Why Toyota’s Slow EV Transition Is a Good Thing for The Automotive Industry

A recent statement by a top Toyota Executive suggested that Toyota’s adoption to EV vehicles may be slower than expected. What this means for the ever-changing automotive industry.

If you really want to see what the true future of cars is, you need to look at the market. In theory it would be good if a car could run on nothing. Nothing is added in order to make the vehicle propel itself forward. Even though this would be a game changer in the industry, it is simply impossible at this stage of humanity’s technological advancements.

Although it may seem that full EV is the inevitable future and that the widened market will accept cars like Tesla and Rivian into their arms, a top Toyota Executive says otherwise. According to an article published by the Wall Street Journal, “A top executive for Toyota Motor Corp. in North America warned Thursday that buyers might not shift to fully electric vehicles as quickly as some rivals expect and that hybrids are likely to serve as a better near-term solution for many customers.”

I have mentioned in my previous articles that switching over to full EV is the worst thing this economy can do right now. Politics aside, think of all the oil and gas jobs that would be lost. Think of all the gas station jobs that would be gone. If everyone can fill up in their own homes, why pay to charge your car somewhere else? Even though the profit margin on gas stations is very low, this would be the thread that releases the tooth from the gum.

In the statement Jack Hollis who is the Vice President of Sales at Toyota also said, “I don’t think the market is ready for what the rhetoric is saying.” Right now, the rhetoric is saying EV, EV, EV. Is that really what our country and economy need right now?

The trees are still green, and the only polluted places are the cities. The statistics that show that gas cars have a less carbon footprint in their entire life of existence is less than that of an EV is very true. Do you know how polluting the nickel, cadmium, cesium, and sulfur mines are? Not to mention the Lithium mines.

I think that in my opinion, biased or not, Toyota needs to be the superpower that turns this market away from EVs for the time being until these batteries can be made from more sustainable materials. Did you see the hideous EV Challenger that Dodge revealed? We need to protect our markets from hideous “panic-solutions” like EVs and hydrogen cars. If you can tell me one die hard fan of the Challenger that would drive that grey egg I would be surprised.

What do you think? Let us know in the comments below.

Harutiun Hareyan is reporting Toyota news at Torque News. His automotive interests and vast experience test-riding new cars give his stories a sense of authenticity and unique insights. Follow Harutiun on Twitter at @HareyanHarutiun and on YouTube at Toyota Time for daily Toyota news.