Toyota says it will roll out two new battery-electric vehicles and one plug-in gas-electric hybrid in the U.S. this year as the parade of new EVs continues.
The company gave few specifics on the vehicles during a presentation Wednesday, but said one electric vehicle would be an SUV. Toyota said it has a goal of having 40% of its new vehicle sales be electrified by 2025 and nearly 70% by 2035. It also is developing dedicated underpinnings to be used in future electric vehicles.
Toyota broke from other automakers – and possibly the administration of President Joe Biden – in calling for a diversity of electrified vehicles to reduce carbon emissions, rather than putting policies in place that require those powered solely by batteries.
The company, which pioneered the gas-electric hybrid, said its research shows that plug-in hybrids can be as clean, and less costly than full battery-electric vehicles, depending on the cleanliness of electric-power generation in a particular region. Also, metals such as lithium must be mined for use in batteries, and the mining process creates pollution, Toyota said.
“We believe the fastest way to lower greenhouse gases in the transportation sector is to offer drivers lower carbon choices that meet their needs,” said Gill Pratt, chief scientist for Toyota.