When user attention is tilted towards the "Internet upstarts", how will the joint venture brands that are "old money" fight back?
On June 28, GAC Toyota held its first science and technology open day in the 20 years since its establishment, and for the first time demonstrated its forward-looking technology layout and multi-path technology accumulation in the era of joint venture 2.0 to external users. This move not only demonstrates GAC Toyota's persistence and transcendence in the process of transformation, but also declares the technological counteroffensive launched by GAC Toyota as a leader in the joint venture brand.
In addition, it is especially worth mentioning that at this science and technology open day event, GAC Toyota changed its reserved and introverted style in the past, and the golden sentences of the leader's speeches were frequent, fully releasing the attraction law to the outside world. For example, they have mentioned:
- GAC Toyota's intelligent electric hybrid dual engine, although there is no name of new energy, but there is a new energy reality.
- There are only two hybrids in the world, one is Toyota and the other is the other.
- Making the fuel tank bigger is the routine, and making the battery small is the technology.
- GAC Toyota's intelligent electric hybrid dual engine has achieved a balance between book parameters and actual performance.
- From horsepower to power to computing power, we must not only have the vitality of innovation, but also the determination to continue to improve.
- There is no difference between the "seller show" and the "buyer show", and there is no gap in various working conditions!
- Most plug-in hybrids have "high anti" and "fear of heights", and GAC Toyota's intelligent electric hybrid dual engine is not afraid of heights or heights.
- Technology is not a one-man show, but a team competition with full cooperation.
The origin of these golden sentences is based on GAC Toyota's keen insight into market trends and deep understanding of consumer needs. What they mean is GAC Toyota's absolute confidence in its own technical strength.
1
Highlights gathered, GAC Toyota "showed" its strength
For the first time in the Science and Technology Day activity, GAC Toyota focused on the two levels of electrification and intelligence, showing its outstanding technical strength to the majority of users.
First of all, in terms of electrification, GAC Toyota once again emphasized that it will continue to promote the strategic layout of all-round electrification, and adhere to the technical path of multi-line development of HEV, PHEV, EV, and FCEV.
According to the plan, 2026 will be a watershed for Toyota. Before that, Toyota will launch 10 new electric models and achieve its goal of selling 1.5 million electric vehicles a year by 2026. In 2026, Toyota's next-generation electric vehicle will make its debut; By 2030, Toyota's electric vehicle sales target will increase to 3.5 million units, including 1.7 million next-generation electric vehicles.
Under this rhythmic tone, GAC Toyota focused on showing its achievements in electrification technology reserves, which have many highlights.
First, GAC Toyota showed its most hardcore technology - the fifth generation of intelligent electric hybrid dual engine. According to reports, it has achieved the three "extreme balances" between "oil and electricity, power and fuel consumption, performance and safety", and it has achieved high energy efficiency with a small battery, getting rid of the dependence on large batteries, large motors, and large fuel tanks. At the same time, it does not have the problems of "high-speed power delay" and "the higher the speed, the higher the fuel consumption", which can be called the "second choice" in the hybrid era.
Second, Toyota announced the progress of next-generation electrification technology, and four types of next-generation batteries, including performance lithium-ion batteries, general-use lithium iron phosphate batteries, high-performance lithium-ion batteries, and all-solid-state batteries, will be launched in the market from 2026.
Specifically, the fastest new generation of batteries to land is a performance lithium battery, which is expected to be launched in 2026, with a range of more than 1,000 kilometers and a fast charge from 10% to 80% in just 20 minutes; The popular lithium iron phosphate battery is expected to be launched in 2026-2027, with a range of up to 600 kilometers and a fast charging time of less than 30 minutes from 10% to 80%; The high-performance lithium-ion battery is expected to be launched in 2027-2028, with a range of more than 1,000 kilometers and a fast charging time of less than 20 minutes. The most anticipated "black technology" - all-solid-state battery, will also be launched in 2027-2028, it has the characteristics of fast charging and discharging, but also overcomes the problem of battery attenuation, the battery can reach more than 1000 kilometers of cruising range of models, and fast charging only takes 10 minutes.
In addition, Toyota is actively working on next-generation engines that are more suitable for electrified models, and will apply them to PHEVs and HEVs. The engine will achieve a more compact size and lower center of gravity design while maintaining high power and high efficiency, so as to ensure that the driving resistance of the vehicle is reduced, so as to maximize the performance of the engine and further improve the range.
Secondly, in terms of showing its comprehensive and powerful intelligent technology layout, GAC Toyota has also gathered a strong circle of scientific and technological friends, including high-end intelligent driving technology supported by Momenta and Pony.ai, as well as a new intelligent cockpit empowered by technology giants Huawei and Tencent.
According to the plan, GAC Toyota will be a comprehensive leader in the joint venture in 2025 and keep up with the new forces; From 2026 to 2027, it will be among the first echelon of the industry. At the same time, GAC Toyota also reported to the majority of users on the current process of intelligent technology research and development:
First, GAC Toyota and Momenta have developed an end-to-end high-end intelligent driving system, which will be installed on the Bozhi 3X model for the first time and is expected to be launched next year. It is understood that this high-end intelligent driving solution is based on a data-driven AI flywheel, which can realize a full-scene intelligent driving experience of "driving when there is a road, avoiding obstacles, and stopping when there is a position".
Second, GAC Toyota and Pony.ai have launched the commercial operation of L4 autonomous driving, which is promoting the large-scale mass production of high-level autonomous driving technology, and it has obtained L4 autonomous driving road test permits in many first-tier cities in China.
Third, the new generation of intelligent cockpit empowered by Huawei and Tencent has been installed on the three flagship models of the 9th generation Camry, the 2024 Seina and the Highlander, which integrates Huawei's AI voice assistant, Hi-link car-home interconnection ecosystem, and Tencent's in-vehicle ecological services, achieving a significant advancement in intelligent experience. In addition, GAC Toyota will carry out more comprehensive cooperation with Huawei for intelligent cockpits in the C-segment pure electric sedan to be launched in 2025.
2
What is the level of GAC Toyota's "show"?
In fact, after 20 years of development, GAC Toyota has achieved high-end advancement from "produced in China" to "researched in China", and has the super strength to resist risks in the upgrading of the global automobile industry.
In this big "show" of the science and technology open day, GAC Toyota has clearly demonstrated its future development layout on electrification and intelligence. First of all, from this level, GAC Toyota is completely different from the operation of individual brands selling concept stocks and selling PPT, which fully shows that it is a more trustworthy existence.
Secondly, before the arrival of the next generation of products, GAC Toyota hopes that products equipped with the "fifth-generation intelligent electric hybrid dual engine" technology can carry the banner of sales.
However, at present, the hybrid car market has become a technological highland for major brands to compete for, and various hybrid routes are constantly pouring in. Based on this, we can make a horizontal comparison with the hybrid technology in the industry.
It is understood that GAC Toyota's fifth-generation intelligent electric hybrid dual engine deeply excavates "what is the meaning of hybrid" and explores "what is the optimal solution for hybrid", so as to make "there are two hybrids in the world, one is Toyota, and the other is other" become a reality.
Most of the other hybrids are set to the operating logic of "low-speed electricity is the mainstay, and high-speed is oil-based", which cannot achieve long-term gasoline-electric co-drive, and the oil and electricity are "inseparable". Toyota's hybrid uses "oil-electricity balance" as the underlying logic to achieve seamless connection between the two power outputs, without switching, and is naturally intelligent. At the same time, no matter what speed state and what working conditions, the balance of low fuel consumption and strong power can be maintained, and the comprehensive balance between book parameters and actual performance can be realized. From this point of view, Toyota's intelligent electric hybrid technology can be said to be the optimal solution for the current hybrid solution.
Then, GAC Toyota's goal in promoting intelligence is also very clear. It plans to fully integrate China's scientific and technological resources, fully catch up by 2025, and enter the first echelon of the industry in 2026.
To be honest, due to the rapid iteration of intelligent technology, at present, the joint venture brand is indeed at a disadvantage, but this does not affect GAC Toyota to catch up and catch up, and GAC Toyota is also pragmatic, it did not blindly shout the slogan of leadership, but worked silently, trying to show its super strength with real technological achievements.
Science and technology come from innovation, and it is inseparable from the accumulation of sophistication. When some people questioned "what can be seen on the science and technology day of the joint venture brand", GAC Toyota used the tip of the iceberg of technological achievements to show its dedication to the pursuit of technology, and also demonstrated its increasing sophistication of "pen cultivation".