New Toyota chief Sato to embark on EV push as automaker plays catch-up

Koji Endo, head of equity research at SBI Securities was absolutely correct in his statement that it is the countries’ government green policies that they are competing with and not rival car companies. That is why the chairmanship changed in Toyota because the previous CEO didn’t want to be pressured by the ilits based in Switzerland that are pushing for this unsustainable policy. EV means poverty, degradation of forests through mining, child labor, energy crisis, and restriction of people’s mobility. Welcome to 15-minute cities.

I agree with Temyong's comments above.

Focus on 15-minute cities, green public transportation, trans-continental train lines, green shipping, pool-car use, and in general, less reliance of resource and space heavy cars.

What a shame that Toyota is caving to the EV cult.

Which has NOTHING to do with saving the environment and EVERYTHING to do with restricting travel by the masses and restricting consumption.

There is NOTHING about EVs that are environmentally friendly or that reduce the carbon footprint.

Producing the batteries in EVs involve massive amounts of child labor slaving away to produce the metals used in the batteries. These batteries, once dead, are so expensive that the entire vehicle has to be junked.

Producing the batteries and then recharging them over their life cycle produces a greater carbon footprint than traditional internal combustion engines.

Oh, and there are not enough rare earth metals available to ensure that everyone who wants an EV can get one.

One thing EVs DO permit?? The enslavement of the masses, since getting vehicles will be difficult and expensive and recharging them will be completely at the mercy of the carbon control police.

But, hey, you'll have less and be happy. Right?!

@ifd66

Nice trolling. Though you didn't understand what 15 minute cities mean and what impacts the EVs have.

The whole EV playbook depends on an enormous capacity of the electric power grid spent on charging.

If we focus on Japan we can see that Japanese buy 3.5 million cars each year. And there are probably 10s of millions cars in active use. So tell me how will you charge that many cars with the current capacity?

Also trans continental train lines? Really? Good luck with that when you travel to Australia.

A few years too late? maybe not a negative thing depending on how Toyota plays its cards.

This despite the fact that there is not the consumer demand to drive this pseudo-ecological campaign.

Just making brownie points with the "greens".

Promising news - and ominous for rivals!

Make no mistake - when Toyota get their EV program fully cranked up, they will blow the rest out of the water. Look out Elon.

Toyota never fail! Can't wait to see their range of new EVs in the next 5-10 years!

At this point Musk is beating himself. Go for it Sato!

Prepare infrastructure first and also technology as well.

Japan does not have enough of electricity as LDP crooks are "urging" everytime to sit in dark offices and use little or no AC and in winter wear 3 sweaters...just imagine if 20% of recently registered cars will be changed for EV what chaos it will ignite with everything?

EV are faraway from reasonable shopping to be on top of list for many who considers change old cars for new ones.

gf Shanghai is exporting some right hand drive vehicles. Maybe some will land in Japan.

I love my Tesla EV car, but IMHO, Toyota is exactly where a global car maker should be, proudly in transition, not catching up, not leading the way, but navigating the landscape as it unfolds.

Main stream media forgets the global commons include nations where electricity generation is still a luxury, and 99% of transport relies on fossil fuels.

Yes, EVs are more efficient, more refined, more planet friendly, but, infrastructure neccessary for EVs are still lacking for many parts of the world.

Tesla recycles 100% of their EV batteries and which last 10+ years with 80%+ capacity.

https://www.leafscore.com/tesla/is-it-possible-to-recycle-a-tesla-battery/

New battery chemistries including LFP batteries do not contain cobalt or any rare material sourced from Africa.

https://electrek.co/2022/04/22/tesla-using-cobalt-free-lfp-batteries-in-half-new-cars-produced/

Tokyo will require solar power on new homes from 2025, putting less strain on the power grid.

https://www.kankyo.metro.tokyo.lg.jp/en/climate/solar_portal/

Toyota is in trouble. No one buys a Toyota car because they are cool and stylish, they aren’t. They buy them for reliability, they are. EVs don’t have an engine or a transmission, just a big battery. Reliability is not an issue. EVs will compete on style and design. They will also compete on software, definitely not a Japanese or Toyota strong point. Toyota will still sell lots of pollution generating cars in poorer countries where infrastructure is not ready for EVs. Toyota will shed market share to the more innovative and design centric makers in richer countries. Who wants a Prius when a Tesla is the same price? No one.

Toyota will shed market share to the more innovative and design centric makers in richer countries. Who wants a Prius when a Tesla is the same price? No one.

Yep, hybrids just more complex and costly, no merit except this not having to charge in an 'emergency' but now one can easily receive roadside charging assistance.

How many of you know Toyota used to be a MAJOR Tesla venture investor, exited their position about 2009 if memory serves, well before Tesla went public, apparently there were personality problems, likely Musk not giving a hoot about ancient legacy automotive hierarchy, after all Tesla's a tech company in his mind, that's why he's winning, because tech never rests, progress never stops, now hybrids, that's LAST century stuff!

EVs are more efficient, more refined, more planet friendly, but, infrastructure necessary for EVs are still lacking for many parts of the world.

So long as you have availability of electricity, you have enough EV infrastructure!

Just why's Toyota pushing for hydrogen fuel-cells, seems few in society, whether business or Govt, are investing in THAT infrastructure, meanwhile massive tax credits and EV charging rollouts by Govt. and business (e.g. Walmart) moving fast. Plus, as batteries are an established 'open' technology, no surprise few interested in ONE company's closed proprietary tech, too risky!

Toyota's losing market share EVERYDAY, sales in North America dropped 9% in 2022, meanwhile GM grew 18%, ONLY because they we're quicker to start their EV transition.

What's really killing ICE/internal combustion engine vehicle market globally FAR faster than most expect is this little concept known as ZOMBIE, the living dead with no future!

No buyer of an ICE vehicle wants to buy anymore, they all want to lease as gas stations disappear and the vehicles residual values collapse. Every buyer wants their car to hold its value after all, no matter WHAT country. Plus, any country in the world that ENJOYS pollution and all the associated health costs?

The cost of EVs will soon be FAR less than comparable ICE vehicles, plus maintenance and operational costs FAR less, we're already WAY past the tipping point and it's accelerating rapidly. Even the richest company in the world, Apple, will likely enter this market very soon, good luck to the legacy makers with their challenged balance sheets and lousy margins!

How much slave labor from the Congo (which includes women and children) is it going to take to extract toxic and deadly Cobalt by hand? 25,000 people?

The Joe Rogan Experience https://open.spotify.com/episode/3ZBdeZLitzqNPBbvv9QIEz

Do some real digging, you will find your clean energy is neither clean or zero impact. But I guess if we can emote how eco friendly we are on the backs of enslaved African people because if we close our eyes and ignore where the source components actually come from we are okay, right?!?

after reading only the headline: the EV is not the „thing“ that matters. It is automated driving and digitalized car.

what has Toyota to show on that?

I "charged" my DV yesterday, the first time in ~6 weeks, and it took all of 5 minutes. It's good for up to 650km per "charge". Fast "charging" has no detrimental effect on the system whatsoever and has no impact on the electricity grid(or the skyrocketing electric bill!). If necessary, I could also have one or two "mobile charge packs" available for ~¥1000 a piece.

Until an EV affords the capability AND affordability of my DV, there's no logical reasoning to make the change to a fancy golf cart.

What I'd like to see become readily available is bio-diesel.

How much slave labor from the Congo (which includes women and children) is it going to take to extract toxic and deadly Cobalt by hand? 25,000 people?

Let's not let perfection be the enemy of progress, EV saving tons of lives, healthcare costs and the environment vs. dirty ICE engines.

@almakukac

@ifd66 Nice trolling. Though you didn't understand what 15 minute cities mean and what impacts the EVs have.

I majored in sustainable development and teach it at university. I am fully aware of the term. 15-minute cities - the urban planning concept to make cities less reliant on cars and in general more liveable sustainable environments.

Why not do a quick search yourself for "15-minute cities" and get informed?

Do some real digging, you will find your clean energy is neither clean or zero impact

I don't think any one has ever said no impact. But I agree, the sky is not all blue, unless corporations have higher standards. I've witness first hand the operations in the Congo, artisanal mining is like the wild west. There's no way I would invest in any company operating out of the DRC now.

So yeah, we have a way to go, but if we can't stop slave labour in Xinjiang, do you think anyone has a chance elsewhere?

Will be interesting to see how they transition over the next few years.

Yes, very. But if I own legacy auto stocks right now, I'd be inclined to sell. Tesla shareholders have been pouring in billions upon billions of dollars and have not seen a single dime of dividends, despite the outrageous success and growth. Because Tesla has had to not just build cars, but build the charging infrastructure, develop the power delivery system (charging and interaction with the grid), storage and green energy generation as well.

Tesla know without green energy generation, or storage EVs would be stifled, like how GM failed originally with the EV1.

Legacy auto makers have always relied on others (tax payers) to prop up their business model, and their bean counters are probably scratching their heads right now as to how they're going to fund the necessary infrastructure for EVs. In the case of GM, they've gone straight to the lobbyist, lobbying the Biden administration to force Tesla to open up its supercharging network to non Tesla vehicles.