Technology

Toyota, the world’s largest carmaker, stands out from its competitors by prioritising hybrids over battery electric vehicles. It has what it calls a “multipathway” approach to decarbonisation, which involves using batteries with hybrids, as well as hydrogen and alternative fuels.

Rivals in Europe and China have accelerated their EV rollouts, but Toyota has taken a more cautious approach, which has been criticised by analysts, investors and environmentalists for failing to fully commit to electric. In South Africa, EV sales have been held back because there are too few public charging stations, and the cars are expensive. In 2025, 1 018 EV cars were sold, compared to 2 808 plug-in hybrid electric vehicles.