In the future, what does Toyota envision as the ideal EV driving range?
Toyota needs to examine the real-world applications. Greater EV range requires bigger batteries, which increases cost, recharging time and possibly the overall carbon footprint of the vehicle. Also, the vehicle requires additional space within the vehicle to house a bigger battery. Toyota needs to determine what customers expect from the vehicles and whether the cost-benefit equation is market competitive. There is a perception that Toyota is not as far along with its PHV program as some of the recent start-up companies in the U.S. that are doing PHV conversions (with Prius) with Lithium-ion batteries.
