The Toyota Prius, once hailed as an ecological revolution, is facing harsh criticism from environmentalists for its lack of transition to an all-electric powertrain.
The Toyota Prius: from hero to villain
In 1997, the Toyota Prius was an environmental hero when it debuted in Japan. It even won the Car of the Year award. Toyota's slogan for this bold new technology read: “Just in time for the 21st century.” Fast forward to 2022. Hybrids are no longer a new technology. Despite the fact that the latest generation of the Prius is the most fuel efficient yet, is it possible that this once revolutionary car has fallen behind by not making enough progress? The Toyota Prius has long been both the symbol of environmentalists and an object of deep contempt for car enthusiasts. Its slow acceleration and ovoid silhouette tend to disconcert those seeking speed. Comedian Bill Burr professed his love for his reliable Prius on Jerry Seinfeld's show, “Comedians In Cars Getting Coffee.” A disgusted Seinfeld responded: “Have you checked to see if you still have a soul recently? (The Prius) crushes the human spirit. She has no joy in life. Burr replied, “I can't argue against that.” »
When friends become enemies
Although the car has had its detractors over the years, the new members of the “Prius Haters Club” might surprise you. Greenpeace has criticized the continued use of the Prius' hybrid powertrain. Toyota recently revealed the 2023 Prius at the Los Angeles Auto Show. The 2023 model will continue to use a hybrid powertrain – contrary to the expectations of those who were hoping for a fully electric car. Although Greenpeace recognizes the low-carbon revolution that the Prius started, the group insists that Toyota is irresponsible for not switching more vehicles to fully electric technology. Ranking the world's 10 largest automakers by electric vehicle sales, General Motors takes the top spot on Greenpeace's list. Toyota is directly at the bottom, at number 10. In October 2022, Greenpeace Australia Pacific senior campaign manager Lindsay Soutar said: “Toyota clearly doesn't get it. »
EVs contribute less CO2 over the life of the vehicle
Greenpeace was founded in 1971 to protest underground nuclear testing around western Alaska. With the spirit of peace and love of the 1970s propelling its mission, Greenpeace has come to support many environmental causes. The organization has become known for staging dramatic and eye-catching stunts – such as parachuting during the Euro 2020 match between Germany and France. Greenpeace said battery electric vehicles have the lowest overall emissions of all car types, regardless of the makeup of the energy grid. But is it true? Although California is one of the first three U.S. states to power its energy grid with renewable energy, the majority of electricity in the United States is still generated from fossil fuels. Studies show that EVs contribute less CO2 to the atmosphere over the life of the vehicle, despite the fact that EV batteries initially consume more energy to manufacture than gasoline cars.
Consumption and environmental impact
The dilemma arises when we take into account America's obsession with consumption. The average transaction price for an electric vehicle in August 2022 was €66,524. Buyers in this price range typically don't commit to a new car until death do them part. Although times are getting longer, the average length of car ownership is still less than seven years – well below the expected life expectancy of a new vehicle. If people continue to buy new electric vehicles before the car has a chance to offset its manufacturing environmental impact, we're not going to reduce emissions – we're going to increase them. The greenest purchase anyone should actually make would be something like this used Nissan Leaf.
A zero-emission option
It's also worth noting that Toyota offers a Prius option with zero-emissions driving. The 2023 Prius Prime offers a more than 50% increase in electric range compared to the 2022 Prius Prime. Toyota has increased the battery size in this version, from 8.8 kWh to 13.6 kWh . The electric-only range is not specified in the 2023 press release. However, given that the 2022 Prius Prime has an electric-only range of 40 km, we can expect the Prius Prime 2023 achieves an electric-only range of almost 80 km. The average driver in the United States only travels 35 miles per day. This means the 2023 Prius Prime could bring emissions-free driving to the majority of the country without the CO2 impact of manufacturing EVs.
An uncertain future for the Prius
It's hard to stay relevant forever. There comes a time when everything that was once cool and revolutionary becomes dinosaur before the eyes of an ever-changing and quickly bored culture. New technologies should replace old ones when their time has come. People should do everything they can to reduce carbon emissions. This means more than deciding what type of car to drive. Pope Francis has encouraged people to eat less meat for the sake of the climate. Notice he didn't say everyone should become vegetarian.
Not so soulless as that
This redesigned Prius changes customer opinions about this historically maligned car. Reddit users are starting to change their minds. “I never thought I would like a Toyota Prius. » – “My god, she is really beautiful. When will they be on sale? » The answer to the question “Why didn't Toyota make the Prius a fully electric car?” » should be pretty obvious. Only one in four Americans say they would actually buy an electric car. With the 2023 Prius expected to cost less than $30,000, isn't a hybrid that someone would actually buy better than an electric that they won't?
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