Having led the way with hybrids and shown consistent reluctance to move wholesale into electric vehicles (EVs), sales of which are slowing, now seems the right time to ask whether Toyota, or specifically its former Chief Executive and now chair Akio Toyoda, has been right all the time. Governments across Europe and to a lesser extent in the US have hitched their flag to battery EVs as the only long-term viable option. Consumers, however, are resisting switching to EVs. Early adopters may be on their second or even third EV by now, but the price premium EVs still command and concerns over charging infrastructure are proving difficult obstacles to overcome.
