Since Tesla Became a Household Name, Toyota EV Is a Matter of "When," Not "If" When it comes to Tesla, Toyota, and electric cars, it's important to keep in mind that attention drives investment. Advertisement Recently when Toyota's president Akio Toyoda spoke of the limitations and the future of electric cars, it is easy to misquote him and it's important not to do that. He knows that electric cars are the future and didn't even pretend they are not. He was basically saying that a rushed transition to a niche vehicle whose full supply chain doesn’t deliver the ecological benefits its advocates may worsen carbon dioxide emissions.