The Prius That Shook.. - VFAQ Prius Site

Fujii was assigned personally by Executive Vice President
Wada and Managing Directors Kato and Shiomi to lead the
group. Electric Vehicle Division was in the midst of
developing RAV4EV so it was working extensively with
motors and batteries. It also was the group involved in work
that most closely resembled the hybrid system that combines
an engine and a motor.
Fujii asked Wada, "Please give me six months for
planning, since it is brand new technology." Wada replied,
"Finish it in three months." The system was finally selected in
June that year, so the selection process actually took four
months. Nevertheless, the project team was pressed for time.
At the time, Fujii had agreed to lead the group even
though he had little insight into whether the project
would succeed. "I did actually think that the system might
be put into production, but I hadn't been told anything
concrete. I simply worked on selecting a system for possible
use." Members of BR-VF were not informed of the work
underway at G21, so they knew the G21 team "as the weird
bunch in the red carpet room."
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