Like most major automakers, Toyota is finally coming to electric cars. But in pain: the commercial launch of the new electric family SUV bZ4x is riddled with problems and the Japanese giant has still not decided what its strategy will be for the future. Should we validate the investments for the development of many new electrical products, or on the contrary not rush and explore other paths? On the occasion of a press conference organized in Thailand on the occasion of the presentation of a new electric variant of the Hilux pick-up, the boss of the Toyota group Akio Toyoda is still very cautious regarding the development of electric cars.
“People working in the automotive industry are part of a silent majority”explained Toyoda. “This silent majority is questioning the relevance of considering electric cars as the only option. They see that it is a basic trend, so they don’t even dare to speak regarding it publicly. But the right answer is still unclear, so don’t limit yourself to just one technology option.”
“Carbon is the only real enemy”
Akio Toyoda thinks we have the wrong enemy: “we have to remember that the only real enemy is carbon, not the cars themselves. But for me, electric technology is not the only way to achieve carbon neutrality. At Toyota, we want to create a wide range of ways to reduce carbon emissions with simple hybrids, plug-in hybrids, electric cars and hydrogen vehicles”he explains.
That said, it is hard to see how a car manufacturer might achieve carbon neutrality by conserving fossil fuels. And the question of hydrogen seems to us at least as complicated as that of electric cars. However, this technological change raises many doubts, including share of major automotive groups.
