Japanese carmakers ‘very scared’ by China’s rapid EV development
Japanese carmakers ‘very scared’ by China’s rapid EV development
cross-posted from: https://lemmy.ml/post/18256978
And they should be. Toyota spent so long fighting against EVs instead of embracing them that they could become irrelevant in less than 20 years.
China is heavily subsidizing their EV production. US and Japanese car makers are sitting on their hands and bitching to their government to keep the Chinese vehicles out.
Toyota never fought against EVs. They were part of a consortium of companies (including literally every other manufacturer selling cars in the US) that fought against the mandates banning them from selling anything but EVs.
Toyota was first to electrify their vehicles with the Prius all the way back in the 90s and have hybrid options for nearly every vehicle in their fleet now, along with heavily investing in solid state battery research and hydrogen powered vehicles, so I don't understand why people make stupid claims like saying they're in bed with the oil industry.
Toyota is the type of company that methodically designs their vehicles using proven technology rather than jumping head first into a market that's rapidly developing and changing. It seems they're waiting to see what works and what doesn't to manufacture their first real EV (not the joint venture compliance car that is the BZ4X or whatever it's called).
Toyota had a head start with the Prius. But instead of embracing full electrification they've been pushing stupid shit like hybrids and even worse hydrogen vehicles. Full fledged EVs are far more feasible than a hydrogen car, but Toyota is still pushing them because it means it has an engine, and that's what they're comfortable with.
https://electrek.co/2023/10/30/why-is-toyota-anti-ev-it-lost-the-race-to-compete-ev-council/
https://www.citizen.org/news/years-of-anti-ev-policy-at-toyota-generates-shareholder-backlash/
https://www.teslarati.com/toyota-electric-vehicle-push-wasted-investment/
https://observer.com/2024/05/toyota-announce-carbon-neutral-engine-ev-strategy/
https://www.myeva.org/blog/why-the-eva-is-holding-toyota-accountable
The BZ4x is an awful vehicle that they've only pushed out to say they have an EV. The world would be better off without that absolute piece of shit of a car. The only reason that car exists is so Toyota can go to their share holders and say "see, this is why we need to keep hybrid cars around"
Toyota who got famous for being agile and lean and making just in time manufacturing and continuously improving every aspect of the business.
They then basically run a real world experiment and start fucking around with electric (well hybrid) cars. The results of which are positive, they sell very well, get a lot of publicity and good reviews.
And what do they do. Ignore their entire philosophy, all their data, everything the company is built and and decide "the way we have always done it is best".
Ohno Taiichi must be rolling in his grave.
Toyota fucked themselves.
But if capitalism shows us anything its that if the big companies don't adapt and change quickly some small start up is going to blow them out of the water and make them cease to exist.
I still don't understand their hesitation, they are still advocating for hydrogen instead of batteries. And even then, they haven't built any infrastructure to support hydrogen cars like tesla did for battery cars.
Hydrogen is a Japanese government strategic initiative, they want to be world leaders in the technology so they're encouraging Japanese companies to invest. And giving out hella subsidies too.
I'd still buy a Toyota/Lexus over a similarly priced BYD just because of the reliability track record of Toyota
Similarly priced? Nah mate
You gotta pay x2 for a Toyota with half of BYD features
And Europe should too be sacred.