Toyota CEO Says Tesla Isn't Selling A "Real" Car - Care To Counter That Comment?

Tesla recently received some subtle shade from Toyota CEO Akio Toyoda, who noted that while the American EV maker is leading the auto segment in market value, it would be a mistake to underestimate the fact that the Japanese veteran has built over 100 million cars over the decades. Toyoda’s statement stands as a rare instance when the CEO issued direct comments about a competitor.

During an online briefing on Friday, the CEO stated that Toyota is indeed losing to Tesla when it comes to share price and market cap. However, the executive argued that Tesla still has a long way to go before it could rival Toyota’s scale and experience. Interestingly enough, Toyota used an analogy to emphasize his point.

carloslassiter - 11/6/2020 10:34:09 AM

+2 Boost

And then he announced the launch of Toyota Tequila.

CANADIANCOMMENTS - 11/6/2020 11:15:43 AM

0 Boost

It's funny to be questioning the success of Tesla standing in front of the Toyota Burpa...

scenicbyway12 - 11/6/2020 2:15:36 PM

+2 Boost

I think Tesla make a real car just not a really well-made car.

MDarringer - 11/6/2020 4:48:28 PM

+2 Boost

Given that Toyota is EV phobic...

dumpsty - 11/7/2020 8:52:58 PM

+3 Boost

this CEO's attitude shows the same type of poor ability to acknowledge new tech & new ways of thinking; and inability to adapt to a changing economy & industry. he just wants customers to buy whatever the company decides to sell.

just ask the CEO's & boards from Woolworth, Sears, ToysRUs, RIM, etc that either gone or barely hanging on now.

MDarringer - 11/7/2020 8:59:16 PM

0 Boost

Amen

supermoto - 11/6/2020 8:06:55 PM

0 Boost

Real cars and car companies are profitable without needing to sell clean energy credits.

And Tesla sales in 2020 are less than 500k cars. Toyota over 10 million.

SanJoseDriver - 11/7/2020 2:41:24 AM

+2 Boost

And Tesla sales are growing by 50% a year or more, Toyota is stagnant.

MDarringer - 11/7/2020 3:28:53 PM

-1 Boost

God you're f'ing dumb.

So Tesla has a volume of ten and sells 5 more units the next year...whoa 50% increase in sales.

Toyota has a volume of 100 and next year doesn't add an additional 50...whoa sales are stagnant.

Hauerg - 11/8/2020 2:01:48 PM

+2 Boost

MDarring is the dumb one here.
Tesla going from 5 to 10 might not hurt Toyota much in year 1.
Add a year or 2 of this and Toota is shrinking.
You do not want to work at a ginormous company that enters a downward spiral.

SomToyota should care.
A lot.
Yesterday.

MDarringer - 11/8/2020 4:31:46 PM

0 Boost

You're even dumber than SanJosePRdriver. You're assuming that Tesla will grow by 50% per year forever and that Toyota will never field an EV. Did you get a diploma solely because you helped diversity and inclusion numbers?

SanJoseDriver - 11/8/2020 7:49:29 PM

+2 Boost

I guess you don't understand compound growth MD, but then again you're not in tech. Growth rate is a big factor in company valuations. Growing at 50% a year for 7 years will make Tesla a 10 mil car/year company, with triple the margin of Toyota if not greater due to FSD.

MDarringer - 11/9/2020 8:32:29 AM

+1 Boost

And you continue your parade of stupid: "Growing at 50% a year for 7 years..." That's HIGHLY unlikely and not borne out by business statistics. Even the most successful businesses rarely grow 50% per year, year after year.

SanJoseDriver - 11/9/2020 7:56:26 PM

+1 Boost

It's unlikely to do consistently, but possible. In fact they might grow 100% in 2021 with Shanghai hitting full production. In 2022 Berlin should be at full swing and Austin will just get started. By 2023 Austin would be at full capacity. You're looking at $2M sales/year, 4x growth in just 3 years. Likely they will announce more gigafactories in a year or two to keep that pace going.

MDarringer - 11/9/2020 8:49:08 PM

+1 Boost

Not without LOTS of new products with vast segment coverage they won't.

SanJoseDriver - 11/11/2020 1:45:12 AM

+1 Boost

Seems like they'll continue to drop the Model 3 and Model Y prices. At 35k/40k decently loaded, don't you think there is a lot of untapped market? The Cybertruck is going to sell well. They are working on a $25k car, which I think might be unnecessary but if they do it, that would give the Corolla/Civic some grief.

When FSD is good to go.. Tesla might not even sell cars. They could become an uber-like app on your phone. I wouldn't be totally thrilled about that as a consumer, but as an investor I'm sure it is the market with the most potential. FSD would mean they should build every unit they can as fast as they can.

MrEE - 11/7/2020 2:35:44 PM

+3 Boost

Toyota is one of the few with the resources to survive the transition to EV, but they need to get in the game and figure out software development.