From shouting "transforming into a mobility company" to sounding the clarion call of "creating a new future for automobiles", Toyota Motor, the world's largest multinational car company in terms of production and sales, attaches great importance to the Chinese market. At the 2024 Beijing Auto Show, Toyota not only brought innovative electric vehicles and opened a new chapter in electrification, but also announced that it would work with Tencent to form a new potential for transformation in the field of electric intelligence.
Through this auto show, we can see Toyota's thinking and phased progress in three aspects: electrification, intelligence, and diversification. More importantly, Toyota also sees this auto show as an important node for its further layout of intelligent electric products. Next, Toyota will work with the wave of intelligent electrification in the Chinese market to advance the goal of intelligent electrification at full speed.
Toyota's Zhidian Transformation Hole Card: Chinese-style "Inheritance and Evolution" 2.0
At the Beijing Motor Show, Toyota, which has always been known for its steadiness, significantly accelerated its pace, bringing the latest progress in the transformation to mobility and the latest achievements in the multi-path technology route. The promotion of many businesses has realized the development chapter of the 2.0 stage with the Chinese style of "inheritance and evolution".
"Toyota's mission is to be close to the lives of our customers in China and around the world, and to continue to provide a variety of mobility options. I think this is the multi-path future that Toyota is pursuing. At the press conference, Hiroki Nakajima, vice president and chief technology officer of Toyota Motor Corporation, said. At the booth, two new BEV models, the bZ3C and the Bozhi 3X, as well as the innovative concept model LF-ZC, which carries the concept of Toyota's SDV, became the protagonists.
In the transformation towards electrification and intelligence, Toyota has always adhered to the core idea of "multi-path". Its multi-path technology roadmap includes HEV, PHEV, BEV, and FCEV, with the aim of "putting the choice in the hands of more consumers". This diversification strategy allows Toyota to respond flexibly to market changes and meet the needs of different consumers.
Intelligence is also an area that Toyota has always paid attention to and constantly developed and accumulated. In order to match the development speed of China's auto market, meet the needs of Chinese customers and improve its local independent R&D capabilities, Toyota also renamed the Toyota Motor R&D Center as "Toyota Intelligent Electric Vehicle R&D Center" last year to further strengthen the local R&D of intelligent and electrified technologies.
Through this series of self-innovations, Toyota's electrification and intelligent strategic deployment has achieved remarkable results, and is gradually building a strong intelligent electric mobility ecosystem. Toyota's speed of catching up and overtaking even surprised many people. But if you analyze it carefully, it is actually reasonable, which is related to Toyota's habit of accumulating thick and thin, seeking stability and silence.
Making electrification within reach: Keeping up with consumer demands
At present, China's auto market has entered the era of chaos, and many new technologies and new ways to play have been introduced.
As a traditional automobile manufacturer, Toyota has cultivated a strong heart in the ups and downs of the development of the automobile industry. In the past development, Toyota has stood at the crossroads countless times, whether it is naturally aspirated or turbocharged, traditional fuel vehicles or new energy, every time Toyota has accurately kept up with the pace of the times, and even led the times.
Now, in the face of a new round of automotive industry transformation with electrification and intelligence as the main content, Toyota has not only not slackened, but has also maintained a high position in its global strategy. If earlier, many people were still questioning Toyota's intelligent electric technology, then with the clarification and advancement of the strategic direction and the landing of intelligent and intelligent at your fingertips, the level of intelligent electricity of its products is also advancing by leaps and bounds, even surpassing the head of the new forces.
This is well demonstrated in the bZ3C and 3X BEVs. With "Reboot" as the key word, the bZ3C has created a lively and iconic shape, as well as a space for young Gen Z customers to renew their minds. The 3X is aimed at the younger generation of home users, with the concept of "Cozy Home", which means a comfortable mobile living room, to create a comfortable and comfortable large space. In the future, the two cars will also be equipped with the latest Toyota autonomous driving assistance system and intelligent cockpit, bringing a safer and more comfortable driving experience, and will provide customers with a new value experience.
It can be seen that it is not that Toyota is not strong in the field of electrification and intelligence, but that Toyota insists that automobile companies should adhere to it - to escort the safety of users with perfect and reliable products, and Toyota still respects this "ancient" industry standard. Different from the idea of "rapid iteration" of the new forces, the mainstream car companies represented by Toyota still adhere to the principle of steady progress in research and development, which makes their research and development work very solid. If you don't meet the strict standards, you will definitely be rejected for market.
Therefore, Toyota is not "inferior" to the new forces in intelligent electric technology, but in line with the principle of prudent reliability first, out of a responsible attitude for consumer safety, to promote product upgrading at its own pace. It is not difficult to see from the released information that while Toyota is rapidly adjusting to the Chinese market, it still emphasizes the brand genes of "peace of mind" and "reliability". Toyota has long been considered a master of strategy in the automotive industry. The scenery should be long-sighted, not for the clouds to cover the eyes. Toyota always promotes related businesses step by step and rhythmically, and insists on being a friend of time.
Future-oriented intelligence: Say less, do more
Steady progress is the background color of Toyota's intelligent strategy, but this does not prevent it from having ambitions for future development. If "electrification within reach" is the first step for Toyota to deepen China's electrification process, then "future-oriented intelligence" and deepening cooperation with more local partners will become the key to Toyota's future.
For example, Toyota and Tencent have cooperated, and the two sides will jointly promote SDV (software-defined vehicles), and carry out in-depth cooperation in the direction of AI large models, cloud computing, and big data. Joining hands with Tencent may be a key signal for Toyota to accelerate its intelligent transformation.
Toyota showcased an innovative LF-ZC at the Beijing Motor Show. The biggest highlight of this car is the high integration of software and hardware, making it an intelligent driving vehicle (SDV) that can actively anticipate and respond to user needs. It will be able to continuously learn and adapt to the user's habits, creating a truly personalized driving experience. The LF-ZC is expected to be officially released to the world in 2026, bringing a truly smart car to consumers.
On the one hand, Toyota has intensively displayed and launched new technologies and products in the field of intelligent electric vehicles, and on the other hand, Toyota has deepened cooperation with local partners to continuously promote the rapid implementation of various measures. Under such a rhythm, it will undoubtedly accelerate the completion of the progress bar of Chinese-style "inheritance and evolution", and also allow Toyota to gain greater initiative in the Chinese market and join the "first echelon" of competing with Chinese car companies for intelligent experience without any sense of disobedience.
Looking at Toyota's electrification and intelligent development in the Chinese market, its brilliance lies in its multi-line development. On the one hand, through the launch of "accessible electrification", the electrification and intelligence level of production models will be improved, providing a richer user experience and obtaining more market feedback, and on the other hand, it will cooperate with more local technology companies to actively embrace the latest technology trends and accelerate the implementation of "future-oriented intelligence".
Toyota's transformation in the era of intelligent electricity can be said to spare no effort, China's auto market involution has not affected Toyota's step-by-step promotion of its own plan, and there are surprises everywhere. This confirms the Chinese proverb: "Those who have thunder in their chests and their faces are like a peaceful lake can worship the general." Indeed, Toyota, which "says less and does more" in the field of intelligence and electrification, is speeding up its march on the road of worshipping the generals.
The automotive industry is undergoing major changes unseen in a century. Under the unified examination question of the transformation of the new four modernizations, some car companies are aggressive, some car companies are developing steadily, and Toyota's determination and flexibility are always eye-catching. It is very good at using its strengths, but it also has enough strategic focus. Toyota is deeply linked to the Chinese market, always adhering to the concept of "people-oriented", and stands out in a number of exaggerated plays.
It can be seen that Toyota's intelligent transformation is firm and fruitful. The two development routes of "electrification at your fingertips" and "future-oriented intelligence" go hand in hand, demonstrating Toyota's strategic vision of not only quickly adjusting to the Chinese market, but also maintaining a high-dimensional position as a global car company. In this regard, Toyota is still a model among multinational car companies, both in terms of cognition and execution.