
EVs are not as clean as you think, says Akio Toyoda, Chairman of Toyota
Toyota claims that it has sold 27 million hybrids since it launched the first generation of the Toyota Prius in 1997. Akio Toyoda, Chairman of the Board of Directors, Toyota, claims that these 27 million cars are greener than nine million fully electric vehicles when adding battery and vehicle production into the equation. In an interview with Automotive News, he added that if these nine million EVs were built in Japan, it would not have been as green as Japan relies mostly on thermal power.advertisementAccording to Toyoda, components required for the manufacture of batteries needed in EVs can have a negative environmental impact. Not to mention, the logistics involved in moving the raw material from the source to manufacturing facilities and then to OEM plants.Furthermore more he says that the generation of electricity is not exactly done via green methods, with most global economies still heavily reliant on thermal sources for power. He further said in an interview that the conversion of fleets to electric also involves exorbitant costs. Hence, EVs are not the viable choice for the future.
To sum it up, then, Toyoda isn't just looking at the localised impact of electric vehicles limited to emissions but a more holistic look at the life cycle of the entire vehicle from production to the post life impact. On the other hand, Toyoda says that hybrid vehicles seem to be more apt for the future where it is a best of both world where self-charging hybrids prove to be a practical and greener way to drive. These days, Toyota offers a hybrid variant across nearly every Toyota model line.advertisementOther manufacturers have also shown a bit of a slowdown when it comes to electric vehicles. While General Motors has pushed back the plans for the GM Silverado EV, Ford has also acknowledged an unexpected decline in consumer demand for EVs. According to reports, even Elon Musk's Tesla too has been suffering. Sales declined in both the U.S. and China. Tesla sold 38,588 vehicles in China in May, a 30.11 per cent decrease from the 55,215 units sold in the same month last year, according to data released today by the China Passenger Car Association.
In India, Toyota also relies heavily on hybrids rather than going full electric. It currently offers the Toyota Urban Cruiser Hyryder, which promises to offer 27.97kmpl thanks to it being a hybrid. The Hyryder is priced between Rs 17.68 lakh and Rs 27.97 lakh. Toyota also offers the Toyota Innova Hycross, which is once again a proper hybrid and is powered by the TNGA hybrid petrol engine with E-drive transmission. The Hycross is priced between Rs 27.78 lakh and Rs 34.70 lakh. Toyota also launched the Toyota Camry Hybrid in India recently and priced it at Rs 51.54 lakh.advertisementSubscribe to Auto Today Magazine
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