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Toyota Just Proved that Internal Combustion Engines Are Still Relevant
Especially When Paired with EV Technology
Although Toyota will soon be under new management, and will begin making EV development a top priority, there’s no way to hide that the company is still horrifically behind in the EV race.
Its sole offering, the bZ4X, fails to excite with its lackluster 222–252 miles of range, average starting price of $42,000, and max charge-speed of 100kW with AWD variants. The more-premium Lexus RZ450e offers more power but less range, a problem exemplified by the fact that it starts from $60,000.
Fortunately, Toyota’s gas-powered vehicles are much more competitive, so much so that one could even argue that it produces the best hybrids on the market. For evidence backing that claim, look no further than the recently-redesigned Toyota Prius.
While this most recent iteration of this fuel-sipping hybrid didn’t magically erase all the connotations attached to its name, the new Prius delivers EV-rivaling power figures, all while being more efficient than ever before. These powertrain improvements are only more apparent with the Prius Prime, a plug-in hybrid that’s set to deliver 220 horsepower, a rumored 50 miles of EV range, and a combined rating of up to 55 mpg.
