Toyota has stuck to their game plan of introducing some of the best hybrid vehicles in the world. Their Prius has topped hybrid sales charts for years now and they have consistently come out with new hybrids and improved upon existing models. They have also shown little to no interest in EVs, at least publicly. It comes as no surprise that their newly selected CEO of Toyota Motor Sales USA Yoshimi Inaba announced recently that the company does not see EVs in its near future.
Inaba came to Detroit to speak with local media just weeks after taking over the top North American spot for the company. When asked about what the future of Toyota hold for EVs he responded by stating, "We don't see in the near future electric vehicles being mainstream... We don't see the major breakthrough in battery technology."
Though Toyota has no immediate plans for EVs, you can bet that they are keeping a watchful eye on the vehicles expected to be released in the next few years from Nissan, GM, and Ford. If the EVs from those companies fare well, Toyota won't be one to wait around to react. You can bet that they will bring an EV to market quickly if their competitors can show success in the category.
According to Inaba, "In terms of technology, we do not believe that we are behind, but acknowledge that Toyota is not ahead either. We believe in hybrid technology... hybrids are more realistic for at least the next four or five years."
For now Toyota appears intent on hybrids and gladly they make some of the best in the world. But if the market for EVs takes off, you can bet Toyota won't be far behind.
Source: Autoblog
