Oops ! Two giants including Toyota and GM locked horns over future of the Hybrid cars. The reason for the standoff is series and parallel plug-in technology. The issue erupted when Irv Miller, Toyota group vice president of corporate communications, in a blog directly hit upon GM’s ambitious project Chevy Volt series hybrid concept. In the blog, he maintained that there was no series plug-in technology exists in the world in today’s time. Just to win everyone’s attention GM was going blah blah blah…. over the Chevy Volt concept that has not at all entered into the production stage. The blog of miller sparked a row between the two majors. Defending his company calm and poised GM vice-Chairman Bob Lutz told the Wall Street Journal that he was “100% confident” that the company and its partners have resolved heat-related safety issues in the Volt’s lithium ion batteries. Here it needs to be mentioned that several months ago, Toyota cited safety issues as the reason for the company to delay the use of lithium ion batteries. GM had pulled ahead of Toyota in lithium ion battery development, said Lutz adding that Toyota would get this technology too.

The row is all about parallel and series plug-in systems. But what actually they are?
A parallel hybrid uses power from the gasoline engine and electric motor, in combination or each separately, to drive the axle. However, in a series hybrid, the gasoline engine is used exclusively to power the electric motor and batteries, which in turn, drive the axle.
The Toyota excels in parallel hybrid system and has sold million cars following the technology. However, with advent of series hybrid system, by GM, has put the giant in imbroglio. Which is why the company head directly hit upon GM stating that ‘no hybrid car exists in the market’. Though the remarks were objectionable but to some extent they are true too, as GM has been coming up with the advertisement that too ahead of putting the Chevy Volt in market ( The effort must be to create awareness but the aggressive marketing has put down sells of many car companies, as now consumers are waiting for Chevy Volt). Whatever be the thing between the two majors but one thing is for sure that if the series hybrid system’s car will come up to the expectation, then no one can stop the technology to capture the market.