Toyota explains reasoning for developing diversified electrification technology

[ssun30]

At the recent shareholder meeting, Toyota addresses questions on their electrification development. https://toyotatimes.jp/en/insidetoyota/154.html

Key points of the meeting:

Using the word “strategy” might make something seem like it’s the main objective, but, as a result of pursuing customer convenience and always responding to customer requests, the cars that Toyota offers have come to form a full lineup.

I think the same is true in achieving carbon neutrality when considering vehicles that emit as little CO2 as possible.

Because BEVs are getting a lot of attention right now, they might seem like the only answer to some people. However, when we listen to what our customers have to say, while some people prefer BEVs, it is also true that others find that, with the current technology, BEVs are not yet convenient enough.

Due to our relationships with our customers from the past, we need to live up to the expectations of customers who have trusted Toyota up until now, and even when electrification becomes a necessary technology for our customers in the carbon-neutral era, we will continue to offer a full lineup.


We believe that it is best to provide customers with not only BEVs, but also a variety of other options, such as HEVs, PHEVs, FCEVs, and hydrogen-fueled engines.
Eco-friendly vehicles are only meaningful if they achieve widespread use and contribute to CO2 reductions”－this has been Toyota’s stance on environmental technology development ever since it launched the world’s first mass-produced hybrid electric vehicle “Prius” back in 1997.

No matter how good it is for the environment, if customers don’t choose the technology or product, its environmental impact on CO2 is close to zero. For a wide range of people to choose and enjoy the product, it needs to be practical: something both convenient and affordable to customers.

A wide variety of customers use Toyota vehicles around the world. At the financial results briefing held in May, Maeda explained that vehicles are used in many different ways, by taking an example of the need of towing capacity enough to pull a 10,000-pound (4.5 tons) trailer, something people in Japan are unfamiliar with.

Customer needs and preference differ depending on how vehicles are used. Regulations for vehicles also vary according to regions and countries.

Toyota’s approach is to accept that there are diverse needs, and to strive to offer a variety of convenient and green options for each customer.

 

[ssun30]

Starting from last year, Toyota has begun adopting TPS in office positions:

Because such wide-ranging development requires much investment, I think we must keep our basic unit (the smallest unit of development) as small as possible.

For that, I think that digitization and TPS, which is the philosophy of Toyota, are important. Many engineers are involved in product development, resulting in various flows of information.

TPS is very useful in organizing such flows of information. When a flow of information is organized, it becomes very easy to understand where digitization can improve efficiency.

Last year, President Toyoda himself encouraged office positions to practice TPS. He gave a lecture to them so that TPS is promoted not only at the production genba but also at the development genba. That is how he instilled the spirit of TPS in office-position development members.

By putting that to good use and combining it with digitalization, we can make each of our development efforts smaller.

Digitization has enabled advanced computer simulations and technologies, and by successfully multiplying them together, it is possible to compress considerable amounts of basic units.

By reducing the basic unit of each investment in this way, we want to be able to soundly meet the needs of a full lineup of electrified vehicles.

Using TPS for R&D led to 30% time reduction in the development of BZ4X BEV:

At the financial results briefing, Maeda also revealed that Toyota reduced development lead time for the “bZ4X”, an all-new BEV jointly developed with Subaru, by 30% compared to usual Toyota vehicles. Furthermore, according to him, the company is targeting 10% more reduction for future new BEVs.

 

[maiaramdan]

What I care about and what I am proud of, is that Toyota won't leave the Hydrogen either in replacement for ICE or with stack and electric motors!

 

[Motor]

Toyota says consumer choice dictates pace of electrification

Toyota Motor Corp pushed back against critics who say it has been slow to embrace battery electric vehicles (BEV), arguing it needed to offer a variety of car choices to suit different markets and customers.

www.reuters.com

However, "customers need to choose," Maeda said, in order to popularise electric cars that include plug-in hybrids. A variety of options should be available and the automaker should not narrow those down, he said.

Toyota argues that hybrids still make sense in markets where infrastructure is not ready to support a faster move to BEVs, and is exploring the viability of green fuels for internal combustion engine cars, including hydrogen.

 

[NXracer]

Lexus is pushing hard into new developing markets and their introduction to Luxury Hybrids. Little to no ICE introductions.
There counterparts are bringing everything; ICE/Hybrid/EV but due to infrastructure challenges their customers quickly dislike it. Some vloggers for instance in a developing market have some serious EV range anxiety that tempers the performance dopamine rush that an EV affords. Take that same consumer abroad to a developed nation and give them the vehicle, they absolutely fall in love.