2025 Camry goes Hybrid only

[rmc523]

1 hour ago, akirby said:

it’s not about shooting low or high.  It’s about making bad decisions based on unrealistic goals.  Hybrids are better than non hybrids and they’re 100% viable today.  PHEVs - when charged and driven short distances - are almost as effective as BEVs.  What happens if the BEV transition takes a lot longer than anticipated?  Then you perpetuate non electrified ICE which is worse.  It’s called not putting all your eggs in one basket.  Do all 3 and you can easily pivot to whichever one is needed based on consumer demand, government regulation, etc.  None preclude the other and doing 40% BEVs instead of 50% makes no difference in the big scheme.

 

Sad thing is, for governmental decision makers, "70%" isn't good enough (just using a made up percentage) - it's 100% or nothing - incremental improvements don't work well in headlines, which is the only place that seems to matter now - not actually getting things done.

 

That said, IMO, the goal isn't really to improve emissions and things like that, but rather shift the balance of power from companies they don't like to ones they do - climate initiatives are just a vehicle to get there, and "improved"* environment is an added benefit that they can use to sell the public on it.

 

 

*if you ignore factors like strip mining, etc.

Edited November 22, 2023 by rmc523

[rperez817]

1 hour ago, akirby said:

Hybrids are better than non hybrids and they’re 100% viable today.

 

That's true, and the current gen Camry Hybrid variant is indeed the best Camry. The problem is that hybrids have a short lifetime remaining and won't be 100% viable in the near future.

 

Toyota's investment redesigning Camry for model year 2025 without a BEV variant is extremely shortsighted.

[GearheadGrrrl]

53 minutes ago, rmc523 said:

 

Sad thing is, for governmental decision makers, "70%" isn't good enough (just using a made up percentage) - it's 100% or nothing - incremental improvements don't work well in headlines, which is the only place that seems to matter now - not actually getting things done.

 

That said, IMO, the goal isn't really to improve emissions and things like that, but rather shift the balance of power from companies they don't like to ones they do - climate initiatives are just a vehicle to get there, and "improved"* environment is an added benefit that they can use to sell the public on it.

 

 

*if you ignore factors like strip mining, etc.

I'm not a climate change denier, but there may be some truth to this- The EV evangelists very much behave like they hold TSLA and electric utility stocks!

[akirby]

57 minutes ago, rperez817 said:

 

That's true, and the current gen Camry Hybrid variant is indeed the best Camry. The problem is that hybrids have a short lifetime remaining and won't be 100% viable in the near future.

 

Toyota's investment redesigning Camry for model year 2025 without a BEV variant is extremely shortsighted.

Every hybrid sold in the next 10 years will be viable for decades.

[rmc523]

34 minutes ago, GearheadGrrrl said:

I'm not a climate change denier, but there may be some truth to this- The EV evangelists very much behave like they hold TSLA and electric utility stocks!

 

I've long said I think changing climate is both cyclical/natural AND that mankind has an affect.

 

Taking measures to lessen our impact is a great thing.......but don't severely handicap ourselves in general and on the world stage to get there

[rmc523]

1 hour ago, akirby said:

Every hybrid sold in the next 10 years will be viable for decades.

 

And, as you point out, will have far less impact than pure ICE over that timeframe.