Toyota Claims Competitors Are Offering Deceptive Hybrid Vehicles To Mislead Consumers | Carscoops
Carmakers are facing criticism as the debate over hybrid labels intensifies, with Toyota asserting that mild hybrids are misleading for consumers and obscuring what constitutes true hybrid technology.
Toyota asserts that 48-volt systems should not be classified as hybrid technology, contending that genuine hybrids integrate electric drive with combustion engines. However, in Europe, the Hilux 48V is marketed as a hybrid.
In recent years, an increasing number of vehicles equipped with 48-volt mild-hybrid systems have entered the market. Nevertheless, Toyota argues that referring to these cars as "hybrids" is inaccurate. Sean Hanley, the company’s sales and marketing chief in Australia, has publicly criticized competitors for branding 48-volt models as hybrids, warning that this could mislead consumers.
Unlike conventional series-parallel hybrids that use both a battery and motor alongside a combustion engine to improve efficiency, or plug-in hybrids which feature larger batteries and more powerful motors for extended all-electric driving, 48-volt technology plays a significantly limited role.
Establishing Clear Distinctions
Typically, the setup combines the functions of a starter motor and alternator, yielding minor improvements in fuel economy. Toyota’s own 48-volt system cannot drive a vehicle using only electric power, prompting the brand to emphasize the distinction between these technologies.
Hanley stated that Toyota does not regard 48-volt systems as hybrids, instead promoting them as ‘V Active’ systems in Australia. He believes that competing brands should also refrain from casually using the term “hybrid.”
“I’ve watched the hybrid technology label being applied in various ways in marketing lately,” he remarked. “People can do as they wish, but Toyota intends to clearly define what constitutes a hybrid system for efficiency, a hybrid system for performance, and what a 48-volt-assisted system is,” Hanley added. “In our view, a 48-volt-assisted system does not equate to hybrid drive. I believe manufacturers have a responsibility to ensure customers understand the distinctions.”
He emphasized this point by referring to Toyota’s current offerings: “I want to clarify that purchasing a Toyota with a 48-volt-assisted powertrain, such as the Hilux or Land Cruiser Prado, does not mean you’re buying a hybrid system. They are not hybrids at all, so we want to distinctly separate these three categories of technology.”
It Seems to Depend on the Audience
This would all be straightforward if Toyota maintained a consistent message worldwide. While it avoids using the hybrid label in Australia, it adopts a different approach in Europe. There, the 48-volt version of the HiLux is directly marketed as the Hilux Hybrid 48V, illustrating how a company's marketing terminology can shift based on its target demographic.
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Toyota Claims Competitors Are Offering Deceptive Hybrid Vehicles To Mislead Consumers | Carscoops
Automakers are experiencing pushback as the conflict over hybrid labeling intensifies, with Toyota stating that mild hybrids deceive consumers and confuse the true concept of hybrid technology.