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Toyota is taking the Corolla electric

446 points · 838 comments · cisc

  1. freetime2 · · focus · HN ↗
    Cars that are designed from the ground up to be EVs tend to be much better than trying to shoehorn an EV into an ICE design.

    The new Lexus ES350e, which comes in both hybrid and EV flavors, has been pretty universally panned as a mediocre EV [1]. Lexus anticipates that the vast majority of ES sales will be for the hybrid model, and I expect the same will be true of the Corolla.

    The updated bZ and new bZ Woodland on the other hand, which are built as ground-up EVs on the e-TNGA platform, actually seem pretty decent. And I'm hopeful for the upcoming EV Highlander, too (although that will use a modified version of the TNGA-K platform).

    I would prefer if Toyota just released a new EV model with roughly the same proportions as the Corolla, instead of going with the one-size-fits-all approach. But maybe they'll finally be able to get it right this time.

    [1] <a href="https:&#x2F;&#x2F;www.youtube.com&#x2F;watch?v=QQ97R1nhq4M" rel="nofollow">https:&#x2F;&#x2F;www.youtube.com&#x2F;watch?v=QQ97R1nhq4M

    1. thelastgallon · · focus · HN ↗
      &gt; I would prefer if Toyota just released a new EV model with roughly the same proportions as the Corolla

      Indeed. Toyota&#x27;s days are numbered.

      BYD is selling EVs for US$14K in Australia. Toyota is Nokia, they don&#x27;t know it just yet. Corolla EV is 30K USD, gas 25K.

      AUD 19,900 driveway (means taxes, registration etc included), or about US$14K: <a href="https:&#x2F;&#x2F;news.ycombinator.com&#x2F;item?id=49772728">https:&#x2F;&#x2F;news.ycombinator.com&#x2F;item?id=49772728

      1. segmondy · · focus · HN ↗
        Toyota is riding on reputation of quality. If they can keep quality high and maintain the reputation, they will be okay.
        1. pavlov · · focus · HN ↗
          That was exactly Nokia’s reputation…
          1. ksec · · focus · HN ↗
            People don&#x27;t buy a new car every 2 to 3 years. While people would like their car to work for at least 10 years if not more. It also has much higher resale value compare to a phone.

            And while I think Nokia phone are quite sturdy, I wouldn&#x27;t necessary put them equate it to &quot;quality&quot;. Especially when it was compared to an iPhone.

        2. nothercastle · · focus · HN ↗
          The quality has taken a sharp decline in the last iteration
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