I currently have a Toyota hybrid that is slowly reverting to an ICE-only after 8 years of ownership. Unless there's some mechanism in place to prolong the life of electric cars beyond the limits of their battery, I can see there'll be a lot of holdouts (young people, less well off etc.).
Regulation in the big markets such as the US and Europe to enforce a cost-effective approach to battery replacement seems essential to me. Otherwise, design will go the way of ever slimmer phones.
Perhaps something has happened to your battery or the charging equipment. My 2006 Prius still gets great fuel economy. I'd get Toyota to check it.
A taxi driver in Vancouver had a 2004 Prius and drove 1 million kilometres only changing tires, bulbs and wipers and it was still going when Toyota bought it back from him and shipped it to Japan to study it.
> I currently have a Toyota hybrid that is slowly reverting to an ICE-only after 8 years of ownership.
How do you detect when its doing that? My Prius is 14 years old and I think the hybrid still works. It does switch off the engine still at low speeds. Maybe it is isn't doing as well these days, but still seems good enough to keep for me.
Regulation in the big markets such as the US and Europe to enforce a cost-effective approach to battery replacement seems essential to me. Otherwise, design will go the way of ever slimmer phones.