The proper application of the proper power

There are a lot of things people don’t understand about the way car propulsion is changing, and this isn’t unexpected. We are trying to replace true marvels of engineering that have been around for generations with new ideas that have to address things that weren’t a concern at the start. Imagine trying to explain to someone in the beginning that you would be causing thousands of little explosions a few feet from you, as a way to replace the horse that normally sat there. Environmental concerns were rather different back then, you worried about different kinds of emissions.

Nowadays though, we are choosing from many different ideas, and all of them are complex. Some companies pushed fuel cells or hydrogen-sourced power, while others were worried about the infrastructure that would be needed to park vehicles that would still be classified as hazardous material transport in many countries. People love the silence of full electrics, but don’t understand the realities of having to plug in everywhere. Full-electric vehicles can be hugely fun, over a decade ago, we had the chance to test one of only two prototypes of the Venturi Fetish full-electric sports car and we were warned to keep the power dialled down or we would spin out. Well, what do you think we did? We ended up sideways in front of the Monte Carlo Casino with traffic police walking in our direction. So don’t let anyone tell you that electric power can’t be fun.

But full electrics are also very complex, with within and without. The logistical challenges and the support, maintenance and supply chains required by manufacturers are extremely daunting, and remember we are talking about a technology that is changing almost from one year to the next. Battery innovation alone could mean that changes undiscernable by the buyer or driver would be regularly happening. Mid-life model “refreshes” could well come on a yearly basis, as the car companies strive to provide the best possible product to the consumer. And one thing we didn’t know before, the battery cells for these cars aren’t exactly swappable. Since the cells may well be different from one year to the next, one fear is that you would need to almost remanufacture cells depending on need, rather than having many extras on hand. One point that a luxury manufacturer brought up is the fact that they would need a much larger fleet of loaner vehicles on hand because the supply chain for these cells could turn out to be so long and complicated.

This is why, in spite of the fact that they may not be the perfect solution, hybrids are the most workable solution for a large part of the world. In some places, as an example Korea, the company that sells the full electric cars will also be building the infrastructure, the roads and stations, and shopping malls, and even the houses you would live in. But in many other places that just isn’t workable yet. Hybrids combine two power sources, and in our case, we mean a combination of internal combustion and electric energy. This avoids the need for plugging in as long as you have access to the usual fuel facilities, so no additional infrastructure. Also, any failures or loss of efficiencies in one area won’t
necessarily get you stranded, because another system is in place anyway. And the switch-overs between the two are increasingly smooth. Frankly, the systems are smarter than the people driving them.

Now there are other systematic and economic and development issues the consumer won’t necessarily see. One argument for hybrid systems, for example, is that they can come in quickly and without much need for preparation by anyone other than those that have to maintain them (the brands). This means the environmental concerns that force us to look at new sources of power can be affected immediately by a large number of vehicles, rather than five years down the line by a few cars bought as showpieces. As Vince Socco, EVP of Toyota Motor Asia Pacific noted, hybrids are immediately “deployable” so their effects on the environment could be just as immediate. Given that we are trying to reverse a very damaging environmental trend, this timeliness could very well be key in what we are truly trying to accomplish.

At the recently concluded Toyota Hybrid Technology Conference, the idea of all this being a community issue and a community responsibility was reinforced, which is what we consistently have seen over the years. Whereas many people see the need for electrification or autonomous driving or other such things as the responsibility of a company or a government, they are actually something of and for the community. This is where Toyota and indeed the other Japanese carmakers differ from those of other countries. Many other brands look inwards then push outwards. But what’s needed is a full and holistic and acceptable solution. Toyota Motor Philippines president Satoru Suzuki pointed out that it is their job to make the cars accessible to buyers, the same way they have built the Toyota vehicles to be bywords for solidity. Indeed, many people believe that the community acceptance winkle be the key factor in how soon technologies will be accepted. They are looking to the Northern Europeans, for example, to be the leaders in many of these technologies because their population is willing to make the sacrifice and pay the cost for a future they want for their children. Japan as well. So you can’t build these cars in a bubble, like Tesla or Google or some others, you need to see the community and engage them and support them.

And guess what? We are seeing new buyers demanding these technologies. They are choosing products, cars and clothes and appliances, and even services, with increasing importance on how much a company fits their own views. And while some many consider that a rather spoiled view of how the world works, in reality, the younger generation are able to do this because of the opportunities given by the older ones. And yes, we are already seeing their effects on buying decisions. You’d be surprised at the number of requests we get for information on the Lexus hybrids, the F Sport ones. Take-up may be quicker than we think.