A Tale Of Two Toyotas: Doing More To Electrify America Than Anyone While Slowing Electrification

In this article, I explain Toyota’s impact on the electrification of vehicles in the US and around the world.

Speeding Electrification

1. The Toyota Prius became a symbol of environmental consciousness and practicality, despite its shortcomings in performance.
2. Toyota’s strategy of prioritizing hybrids over fully electric cars is justified in the short term, but may not be sustainable in the future.
3. Toyota has faced criticism for its advertising of “self-charging EVs” and other misleading claims.

So, let’s move beyond talking points and look at some data:

Despite being considered a laggard in EVs, almost a third of Toyota’s recent sales were hybrids. The upcoming 2025 Camry’s introduction as a 100% hybrid model could significantly increase their electrified share.

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