Toyota executives have once again slammed BEVs
In 2024, in the context of the rapid development of the new energy vehicle industry, Toyota Motor Corporation executives once again attacked pure electric vehicles, which has aroused widespread attention and heated discussions. As a world-renowned traditional car company, Toyota has always had a conservative attitude towards pure electric vehicles, which is in stark contrast to the development philosophy of emerging electric vehicle companies such as Tesla and BYD.
Tevez Thomson, Toyota's executive vice president, bluntly accused BYD and other Chinese EV companies of producing pure electric vehicles as "pure waste" in an interview. His reasoning is that the battery packs of these BEVs are not suitable for long-distance driving and have limited range. He believes that plug-in hybrid vehicles are the way of the future, which can balance environmental protection and practicality.
The remark sparked a heated discussion online. Many netizens have refuted the views of Toyota executives, believing that they are "farting" and that pure electric vehicles are the future development trend. Some netizens pointed out that Toyota lags behind Tesla, BYD and other companies in the field of electric vehicles, so it has a negative attitude towards pure electric vehicles.
Netizens refuted Toyota's remarks
In recent years, BEV technology has made great strides, with longer ranges and better charging facilities. Tesla, for example, has a range of up to 648 kilometers on a single charge, which is fully capable of meeting the needs of daily travel and long-distance travel. The products of domestic electric vehicle companies such as BYD are also continuously improving the range and charging efficiency.
Netizens believe that the remarks of Toyota executives are too one-sided and narrow-minded, and fail to face up to the rapid progress of pure electric vehicle technology. They criticized Toyota for resting on its laurels, lagging behind the development trend of the times, and if it does not transform in time, it is likely to be eliminated by the development of the industry.
Toyota's conservative views diverge from industry trends
Toyota's executives' remarks are not unique, but reflect the company's conservative stance in the field of new energy vehicles. For many years, Toyota has focused on hybrid and hydrogen fuel cell vehicles, with less investment in pure electric vehicles.
This is in stark contrast to the development philosophy of emerging electric vehicle companies such as Tesla and BYD. The latter sees BEVs as the way of the future and has invested heavily in R&D and production, with impressive results. Tesla, with its leading battery and autonomous driving technology, has become the world's champion in pure electric vehicle sales; BYD, on the other hand, occupies an important share in the domestic and foreign markets by virtue of its cost-effective advantage.
Toyota's performance in the field of electric vehicles is relatively lagging behind. Its pure electric vehicle range and performance are not comparable to the products of Tesla, BYD and other companies. This calls into question Toyota's competitiveness in the field of new energy vehicles.
Traditional car companies are facing transformation challenges
The remarks of Toyota's executives reflect the huge challenges faced by traditional car companies in the process of transforming to new energy vehicles. On the one hand, they need to abandon the stereotype, follow the development trend of the industry, and invest heavily in the research and development of pure electric vehicle technology; On the other hand, they also need to maintain their strengths and continue to develop in areas such as hybrid and fuel cells.
This is a difficult balancing act, which requires the possessiveness and courage of traditional car companies. If you rest on your laurels and adhere to a conservative view, you are likely to be surpassed by emerging electric vehicle companies and eventually eliminated by the market.
Many traditional car companies have realized this and have begun to increase investment in pure electric vehicles. American automakers such as GM and Ford, as well as European automakers such as Volkswagen and BMW, have launched their own pure electric models and formulated future development plans. Toyota's pace of transformation is lagging behind.
Toyota Motor Corp. executives have once again slammed pure electric vehicles, sparking widespread controversy and criticism. This remark reflects Toyota's conservative attitude in the field of new energy vehicles, and there are differences with the development concepts of emerging electric vehicle companies such as Tesla and BYD.
Pure electric vehicles are becoming the mainstream trend in the development of the industry, and the technology continues to advance, and the range and charging efficiency continue to improve. If traditional car companies rest on their laurels and adhere to a conservative view, they are likely to be surpassed by emerging electric vehicle companies and eventually eliminated by the market.