Toyota's Big Brainstorm

Toyota's in trouble and needs some good ideas ... but to this exec, there's only one idea worth hearing about. Go to electrek.co/20... to learn more.
#toyota #letsgoplaces #ev ‪@ClimateTown‬ ‪@toyotausa‬

[@Kane0123]

Every car has a battery already… so technically…

[@asmodiusjones9563]

Ironically, the 12-volt battery in the ICE and the lithium-ion battery that the Prius uses for propulsion are separate. And the vehicle’s OS runs from the 12-volt, and needs relatively stable voltage to work. So there have been many times that my Prius would be “dead” in that it wouldn’t turn over, while still having a full batter for driving (because the OS couldn’t boot up to tell the ICE to turn over). Had to get a jump. This is my one and only complaint about the Prius, though.

[@xulture]

light on gas.. gaslight

[@letsgoOs1002]

Toyota just had a huge scandal of lying about emissions that is getting swept under the table. Also the Prius not being fully electric almost 25 years after first being announced is stupid

[@toyotaprius79]

Cobysys NiMH patent embargo tells the tale well

[@teertaa]

Pretty recently in 2024 toyota asia had huge safety scandal discovery thats been done for decades. But yeah its swept under the rug in toyota asia. unlike dieselgate

[@ristekostadinov2820]

They offer plugin hybrid that costs more than 35k. Which defeat the talking point that EVs are expensive (bc you can find one in mid to high 30s or low 40) and you still have to do the maintenance of ICE cars.

[@EatSleepEmpire]

@@ristekostadinov2820not really. If you travel cheap and clean(er) in ev only on short trips (that make up most travel time, and are especially cleaner waiting in traffic), but you get the benefit of quick recharge/refill and long distance when you need it. Sure you have to maintain it like an ice car, but people are already doing that with most vehicles anyway, so plugins are still an improvement. Huge batteries are expensive and still take a lot of emissions to extract materials and build. Hybrids have smaller batteries so you can make more of them from just one full ev. If car manufacturer had gone hybrid in the 2000s like Toyota (apart from big trucks and sports cars), the transition would have been easier now.

[@richardcogbill6791]

VW got caught doing something similar a few years earlier. They make EVs but are behind Tesla and the Chinese when it comes to in ovation and performance

[@Raggart]

RRRROOOOOOLLLLLIIIEEEEEE!!!!

[@RoobehTunes]

Beyond zero is a bit of a tricky one. The idea was that as a mobility company they invest in infrastructure that reduced vehicle usage and that they would invest in technologies that were net positive for the environment etc. their overall focus was *beyond zero* emissions at point of use vehicles into the ecosystems they inhabit. Yeah, they had to pull the plug as the regulator said it could be easily misinterpreted. We had to do beyond zero training modules which were pretty good but then four episodes in they said "oh and we're not calling it beyond zero any more... ...and if anyone asks what bZ4x means, just look at them like they're crazy. Thanks"

[@RoobehTunes]

The argument in the internal marketing is that the smaller hybrid batteries power four vehicles with one EVs worth of lithium etc. I do think there is a place for hybrids and plug-in hybrids and full EV vehicles. Plug-in hybrids especially have the ability to go electric only all their lives on a battery small enough to create range anxiety without the engine attached. The amount of people we get into our dealer looking to tell us how unsuitable for use EVs are is still quite high but this video doesn't share the philosophy of Toyota. It seems to be thinking in reflection of those old hat people, that Toyota wants to continue fossil fuel dependency rather than clean green EVs. It strikes me that in reality Toyota doesn't like the state of battery production methods and doesn't want to invest until it have it's own battery technology and can profit from in-house production. One day I think they will make the jump to EVs but only once they can see their product is improved by the change and delivers on quality.

[@crash.override]

THAT'S what the "BZ" part of that terrible model name is?!!

[@thomasreese2816]

​@RoobehTunes People who haven't driven an EV are telling you that it doesn't work for them, without maybe trying it...? Most Hybrids don't have a plug (meaning gasoline only), the few that do rarely have enough juice for even a daily commute, and even those with a decent battery rarely get charged (because habits are hard to change).

[@RoobehTunes]

@thomasreese2816 Yes, there is still prejudice about hybrids and EVs. Here in the UK, you can get a grant when you buy a new plugin or EV for a wall box to charge at home with. Then, when your average commute is smaller than in some countries it doesn't become an issue. If you go on a road trip, it will function like a regular hybrid once the bulk of the battery power has been used. This is where Toyotas hybrid system is still very good, as in EV mode you will use just electricity. In hybrid, though I don't travel any long distance without the engine cutting in, about 50% of the forward power I use comes from the electric system. With the engine, braking and coasting putting charge back in. Even now, in 2024, a lot of plug in systems don't run symbiotically so just run the battery down and then use the engine only, Which I can see is heavy and results in the bad press mentioned above. The main issue in my opinion with plugins and EVs now home charging is becoming the norm is that some people, especially in population dense areas may struggle to locate a wall box of afford one if they're buying used. In those cases, a regular hybrid like mine still works. Yes, it still uses #gas but if you improve mpg, you have effectively reduced the consumption and dependency on fossil fuels. It's steps in the right direction for a diverse user base.

[@user-usererer]

@@RoobehTunesso your engine charges the battery? How often do you get gas?

[@savage6394]

Toyota would never pull a stunt like this! They are Beloved…. Right, Toyota?? Toyota????

[@user-ci7wn5im5i]

Maintaining the agenda is our top priority

[@Ajbarili]

Too bad too because Toyotas have always been such good quality 😞

[@Veptis]

Electric car is still a car. And a car is bad.

[@funkintonbeardo]

Fuck cars tbh

[@user-ci7wn5im5i]

Maintaining the agenda is our top priority

[@Will140f]

Jonathan Toyota is actually hilarious. And was even more so when I looked it up and found that the guy who founded the company was named Jonichiro Toyota, also called Jon. Nah that’s a lie his name was Kiichiro Toyoda. But can you imagine?

[@Liface]

Rollie got recommended in my feed!

[@kuronokagami]

Would have been funnier if he said “but where would you put the spare tyre with GAS in it?”

[@Syaska]

Budget Pedro Pascal is great in this role

[@TheWolfHowling]

But this isn't your grandfather's gasoline, Toyota is using a highly engineered, liquified, hydrocarbon based energy carrier.😆 Also, are they still trying to make Hydrogen Fuel Cells happen?

[@Gr4mm4rw4tch]

Brilliant!

[@richardcogbill6791]

This kibd of corporate thinking and inertia is what is killing legacy car makers like Toyota. The lack of innovation is spelling the steady death of GM and Ford.

[@daynester]

Rollie?

[@torimarshall9599]

Dilly dilly!

[@ThoR52]

How many pickups and big suv are they currently churning out ? I was so naive to think that Toyota was on a path vaguely more sustainable with their hybrid models.

[@FordFlatSix]

Their cars and trucks are hybrids.

[@8lec_R]

Depends where you are. Where I am it's mostly compact sedans and crossovers. 70% of which are hybrids.

[@nandii_8850]

The bulk of Toyota’s cars still fail to even reach 20mpg, some are still getting like 14 in the city.

[@8lec_R]

@@nandii_8850 lmao. I get 22kml in combined, mostly city driving tho. Wtf are u talking about. 2020 corrola 2zrfe hybrid is the one I have. The new engine is even more fuel efficient, the m20a-fxs

[@nandii_8850]

@@8lec_R duh, you got a hybrid sedan. But toyota is still not making enough hybrids, in fact they make more gas cars and give discounts on those but markups on the hybrids for caring about the environment or gas savings. That same corolla you got could be had cheaper if it was gas, and its wrong that toyota doesnt just make more hybrids instead of giving people insensitive to buy gas only. Not to mention even the hybrids for the bigger suvs are performance hybrids and not efficiency hybrids.

[@VisualFrequency13]

I sat watching and laughing from within my Toyota...😢

[@Molishious]

Saw this as an Ad before another KZbin video and thought it was very funny and well done, so got curious about who made it and why. As an enthusiast of EVs I hope that they will help the environment, but I want one more for the way they drive than anything else. I wish Toyota made a good EV because I like Toyotas, but the BZ4X is so bad I can only conclude that they intentionally made a bad EV so that they could continue to say that they suck. The real solution probably involves electrified public transportation but I don’t see that happening in the US as it won’t make any one individual rich and well we are spoiled.

[@joelbach34]

Glad you liked it! We made it at The YEARS Project. We make climate videos to raise awareness and drive change.

[@ppxppy]

I went looking for a Japanese hatchback or sedan EV in my country (Portugal) after a good experience with a Japanese hatchback (internal combustion only) through 8 years of ownership. After seeing that both Honda and Toyota only had SUVs, none very efficient and both very expensive when compared to the competition from American and European companies, I gave up and went with another brand. Maybe one day Toyota will make a BEV Prius and Honda a BEV Civic.

[@Neojhun]

Toyota should go back to Supercharged Gasoline cars. None of this silly Turbo nonsense.

[@livewellherenow]

Yeup, it’s nuts!

[@alankingchiu]

It's about profits. Toyota can sell more hybrids than full EV, and Toyota dealers can earn more with combustion engine maintenance.

[@Dysiode]

Also Subaru 😭😭

[@GreenNeighbour]

Hilarious… and a well-made point, too! (A bit reminiscent of Think Tank… right down to the guy in the Hawaiian shirt! No complaints here, though… ‘cause I plan to unabashedly rip off Climate Town in the near future!

[@teertaa]

its kinda opposite that its more like the engineers and higher ups with engineer backgrounds that allegedly hated ev with passion compared to the marketting teams warm welcome to ev. Allegedly afaik. But yeah i have no idea why is toyota is so much anti ev to the point they propose hydrogen cars.

[@solracrod]

Jonathan Toyota lol

[@ZachariahMicallef]

Next video needs you to play a HUNDRED characters!

[@Sivah_Akash]

I was expecting this video to be about hydrogen lol!

[@st8595]

yes, hydrogen is gas

[@Sivah_Akash]

@@st8595 , well this video was talking about gasoline specifically tho

[@pierrotA]

Hydrogen cars are similar to electric cars, in the sense that hydrogen tanks are sort of a battery. An hydrogen tank use electricity to charge, then you empty it, and charge it again... It's the same that a battery with an extra step.

[@zamundaaa776]

​@@pierrotAwith that logic you can call a gasoline tank a battery too. In theory you can make gasoline that's CO2 neutral after all... like with gasoline, in practice the same does not happen with hydrogen in practice. At least not to a degree that really matters

[@pierrotA]

@@zamundaaa776 How do you make CO2 neutral gasoline ? 🤔 Making gasoline is a very long a complexe process, ans using gasoline will always polute. But anyway, you do not create gasoline from electricity.

[@MC---]

Unfortunately it seems other manufacturers are backsliding on EVs. Hey at least the US bought them time with the tax tariff. I know when ever I am in a race to do something I like to take my foot off the pedal.

[@greenerthanthetrees]

Well, if you want an innovative industry at the technological vanguard, you clearly need to reduce competitive pressures, right? This is my biggest annoyance with Biden economics, honestly.

[@undisclosedthai]

Mary Toyota and Kent Honda may have some more ideas.

[@user-jt4bx5kq8h]

Jonathan , you roasted them do well.

[@aaronhill7599]

Jonathan Toyota 😂

[@caveman314]

Sure, they should be making more fully electric vehicles, but plug-in hybrids make a lot of sense for a lot of people. What does it matter that it's "not fully electric" if it lets someone drastically reduce their gasoline consumption? A small, efficient PHEV is probably better for the environment than a Hummer EV anyway...

[@nuuskye]

Toyota has been big on the "we aren't going to do full electric until it's awesome" train and making virtually every vehicle they make have a hybrid option for a long time, and have been actively researching and producing solid-state batteries But 'beyond zero' is um, not a thing?

[@user-xd9nx9gr5k]

It's that old 'don't get that! I've got something way better just about to come out. Just you wait!' Musk tried pulling a similar trick with high speed rail with his stupid vacuum tube train thing. At least musk later admitted he was lying

[@Makrangoncias]

An electric car that doesn't use gas? Super easy barely an inconvenience! (I'm 100% sure that Rollie needs to team up with Ryan! )

[@DementedView]

I'm surprised you didn't mention how they keep going back to hydrogen

[@undisclosedthai]

BeYonD Zero means destroy BYD, so BYD=zero. BZ means it comes after BY.

[@ericl.9913]

I think Toyota knows that their whole premise is that they make reliable gas cars. They feel the pressure to get into electric cars, but they know they can't make much better/more reliable vehicles than the competitors so they try to stick to combustion engines.

[@miguelvillanueva2035]

A bit insane.

[@syd546]

Crazy shit

[@user-lb4ys2vp6l]

Alternate take: Toyota was bang on right about not moving to electric as electric cars are now an albatross around many automakers’ necks. Electric cars appear to have reached a saturation point in the US whereas hybrids and PHEVs are ramping up sales. Electrics were never going to work long term in the US with current technology and infrastructure. There is no question that electrics are going to be the only logical choice but only when the fundamentals support it.

[@nitesan2814]

Why make 1 ev when you can make 6 hybrids with that battery?

[@khartoumist1031]

Who's the guy playing the engineer with the dark shirt on?

[@nitrologly]

Dont sleep on plug in hybrids.

[@wobble_bobble]

Diversify means gas + electric. You diversify your risks - short trips could be on solo electricity from grid, long trips will use gas. But I guess Hummer EV is seen as a better alternative to hybrid corolla

[@kimmyjohnny31]

I’d take a boring Hybrid over a EV any day for pure connivence and more flexible utility in different environments

[@LawrenceTimme]

Toyota is great. Yaris gr, supra, soon mr2 and celica.

[@ed234e]

😂 love it

[@wu1908]

well... nissan already did have an electric car that runs on gas, no? So still not innovation XD

[@expedyvillanueva9905]

Doesn’t make any sense.

[@Neojhun]

"Our Beyond Zero Vision"

[@YalokIy]

Fully electric cars are still cars and are still bad for the environment, if not even worse than the hybrids Toyota makes.

[@B11O567]

Toyota has a joint venture with Panasonic to develop and manufacture solid state batteries for EVs. Toyota is a prudent company they don’t just jump into new technology until they know it’s better than their current technology. Toyota also likes to have close relationships with their suppliers, to the extent they often partly or wholly own some of their suppliers. For an EV automaker manufacturing your own batteries is akin to manufacturing your own engine for ICE carmakers.

[@No_True_Scotsman]

Toyota ignoring electric cars will be looked ban on like Blackberry, Kodak, and blockbuster

[@joelbach34]

True!

[@dav31078]

Toyota did state they could either produce a single EV battery or 49 hybrid batteries with the same amount of material. They also stated the impact on emissions reduction was an order of magnitude greater with the latter option.

[@Simon-dm8zv]

Except that this is simply incorrect.

[@whyamiwastingmytimeonthis]

@@Simon-dm8zvit is though, why do you think it isn’t?

[@Simon-dm8zv]

@@whyamiwastingmytimeonthis Countless of research reports show life cycle emissions of EVs are lower than those of hybrids. This has been a well researched topic for years.

[@Simon-dm8zv]

@@whyamiwastingmytimeonthis Countless of research reports show life cycle emissions of EVs are lower than those of hybrids. This has been a well researched topic for years.

[@whyamiwastingmytimeonthis]

@@Simon-dm8zv I mean yeah, that is obvious, but that’s not the point here. The problem, to simplify it, is this - for a given amount of materials and cost, they can either sell 1 EV to a person with a gas car, or hybrids to several people. Sure, the per-vehicle emissions reduction is far greater with EVs, but scale is what matters here. Toyota is THE largest auto manufacturer in the world, and it can get far more gas cars off the road by making and selling hybrids, rather than EVs. Once the cost of batteries goes down, you can bet they’ll go all-EV.

[@ingleland1870]

Making hybrid cars doesn’t follow the Kaizen model. Overly complex and too many parts to break. Instead make it 100% electric or 100% fossil fuel. I’m for the electric only model.

[@whyamiwastingmytimeonthis]

Okay, hear me out. They’d go full electric for their entire lineup if they could, but it’s just not possible to produce at current scale AND price point. They’d be able to sell fewer and more expensive EVs, and they’d only be hurting themselves in the current market. The battery cost and rate of production are the bottleneck - it physically impossible to produce and sell millions of cars like they do with the hybrids. The hybrid Corolla that starts at $20k - yes, it’s electriFIED, but it costs half as much as an EV, still solidly cuts down on emissions compared to ICEs, and because so many people can buy it instead of the regular gas cars, the cumulative emissions reduction is far greater than if they only produced EVs.

[@xelaander8429]

Thank You!!!!

[@DrBernon]

This is most certainly their argument. Yes. And seen how things are going, they are spot on for now. But it also sounds a bit like Bs because they are also making their cars more premium, so the cost argument is debatable.

[@BrunoHeggli-zp3nl]

Tesla is doomed,Evs are fine!

[@JackBauerDev]

Isnt hybrid way easier to make with less resources?

[@dshw]

It's actually more resources as you need two engines with all the stuff needed for both of them.

[@JackBauerDev]

@@dshw ice engines are just metal? Compared to huge batteries

[@ElderStatesman]

@@JackBauerDevPriuses & hybrids still piggyback on gas. Better to use EVs than try to go halfway.

[@Simon-dm8zv]

Resources required for the fuel are much more.

[@xephyrxero]

I just bought one of Toyota's all electric BZ4X. Now that their electric hating CEO has been replaced I expect to see a lot more fully electric vehicles from them over the coming years

[@chriauc2976]

Poor you but Why. Hope you keep your wheels on …. That is a shatbox Nissan leaf tech. Why people like you I don get …

[@Kj16V]

Full EVs have their own problems; there aren't enough battery making resources in the world to be able to swap out every ICE for an EV. EVs aren't 100% set to be the future yet, so it makes sense for some companies to hedge their bets.

[@BobSaint]

Shhhh, the EV heads will hear you 😅

[@Bacciagalupe]

: )

[@NuttyV2]

Are hydrogen cars electric?

[@zatarstar5590]

Technically yes, as you create the hydrogen with electricity. Practically, the hydrogen infrastructure is so expensive that nobody will be able to pay for it

[@MonkeyBisnez]

Toyota’s too smart for your bs

[@BugGenerat0r]

Aren’t electric car sales going down? Most Americans don’t seem to want them for some reason.

[@public2514]

Trying so hard to be funny 😂

[@ammoniumchloride1047]

He's... a comedian? That's kind of his job?

[@Cadmus9501]

The problem with making vehicles 100% electrical, is they don't have the capability of traveling long distances, you need to recharge the battery and there aren't that many electrical charging stations in the country. If you travel to remote areas or are carrying heavy equipment, the car will run out of power sooner and to charge the battery takes several hours. Guys, as much as I would like electric vehicles only it is not feasible right now. In order for this video to work, you literally need to ignore reality. Most electric vehicles cost around $40,000 or more and the majority of people can't afford that price.

[@HowIin]

Yes, most people know this. The video never said that isn't the case. It doesn't mean they can't sell a fully electric vehicle.

[@jugklutzz]

Right on man! Now let me jump in my car and drive the half mile to my grocery store. Bet an EV couldn't do that.

[@Ming3r]

​@@HowIinThey have that bz4x thing that.... Looks worse than my bolt and has worse range. Hm.

[@Simon-dm8zv]

Most hybrids also cost 30k to 40k. Price parity is pretty much there already. Also long distance traveling is no problem with EVs in many parts of the world.

[@bowesterlund3719]

Haha not capable of long distances? Hmmm I wonder how I drove 2200 km in two days with my EV and only had to wait about 15-30 min in total while charging.