[Martinjlm]

Just a few things to consider...

• Toyota has a reason to bash on EVs. They are all in on Fuel Cells. Makes sense for Japan (big island...only needs a few hydrogen reforming / refueling stations)
• Until Fuel Cells gain a foothold in the market, Toyota would love for Hybrids to be the solution, seeing as how they are far and away the biggest and lowest cost producers of hybrids.
• Toyota typically hates anything with a plug.

I was at the press days for Beijing Auto Show one year. I think it was 2016, because I remember the first thing that came across my iPhone when I turned it on after the plane landed was that Prince had died. Anyway, at the Auto Show, every manufacturer except one had PHEVs and CUV BEVs in their stands. That one was Toyota. All the vehicles in their display were white Hybrid vehicles. In China. There were veritable tumbleweeds blowing through their display area. Meanwhile all the other booths had press crawling all over each other to see the PHEVs and BEVs. So after the press days are over and I’m on my way home, I’m on the plane, ready for taxi to the runway, doing my last info searches before the “airplane mode” announcement and the story that’s popping on all my sources is “Toyota announces they will develop PHEVs and BEVs for markets where they are required”. Apparently they paid attention to the lack of attention at their Auto Show display. They are doing BEVs, but as if they have a gun to their heads. And I guess in China, they kinda do.