On December 14, Toyota's head, Akio Toyoda, opened a press conference on how Toyota is achieving a "carbon neutrality" strategy at MEGA WEB At the press conference, Toyota not only released more than a dozen electric vehicles including 5 BZ series models, 4 Lexus models and 7 concept cars, but also announced for the first time the latest company strategy, which plans to launch 30 pure electric vehicles worldwide by 2030, and the Lexus brand will stop selling fuel vehicles in China, Europe and North America by 2035.
In many new energy technology routes, whether it is hybrid or fuel cells, it is Toyota's strength. Previously, Akio Toyoda has also publicly shelled electric vehicles in the media several times, especially his doubts about the Japanese government's desire to advance the time of banning the sale of fuel vehicles. What forced Toyota to make a 180-degree turn in the electric vehicle strategy, from the previous question of electric vehicles to a full embrace of electric vehicles, is worth exploring.
Investment is tilted towards electric vehicles, taking into account hybrids
According to data released by Toyota, it plans to invest 4 trillion yen in the development of pure electric vehicles by 2030, and hybrid vehicles and plug-in hybrid vehicles will also share 4 trillion yen, and the investment plan for fuel cells has not been announced. With Toyota's strong investment over the next decade, Toyota will build its electrified lineup by launching 30 EV models to the global market by 2030, which will include the bZ series, Lexus, and Lifestyle BEV models.
Taking BYD as an example, its current domestic new energy vehicle market, BEV and DM-i models occupy almost half of the country. From the perspective of consumers, hybrid technology is not only not eliminated, but also has its own place. As an ideal car for the first camp of new forces in China, what is currently on sale is also a range extender model. Therefore, the strategy of evenly distributing pure electric and hybrid investment is very correct, and it is also in line with Toyota's traditional style of doing things.
In terms of fuel cells, the acceleration of commercial vehicles and the deceleration of passenger cars should be a general direction. Judging from the technology currently accumulated by Toyota in fuel cells, it is still more necessary to promote the commercial deployment of commercial vehicles; as for passenger car cases such as Mira, in the short term, more demonstration operations can only be carried out in the park, and it is difficult to fully promote them to ordinary consumers. Therefore, compared with electric vehicles, fuel cells do not need more investment in the short term to promote technological upgrading.
bZ4X, can it fire the first shot of Toyota's electrification strategy?
Toyota bZ4X is an SUV based on the exclusive e-TNGA pure electric platform, which is expected to be launched in mid-2022 and will be sold in the domestic automotive market using the channels of FAW Toyota and GAC Toyota. The success or failure of the bZ4X will directly determine whether Toyota's electric vehicle strategy can be carried out smoothly in the future.
In terms of three-electric system, with the help of e-TNGA, bZ4X is available in two-wheel drive and four-wheel drive versions, of which the two-wheel drive model is equipped with a front-mounted single motor with a maximum power of 150kW; the four-wheel drive model is equipped with a front and rear dual motors, with a maximum power of 80kW for a single motor and a comprehensive maximum power of 160kW.
In terms of cruising range, the two-wheel drive version of the WLTC has a range of nearly 500km, and it will also support 1150kW DC fast charging, which can be fully charged to 80% in 30 minutes.
It has to be said that bZ4X, whether from the dynamic or from the endurance, the performance is more general, at least in the domestic electric vehicle market is not outstanding.
One of the big highlights of the bZ4X is the solar charging panel installed on the roof of the new car. According to Toyota's estimates, the bZ4X's solar charging panels will be able to provide a cruising range of about 1800km per year. Once bZ4X can achieve good results in mass production of solar charging technology, but also take into account the cost of the product, the future does not rule out Toyota in its electric vehicle models will be large-scale promotion of solar charging panels, becoming another big weapon for Toyota and even other brands of electric vehicles to improve the range of electric vehicles.
BYD's role
In addition to the e-TNGA architecture, there is also a joint venture between Toyota and BYD that has to be mentioned at 50:50. From Toyota's point of view, using BYD's e-platform and related battery technology to accelerate its layout in the entry-level electric vehicle market is actually a shortcut. Of course, the price of this shortcut is that Toyota endorses BYD with its own brand.
At present, BYD is in the ascendant at home, and its advantages in group operations are very obvious. Its overall sales exceed Tesla's, and it is a well-deserved leader in new energy vehicles in China. Byd's product strength of the e-platform or the overall performance of the blade battery have been highly evaluated by domestic consumers. Therefore, in the case of bZ4X product strength is not outstanding, whether Toyota can make good use of BYD's resources, accelerate its layout in the field of electric vehicles, and increase sales, will also become one of its key strategies for electrification transformation.
In the context of competitors increasing the number of electric vehicles, Toyota has also had to invest more resources in the field of pure electric vehicles to ensure that it has enough competitive electric vehicle models for consumers to choose.
Especially with the rise of the Biden administration, the three major automobile markets in China, the United States and Europe have begun to move towards the pure electric market, and Toyota, which has an important layout in the three major markets, will inevitably need more models to meet the requirements of the regulations and enjoy the dividends of the policy. Even if Akio Toyoda has any doubts about electric vehicles, he needs to compromise with the market and to policymakers.
However, electric vehicles are not the field that Toyota is good at, and there is still great uncertainty about whether it can replicate its success in the field of fuel vehicles in the field of electric vehicles.