The EV transition has hit a speed bump. Automakers are pumping the brakes on EVs, and governments are walking back ambitious EV timelines. In light of this about face, what popular legacy model do you think should never go EV?
When more EVs began hitting the market, it seemed some models were prime candidates for electrification — pun intended. Small cars like the Toyota Prius and RAV4 were good examples of cars many folks consider “appliances” that would make for successful EVs.
Toyota responded with partial electrification by releasing the Prius and RAV4 Prime, because, well, Toyota moves at a glacial pace when it comes to change. The Japanese auto giant was famously suspicious of the viability of EVs, favoring PHEVs and hybrids instead. Maybe it was right to do so. Maybe not.
On the other hand, GM and Ford went for broke with models like the GMC Hummer EV and Ford F-150 Lightning. Whatever market research GM and Ford used to come to the conclusion that people were clamoring for a huge EV off-roader and EV pickup remain a mystery. Some vehicles are just not ideal for electrification. The bigger the car, the badder the idea. Recreational and aspirational vehicles, like off-road SUVs and trucks seldom used for actually transporting cargo don’t seem like a good use of lithium.
Or maybe you’re just not keen on the idea of a vehicle like the Toyota Land Cruiser being turned into an EV. Or a beloved sports car. Tell us in the comments below which models should never go fully-electric and why.