sports cars with some real power (and even some that completely irrationally but delightfully retain stick shifts, lol) but the best examples are far and few between or have some major compromise to get the driveline to work appropriately or just cost an obscene amount right now.
For instance, just looking into an affordable everyday mild 200hp EV conversion to an '01-'05 Lexus IS300 (because compact Toyota RWD sport sedan, LSD and fun) still gets up there in estimated costs compared to a fully decked out and modded 2JZGTE swap in the same vehicle... as of 2019.
Also agree with you about Toyota's push for hydrogen fuel cell technology and infrastructure. My only experience with that so far has been to drive a friend's Mirai on the west coast and that was certainly neat... like driving a Prius that went on steroids and bulked up. But I expect to see them use that in some more vehicles in coming years in addition to the semi truck industry adopting it.
I'm also eyeballing Toyota (and Honda's) work with solid state batteries if they ever perfect those to leapfrog over the limitations and occasional dangers with conventional lithium-ion cells/packs.
Anything towards all of this tech coming down in price drastically, becoming much more affordable and useable by enthusiasts will be a good thing. The cars we love have got to be kept alive... so that we can drive them (ourselves).
In the meantime it seems we may be in for a gap between the height of gas tech we have now and all of that being truly viable for enthusiasts later on :/
I didn't live through it but it reminds me a bit of the impressions enthusiasts had back in the early 70's into the mid 80's after enhanced engine smog controls and the oil crisis hit hard in the 1973+ model year. Only it might be quite different with not just a major shift in vehicle propulsion technology but autonomous tech being thrown on top of it.
For instance, just looking into an affordable everyday mild 200hp EV conversion to an '01-'05 Lexus IS300 (because compact Toyota RWD sport sedan, LSD and fun) still gets up there in estimated costs compared to a fully decked out and modded 2JZGTE swap in the same vehicle... as of 2019.
Also agree with you about Toyota's push for hydrogen fuel cell technology and infrastructure. My only experience with that so far has been to drive a friend's Mirai on the west coast and that was certainly neat... like driving a Prius that went on steroids and bulked up. But I expect to see them use that in some more vehicles in coming years in addition to the semi truck industry adopting it.
I'm also eyeballing Toyota (and Honda's) work with solid state batteries if they ever perfect those to leapfrog over the limitations and occasional dangers with conventional lithium-ion cells/packs.
Anything towards all of this tech coming down in price drastically, becoming much more affordable and useable by enthusiasts will be a good thing. The cars we love have got to be kept alive... so that we can drive them (ourselves).
In the meantime it seems we may be in for a gap between the height of gas tech we have now and all of that being truly viable for enthusiasts later on :/
I didn't live through it but it reminds me a bit of the impressions enthusiasts had back in the early 70's into the mid 80's after enhanced engine smog controls and the oil crisis hit hard in the 1973+ model year. Only it might be quite different with not just a major shift in vehicle propulsion technology but autonomous tech being thrown on top of it.
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