Toyota moving forward with tiered approach to electric vehicle future

Toyota's new all-electric car, the bZ4X, is finally hitting the road after some delays. A crossover SUV with decent range and lots of room inside.

But Toyota is also saying don't count out hybrids, while the rest of the automotive world seems to be in a rush to go all-electric. New this year is the Corolla Cross Hybrid, as well as the plug-in version of Toyota's iconic Prius model, the new Prius Prime, with battery range of up to 44 miles. Both part of a means to an end.

"Our strategy is, we believe to get beyond zero emissions, that the more people we can get participating today to get there, the better off we are," said Michael Tripp, Toyota USA's vice president marketing and communications.

Not everyone's ready for a full electric vehicle yet, and Toyota says moving to electricity from gasoline will be a slow process.

"We need to get there. But the reality is there are several big barriers. One, the availability of the precious resources needed to build the battery. And then also, customers and their lifestyles and what they need to drive day to day," added Tripp.

The Corolla Cross Hybrid is just the newest in a lineup from Toyota where most models are either available with hybrid power, or even come with it standard. Aimed at a broad demographic that skews younger, this subcompact SUV is rated at 42 mpg combined, and has a starting price of $27,970.

As for the Prius Prime, it greatly beats the battery-only range of the previous model, and enjoys the same improved performance - not to mention looks - of the regular 2023 Prius. The outgoing Prius Prime could go about 25 miles on a charge before the engine kicks in. The new 2023 version can go either 39 or 44 miles as an EV, depending on trim level. The new model starts at $32,350.

When it comes to electrified vehicles, there are different size batteries for different needs. A full EV with decent range needs a pretty large battery. A plug-in hybrid can get by with a battery that's much smaller. And a conventional hybrid can use a battery that's smaller still.

The eyes of the world have been on lithium, needed at this point to make high-voltage vehicle batteries. It's costly to mine and process, making batteries so expensive.

Some statistics from Toyota in that regard, as to how the current supply of lithium and other precious elements can best be distributed.

"That lithium, those resources, today we could build seven plug-in vehicles like the all-new Prius Prime, or 90 hybrid vehicles, using the same precious metals that we need for just one BEV battery," said Toyota's Michael Tripp.

A plan, for the long haul.

"We know we have to be responsible as a corporate citizen, to put the right vehicles on the road that get us there. But also in how we produce those vehicles, design those vehicles, and how we run our business," said Tripp.