"We didn't see a need at this point in time to go for those funds," said Josephine Cooper, Toyota's group vice president for public policy and government/industry affairs, according to Autonews.
However, Toyota says the government's attitude towards companies who are willing to continue their efforts in the green car segment is applaudable and admits that money received by these manufacturers, including Nissan, is a positive sign.
"There is a movement in Washington to be protectionist and have 'Buy American' in many of the legislative proposals, so that is what we are seeking to avoid," Cooper said in an interview at the Management Briefing Seminars. "We don't think we should be ineligible. If there are going to be incentives, let everyone be able to receive them, and may the best man win."
As said, Toyota does not yet intend to build any of the two, electric cars or batteries, in the United States. But this may be a possibility in the future, as the local market grows under the supervision of the government.
"There may be an opportunity for that, but we haven't made that decision yet," she said. "We would have to have enough stability over the long term that that particular technology was going to work and was going to be accepted by the public."
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