Come the next decade, most automakers will begin adopting fully electric powertrains. Toyota however disagrees with this rapid adoption of just electric-powered vehicle.
“It’s is too early to concentrate on one option,” said Shigeki Terashi, a director and one of the key personnel in advanced technologies in Toyota. Mr. Terashi was responding to an investor’s question on Honda’s 2040 plan at the annual shareholder meeting yesterday.
In an article by Bloomberg, Terashi added that between now and 2050, the company wants to offer multiple powertrain options such as hybrid and fuel-cell technologies to compete against each other so that the company can evaluate the best options.
Full hybrid, 4th gen Plug-in hybrid Hydrogen fuel cell EV
Toyota Mirai sets new world record – 1,000 km on a tank of hydrogen
Toyota’s careful approach to offering just EVs is also contributed by the whole lifecycle of manufacturing the vehicle. Some studies have found that more emissions are generated during the production and material sourcing phase than the vehicle itself.
Mazda has been a firm believer in this life cycle assessment, called “well-to-wheel”. The company said that to achieve sustainable reductions in CO2 emissions, it is essential to consider emissions associated with energy extraction, refinement, and transportation; not just those that occur after the tank has been filled or battery charged and travelling on the road.
Toyota said it will work to streamline its production process to lower the production costs of EVs and other vehicles in tandem. It is set to introduce its first portfolio of mass-production EVs totalling up to 15 models by 2025, working together with Subaru.
Toyota GR Yaris Hybrid WRC undergoing testing in preparation of 2022 racing campaign
The company also had plans to only offer electrified combustion engines beginning from 2025, with various levels of hybrid technology to meet the different customer requirements.
