Culture Car News Prediction: Every Car Will Be Hybrid in 2020
Posted by admin on Friday Sep 5, 2008 Under Culture Car News
Culture Car News
Toyota, the world’s largest automaker, knows a thing or two about predicting the future of the automotive industry. They invested in hybrid technology at a time when gas cost just over $1 a gallon and America’s Big Three were focused only on high-profit SUVS. The Japanese automaker was prepared with a fleet of attractive and functional small cars when gas hit $4, and has weathered a difficult 2008 far better than most of its competition. So how is Toyota preparing for the future?.
By building hybrid powertrains for its entire lineup.
The Wall Street Journal reports, "Toyota Motor Co. announced Friday that it would make hybrid-engine systems available on all of its models by 2020."
Motor Trend explains that Toyota sees "a number of challenges facing future alternative-fuel vehicles, particularly plug-in hybrids and indirectly rival General Motors’ Chevrolet Volt as well as the Prius plug-in Toyota is working on. According to Ward, one of the main hurdles for these vehicles is the range they can travel on in purely electric mode and how much is enough. Another problem is the source of the electricity that recharges them. Conventional wisdom says these vehicles will be recharged at night when less electricity is used, but Ward notes almost all the power generated during that time comes from coal powerplants, which negates many of the gains of driving on electrical power." But hybrid power, Toyota engineers believe, is affordable to build, requires no new infrastructure, and uses technology that exists now — making it a realistic way for automakers to respond to tightening gas supplies.
Toyota isn’t the only one looking into a crystal ball and seeing hybrid badges everywhere.
The IBM Institute for Business Value has made the same prediction, according to Wired. In a report to be published this week, the Institute "based on interviews with 125 auto industry executives in 15 countries, says the industry is on the cusp of revolutionary changes that will see environmental sustainability and technological innovation become top priorities as automakers respond to consumer demands for more efficient cars that don’t sacrifice performance, comfort or reliability." It predicts "some degree of hybridization will be evident in all vehicles produced in 2020 and beyond."
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