Toyota’s
CEO Koji Sato announced in Tokyo on Monday that
Lexus will spearhead Toyota’s new electrification initiative, which includes the introduction of
a completely new all-electric vehicle platform scheduled for 2026. Sato is set to take over from the current CEO,
Akio Toyoda, on April
1, who faced criticism for the slow adoption of
electric cars at the company his grandfather established. In his new position, Sato will not only accelerate the transition to more electric and electrified vehicles but also uphold the company’s commitment to recognizing that there is no universal solution to decarbonization.
“This does not signify an abrupt shift towards battery
EVs,” he mentioned, as reported by
Reuters. “Regarding our slow progress on battery EV projects, I believe a significant portion of it relates to communication problems.”
Despite primarily
catering to the North American market, Lexus will be at the forefront for the Japanese automaker. Lexus has already committed to becoming an exclusively electric brand by 2035 and aims to sell 1 million EVs by 2030. Sato’s enhanced focus could potentially expedite this timeline. With prior
experience as the head of Lexus and Gazoo Racing, two entities within the
Toyota brand that manufacture significantly fewer vehicles than the core brand, Sato highlighted the necessity for reduced costs and enhanced efficiency to bring electric cars into mass
production at Toyota.
“Enhancing the competitiveness and cost-effectiveness of BEVs will pose a considerable challenge,” he remarked, according to Automotive News.
Sato did not elaborate much on the automaker’s forthcoming EV-specific platform, which is anticipated to debut around 2026. This platform is expected to serve as the foundation for various vehicles under the Lexus and Toyota brands. Toyota has traditionally employed a versatile platform for an array of vehicles, from the Prius to the Camry, as well as the Highlander, Sienna, and Tundra.
In the broader perspective, Toyota and Lexus find themselves in a somewhat disadvantaged position concerning EVs. In the previous year, the global automaker sold approximately 24,000 EVs worldwide, a negligible fraction compared to the 10.5 million EVs sold in 2022. This contrasts with Toyota’s sale of 2.6 million hybrids solely in the past year. Sato’s mission is to bring Toyota up to speed in the EV competition with leading companies such as Volkswagen and General Motors, a task that may not occur swiftly.
Do you have a tip? Send it to tips@thedrive.com
