Toyota sold over 100,000 EVs last year, but that’s still less than 1% of its total sales
Although Toyota held its title as the top-selling automaker, the industry is shifting beneath it. Toyota sold over 100,000 EVs in 2023, but that’s still less than 1% of the record 11.2 million vehicles handed over last year.
Toyota sold 104,018 EVs in 2023: Is it enough?
The automaker announced its 2023 global sales results Tuesday, showing over 11.2 million vehicles were handed over last year.
Between the Toyota and Lexus brands alone, a record 10.3 million vehicles were sold in 2023.
Toyota’s global EV sales reached 104,018 in 2023, up 325% from 2022. Despite the triple-digit growth, Toyota only sold 24,000 EVs globally in 2022. That said, all-electric models only accounted for 0.93% of its total 11.2 million vehicles handed over last year.
Meanwhile, Toyota’s hybrid and ICE sales continue to dominate the greatest share. Toyota sold over 3.4 million hybrids (+31% YOY) and 26,859 MHEVs (+494%) last year.
The automaker also sold 3,921 FCEVs, down 0.1% from 2022. Altogether, Toyota’s “electrified” sales amounted to nearly 3.7 million. That’s almost a third of the vehicles Toyota handed over last year. This means the other two-thirds were gas-powered.
Rival Volkswagen sold 394,000 EVs last year, accounting for 8% of its total sales. Although this is still relatively low, it shows how far behind Toyota is falling as the market transitions to electric.
Toyota has bigger issues as chairman Akio Toyoda apologized for recent scandals brought to light at its affiliates.
He said: “I would like to express my deepest apologies to our customers and stakeholders for the inconvenience and concern caused by the successive irregularities at Hino Motors, Daihatsu, and Toyota Industries.”
Toyoda revealed a new vision as the company looks to earn the trust of customers and investors.
Electrek’s Take
Although Toyota remained the top-selling automaker this year, you can see the thin ice starting to melt beneath it.
With EVs accounting for less than 1% of total sales last year, Toyota is far behind the competition, with most already hitting double-digit or 100% EV sales by now.
Tesla’s Model Y topped the RAV4 and Corolla to become the best-selling vehicle globally last year.
Despite the record performance in 2023, Toyota’s lack of all-electric options will likely take its toll in major markets like North America, Europe, and China going forward.
During a lecture last week, Toyoda said he believes EVs will never surpass 30% market share “no matter how much progress BEVs make.” The remaining 70% will be HEVs, FCEVs, and gas-powered. Toyota insisted, “And I think engine cars will definitely remain.”
Meanwhile, several markets, including Norway (82.4% EV share), Sweden (32%), The Netherlands (24%), and China (24%), are already well above or about to reach the mark.
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Toyota has the worst climate lobbying score of any automaker, and the third-worst 2030 EV production plans, according to InfluenceMap’s annual report on climate lobbying.
Another year, another report showing how bad Toyota is for the environment.
Toyota has routinely ranked at the bottom of InfluenceMap’s climate policy engagement rankings, and this year is no different.
InfluenceMap routinely ranks automakers and auto industry associations based on how much they lobby to stop climate policy goals. These rankings don’t just show automakers’ EV plans, but also show how much each automaker is doing to try to stop governments from protecting the populace from pollution.
Some of this lobbying comes from automakers themselves, and some of it comes from their membership in trade associations, which aggregate the positions of several companies to increase lobbying power.
InfluenceMap looks at the actions of these trade associations across the globe, and ranks automakers based on how many associations they’re a member of, how many briefs they’ve filed in favor of or against various climate policy goals, and what their plans are for the future of their manufacturing.
This is broken down into an “organization score” (how much the organization itself lobbies), “relationship score” (membership in trade organizations and how positive their lobbying efforts are), “engagement intensity” (how involved in lobbying the corporation is), and what the manufacturer’s EV manufacturing plans total up to.
Tesla led the list, but only received a “B” score because of its low engagement intensity. While Tesla supports positive climate policy and is generally a member of groups pushing positive instead of negative climate policy, it doesn’t lobby as much as other organizations do (a situation that may be made worse by the departure of Tesla’s policy head in April).
Some other automakers were given kudos for occasional positive moves, like Ford, GM, VW and Mercedes. But pretty much nobody got what could be considered a passing score – with “C-” grades or worse for all but three automakers.
And as usual, the Japanese automakers are ranked among the lowest. The Japanese EV industry has been slow to electrify, putting an important national industry at risk. Nissan is the standout from amongst the Japanese, but it still did not receive a passing grade.
On production plans, most automakers score poorly, with only 3 of the 15 automakers analyzed having commitments compatible with the International Energy Agency’s target of 66% EVs by 2030. This number is necessary to have any chance of limiting climate change to 1.5ºC. Forecasts suggest the industry will only produce 53% EVs by 2030 at current pace.
Toyota does not actually rank last place on this measure – Honda and Suzuki are behind it. But given the intensity of Toyota’s negative climate lobbying, it gets the crown for worst automaker on climate once again, continuing the several years it has worn it.
For more detail into the rankings, read the full InfluenceMap report here.
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To ensure its new Mustang Mach-E Rally car is ready to tackle any terrain, Ford set up a secret course to test it. Ford says its new electric rally car is a testament to what’s possible when you combine passion with design and engineering. Check out how the Mach-E Rally car evolved below.
The electric Mustang rally car is here
“Can we make a rally-inspired version of the Mustang Mach-E?” Ford’s product planners, Peter Schultz and Craig Migliori, were asked in 2022. Their answer? Absolutely.
Shultz and Migliori took a “hand-me-down” Mustang Mach-E GT and added new wheels and off-road tires. After testing it at Ford’s Michigan Proving Grounds, they were confident it could become a reality.
The team lifted the Mach-E GT 1″ with RallyCross-tuned shocks and springs to enable it to tackle rougher terrain. Meanwhile, 19″ wheels wrapped in Michelin CrossClimate 2 rubber and underbody shielding are added to help protect the vehicle.
Not only did the Rally car need off-road capability, but the team also knew it needed a rugged design to accompany it.
Contrasting accents on the upper and lower body moldings, a front splitter and rear spoiler, and a black painted steel roof are added for a more aggressive style. The Mustang Mach-E also features built-in rally-inspired fog lights.
To prove the modifications were worthy, Ford off-road attributes engineer Chris Berchin and vehicle engineering supervisor Jay Kistler put the electric Rally car up to the test.
Ford sets up secret rally course for testing
The team set up a secret 500 combined mile “torture test” course at Ford’s Michigan Proving Grounds. The new course was designed to put the Mustang Mach-E Rally through the equivalent of about ten years of monthly rallycross racing.
Tests included tight turns through loose dirt terrain. “We tested in numerous different weather scenarios and temperatures with conditions ranging from muddy to dry – typical of what rallycross competitors might face,” Berchin explained.
“Likewise, the surface is dirt of varying composition, allowing for different traction scenarios.” Before building the course, the team went to Rallycross events and interviewed drivers to make sure they were projecting a true representation of what the environment looks and feels like.
Using this info, Ford engineers plotted the course with a full computer-aided engineering (CAE) analysis, complete with mapping elevation, exact speeds, timing, and more.
Ford used the tech to make it feel and look like a rally course with data to back it up. The secret in-house course enabled Ford to keep cost and development time down while keeping the electric rally car under wraps.
Ford’s RallySport drive mode unlocks the full potential of the electric Rally car, enabling bigger slides, a more linear throttle response, and aggressive damping for better control.
The Mustang Mach-E Rally has 265 miles EPA estimated range with up to 480 hp and 700 lb-ft of torque. Charging from 10% to 80% is expected in 36.5 minutes. Ford’s new Mustang Mach-E electric Rally car is available for order starting at $59,995.
Are you ready to drive off in a new Ford Mustang Mach-E? You can use our link to view deals on the 2024 Ford Mustang Mach-E in your area.
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