2 degress of hybrid seperation?
EVs and hybrids sitting in a tree
With just 65 miles of EV range, the tiny iQ plug-in electric subcompact seems completely underwhelming. Compared to the compact Nissan Leaf, for instance, the iQ isn’t just smaller, but it offers less range. Smaller and less range just doesn’t seem to be the winning formula for plug-in penetration. Then again, such a formula probably offers a nice price advantage.
But it’s still early in the plug-in game. Anything is still possible. Thus, it’s the relationship between the iQ and the Toyota Prius that is most compelling today.
Already, the Prius has become a mainstream vehicle, although the hybrid segment is still just a niche segment. Nevertheless, that means the Prius has helped Toyota achieve a level of volume that provides a serious competitive edge. But this edge isn’t just about hybrid cars. The Prius has helped develop both battery electric and fuel cell technologies as well, resulting in a massive amount of patent filings.
For Toyota, hybrid cars are not a pure interim technology. Regarding the iQ, for instance, MotorTrend notes, “Toyota didn’t have to look far for the technology and adapted its Hybrid Synergy Drive to propel the iQ EV with pure electricity.”
So technologies in the HSD are also critical to Toyota’s electric cars and fuel cell cars? That’s my take.
While many in the battery world claim that battery volume is not yet critical to reducing the costs of electric vehicles as breakthroughs are still required, other EV components are today scalable. Consequently, if Toyota can share many electrification components amongst hybrids, battery electrics and fuel cell vehicles, they are already a step ahead of the pack, even though others jumped into the plug-in market first.