Toyota to Tesla: "Copycat, Copycat, Pants on Fire!" - But in a Good Way, Maybe?
Image Credit: Toyota.
Well, well, well. Toyota, the automotive giant that’s known as much for making a lot of cars as for tiptoeing around the electric vehicle scene like a cat around a puddle, seems to be taking a page out of Tesla's playbook. Lexus, Toyota's fancy-pants division, has opened up its exclusive charging stations in Japan to all EVs, not just their own. Now, that's a twist worthy of a daytime soap opera!
Up until now, these charging oases were reserved for Lexus owners, who could reserve their spots through an app and enjoy perks like complimentary refreshments and discounts on nearby services. It was like a country club for electric cars.
And now? Any EV can pull up and plug in! It's a bit like Tesla's Supercharger network, only on a smaller scale. Much smaller in fact. Lexus plans to have about 100 stations across Japan by 2030. Compare that to Tesla's 50,000+ worldwide, and well, let's just say Lexus has some catching up to do.
Perhaps Toyota has finally realized that sharing is caring, even in the cutthroat world of EVs. Or maybe they're just trying to keep up with the Joneses, who happen to be driving Teslas. Or maybe - just maybe - Lexus wants to show other brand EV owners what a charging experience should look like? To try and sell some more of its own EVs?
Whatever the reason, it’s a welcome move for EV owners in Japan. More charging options mean less range anxiety and more freedom to roam. Plus, who wouldn't want to sip a complimentary latte while their car charges?
Image Credit: Toyota.
Lexus's charging stations offer up to 150 kW of power, which is enough to juice up your EV in a jiffy. That's not quite as fast as Tesla's 250 kW Superchargers, but it'll do in a pinch.
Speaking of Tesla, it's worth remembering that they've been opening up the Supercharger network to other EVs in the US. So, Toyota isn't exactly breaking new ground here. Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, right?
It just shows that even traditional automakers are starting to take EVs seriously. And who knows, maybe this will even spur Toyota to ramp up its own EV production. Too much? Oh come on, a girl can dream, right? As for me, I'm just happy to see more charging stations popping up. That, my friends, is a beautiful thing.
