Toyota aims to accelerate its electrified vehicle plans by five years, now planning to have half its global sales comprising these by 2025 instead of 2030.
It’s partnering with new battery makers such as China’s Contemporary Amperex Technology (CATL) and BYD to ensure battery supply.
Toyota executive vice president Shigeki Terashi gave a talk titled “Aiming to Popularise BEVs” about its plans to introduce battery electric vehicles (BEVs), adding the company remains focused on hybrids and hydrogen fuel cell vehicles.
“We haven’t changed our policy towards battery EVs. We are not shifting our focus to prioritise battery EVs, nor are we abandoning our FCV (fuel cell vehicle) strategy,” Terashi says.
However, Toyota has been developing BEV technology as part its future mobility roadmap and plans to launch more than 10 BEVs by the early 2020s.
It will first target China then roll the BEVs out to customers in Japan, India, the United States and Europe.
Toyota also announced an ultra-compact two-seater BEV designed for commuting and short-distance business trips. It will have a 60km/h top speed and 100km range.
It says BEVs are suited to short, low-speed journeys in towns and cities, while hybrid electrics, plug-in hybrids (PHEVs) and FCVs are ideal for longer journeys.
Toyota and Subaru Corporation announced on June 6 an agreement to jointly to develop a platform dedicated to BEVs for midsize and large passenger vehicles and to bring out a BEV SUV model for sale under each company’s brand.