Toyota’s new CEO, Koji Sato, has confirmed that hydrogen will nonetheless obtain plenty of consideration from the automaker. This was regardless of Toyota rising its efforts to develop and produce extra compelling all-electric automobiles.
Sato’s feedback have been shared on the sidelines of an endurance race at Suzuka Circuit in western Japan lately. “We wish to make sure that hydrogen stays a viable choice. We want a manufacturing and transport provide chain. Except we see evolution there, we can’t count on a quantity improve within the vitality’s use,” Sato mentioned.
Considerably sarcastically, Toyota had deliberate on competing on the race with a brand new GR Corolla race automobile powered by liquefied hydrogen, as famous in an Automotive Information report. The car, nonetheless, caught hearth throughout a take a look at run on account of a leak in its hydrogen gas line. The hydrogen race automobile was in the end changed with a combustion-powered GR Yaris.
The incoming CEO of Toyota Motor Corp has highlighted the necessity for the Japanese automaker to undertake an “EV-first” mindset. Toyota is presently engaged on a brand new platform devoted to electrical automobiles for 2026, which ought to supply higher efficiency at decrease prices. The corporate expects to promote about 3.5 million electrical automobiles worldwide in 2030.
Whereas Toyota is arguably the corporate that ushered within the mainstream acceptance of hybrid automobiles with its Prius, the corporate’s wager on hydrogen vehicles has been far much less profitable. The corporate presently presents the Mirai, a hydrogen-powered zero-emissions sedan that’s presently in its second technology. Toyota was so assured within the Mirai’s second technology that it elevated its manufacturing capability to 30,000 models per yr, a 10x improve. Up to now, nonetheless, Toyota has solely offered 21,700 models of each the primary and second-generation Mirai.
Regardless of the corporate’s seemingly failed wager on hydrogen know-how, Sato has famous that hydrogen will nonetheless play a key position in Toyota’s multi-pronged strategy within the firm’s efforts to realize carbon neutrality. “We’re making full-fledged efforts on all the pieces,” the incoming CEO mentioned, noting that Toyota will likely be leveraging full electrical vehicles, hybrids, and hydrogen vehicles as a part of its total technique.
Don’t hesitate to contact us with information suggestions. Simply ship a message to simon@teslarati.com to offer us a heads up.