this post was submitted on 16 Sep 2023
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Futurology
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Toyota has literally ceded their entire hybrid advantage by doing jack shit when it comes to EVs. If they’d even created a new line of EVs while keeping their ICE legends like the Corolla and Camry for now, they’d get the best of both worlds.
Toyota’s are legendary for their reliability and they’ve earned that. By having not a single EV to offer, they’re losing a ton of business. I know I certainly would’ve bought one of theirs but had to go elsewhere.
It's exactly because they put longevity and dependability first that they aren't currently competing in the EV market much. And where they do they put weird one off names on the car. Lithium batteries wear out faster than is acceptable for Toyota. That's why they are literally inventing new solid state batteries that live up to people's expectations of Toyota before committing to EVs. That's why I'm holding off on EVs. I only buy Toyotas because of the dependability and longevity, so I only want an EV once Toyota is willing to release a Camry, RAV4 or 4Runner ev. Until then the hybrids will do.
Replacing the battery at 100k miles as scheduled maintenance solves that problem. I had to change my Prius’ hybrid battery at 150k. Toyota can build a 200k mile reliable car and if the fuel source isn’t up to that standard, make it easily serviceable so it is part of routine scheduled maintenance.
The fact that every automaker except them and Honda have put out compelling and competitive EVs says a lot. I love Toyotas and strongly would’ve bought another. But my readiness to go electric didn’t line up with the 15 years Toyota has squandered to have something to sell me.
Maybe when I’m ready for another car in the next decade they’ll be ready. Until then, they lost out on my business by no fault of my own. I’m not buying another gas car.
So why did they make a RAV4 EV, then stop in 2014?
Their own official announcement said it's to pivot their engineers into developing next gen battery tech, and that the RAV4 EVs they made would continue to receive excellent service, implying the motivation is the dependability issue
"Lithium batteries wear out faster than is acceptable for Toyota."
They don't though?