Toyota is beginning to recognize that it will soon need to stop producing thermal cars. The idea is even making its way across the Atlantic at the moment, and the firm's engineers see it as a sign of change.
For several years, Toyota has been reluctantly investing in electric cars. Former CEO Akio Toyoda was openly against 'zero emissions' and continued to focus on hybrids. When his successor Koji Sato was appointed, the firm quickly changed its strategy. Without betting everything on electric, the new president promised an acceleration in the field.
Hybrid and thermal engine cars still remained important to Toyota. An analysis by one of the firm's scientific managers proves that this speech is only official. Indeed, it seems that engineers in the technical departments are aware that change is happening. And above all, that it will happen with or without Toyota, including in the USA where this debate was not yet open.
“There is a decision being made in the United States, and I am not involved in it, to stop production of internal combustion engine vehicles for the American market,” said Gill Pratt, Toyota’s chief scientist. “The mere fact that we are thinking about it means that the situation must be close.”
“Let’s change what we can actually change”
Pratt recently expressed his concern about CO2 emissions and its presence in the air: “If you are not frightened by this curve, it is because you are not looking at things correctly.” However, the American tempers the miracle solution that the electric car represents.
He points out that a majority of vehicles will be thermal for many years to come. Because even if we only sell electric cars from a certain date, the thermal fleet will be present in the long term: "What I try to emphasize in my discussions is that we all want the same thing. But let's stop taking wishful thinking for granted."
"Let's think about what's really going to happen, about human nature, about politics. Let's think about the fact that people don't need to change their cars. Let's find a way to accept the reality of these things, and change what we can actually change."
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