An important figure in this case is the growing number of vehicles in the world: From 50 million in 1950 to 479 million vehicles in 1996. This figure will attain billion in the next decades and so involve an environmental problem if people still continue to use gasoline-combustion engine in the future. It will involve more carbon dioxide on Earth and weaken our environment. In addition, regulations and customer's awareness of environmental problems push the car manufacturers to find a new technology to meet this new demand. The car market has changed in nearly 50 years. In 1960, import manufacturers were only holding 5% of the US market. In 2002, they were controlling about 40% of the market. Japanese manufacturers have changed the market by bringing more efficient vehicles and reliable transportation. Nowadays, the auto industry has to concentrate on providing performance, reliability and an environmental friendly vehicle that match with the customer's expectations.
Toyota who launched in 1957 its first model failed because it didn't understand the market. On today, Toyota understands and even anticipates the customer's expectations. Toyota being leader in the hybrid market is not surprising because it follows a strategy that consists of anticipating future needs and regulations. The Japanese manufacturer wants to use the hybrid technology because it fits to the demand but also because it combines an innovative technology with an existing structure, and a similar performance. Fuel cell technology means important investment in research and development. Electric vehicles don't meet the performance of existing vehicles. So, hybrid technology seems to be the right compromise for Toyota.
Competitors such as General Motors, Ford or even Honda, its biggest competito ...