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| Toyota's first gas-electric hybrid, the Prius, above, was introduced in 1997 and exported to the United States and other markets starting in 2000, but the Japanese carmaker never made the seemingly natural transition to all-electric cars, placing its bets on hydrogen instead. (Photo credit: Toyota) |
By VICTOR E. SASSON
EDITOR
HACKENSACK, N.J. -- In 2014, when I and thousands of other owners of the gas-electric Prius were ready for an affordable all-electric car with a range of 200 miles, Toyota and the rest of the world's auto industry wasn't ready for us.
I not only started a blog called Shocking Car News to dramatize deadly auto emissions, but in April 2015, I took delivery of a new Tesla Model S, a luxurious 4-door hatchback with a 60 kWh battery and an advertised range of 208 miles ($69,000 without options, more than twice the cost of our 2010 Prius).
But now, according to The New York Times, as the world moves toward zero-emissions electric cars, giant Toyota "is fighting climate regulations in an apparent effort to buy time."
"...In recent months," The Times reported, "Toyota, one of the world's largest automakers, has quietly become the industry's strongest voice opposing an all-out transition to electric vehicles -- which proponents say is critical to fighting climate change."
Hydrogen over electric
With Toyota betting its future on the development of hydrogen fuel cells, "a rapid shift from gasoline to electric on the roads could be devastating for the company's market share and bottom line," The Times said.
Toyota and other auto makers "also sided with the Trump administration in a battle with California over the Clean Air Act and sued Mexico over over fuel efficiency rules," The Times said, adding that in Japan, "Toyota officials argued against carbon taxes."
I recall Toyota explaining the name "Prius" means "what comes before."
So, with Toyota actively fighting stricter clean air standards and the transition to electric cars does Prius mean what comes before our planet turns unlivable?
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| Our 2010 Toyota Prius, our fourth since 2004, gets more than 50 miles per gallon of gasoline in highway driving, and it is quieter than conventional gas-powered cars, with the engine shutting off at red lights and when the car is coasting on the highway. When parked, a small solar panel on the roof activates interior fans in hot weather. |
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| My second Tesla, a Model S 75D with all-wheel drive and air suspension, above, shares the garage, but the Prius will soon have to make way for a new Tesla Model Y, a 4-door hatchback, we've ordered. |
Prius sales fall
U.S. sales of all models of the Toyota Prius peaked in 2012 at 236,665, according to GoodCarBadCar.net.
By 2019, Prius sales dropped to 69,218. Sales in 2020 -- during the Covid-19 pandemic -- totaled only 43,525, but they appear to be bouncing back in 2021.
European automakers
Meanwhile, since the 1990s, all of the major German automakers agreed not to compete on introducing stricter emissions controls, according to the European Union, which fined Volkswagen and BMW more than $1 billion dollars, according to TechCrunch,com:
"According to the European Union, Volkswagen, Audi, Porsche, BMW and Mercedes-Benz parent company Daimler have been illegally colluding to restrict competition in emission cleaning for new diesel passenger cars, essentially slowing the deployment of cleaner emissions tech. On Thursday, the EU issued fines of $1 billion (€875 million) to Volkswagen and BMW for their involvement in the emissions cartel."
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| The 4 generations of the gas-electric Toyota Prius, from left to right, the first practical hybrid passenger car imported into the United States. |
