Toyota's CEO fired again: electric vehicles were relegated to 'secondary products', not really new energy!
Toyota's CEO once again said that electric vehicles are not a new energy source, but"Secondary products"。
Toyota CEO Akio Toyoda recently again expressed his disapproval of electric vehicles, even calling them so"Low-quality products", emphasizing that it cannot be classified as a new energy source. His main point is that while the promotion and sales of electric vehicles are growing rapidly, this is actually the result of political support rather than a reflection of market demand. Akio Toyoda believes that electric vehicles are not really a new energy source, as electricity is still mainly provided by fossil fuels. He believes that replacing gasoline vehicles with electric vehicles could increase the pressure on the grid and also lead to more carbon emissions. In addition, the production process of electric vehicles consumes a lot of energy and resources, from the collection of lithium to the disposal of used batteries, which can cause harm to the environment.
However, Akio Toyoda has a negative view of electric vehicles with that"Old-fashioned"The attitude towards the new era is somewhat similar. He has repeatedly spoken out against electric vehicles and warned against over-promoting them. Curiously, despite his rhetorical disapproval of electric vehicles, Toyota is aggressively accelerating the transition to electrification. The current CEO, Tsuneji Sato, has even increased Toyota's investment in BEVs and created an organization dedicated to BEVs. This is clearly contrary to Akio Toyoda's remarks.
Realities and challenges in the era of electric vehicles.
Today, electric vehicles are the main trend in the development of future vehicles. Major automotive markets such as China, the U.S., and Europe are all aggressively pursuing electrification, while Japanese automakers are lagging behind. Akio Toyoda's continued resistance could lead to a series of challenges for Toyota. During the development of the Chinese market, Suzuki tried to resist the market demand, but the result was unsuccessful, and finally had to withdraw from the Chinese market. In contrast, Toyota has taken a more subtle approach: a combination of verbal resistance and practical actions to transition to electrification. Toyota also has significantly more patents in new energy vehicles than any of its competitors. This may be a way for Toyota to stay competitive.
However, the transition to electric vehicles will not be easy. As the market competition intensifies, the gap between Toyota, the giant in the traditional fuel vehicle field, and the new electric vehicle force may become wider and wider. According to data from the Passenger Car Association, Toyota's NEVs are still selling low in the EV market compared to some popular models. This requires Toyota to innovate and invest more in the field of electric vehicles to catch up with its competitors.
Toyota's Duality: Words and Deeds.
Although Akio Toyoda continues to criticize electric vehicles, Toyota has not given up on its efforts to transition to electrification. Toyota has registered a large number of patents for new energy vehicles, demonstrating its dedication and focus on the field of electric vehicles. This year, Toyota has ambitious plans to invest 5 trillion yen in the field of pure electric vehicles by 2030 and has established an agency dedicated to pure electric vehicles. Toyota also plans to launch 10 battery electric vehicles by 2026, with annual sales reaching 50,000 units. Toyota's actions demonstrate its determination to transition to electrification.
However, Toyota faced many difficulties in the transformation process. As the world's best-selling traditional automaker, Toyota needs to resolve the conflict with its traditional business. The changes brought about by the transformation are likely to be met with resistance from manufacturers of components related to combustion engine vehicles and lead to internal divisions. Toyota took advantage of the situation and opted to accelerate the transition to electrification during the CEO change, replacing Akio Toyoda from the more aggressive Tsuneji Sato. Tsuneji Sato has made it clear that he attaches great importance to the transition to electrification and is working on plans to do so.
Summary. Akio Toyoda's remarks about boycotting electric vehicles have caused conflicts, but that hasn't stopped Toyota from taking real steps on the road to electrification. In the era of electric vehicles, Toyota faces both the challenge and the opportunity to transform. While Toyota has had some difficulties in delaying the transition, it has shown its determination to transition to electrification by actively investing in electric vehicles and developing plans accordingly. Therefore, it remains to be seen whether Toyota will be able to successfully transform and keep up with the development trend of electric vehicles.