RTE and EVs

Bixler3

Item on RTE news today (Sunday 13 Mar 2022) about the impact of fuel price increases on the demand for electric vehicles.

So who do they decide to interview - yes, you have guessed it - a TOYOTA dealer in the midlands who very carefully avoided

mentioning that Toyota do not in fact sell any EV model in Ireland. Ca somebody from the IEVOA please speak to RTE about

their appalling coverage of the subject of EV's.

20/20

What about the TOYOTA bZ4X.

brokenangel

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058237202/rte-and-evs

Toyota sell electric cars plus they have the longest history of selling hybrids in the industry. Maybe you don’t like their sales campaigns but they are just as good a source of information as any other company

Plus who is the target audience for RTE? You might be surprised a lot of them are Toyota drivers

JohnC.

Not out yet.

Orebro

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118779603#Comment_118779603

"Toyota sell electrc cars" - ummm, no they don't (besides the upcoming bZ4x which isn't available yet). Hybrids are not electric cars and certainly not relevant to a dicussion on moving to electric driving.

brokenangel

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118779672#Comment_118779672

Hybrids are relevant, especially in regards to saving fuel.

They do sell electrics, maybe not in ireland at this exact moment but it’s not like they have zero plans for electrics

The best chnace of large rollout of electrics is the likes of Toyota selling them

Bixler3

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118779603#Comment_118779603

They certainly do not sell electric cars, they sell petrol electric hybrids.

the_amazing_raisin

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058237202/rte-and-evs

Maybe a Toyota dealer is a good person to ask since they can tell you how many sales they've lost to other companies because customers wanted BEVs 😁

the_amazing_raisin

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118779701#Comment_118779701

They're not very relevant to the topic of the article which was how petrol price increases were driving EV sales

You still need petrol for a hybrid last I checked

JohnC.

And Toyota can't self charge without it!

brokenangel

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118779778#Comment_118779778

They are number 1 in Ireland 🤣

elperello

Toyota don't sell diesel passenger cars any more unlike a lot of other brands who sell a limited range of EV's and continue to sell diesel.

Killer K

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118779778#Comment_118779778

😂 You have seen sales figures for 2022 (and the past number of years?) Toyota are selling more new cars in Ireland than all new EVs sold here.

RTE probably went to them as they are the best selling brand at the moment (that or more likely, the researcher has a contact with that particular Toyota dealership!).

elperello

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118780261#Comment_118780261

Plus huge brand loyalty.

Not unusual to have customers buying Toyotas for 25-30 years.

brokenangel

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118780466#Comment_118780466

Toyota are a good car, fairly bland inside but the newer modes are better but they never break, they are so reliable

Of course RTE are going to use Toyota who is the favourite for their target audience and number 1 car seller in ireland

Flinty997

Some of you are missing the point.

There is no point asking someone who doesn't sell EVs about the demand for EVs.

the_amazing_raisin

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118780425#Comment_118780425

Yep, still not relevant because the discussion was about fuel prices boosting electric vehicle sales and Toyota don't make any EVs

Most likely they just rang some random dealerships and picked the first one that answered

the_amazing_raisin

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118780180#Comment_118780180

Nonsense, if you tow the car to the top of a hill and roll it down then it'll self charge. It's a totally valid use case 😂

brokenangel

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118780703#Comment_118780703

They do make EV's, they are just not on sale

Flinty997

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118780751#Comment_118780751

They still will be a dumb choice to answer the question asked.

markpb

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118780751#Comment_118780751

That’s some gold medal winning pedantry right there!

brokenangel

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118780815#Comment_118780815

You should tell the IEVOA about it :-)

innrain

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118780815#Comment_118780815

Brand loyalty or something washing

https://insideevs.com/news/568421/ev-brand-awareness-study-usa/

This survey is from 2021 but the previous 2 years had the same 20% considering buying an EV from Toyota "in the next 12 months" even though said brand has/had no EV for sale.

Rte went where it was easy, where there is a relationship formed due to the sales person being nice to rte person. If you expected them to go to the brand which sold most EVs last year and asked if the demand increased and why you'd expected journalistic work. Instead you got the suggestion that Toyota is involved in the EV sale. And people believe it cause if it's on Rte must be true.

Gumbo

this is like asking a vegan what the local butcher quality is.

nonsense rte.

*no offence towards vegans btw

Orebro

Just read a comment on the main Motors forum where someone said they'd pay €3 per litre for petrol before they'd drive an "electric shitebox", and it has 50+ Thanks on it - kind of goes to show the mentality we have in the country so I don't think RTE are going to change minds too quickly even if they do have the wrong people on the show.

Flinty997

I don't think that was RTE intention, changing minds. It was just mindless news filler.

brokenangel

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118781226#Comment_118781226

It’s an American study so not what’s the relevance, plus if you look hard enough on the web you will find a study to back up what you want it to

Fsct is large scale electric cars don’t happen till Toyota etc start selling them, just look at the uptake after VW started selling

RTE knows it market so that’s why it puts Toyota on.

Flinty997

National broadcasters shouldn't really be doing a hatchet job of reporting though.

the_amazing_raisin

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118781335#Comment_118781335

So why didn't they interview VW or Hyundai or a mainstream brand that actually sells an EV and might be able to accurately say if they've had more interest recently?

Tbh, I don't know why they're bothering interviewing car salespeople. Most of them I've spoken to over the years barely know anything about cars, electric or otherwise

the_amazing_raisin

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118781295#Comment_118781295

The one thing we're guaranteed never to have a global shortage of is idiots

brokenangel

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118781835#Comment_118781835

I already posted why a few times

no matter who or what they do people will complain.

elperello

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118781295#Comment_118781295

In fairness that is the Motors forum.

You can expect to get a good few "petrol heads" there.

I'm not using "petrol head" as a pejorative term by the way, just as a descriptive one.

A lot of guys there love their ICE cars in way often misunderstood by the ordinary day to day motorist.

I'd safely guess that most of those would prefer to swerve €3 per litre and divert to an EV if they could afford to buy one.

elperello

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118781835#Comment_118781835

The thing about VW and Hyundai is they still have diesels to shift alongside the EVs so they have a foot in both camps.

One thing you can say about car sales people is that they do know the market.

Every day they step out on the forecourt they put their (or their bosses) money on the line.

crisco10

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118783358#Comment_118783358

I would have thought Hyundai would have been in a great position to discuss, what with them having the best selling ice (Tucson) and best selling EV (Ioniq 5) so far in 2022.

Black_Knight

I've had 2 friends/people I know asking me about EVs this week. Probably not talked to them in a year or more, but got messages from both asking about EV options. Fuel prices has certainly give a knee-jerk reaction to a few. Pity there's zero EV availability though. Second hand market is showing massive inflation in EVs.

elperello

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118783979#Comment_118783979

There is no doubt that Hyundai have all the bases covered with Diesel, Petrol Hybrid and EV on offer.

But given that the ICE models are outselling the the others I thought they might be walking a fine line in the PR battle to promote EV's.

But then I suppose Toyota have their problems too not even having an EV to sell until Q3.

creedp

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118784054#Comment_118784054

Also the 2nd hand market is distorted by the €5k grant. If you could afford a new EV why would you consider a nearly new car because the price differential is minimal. The grant should be tied to the car price and not paid to the individual. Can you imagine if VRT was treated the same way!

the_amazing_raisin

Pretty sure the distortion is down to the waiting times for most EVs at the moment

People who don't want to wait a year might be willing to pay almost new prices for 2nd hand cars

creedp

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118784593#Comment_118784593

I'm sure that's a significant contributory factor, after people cant wait to save money on fuel. However, Id be thinking when a person buys the new EV, the important price to them is list price less grant while when they are selling Im sure it's the list price that's more important!

crisco10

To be fair, entire second market is mad right now. The ice we traded in recently, which we bought 4 years ago, was a whole e1500 less than what we paid. And it was due a timing belt!

creedp

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118784772#Comment_118784772

Crazy really. Have new car price margins increased to allow for such favourable trade-ins? If not Im wondering why not given that demand is exceeding supply at this stage.

Gumbo

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118784818#Comment_118784818

Some have.

Audi for example cancelled some Q4 orders and the new prices have. Even updated.

Tesla will honor the price at ordering even if it increases mid order.

I’ve always bought and sold cars on the side but it’s mad now. I bought my current car in July for €48k and I’m getting €57k on trade in now!

There are many similar stories out there.

jusmeig

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118779701#Comment_118779701

"The best chnace of large rollout of electrics is the likes of Toyota selling them"

I would say the best chance are the companies already rolling out and selling millions per year, Tesla, VW. Interviewing Toyota really is insulting, as is their self charging hybrid bs.

creedp

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118784844#Comment_118784844

Sounds like a great deal for you. However I'm not sure why someone would spend nearly €60k on such a car unless they were desperate.... seems like vfm has completely left the stage at this point. Brexit and the lack of decent supply of 2nd hand cars from the UK is really biting now. Time to dig in and try and ride out the storm if at all possible.

the_amazing_raisin

I think now's a good time to switch the roads over to LHD 😁

MightyMunster

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118781335#Comment_118781335

You realize that VW aren't the biggest seller of EVs in the world right. Everyone knows GM are leading.

Oh no wait it's actually Tesla

CoBo55

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118781835#Comment_118781835

You can include mechanics in that list too... They haven't a clue about the difference between hybrid, phev or EV

Effects

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118781275#Comment_118781275

I'm vegetarian almost 20 years. I still know what local butcher quality is like. Those that didn't move with the times have gone out of business.

brokenangel

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118785594#Comment_118785594

🤣

You can only sell so many cars with bits falling off to fanboys, the rest of the World buy a decent car

MightyMunster

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118786088#Comment_118786088

Who's making these decent cars you talk about? VW with the awful software, not their first terrible software? Hyundai where you can't preheat unless plugged in or see out the rear window in the rain? Audi with 40% of cars recalled for new batteries? You probably meant Toyota, oh actually they didn't sell any last year. BMW with a front only a fanboy could love?

Maybe the reason car reviewers and owners like the model 3 and think its good is because it is..... You should try one and stop believing FUD sponsored by petrified vested interests who are being left behind and trying to slow a green energy transition. Which unfortunately is paying for the likes of Putin and Saudi to slaughter innocent Ukrainians and Yemenis

2years in and nothing has fallen off mine yet. My previous VWs on the other hand, new turbos, timing belts, gear box.....

eusap

As with everything in this country follow the Money, Toyota spend a lot on advertising so how better to get them to spend more, give them some free advertising.

"If you are not paying for the product, you are the product"