Toyota's announcement that hybrid Camry production would commence at the firm's Altona plant in 2010 has been a long time coming.
Company officials released the information to the press today (more here) in a statement carefully coordinated with the Prime Minister, Kevin Rudd, and Victorian Premier, John Brumby.
The statement was delivered a matter of days after Holden confirmed that the engine plant at Fishermans Bend would cease production of the Family II four-cylinder engine that has been built there since the days of the Holden Camira.
So how does Toyota's commitment to building 10,000 hybrid-drive Camrys annually affect the two other local manufacturers?
Holden's National Manager - Media Relations, John Lindsay, says that the company doesn't comment on its competitors' plans, but did echo remarks attributed to Mark Reuss during the press conference last week; remarks that served to soften the bad news with a basic outline of the company's future engine production plans (more here).
Lindsay also said that a hybrid Commodore might not reach the market ahead of the local Camry hybrid -- or other alternative fuel strategies from Holden, for that matter.
"I haven't got a ballpark timeframe," he said. "[Head of GM Asia/Pacific] Nick Reilly's suggestion of 'a couple of years' -- which would be 2010 -- might be slightly optimistic for the hybrid side of things. But in the next few years, we'll be working on a whole raft of technologies, some of which will hopefully be in place by then.
"Probably, given we're already building ethanol-compatible engines for Brazil -- and we've got E85 [and] diesel in the GM stable -- that's something we could be quicker to deliver. Probably the first thing we'll have is the dedicated LPG.
"It's about looking for alternatives for customers, going forward -- giving them choices. We're looking at more fuel-efficient technologies in our existing petrol engines at the same time. So again, we don't believe there's one solution going forward. That's why we're going to be developing a whole range of technologies."
Given federal government MPs' predilection for comfy cars, the Carsales Network asked whether Holden's alternative fuel strategies would be available to the entire locally-manufactured range -- including the long-wheelbase Statesman and Caprice -- to which Lindsay responded: "We're not ruling anything out at this stage".
Across town, Ford is standing by its LPG 'E-Gas' Falcons and pending diesel power for the Territory SUV and (post-2010) Falcon.
"Basically, from a Ford Australia perspective, we will continue to offer LPG and turbodiesel passenger models -- as alternative fuel strategy vehicles," says Edward Finn, Public Affairs Brand Manager at Ford.
"We'll be manufacturing Focus in Australia from 2011, so we'll certainly be offering a Focus TDCi then -- that's locally manufactured," he said. "The introduction of the new V6 powertrain in 2010 will potentially present some new opportunities for Falcon -- and Territory as well."
Those opportunities are not yet set in concrete, apparently.
"Reading between the lines," Finn continued, "[a diesel version of the Cyclone V6 for Falcon and Territory] is a direction we're seriously considering... you would be able to surmise that there is a diesel variant of that engine which we'll be featuring in the Falcon/Territory from 2010."
An E85 'Flex-fuel' version of the V6 that will power the Falcon and Territory from 2010 is believed to be on the cards for the US -- but as to whether that engine will find its way into locally manufactured Fords, Finn couldn't say.
On the subject of LPG-fuelled Falcons, Finn admitted that Ford would like to see a higher take-up rate for the E-Gas models and further intimates that the government rebate on new cars fitted ex-factory with LPG fuel systems is not translating into sales success for the Falcon.
Finn described the number of customers taking advantage of the $1000 government rebate extended to new car buyers of vehicles equipped with an LPG fuel delivery system as "remarkably low". Only 1045 customers have bought new cars with LPG between August 14, 2006 and June 1, 2008 -- according to federal government statistics.
"The number of people who have converted an existing car to LPG is considerably higher," says Finn. That figure is 131,684 customers, all receiving the $2000 rebate to convert.
Perhaps the low level of interest in the e-Gas Falcons reflects the conservative nature of buyers in the large car segment or perhaps LPG is an alternative fuel chronically associated with taxis -- but whatever the reason, that lack of enthusiasm for LPG may well extend to alternative fuel strategies from all three local manufacturers. There's the quandary.
The LPG option is relatively cheaper to buy in a new Falcon than many diesel variants of smaller cars -- relative to petrol variants in the same model ranges. Running costs are as comparably low as diesels and LPG is broadly cleaner for the environment than diesel. There's infrastructure in place (which can't be said for E85 'Flex Fuel') and the bowsers don't leave your hands greasy.
So if Ford is having trouble selling E-Gas Falcons, what must the local manufacturers do to convince the market to buy hybrid, diesel or E85 large cars come 2010 or earlier?
To comment on this article click here
