Toyota has a curious relationship with electric vehicles, especially given it was among the most likely to succeed as an EV maker with the early success of the Prius. It has received a lot of criticism for how it has been handling its EV output since then. However, Toyota is fighting back with the assistance of science, which it claims combating carbon emissions requires blending pure EVs with hybrids and other green technologies.
According to the Japanese automaker, new data proves that an EV-only approach won’t work, despite the momentum it has been building up, as reported by Automotive News.
This pitch was made by Toyota’s Chief Scientist, Gill Pratt, in a presentation at the World Economic Forum in Davos. He later took the same message to Tokyo. He said, “Time will show that our point of view is actually the correct one. One way or the other, there will be a diversity of powertrains used throughout the world.”
Pratt argues that spreading lithium supply over more hybrids eliminates more carbon than on fewer pure EVs.
While some automakers like Volkswagen, Ford, and General Motors see a future where they only manufacture EVs, Toyota plans to sell 5.5 million standard and plug-in hybrids in 2030, with about 1 million from its luxury brand, Lexus.
This, however, has not stopped Toyota from pledging tens of billions of dollars for EVs. It plans to sell 3.5 million EVs in 2030.
Toyota’s anti-EV CEO Akio Toyoda has announced he will be stepping down on April 1st.
