Lol, while they dither, BYD is rapidly eating parts of their market. By the time Toyota builds their factories other makers will have had a full range of vehicles for years.
even this late into the game Toyota is at a significant advantage compared to most EV groups : they have the whole 'vehicle' thing just-about mastered, they have significant production capability, and they've been dabbling with electric technologies just about longer than anyone aside from GM.
Meanwhile BYD and Tesla are still struggling with body panel fit-and-finish, delivery, repair turnaround, parts availability and numerous small QC problems.
Offering an electric drivetrain is many times easier than fixing those other problems; Toyota should know -- they've been chasing those same problems and squashing them since 1935.
Toyota still makes excellent cars, just when EV, the range is not competitive.
What is Toyota doing on the battery front? It should be a multi-billion investment. I realize that the energy story is complicated in Japan, but they are a global brand.
You’ve just described a bicycle.
Like ostriches hiding from the threat, their heads are buried deeply in the sand.