Shulou(Shulou.com)11/24 Report--

Japanese automaker Toyota unveiled two all-electric and hydrogen-powered concept cars at the Tokyo Motor Show in Japan on Friday. The company is planning to launch a dedicated platform for mass production of electric vehicles. Toyota President Akio Toyoda said it was difficult but necessary to make profits from electric vehicles.

Toyota is considering launching a new manufacturing platform specifically designed for the production of electric vehicles, with the goal of achieving profitability through mass production of electric vehicles.

Toyota President Akio Toyoda said the company is considering a general-purpose platform that can build all kinds of electric vehicles, which is completely different from the current platform for producing electric vehicles.

"Electric cars need to be independent of existing models," Toyoda said Friday at an auto show near Tokyo, Japan. "The trend is not to transform existing models into electric cars, but to make real electric cars and build really good electric cars," he said.

Toyota's current electric vehicle manufacturing platform is redesigned based on the existing fuel vehicle manufacturing platform, and the new electric vehicle dedicated platform will be an important development for Toyota to invest in electric vehicles. The new platform optimized for standardized parts for electric vehicles can increase production and save more costs in the long run.

Making the EV business profitable has proved challenging for traditional automakers. While the overall electric vehicle market is growing, companies such as Tesla and BYD account for the bulk of it.

Toyota isn't the first traditional automaker to plan a dedicated manufacturing platform for electric vehicles. General Motors, Volkswagen and other competitors are following Tesla's footsteps and working towards building a dedicated manufacturing platform for electric vehicles. Tesla has been a company that only makes electric cars since its inception.

To date, traditional automakers have held no more than single-digit share of the EV market. Because of the high cost of components such as batteries, traditional automakers typically sell electric models at a lower profit than gasoline-powered vehicles, and some even lose money.

"Every business is struggling," Toyoda said, trying to make the EV business profitable. He added that the situation could continue to worsen due to rising resource prices. "The regulations are driving a race to electric cars," Mr. Toyoda said."But that's not Toyota. "

The current high cost of electric vehicles is also one reason Toyota believes it should continue to invest in hybrids and hydrogen-powered vehicles to hedge its risks.

At Friday's show, Toyota showed off two classic Toyota concept cars modified to run on batteries and hydrogen fuel. Toyoda says the cars demonstrate how new technology can reduce carbon emissions from existing cars on the road.

While Toyota is accustomed to likening itself to a department store with a diverse range of models, it is also betting heavily on electric vehicles. Toyota has been slow to roll out electric vehicles compared to its competitors in the U.S. and Europe, but the company aims to sell 3.5 million electric vehicles annually by 2030.

"In terms of sheer size, this is already comparable to a large car company," Toyoda said. He said the company has begun preparing for the 2030 target, and while achieving profitability for electric vehicles "will be difficult, it's something we have to do." "

According to Toyota insiders, building a dedicated manufacturing platform for electric vehicles is also an important part of Toyota's reflection on how to expand its electric vehicle business. Toyota's strategy includes investing in electric vehicle technology that can improve efficiency and profitability in high-volume production, they said.

Some industry experts pointed out that developing a dedicated manufacturing platform for electric vehicles is also one of the necessary steps for Toyota to deeply promote electric vehicles. Electric vehicles accounted for less than 1 percent of Toyota and Lexus sales in the year to November.

"It may be difficult to compete in electric vehicles until Toyota's strategy is fully consolidated," said Nakanishi Takagi, head of Nakanishi Research Institute, a Tokyo auto consultancy. Toyota's business has always been built around struggling, learning and ultimately becoming stronger, he said.

"Once Toyota is fully into mass production, it may win out eventually," Nakanishi said. "But the battle is long. "

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