Toyota declares war on EVs

Bob Kelley has passed away, his family announced on June 3. They also added that he died peacefully in his sleep and that the event had occurred days before.

The name might not ring a bell, but Bob Kelley was the long-time publisher of the Kelley Blue Book. It’s an essential tool and database for automotive enthusiasts. Eventually, it became a reference for reviews, and pricing.

Kelley relentlessly worked to improve his product and get it to the masses. That, he did.

RIP, Bob.

Key Takeaways

Don’t have much time? Here’s the summary of what we’re talking about:

• Toyota is focusing on internal combustion engines and not fully embracing electric vehicles. Being one of the world’s biggest car companies, this could disrupt the future of automobiles. 

• Toyota's approach might be risky, but it keeps it unique in the automotive industry, offering both traditional and hybrid options.

• Despite their strategy, Toyota faces challenges such as recalls and poor quality in their new engines, which is like shooting itself in the foot. 

• Other brands like Subaru and Mazda are also hesitant about fully converting to electric vehicles, choosing instead to develop new internal combustion technologies.

• Jeep offers models that are ideal for teenage drivers due to their affordability and availability of cheap spare parts.

• The nominal size of a 35-inch tire might not reflect its true size, which is important for vehicle fitting and performance.
  

KERN’S CORNER

Toyota’s stance on EVs goes against the grain

The entire world is pushing towards total vehicle electrification. Unless you’re one of the biggest manufacturers around. 

Toyota was clear about its goals for the future: the Japanese giant wants internal combustion. 

What’s fascinating is that Toyota is not alone, which could cause a major shift in the future of cars. 

Two other brands are joining forces with the Japanese giant, and they all share one common goal. 

Such a move is ballsy, but it raises many questions about the future of transportation.

The more I read about it, the more I love the underlying message.

But what exactly are Toyota’s goals?

The case FOR internal combustion

There’s one common theme if you look at Toyota’s current US lineup. 

It’s not predominantly electric. If anything, internal combustion is still king. 

Such an attitude has garnered strong criticism, and it’s not new, as this article from 2022 states. 

But Toyota is on to something. 

Sure, you can create many guidelines for automotive manufacturers. 

These guidelines are vital for the reduction of greenhouse gases. 

Read our article to learn more about what the new EPA guidelines mean. 

There’s one big problem with this transition, and it’s precisely that: it’s a transition. 

We don’t have the infrastructure to support an entirely electric fleet. 

And that’s where Toyota comes in. 

The Japanese manufacturer has a “multipronged” focus on reducing emissions. However, this isn’t new.

Here’s an article from 2006 talking about it. 

They believe in becoming the bridge, and for many reasons:

• The sudden shift to EVs could cause the loss of millions of jobs

• EVs are vital for emission reduction, but they also have weak points

• EVs are necessary, but not everyone needs EVs (I love this one)

If you want to read more on these reasons, the information comes from this article by Associated Press. 

What they’ll do is create a series of engines that operate with gasoline and alternative fuels, including biofuels and synthetic gasoline. They will also keep working hard on their hydrogen proposals. 

Here’s what Donut Media thinks of the Toyota hydrogen sedan–it’s a great video. 

Now, you might say that Toyota’s approach is logical and sound, as is the case with many of its vehicles. 

But let’s not forget Toyota also wants to be fun. 

Gazoo just wants to have fun

Toyota Gazoo Racing is the company’s motorsports division and became Akio Toyoda’s pet project. 

Thus, the division became a powerhouse in sports such as Rallying, winning four manufacturers and five driver’s championships. 

After all, that’s what you get when you hand over the reins to a former rally champion. 

But that’s the Toyota way. 

Use the tools around you to create something that works and helps. 

That’s not the only positive this motorsport division gave to Toyota. 

It didn’t only lead to really cool cars, such as the Supra and GR86. 

It cemented a band formerly known as dull as a fun alternative to European sports cars and American SUVs.

It was the perfect wedge. 

They relied on the internal combustion engine to accomplish it. 

However, here’s the twist. It’s not like Toyota didn’t produce electric vehicles.

There’s the bZ4X, which, by the way, feels like that one university project you make just to pass the course.

I’m not the only one who feels that way; Car and Driver also do.

Instead, Toyota focused on hybrids, and to great success. 

According to Edmunds, Toyota has the first and second place overall in best hybrid cars, with the Corolla and Camry, second overall in SUVs, with the Highlander, and second overall in best plug-in hybrid, with the Prius. 

That’s knowing your market. 

That doesn’t mean that the road ahead is easy for Toyota in the future. 

The current challenges plaguing Toyota

We were excited when the latest Toyota Sequoia rolled out of the assembly lines.

Numbers-wise, it made perfect sense: more power and better fuel economy, thanks to its promising twin-turbo V6 hybrid engine.

437 HP sure is promising. In fact, the hype was so much that our very own Kern bought one. 

Then came reality. 

After all, this isn’t an ode to Toyota. 

The battery pack reduces cargo room considerably. Not only that, but the fuel economy isn’t that great. 

But that’s not the worst problem. 

The new twin-turbo engines are quite a handful. 

It all has to do with thermal efficiency and poor build quality. 

The higher the power output per liter, the more inefficient the engine becomes. 

To make matters worse, apparently, there was debris inside the engine. 

Heat plus debris is never a good combo.

The problem got so serious that Toyota had to recall 100,000 units. 

This article from The Drive explains it very efficiently (unlike Toyota’s V6 engine, am I right? #dadjoke)

That’s a serious hit to Toyota’s reputation, but it does not concern me. After all, it’s not the first time Toyota has faced massive scrutiny, and they’ve overcome the challenges. 

Plus, as we had said in the beginning, they’re not alone. 

The other brands refusing to go all-out on EVs

Can you think of two brands that haven’t really embraced EVs?

If you guessed Subaru and Mazda, you’d be right. 

Think about it: they’ve gone down Toyota’s path, as well. (Toyota has a 20% share of Subaru and 5% of Mazda). 

Neither brand is exceptionally proficient at producing EVs, just like Toyota. 

They’re also not rushing to electrify their fleets. 

Plus, and it’s a big plus, their cars lean more towards performance. 

So, I was excited when they announced that they’re developing new internal combustion engines that can be used with compatible fuels. 

Instead of competing, they decided to collaborate to keep the ICE alive. 

By the looks of it, they will produce some crazy powerplants, and that’s exciting. 

In the meantime, here’s Kern’s view on buying a new car, owning the new Sequoia, and much more. 

BEST AND WORST

What are the best Jeeps for teens?

That moment in life is here: your teenage kids are drivers. So, what do you give them?

One brand you can consider is Jeep. With cheap spares and a relatively low buying price, it’s a tempting brand.

However, not all Jeeps are ideal for teenagers. We’ve researched the best Jeeps for teenage drivers, and here they are.

TIPS AND KNOW-HOW

What is the actual size of a 35-inch tire?

Fitting 35s to your ride is always a thing of pride.

There’s something about how it looks and what it can do in tough terrains.

But did you know that a 35-inch tire isn’t necessarily 35 inches? Here’s the lowdown on the actual size of a 35-inch tire.

NEWSBITES

Every week, we scour the web for the most essential news. Here’s what you need to know this week:

• Jeep reveals its first EV for America. What do you think?

• Here are the top 15 cars people regret selling. Have you ever owned any of them?

• Here’s why trading in your car could cost you $6k

• Check out this post on our Instagram page. Can you guess what car it is? Drop us a comment if you do.