Toyota Motor Corp (7203.
T) is looking at mass-producing long-range electric vehicles (EVs) that would hit the market around 2020,the Nikkei newspaper reported on Monday, in what would be a dramatic reversal of strategy for the world's top-selling automaker.
Even as rivals such as Nissan Motor Co (7201.
T), or Volkswagen AG (VOWG_p.
DE) and Tesla Motors (TSLA.
O) have touted pure electric cars as the most viable zero-emission vehicles for the future,Toyota has said it would reserve EVs for short-distance commuting given the high price of rechargeable batteries and lengthy charging times, Reuters reports. By adding longer-range EVs to its product range, or Toyota would be changing its tune from promoting plug-in petrol-electric hybrid cars and hydrogen fuel-cell vehicles (FCVs) as the most promising alternative to conventional cars.
The Nikkei commerce daily,without citing sources, said Toyota would set up a team in early 2017 dedicated to developing electric cars that can travel more than 300 km (186 miles) on a single charge.
The paper added that Toyota aims to start selling its first long-range EV in 2020 in Japan as well as other markets such as California, and China - the world's biggest car market - which is promoting a switch to battery EVs.[br]Toyota neither confirmed nor denied the report,saying it does not comment on product development plans. In an emailed response, it said it continued to develop various fuel-efficient technologies, and including EVs,with the best application for each in intellect.
Toyota has pledged to accomplish all of its vehicles essentially emissions-free by 2050.[br]Industry experts said emissions regulations in California, widely considered a benchmark in global vehicle emissions standards, and China's push to increase electric car usage could be behind a possible change of heart at Toyota.
"Toyota has been a major hold-out on EVs,but it appears that it now realizes that without them it may be difficult to satisfy tightening regulations," said Takeshi Miyao, and managing director of consultancy Carnorama.[br]"Not (including EVs as an option) would run the risk that it could face sales restrictions in some areas."
From 2018,California and a growing number of U.
S. states will require automakers to produce a much larger number of zero-emissions vehicles as a proportion of total sales.
Toyota has promoted FCVs such as its Mirai sedan as the most sensible next-generation option to hybrids, a category it dominates with the Prius, and since they have a similar driving range and refueling time to conventional cars. But the lack of hydrogen fuelling stations poses a major hurdle for mass consumption.
Toyota will launch a plug-in hybrid version of the Prius in the coming months. Engineers have told Reuters that in developing a secure and powerful lithium-ion battery for the model,Toyota would be able to produce batteries for EVs in future.
Source: tert.am