Electric Cars are never going to become "Mainstream" because they are not even close to the best solution for reducing "Well to Exhaust" energy usage and overall emissions.
Hybrids offer a lot of reductions for lower costs and are have achieved market acceptance as Toyota's recent Hybrid Sale Prove
October 2019 Highlights - Sales Figures are for Oct 2019 and YTD Oct 2019 with Percentage Increases
Hybrid sales up 57.1 percent; Toyota division hybrid sales up 62.0 percent and Lexus division up 33.0 percent
RAV4 37,499 362,121 87.30% 35.80%
RAV4 Hybrid 9,460 72,341 137.30% 76.50%
Corolla 10,233 127,604 -51.70% -46.30%
Corolla Hybrid 1,873 12,923 New New
Camry 26,593 284,476 0.02% 3.60%
Camry Hybrid 1,668 22,061 13.50% 16.40%
Prius 6,679 56,937 5.90% -24.30%
Highlander 18,857 199,025 -8.20% -1.10%
Highlander Hybrid 1,556 14,633 66.20% 23.10%
Lexus RX 8,049 71,980 26.60% 8.90%
Lexus RX Hybrid 1,451 12,568 2.50% 6.10%
RAV4 Prime 39 Mile Range 40 MPG 5.8S 0-60
October 2019 Highlights
Toyota Division:
RAV4 sales increased 10.3 percent, marking a best-ever October; led by RAV4 Hybrid with 9,460 units sold
Prius sales up 5.9 percent
Total Toyota division hybrid sales up 62.0 percent
Lexus Division:
Total Lexus division luxury SUV (LUV) sales up 14.5 percent; marking a best-ever October
Total Lexus division hybrid sales increased 33.0 percent
Main Reason for RAV4 Hybrid success is the very low cost premium ($850) over the ICE RAV4 (Note: Hybrid is AWD Only) and even the $2,250 Premium over the FWD is less if the Hybrid Standard Alloys and Dual Zone are accounted for.
RAV4 LE FWD $26,970 $2,250 Less than Hybrid
RAV4 LE AWD $28,370 $850 Less than Hybrid
RAV4 LE Hybrid $29,220 Alloys/Dual Zone + AWD over FWD
Voltec/Plug-In Hybrids are far superior in overall cost and market acceptance and Toyota just announced the Plug-in RAV4 Hybrid with 39 Miles of EV Range and 5.8s 0-60 performance and 90+ MPGe (RAV4 Hydrid is ~40 MPG)
Hybrids can deliver ~30% reduction in "Well to Exhaust" energy usage and overall emissions AND actually sell in large numbers making their "real world" impact better than BEV's, with "Voltec"/Plug ins even more efficient and more marketable/livable for most buyers.
Had GM introduced a SUV version of the Volt, at least 5 years ago (love to know the real reason for this decision), it would have been ahead of Toyota and would have established the Voltec Equinox/Terrain as dominate players in what is now the hottest segment in the industry - instead GM has once again been totally "owned" by Toyota.