Toyota, slow to move to EVs, says it offers customers choice

Like most maker of EV's they have still not gotten the message that consumers want EV's with built in solar panels on roof, bonnet and boot to provide free mileage for the life of the vehicle worth thousands of dollars. How many hours in a vehicles lifetime does a car spend in daylight outside? Different for all drivers but for many the hours add up substantially and can add miles every day for free travel.

God forbid you run out of power and can slowly build up enough charge over a few hours to get to the nearest power outlet, thanks to solar panels embedded in your vehicle.

Every little bit helps. The panels could be connected to an emergency power system that gives 20-50 km range and can be used first or last for emergencies at the users choice.

For someone like me, I would never need to charge my car as it remains outside 24/7 and I use it every few days travelling no more than 10km in a trip. That is a car I would buy, second hand to be sure.

Was planning to buy Bz4 this year. Saw the price and realized I could buy 2 hybrids and a bike instead. Mata kondo Toyota kun.

They're smart, hybrids are a great, sustainable option. All EV is more risky and also has various negative climate impacts.

Yep, smart thinking by the boys in Toyota. There is nowhere on Earth that is ready for anything more than a handful of full on EVs. There is no power grid to sustain it, no charging ports, and often no demand from consumers.

Most Japanese live in apartments or condos, there is no way for those buildings to support any more than a handful of plug-in cars. Plus, current battery packs in EV cars are rolling environmental disasters waiting to happen. Better to wait for the technology to catch up with the fevered dreams of the Climate Catastrophers.

I agree with this Toyota exec. Having a few different choices and options keeps the company from putting everything in one basket. I, as a customer, would love to have a choice ten, twenty years from now and not only have BEVs as the only option.

They better get a move on. Yes, people need choice. And, it's good to have a variety of Eco options. But, they need to drastically improve their BEV offerings, as well as increase their PHEV models, in addition to their traditional HEVs. And, maybe spend a little less energy (pardon the pun) on their hydrogen FCEV's, which the public seems to have rejected, despite the push by the oil industry which wants to sell you hydrogen.

Choice is the key: EVs, PHEVs, FCEVs and petrol/diesel engines are all valid options depending on location and various other factors and circumstances. There is currently no "one size fits all".

They are extremely smart, complainers are simpletons (aka idiots). Toyota has 10.5 million reasons to be proud of their work and success. EVs come with a lot of unanswered questions about their actual sustainability and ecological impact, Toyota knows that.

Anyone complaining about Toyota not being green forgets about their revolutionary impact with the Prius and other plugin hybrid technologies.

may as well stick a pair of sails on the roof and use wind power. Solar cells are next to worthless unless they are deployed in vast arrays.

If you have a minute and are interested in vehicles that are solar powered/assisted then check out this page with 3 different solar EV's on the market. Both expensive and cheap options available.

https://www.cleanerwatt.com/articles/solar-evs-amp-tesla-with-solar-panels-coming-in-2022

The real reason is to protect Toyota's tight network of Japanese suppliers, many of which are stuck with combustion technology or other conventional engineering. They tend to be small scale and thus can't afford to radically revamp their operations.

The industry - plus the Japanese govt -- realize that a full switchover to EVs would increase dependence on Chinese, Korean and US suppliers and an eventual loss of this old Japanese industrial tradition.

Remember when analogue Toshiba, NEC and Hitachi lost out to digital Apple, Microsoft, Samsung and others? Stay tuned for a replay.

The key is all down to the development of the next generation battery such as solid state batteries. If one that is comparable with fossil fuels in terms of the energy density per volume or weight is achieved the winner will be EVs.

Interestingly though, it is Toyota that holds a large number of patents about the new batteries. However at this rate of their attitude towards EVs, it will soon be copied and defeated by China.

Full of excuses, as always.

Hybrid is the future EVs are a waste of money!

Is still a good strategy. Hybrids is a smart move. Not every country in the world is willing to embrace or ready for ev cars. Or even capable to switching to that.

While fossil fuel cars is never gonna die out. Anyone who tells you differently is clearly ignorant about the state of the world. EV cars is merely a luxury idea that Europe wishes to have. But it not doable in the long run. Especially considering how they can barely keep their cities light on these days.

Not to mention the raw materials coming from a few countries is another major headache. Any little shake in these countries could cripple the supply chain. And guess who produce 80% of the global li-ion batteries?

Toyota Motor Corp, under scrutiny from investors over a perceived sluggish embrace of battery electric vehicles, says it needs to offer a variety of choices to suit different environments and customers.

I think Toyota is right to favour its customers’ preferences, over what some ESG focused pension fund on the other side of the world is saying.

These un-elected ESG pushers have a lot to answer for, looking at global energy prices, and the seeming correlation between higher energy prices and the timing of Putin’s Ukraine invasion.

What is the point of BEV’s if we need to use loads of energy to mine then necessary minerals out of the ground, or burn more fossil fuels to produce that energy?

That consumers still like to use fossil fuel based vehicles is telling us something.

Toyota is global leader in hybrids, so this is to be expected. It has sold over 15 million of them.

It looks like a similar number of "electric cars" have sold cumulatively to the end of 2021, but this number also includes plug in hybrids, cars that principally run on gasoline. Many of these are made and sold in China, and would not be to potential buyers of Toyotas.

I doubt the grid as it stands could withstand a large market share for electric vehicles, such as 30%. It will need more capacity and extensive rewiring if folks are to fast charge at home. This requires way more power than ordinary household activities.

Larr Flint:

EV and hybrid cars are the future.

The problem is that it is "future" not now.

People love driving gas guzzling SUVs, rather than EVs. Even when they drive EVs, the source of their electricity is still almost always coals and gas.

Future is far away.

People love driving gas guzzling SUVs, rather than EVs. 

Not at current gas rates they don’t. Have you not looked at the skyrocketing demand for non-fossil fuel vehicles?!

Quote: customers need to choose

It will be interesting to see the coal powered SUVs they produce for Trump supporters.

@Larr Flint

I can't believe. EV and hybrid cars are the future.

Hybrid are not. EU will ban Hybrid and PHEV after 2035. UK will ban in 2030.

No internal combustion allowed, even hydrogen internal combustion like Toyota's pushing.

Only EV and fuel-cell vehicles allowed after 2030 in UK/2035 in EU respectively.

PHEV is over. It isn’t efficient to have 2 drive trains. ICE will be banned. Toyota is going to lose a lot of market share.

Domestically, the electric infrastructure is not ready for mass adoption of ev’s. Japan already has a shortage of generating capacity.

Toyota is one of the few automakers willing to be honest about the current viability of ev’s for the mass market

The real reason is to protect Toyota's tight network of Japanese suppliers, many of which are stuck with combustion technology or other conventional engineering. They tend to be small scale and thus can't afford to radically revamp their operations.

This, exactly this!

God forbid you run out of power and can slowly build up enough charge over a few hours to get to the nearest power outlet, thanks to solar panels embedded in your vehicle.

I don't think you understand how solar panels work.

Every little bit helps. The panels could be connected to an emergency power system that gives 20-50 km range and can be used first or last for emergencies at the users choice.

Yeah..You definitely don't understand how solar panels work.

The Tesla model 3 has a 260km range on a 50 kw battery. That works out to 5.2km per KW.

A typical solar panel that generates 250 watts full direct sunlight Is 165cm x 100cm.

Let's be generous and say there are 2 panels worth of space on the car.

So that would mean, assuming a very sunny day in full direct sunlight the panels will generate 500 watts in an hour.

If we do the math that works out to 2.6 km of range per hour.

It would literally be faster to walk.

If We consider an 8-hour day that's 4 kilowatts or 20.4 KM. Not even enough range to make it round trip to the supermarket.

Of course the above assumes a perfect sunny day and perfect world conditions. It's not realistic and the numbers are actually going to be lower.

To this you also consider the additional weight of the solar panels they're very heavy which would reduce the efficiency and range. You also have to consider that solar panels are not cheap and they would add a significant cost to an EV which is already very expensive.

EVs are not the future. They never were. If you really want to protect the environment then think hydrogen powered vehicles. This short video succinctly describes electric vehicles more accurately.

https://youtu.be/17xh_VRrnMU

Yeah..You definitely don't understand how solar panels work.

The Tesla model 3 has a 260km range on a 50 kw battery. That works out to 5.2km per KW.

A typical solar panel that generates 250 watts full direct sunlight Is 165cm x 100cm.

Let's be generous and say there are 2 panels worth of space on the car.

They do not use domestic house solar panels on vehicles. they maximise space by using smaller bespoke panels and one solar vehicle being sold now has 1kw or power generation embedded.

Even the Tesla truck with solar cover gains you up to 15 miles a day in free power and with extended fold out panels up to 40 miles a day free.

I think it is you who does not understand the advances in solar mobility and the number of companies investing in research to advance this concept. It would not matter if it is 5 miles a day as it all adds up to free, clean power for the life of the vehicle. Five miles a day is 1,825 miles a year free travel. Over five years that equals 9,125 miles or 14,685 km of clean generated, free travel. I would rather take that than choose not to. It is money that stays in my pocket and benefits the environment.

 think it is you who does not understand the advances in solar mobility and the number of companies investing in research to advance this concept. It would not matter if it is 5 miles a day as it all adds up to free, clean power for the life of the vehicle. Five miles a day is 1,825 miles a year free travel. Over five years that equals 9,125 miles or 14,685 km of clean generated, free travel. I would rather take that than choose not to. It is money that stays in my pocket and benefits the environment.

Well, clearly logic isn't going to work to prove that its not realistic.

I hate to break it to you but there is a reason solar panels are flat and aren't wrapped around curved objects. that reason is the sun. they only work efficiently when in direct sunlight. Go ahead and park your car in direct sunlight and when you use all of the energy on the ac to cool it back down let me know how you feel.

I hate to break down your false sentiment about free travel but when you consider the additional cost of a solar panel, you are going to end up paying a premium for those so called free miles

It would be far greener and more cost effective to either install solar at your residence and charge from there or choose to pay for solar from your energy provider.

EVs are not the future. They never were. If you really want to protect the environment then think hydrogen powered vehicles. This short video succinctly describes electric vehicles more accurately.

I listened to an expert on hydrogen powered vehicles. A strong proponent of them, and she sold me. But, one thing she was clear on is that it's not an EV vs. hydrogen cell, they both can serve different purposes, and a combination of both will move us forward and off fossil fuel.

Thinking that EVs are not the future because something else is, is binary thinking. It's not an all or nothing, black or white situation. It will be a combination of different solutions.