Toyota will also expand its current lineup of electric vehicles, which currently consists of the bZ4X crossover SUV (which required a recall to make sure its wheels won’t fall off) and the Subaru Solterra EV built on Toyota’s e-TNGA flexible EV platform. . . Lexus has yet to release its RZ 450e SUV which is based on the same platform.
Koji Sato, who is currently Lexus chairman, will replace Akio Toyoda as Toyota chairman and chief executive officer on April 1. During a press conference on Monday, Sato said that next-generation battery-electric vehicles are the first order of business priority and that “the time is right” to develop electric vehicles under the new team once they take office in April. , which is when we should hear more concrete details.
This comes after years of criticism over Toyota’s slow approach to electric vehicle adoption, resting on its laurels with efficient gasoline and hybrid cars, and being distracted by the development of hydrogen-powered vehicles. Meanwhile, competitors are already rolling out purpose-built EV platforms into their product lines, like GM with Ultium.
Sato mentioned that Toyota would take an “omnidirectional approach,” suggesting it will keep its hybrid business continuously, with vehicles like the now-revamped Prius relevant. “We want to be in tune with customers around the world and offer diverse options,” Sato said.
