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Q: HEV or EV?
“People are finally seeing reality.”
– Akio Toyoda, Toyota Chairman
Toyota has been roundly criticized for its go-slow EV strategy emphasizing Hybrid models over EV models. EV sales have slowed significantly after an initial burst of interest in EV cars. EV charging infrastructure challenges, higher pricing, and questions challenging how green are EVs have contributed to the decline in sales.
Moreover, major auto companies are cutting back production of EVs and Electric Trucks and increasing production of hybrids. In 2023, HEVs accounted for 8.3% of U.S. car sales, and EVs accounted for 6.9% of U.S. car sales. The Biden administration is pushing with regulatory changes to get more EVs on the road as soon as possible.
Is America not ready to go all EV? If you don’t already have one? Which is your preference, a HEV or an EV?
I’m never going to buy an EV. I just rented one. Actually, I was forced to rent one. It was a horrible experience. I couldn’t find charging stations, and when I did, it took forever for me to get back on the road. I’ll wait until everyone else has worked out the problems.
Hybrids are great! I don’t have to worry about a charging station, and I almost never go to the gas station. How great is that? We should all move to hybrids before we go to electric. EVs are for rich people who have more than one car.
I have to drive over 75 miles each way to work. Where I live, there are very few charging stations. I cannot rely on finding one when I have to get to work on time and get back to pick up my kids. I’ll keep my regular car.