Toyota is taking another big shot on hybrids and electric vehicles after overthrowing General Motors as America’s top automaker.
“What we are still seeing today is that many consumers that are in the full battery electric market still need a second car to fit family needs. So, the demand for hybrid has been strong and we expect it to continue to grow as the entire industry transitions over to electrification later this decade,” - Toyota North American sales chief Bob Carter said on Tuesday.
Bob expects Toyota’s EVs to make up over 30% of volumes compared to around the 26% previous year — assuming that supply chain disruptions resolve in the 2nd quarter of this year.
Additionally, Toyota beat GM last year as the best-selling automaker in the United States for the first time in a century, GM has held onto the position since 1931. Although he is unsure that the Japanese automaker will defend its title, he expects Toyota to continue its trajectory.
Carter said staying No. 1 in the U.S. may not be sustainable. “The results were the results, but much of that has to do with the supply chain stability. But I’m very, very optimistic that we’re going to have another great year in 2022,” he added.
Currently, Toyota is predicting a 16.5-million-unit U.S auto industry in the 2nd quarter as it expects the supply chain to be stable across the sector. While the semiconductor chip shortage continues to affect vehicle manufacturing plants across the industry.
