Experts say Toyota Prius marketing helped politicize hybrids and electric cars

The political polarization of battery-powered cars in the United States may trace back to the marketing of the Toyota Prius about 25 years ago, some experts say. They argue that Prius advertising framed the car as a way to "save the planet," a message that energized some buyers and provoked a backlash among others.

The 2001 Prius arrived as average fuel economy had fallen to a 21-year low and federal tests showed the model could reach about 48 miles per gallon, recalled Margo Oge, who later helped craft Obama-era fuel-economy standards. Toyota promoted celebrity endorsements and sales rose from about 5,500 in 2001 to a peak of 236,000 in 2012, but critics accused Prius owners of virtue signaling and mocked hybrids in popular culture.

Other models became politicized as well: the Chevrolet Volt was tied to federal aid for General Motors and labeled "Government Motors" by critics, and Tesla's rise, its sale of climate credits and an early federal loan drew partisan attention as the company and its chief executive became polarizing figures.

"E.V.s have become such a partisan thing that they’re not defined as cars," said Mike Murphy, who leads groups that aim to make electric cars less political. Political battles intensified under the Biden and Trump administrations: Mr. Biden’s fuel-economy and emissions rules and a $7,500 federal tax credit boosted sales but, Ms.

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Business, Toyota Prius, Toyota, Chevrolet Volt, Tesla, Environmental Protection Agency