Toyota America said last week that it will launch two Japanese-made pure electric vehicles and a plug-in hybrid vehicle this year, and will go on sale in the United States next year. Unlike its competitors, Toyota does not believe that electric vehicles are the best way to quickly reduce global car carbon emissions. Instead, the company believes that hybrids, especially plug-in hybrids, are the best way to curb greenhouse gases. The product mix will appeal to a wider range of American consumers.
The two Toyota pure electric vehicles to be unveiled in the United States this year are the first pure electric vehicles launched by Toyota America in the past 10 years. However, Toyota executives also stated in advance that not everyone is suitable for these models. This also confirms that there will be one. All plug-in hybrid models were also unveiled. To this day, Toyota’s sales have confirmed the success of its hybrid-centric strategy. Last year, 16% of the company’s U.S. sales were hybrid vehicles, with a total of 337,036 units sold, an increase of 23% year-on-year. Gill Pratt, a former MIT professor and current Toyota chief scientist and CEO of Toyota Research Institute, predicts that by 2030, electric vehicles will account for 70% of Toyota’s total US sales.
“We will not ignore the long-term trend of electric vehicles. Our goal is, as an industry, how to reduce greenhouse gas emissions as quickly as possible. Just one solution may not be the best solution, I want to become a sales power system In this way, we can continue to reduce the greenhouse gas emissions generated by consumers. As consumers choose the right models from our diversified product portfolio, we are approaching our goals.” Pratt explained.
For example, if someone lives in a city where power generation is carbon-intensive and can only park along the street without charging facilities, then a standard hybrid vehicle can minimize carbon emissions; if someone commutes 32 miles a day (the average US Level) and there is a garage, then he may find that a plug-in hybrid vehicle is the best way to reduce carbon emissions.
Pratt said that in fact, compared with the average battery usage rate, the battery packs in current pure electric vehicles are larger, so pure electric vehicles are only suitable for areas that use renewable energy to generate electricity. “If you buy a pure electric car with a mileage above average, most of the battery performance will be idle when you drive. In other words, the heavier the car, the more bricks you may drive with. And these are very expensive bricks, because they are not only expensive, but also produce greenhouse gases during the production process.” Pratt believes that even hydrogen fuel cell vehicles can reduce carbon emissions because they are the most expensive. It is suitable for short-distance trips, can be refueled regularly, and requires less infrastructure. Last year, Toyota launched the second-generation Mirai hydrogen fuel cell sedan as a direct embodiment of this concept.
Toyota may be a latecomer in the field of electric vehicles, but the company has produced at least 10 pure electric vehicles worldwide. Carter said that the company has been committed to electrification and research and development of electric powertrains more than 50 years ago, and finally produced the best-selling new energy powertrain model in history-the Prius hybrid car. Five years ago, Toyota launched an electric model in the United States. At that time, the company also sold several thousand RAV4 electric vehicles produced with Tesla.(Read more: harga suzuki xl7)
