TOYOTA Australia has tried to respond to growing criticism that the Japanese importer and parent company have not moved fast enough or in large enough numbers to match competitors’ electric vehicles. .
Speaking to Australian media at Toyota’s former manufacturing facility in Altona while providing a preview of the bZ4X battery-powered electric SUV that will debut here next year, Vice President of Sales, continued Toyota Australia’s marketing and franchising operations, Sean Hanley, said he felt Toyota needed to once again defend its stance on electric vehicles being late to the market.
He emphasized: “I want to set a record once again on Toyota’s approach to carbon neutrality.
According to Mr. Hanley, it will take 15 years for the supply and charging infrastructure to reach a point where battery electric vehicles can meet the needs of Toyota’s large and diverse customer base.
He said Toyota believes “a wide range of electrification options” are needed to meet the needs of Australian buyers – and right now that means hybrids, a technology Toyota has commercialized. more successful than any other automaker on Earth.
“We know the environment simply can’t wait (and) that’s why we say it’s too early and too risky to put all your eggs in the tram basket. The most responsible thing we can do right now to help our customers reduce their carbon footprint as much as possible and as soon as possible is to provide low emission solutions that meet their diverse needs, ” he emphasized.
“Toyota Australia is really contributing to the solution (and) once again, let’s be clear: Toyota is committed to bringing electric vehicles to Australia, in the thousands, within a few short years, and ultimately to tens of thousands – and indeed many more as we continue this journey.”
Mr. Hanley said Toyota is well aware that electric vehicles will “play an increasing role in helping us and our customers achieve zero carbon emissions”.
“We are never a matter of ‘will’ do it – it’s a matter of ‘how’ we get there. And of course, there are challenges as we go on this journey.”
However, Mr Hanley insists that the price and availability of electric vehicles in the new car market, as well as the limited charging infrastructure currently offered to buyers in Australia, remains unacceptable to consumers. with most people, especially those in rural and remote areas.
For this reason, he said, Toyota will not be in a hurry to deliver vehicles that don’t fit the needs of customers, no matter where they live or how they use them.
“Let me start with a sobering fact about some of the important materials used to make battery cells. Lithium prices are currently around $100,000 a tonne, almost eight times higher than they were just two years ago and mainly due to rapidly increasing demand and prolonged periods of underinvestment in mines. This has led to battery shortages,” he explained.
“The second challenge we face in Australia and elsewhere in the world is the severely lacking charging infrastructure. This makes owning an existing electric vehicle a challenge, even if EVs only accounted for 3.3 per cent of all new cars delivered in Australia last year.
“And the third challenge is that vehicle owners in Australia are very diverse: They live in areas with different energy supplies. They have access to very different levels of charging infrastructure and – this is the most important point – they use their vehicles in different ways.
“It’s not just about those of us who live in the city. (Yes) people whose livelihoods depend on their vehicles can haul and carry heavy loads – vehicles fit for purpose (and) we can’t leave them on the journey towards carbon neutrality this.”
Toyota Australia’s vibrant public face said the company understands that the challenges facing the new car-buying public are being addressed, but believes a real transition to electrification, at least in Australia, still 15 years ago.
“Without a doubt, all of these challenges are being addressed, but they will take a long time to overcome. In about 15 years, we expect mine and refinery production to catch up to demand and recycling will play an important role,” he detailed.
“As time goes on, we expect the charging infrastructure to be powered by renewables and that battery technology will continue to improve. When all that happens, electric cars will be much more realistic.”
Beating the familiar drumbeat, Mr Hanley again said the contribution of petrol-electric hybrids to reducing greenhouse gas emissions is undeniable, highlighting the fact that Toyota has sold more than 315,000 hybrids in Australia. since the local release of the first generation Prius in 2001.
He said hybrid vehicles currently offer the “best value for money” in reducing exhaust emissions with the same amount of batteries used in all hybrid models sold locally. over the past 20 years, that equates to the same amount of battery material used to build just 4500 battery electric vehicles (BEVs).
“Our hybrid vehicles exceed their weight, reducing carbon emissions by the equivalent of approximately 95,000 EVs – in other words, hybrid vehicles allow us to use precious battery cells where they are. maximum benefit for the environment.
“But please note: this does not mean that Toyota believes that hybrids should be used in place of electric vehicles everywhere and forever. Toyota To be commitment to electric vehicles… starting locally with bZ4X, we will launch before the end of the year and followed by at least three BEVs within three years.”
Citing production delays, Mr. Hanley said Toyota bZ4X – developed in tandem with the Subaru Solterra and Lexus RZ – will be offered later this year with the latest specifications.
He said current signs suggest that the supply of these models will match “a market of our size” and that customer interest in the large SUV Corolla is “very positive”. ”, committed to satisfying customer interest with a consistent supply as the end of the decade approaches.
He concluded: “I think we will see EV dominance increase dramatically over the next seven years, and as that acceleration takes hold, we will scale up EV production and EV services. ours in this market”.
The Toyota bZ4X will be available for purchase in the final quarter of 2023. Local pricing and specifications will be confirmed closer to the model’s sale date.
Visit GoAuto again soon to see our first local first-time drive-through review of the Toyota bZ4X.
