Toyota says a lot of people are being misled and that most 'hybrids' aren't actually hybrids

As the kings of the hybrid electric car sub-genre, one Toyota boss says that many of these so-called crossovers are misleading and a lot of people aren’t actually buying hybrids after all.

Maneuvering in this new era of car technology can be a difficult adjustment.

Are you a gas loyalist? Do you want to go all-in on electric vehicles and get a home plug-in? Or do you want to find some middle ground with a hybrid? It can all be a bit overwhelming.

Toyota has been on a charge to make the transition nice and easy, but one executive claims it doesn’t help when other brands blur the lines with ‘mild hybrids’ that aren’t EVs at all.

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Toyota exec claims ‘mild-hybrids’ are fooling drivers

Toyota is considered to be the best-selling hybrid brand in the world, thanks to the likes of the RAV4 and Prius, the latter of which outsold everything that falls under the electric category aside from the Tesla Model 3.

The company knows a thing or two about the hybrid world, so much so that it now sells just as many hybrids as it does gas cars.

But Toyota Australia’s Vice President of Sales and Marketing, Sean Hanley, claims that ‘mild-hybrids’ (MHEVs) are becoming a problem, as he believes they are not EVs at all.

The main difference is that he says a true hybrid car should be able to drive on its own battery power, whereas these MHEVs only have 48-volt assist systems that assist with braking and acceleration.

“I’ve watched hybrid technology being used in different ways in marketing in recent years,” Hanley said in an interview with Drive Australia.

“Toyota is going to make it very clear what a hybrid system is for efficiency, what a hybrid system is for performance, and what a 48-volt-assisted system is.

“And a 48-volt-assisted system, in our opinion, does not represent a hybrid drive. I think OEMs have a responsibility to make sure [customers are aware of the differences].”

What’s cooking in Toyota’s hybrid labs?

Toyota has already claimed that there is a lot more that needs to be done in the hybrid genre, specifically giving people more time to get their heads around it and admire the new sports cars.

But it has begun explaining the difference between MHEVs and Plug-ins (PHEV) in its marketing.

For example, the new Land Cruiser has moved on from its all-diesel system to have an injection of electricity, but it’s openly ‘mild’.

Meanwhile, the Tesla Model Y rival, the Toyota Bz5, is an all-out hybrid.

So, if you’re looking for a new hybrid car, make sure to know whether you want assisted systems or actual battery-powered driving, which is the closest to an EV.

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