Very explainable: they know they lost technology edge and knew it since many years, and have no way of turning things around. They are waiting for the end, and trying to make as much as possible in the meantime on hybrid and ICE vehicles: for that purpose, they try to portray li-ion vehicles as either mistakes (recent PR about resource use vs CO2 saved), or inferior to their upcoming super-battery, or both. Just cannibalising of what remains of their reputation as technology experts to limit sales of competing tech to make more from their own dying one while it still lasts. Logical but a sad sight to see.
You are describing the company with accelerating production, with the highest market share, with most sales in the world, with highest profit margin in the industry, as if it’s on its last legs and failing. Let me guess, you’re a Tesla fan. What exactly is Toyota falling behind on? Clearly it’s not electric motors and batteries, because hybrids have those. Hybrids are in fact significantly more complicated than a BEV. So what is it?