Featured CH-R will be the first electric car from Toyota

I don't know about other parts of the country. But in New England, the top sellers are SUVs and Crossovers with AWD. I don't exactly sit at the dealership and ask what cars people buy the most. However, the majority of the cars I see on the roads up here are SUVs and Crossovers with the AWD badge on the back. Even if people don't use their AWD that often, the general consensus with alot of people up here is that, when its needed in sticky situations...lots of snow, snow banks, and so on, they rather not be without. On the Toyota side of things, I see more Rav4s than any other car on the road where I live, however the 2nd most often seen car I see is the Prius (from 2nd-4th gen) From my opinion, most people don't drive in snow storms if they don't have too, any sensible driver who commutes regularly do just fine in a front wheel drive car as long as they drive cautiously. Most 9-5ers don't go off the beaten path or go off roading.

However....without sounding like a fanboy. If Toyota made a AWD corolla hybrid wagon for the states or even brought the V back as a crossover AWD alternative to the CH-R, then I'd be all over that. I'm not a fan of the CH-R's design. Its like the RAV4 and the Nissan Juke had a baby, the rear back seat isn't practical for the average family or child whose taller than 5ft 5. From all the reviews that I've read, the biggest complaint is the rear seat room.

 

Why did we resurrect this zombie thread? yea, thanks for the painful reminder that only China gets Toyota EV's for now. At 64 years, we are running out of time.

 

Also a painful reminder that now even VW thinks there is no market for EV's in North America. I would love to jump 30 years into the future and read a history of automobile companies up to 2050 and see how it all turns out for all the current sleeping giants.

 

Gas prices being low, political beliefs, lack of knowledge and an over abundance of ignorance is the issue for America. I live in New England, which is considered to be more progressive compared to the red states and bible belt. But when it comes to EVs and Hybrids of any kind, the general public up here and even more in the southern states; still believes owning an EV is a liberal idea, that its no "greener" than owning an ICE car, that even a basic hybrid needs to be plugged in, that batteries crap out at 100,000 miles and need replacing which costs thousands, "battery material requires mining which poor third world children are enslaved to do" to do and so on.... when presented with facts about cost of ownership, how long batteries typically last, and a laundry list of other facts...the general public will still scuff at the idea of owning a car thats a Hybrid and even more with an EV and still try to tell you that a normal ICE car is better and some can get better MPG than some of the Hybrids out there.

It's pretty sad that American is considered to the forefront of being progressive with adapting new technology...but seem to be dragging their feet when it comes to use our knowledge of it when trying to create and make a car thats an EV.

Even with how old the Prius is, from my own experience I'm asked by coworkers, family and friends how are they plugged in, where can you plug them in...with the whole world of knowledge available at our finger tips, how can people just be that ignorant towards EVs and Hybrids in the States?

 

there's really no reason for most people to bother learning anything, because they have no interest in owning one.

 

Thats the definition of ignorance. Why bother learning about it if you don't care about it? Its almost a childs mindset when they complain about having to go to school. But as an adult, I think that ignorance is unacceptable. To be comfortable in not knowing or not showing any interest or deciding to believe common myths over facts over something that virtually everyone uses everyday.

 

it is, and it has always been. thus the need for government intervention, but that is no panacea either, because ignorance has no bounderies

 

I think the people of those certain groups would try to overthrow the government before being told what type of car they should drive and banning normal ICE cars. People's head begin to spin when I tell them that across Europe, the sale of normal gas cars will be banned in the next 25 years or so.

 

I think it was Copenhagen maybe three years ago where they were proposing banning cars in the central city. ICE and diesel in 2030, hybrids in 2035. Even a few years ago, many street blocks had been converted to bicycle parking holding many hundred.

Madrid is in a big political fight over a proposed and partially implemented ban.

People in Europe are more used to bans of things.

 

Thats what I'm saying, people are use to it and seem to be more socially acceptable to changes in Europe despite some political disagreements. Where in the States, people get their political beliefs twisted and think their freedom is being taken away. Like in my home state, the sale of e-cigarettes and flavored tobacco products are banned due to recent health issues. Despite it being better for someone's health, people who use those products regularly are in a uproar over it.

To me, it just makes sense to move forward with making all cars into hybrids and eventually all into EVs that everyone can afford. But for the states, we are a ways away.

 

have they banned cigarettes in europe?