Toyota’s number one: “Many people skeptical about electric”

We are increasingly talking about energy transition and a zero-emission future for the mobility, car and transport sectors. It’s true, these are the projects for the next few years, but it’s equally true that at the moment there are still many doubts.

We saw it at the “upper levels”, Europe first declared that by 2035 cars with combustion engines will have to be totally eliminated to make way for electric cars, but then it retracted. And today it seems that he wants to follow the path meticulously, with some intermediate stages planned to be able to better control every single detail of this energy transition.

Even the car manufacturers have their say, some have already spoken about it, arguing that for the next few years – at least until 2050 – a total electrification of vehicles is practically impossible or in any case too difficult both to achieve and to maintain. In this regard, let’s see what Toyota’s number one thinks.

Akio Toyoda says the time isn’t ripe enough

According to the President of Toyota: “A silent majority feeds doubts about the electric, there are valid alternatives”. It’s actually not the first time we’ve heard the words of Akio Toyoda, who continues to underline his total skepticism about the electric car. In fact, he argues: “People involved in the automotive industry are largely a silent majority, who are wondering if electric vehicles are really good as the only option, but think it is just a fad and therefore cannot raise their voices” .

He’s not the only one who thinks this way, on the contrary: most players in the automotive sector agree with his opinion. The times are not ripe enough, according to them, to consider electric as the only alternative. Despite this, it seems that our future is now sealed: 100% battery operated.

According to the President, Toyota has a great goal: to participate in the transition process, respecting the decarbonization obligations, but with a different approachbased on technological neutrality and the development of different alternatives and engine solutions.

However, there are several competitors on the market who have long since decided to convert their cars exclusively into battery-powered models. Toyota would like to be able to create a diversified range also composed of hybrids and fuel cells, so that consumers can decide what to buy, given that the list prices of electric cars are still very high for most citizens.

Toyota’s hybrid technology

For Toyota, the hybrid is the technology to focus on, first launched on the Prius almost three decades ago now. An alternative to electric that should not be underestimated, especially at a time when zero-emission vehicles are still so expensive and recharging infrastructures so few in the area.

Akio Toyoda points out: “Since the right answer is not yet clear, we should not limit ourselves to just one option. 100% electric models aren’t the only way to reduce carbon emissions. On the contrary, hybrid vehicles, if marketed in large volumes, can immediately determine positive effects for decarbonisation. In addition, alternatives to electric cars, such as fuel cell cars, are starting to receive increasing recognition among government officials, media representatives or others in the automotive industry.