In the past few days, a popular Weibo topic titled #Experts Say BYD is Unlikely to Overthrow Toyota# caught my attention.

This expert is Zuo Yanan, a veteran of the automotive industry with over two decades of experience in JAC Motors - the former chairman of JAC Motor Group, who has also contributed significantly to JAC's commercial vehicle success.

Zuo Yanan originally said, "Tesla and BYD are unlikely to overthrow Toyota's industry leadership. Toyota is unparalleled in gasoline-electric hybrid technology, and there is no second. Toyota earned over 230 billion yuan last year, surpassing the combined earnings of all Chinese automotive companies. Hybrid technology has contributed significantly to this."

Zuo Yanan further stated that Toyota is one of the few companies in the world that can "play the rhythm." They have 50 cards in their pocket and know when to play the ace and when to play a small card, unlike some companies that rush to market with immature products. Toyota carefully assesses the situation and chooses the most appropriate time to act.

As a globally renowned automotive giant, Toyota's strength is evident to all in the industry. Data shows that Toyota sold 2.401 million new vehicles in the first quarter of 2024, a year-on-year increase of 0.1%, surpassing Volkswagen Group by more than 300,000 vehicles and maintaining its position as the world's top-selling automaker.

However, this does not mean that Toyota is unshakeable.

Is Toyota's hybrid technology still unparalleled?

Firstly, technically, Zuo Yanan said, "Toyota is unparalleled in gasoline-electric hybrid technology, and there is no second." However, it is BYD, not Toyota, that has achieved a mass-produced engine thermal efficiency of 46.06%. BYD, not Toyota, has achieved a WLTC fuel consumption of 3.8 liters for a mid-size car.

In contrast, the 1.8L engine (model 8ZR) used in the Corolla/Levin hybrid models has a thermal efficiency of only 41%. The Dynamic Force 2.5L hybrid engine (model M20F) used in the Camry/Avalon hybrid models also has a thermal efficiency of 41%.

Additionally, rumors suggest that Toyota plans to introduce a new 2.0L engine in 2025 with a significantly improved thermal efficiency, but the figures only reach 45.3%.

Due to the impact of BYD's plug-in hybrid models and a host of independent brand new energy vehicles, Toyota's sales in China have experienced the first decline in the past decade since 2022, with a year-on-year decline of 0.2% in 2022, 1.7% in 2023, and 1.6% in the first quarter of this year.

Therefore, looking at the current situation in 2024, it is clear whether Toyota's hybrid technology is truly unparalleled.

However, some may question, "What kind of hero is it to bully Toyota in the domestic market? BYD only surpassed Toyota because of China's policy advantages for plug-in hybrid models."

However, we must