THE WORLD'S GREATEST AUTO DISRUPTORS 2025

TODAY'S MOST INNOVATIVE CARMAKERS ARE ADAPTING RAPIDLY TO THEIR VISION FOR TOMORROW-THAT ISN'T EXACTLY AS PREDICTED

- Eileen Falkenberg-Hull

THE FUTURE IS FURTHER AWAY THAN MANY predicted. While experts previously forecasted that by now the world will be quickly moving toward a battery-electric vehicle and autonomous future—not just for passenger cars, but for helicopters, taxis, shuttles and commercial vehicles—that’s not the case.

Instead, predictions of Toyota Motor Corporation Chairman Akio Toyoda, Newsweek's 2023 World's Greatest Auto Disruptors Executive of the Year, are reality. The world’s drivers, especially Americans, aren’t ready or willing to give up their gasoline-powered vehicles, driving or independence quite yet. They're embracing hybrid technology, insisting on driving themselves (with advanced driver assistance systems only sometimes turned on) and learning to embrace enhanced, tech-forward interior ecosystems.

“Automakers aren’t abandoning BEVs but recalibrating to meet consumer demand. The shift toward hybrids isn’t a step back as much as it’s a response to economic pressures, charging infrastructure limitations and regulatory and trade uncertainty,” Paul Waatti, director of analysis at AutoPacific, told Newsweek.

“It’s not about giving up on BEVs—it’s about timing and offering a range of options to meet consumers where they are in the transition. Current market conditions demonstrate that there is no one-size-fits-all approach.”

Automakers are set up for a busy few years ahead, debuting a host of BEVs. But questions remain about their widespread appeal. Waatti said: “A wider selection of BEVs is coming to all corners of the market in 2025, but the question isn’t just about variety—it’s about affordability and infrastructure. Without federal incentives, mainstream adoption could stall, especially in middle America, where charging access is still glaringly inconsistent.