Latest news with #Lexus-branded
Yahoo
30-04-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Toyota's Chairman Shared This Controversial Opinion About EV Sports Cars
As the former President and CEO and now chairman of Toyota's board, Akio Toyoda has long balanced his corporate responsibilities with a passion for racing. Under the pseudonym "Morizo Kinoshita," he created a second identity on the track, competing in major motorsport events such as the 24 Hours of Nürburgring in 2009, 2014, and 2019. Often behind the wheel of Toyota- and Lexus-branded race cars. In fact, his input behind the wheel at races and behind development, production, and race cars has been cemented so deeply into Toyota lore that cars like the Toyota GR Corolla Morizo Edition have been named after him. In a recent interview with Automotive News, Toyoda doubled down on his skepticism of battery-electric vehicles. However, when acknowledging that some Toyota engineers want an EV sports car, he said that the idea doesn't exactly align with his values. "There will always be people inside Toyota passionate about developing electric sports cars," Toyoda told AutoNews. "But for me, as the master driver, my definition of a sports car is something with the smell of gasoline and a noisy engine."In addition, he still believes that the company has a mountain to climb when it comes to building a selection of EVs that fit with Toyota's mantra of providing affordable, high-quality cars to its customers. Currently, in the United States, Toyota offers only one EV: the bZ4x, a crossover co-developed with Subaru. "Toyota is a mass-production brand, so we also need to think about affordability, even with BEVs," he said. "Once Toyota has the capacity to offer affordable BEVs, then maybe that's a moment when I as a master driver will be introducing a BEV sports car." In response to a question asking him if in his capacity as Toyota's "Master Driver," would he ever race an EV in a competitve race, the man known to enthusiasts simply as Morizo expressed that he wouldn't want to race an EV because the kind of races he likes to do (endurance races) would be less about driving skill and more about the cars' technical limitations. "No! It's not exciting," he said. "Because you won't be able to go around the circuit for more than an hour. The kind of races I enter are mostly endurance races, so with the current BEVs, it's not going to be a race of the cars. It's a race of charging time or battery exchange or something. The next master driver will have to take on that challenge. That's their job." I am not exactly surprised about Toyoda's deterrance towards this sort of thing. He has been openly critical about EVs in the past, and this is just more ink in that section of the book. In a statement at a Toyota company event in January 2024, Morizo argued that EVs "come as a set with infrastructure," arguing that many Toyota drivers live in parts of the world with little to access to electricity. "No matter how much progress BEVs make, I think they will still only have a 30 % market share," Toyoda said. "Then, the remaining 70% will be HEVs [hybrid-electric vehicles], FCEVs [fuel cell electric vehicles], and hydrogen engines. And I think [gas] engine cars will definitely remain. I think this is something that customers and the market will decide, not regulatory values or political power." In the same AutoNews interview, he defended the company's push toward hybrids by saying: "we said as a company the enemy is carbon," additionally noting that in the span of making 27 million hybrid cars, it "had the same impact as 9 million BEVs on the road." "But if we were to have made 9 million BEVs in Japan, it would have actually increased the carbon emissions, not reduced them. That is because Japan relies on the thermal power plants for electricity," he said. "We should look at all options and work in all directions. As a company, we have been very consistent in saying what we're fighting against is carbon dioxide." Taken together, Toyoda's on-track alter ego and his cautious stance on EVs paint a clear picture: he's someone who believes driving should remain an emotional, accessible experience, not just a political or regulatory checkbox. Whether it's pushing Toyota's race cars to their limits or advocating for a more flexible approach to carbon reduction, Toyoda consistently champions a future where car enthusiasts still have a say in how that future looks.
Miami Herald
28-04-2025
- Automotive
- Miami Herald
Toyota's Chairman Shared This Controversial Opinion About EV Sports Cars
As the former President and CEO and now chairman of Toyota's board, Akio Toyoda has long balanced his corporate responsibilities with a passion for racing. Under the pseudonym "Morizo Kinoshita," he created a second identity on the track, competing in major motorsport events such as the 24 Hours of Nürburgring in 2009, 2014, and 2019. Often behind the wheel of Toyota- and Lexus-branded race cars. In fact, his input behind the wheel at races and behind development, production, and race cars has been cemented so deeply into Toyota lore that cars like the Toyota GR Corolla Morizo Edition have been named after him. In a recent interview with Automotive News, Toyoda doubled down on his skepticism of battery-electric vehicles. However, when acknowledging that some Toyota engineers want an EV sports car, he said that the idea doesn't exactly align with his values. "There will always be people inside Toyota passionate about developing electric sports cars," Toyoda told AutoNews. "But for me, as the master driver, my definition of a sports car is something with the smell of gasoline and a noisy engine." Related: Cadillac Confirms Another Future High Performance V-Series EV In addition, he still believes that the company has a mountain to climb when it comes to building a selection of EVs that fit with Toyota's mantra of providing affordable, high-quality cars to its customers. Currently, in the United States, Toyota offers only one EV: the bZ4x, a crossover co-developed with Subaru. "Toyota is a mass-production brand, so we also need to think about affordability, even with BEVs," he said. "Once Toyota has the capacity to offer affordable BEVs, then maybe that's a moment when I as a master driver will be introducing a BEV sports car." EVs are not "exciting" to drive, says Morizo In response to a question asking him if in his capacity as Toyota's "Master Driver," would he ever race an EV in a competitve race, the man known to enthusiasts simply as Morizo expressed that he wouldn't want to race an EV because the kind of races he likes to do (endurance races) would be less about driving skill and more about the cars' technical limitations. "No! It's not exciting," he said. "Because you won't be able to go around the circuit for more than an hour. The kind of races I enter are mostly endurance races, so with the current BEVs, it's not going to be a race of the cars. It's a race of charging time or battery exchange or something. The next master driver will have to take on that challenge. That's their job." I am not exactly surprised about Toyoda's deterrance towards this sort of thing. He has been openly critical about EVs in the past, and this is just more ink in that section of the book. In a statement at a Toyota company event in January 2024, Morizo argued that EVs "come as a set with infrastructure," arguing that many Toyota drivers live in parts of the world with little to access to electricity. "No matter how much progress BEVs make, I think they will still only have a 30 % market share," Toyoda said. "Then, the remaining 70% will be HEVs [hybrid-electric vehicles], FCEVs [fuel cell electric vehicles], and hydrogen engines. And I think [gas] engine cars will definitely remain. I think this is something that customers and the market will decide, not regulatory values or political power." In the same AutoNews interview, he defended the company's push toward hybrids by saying: "we said as a company the enemy is carbon," additionally noting that in the span of making 27 million hybrid cars, it "had the same impact as 9 million BEVs on the road." "But if we were to have made 9 million BEVs in Japan, it would have actually increased the carbon emissions, not reduced them. That is because Japan relies on the thermal power plants for electricity," he said. "We should look at all options and work in all directions. As a company, we have been very consistent in saying what we're fighting against is carbon dioxide." Taken together, Toyoda's on-track alter ego and his cautious stance on EVs paint a clear picture: he's someone who believes driving should remain an emotional, accessible experience, not just a political or regulatory checkbox. Whether it's pushing Toyota's race cars to their limits or advocating for a more flexible approach to carbon reduction, Toyoda consistently champions a future where car enthusiasts still have a say in how that future looks. Copyright 2025 The Arena Group, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
Yahoo
25-04-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Toyota global vehicle sales rise 11% in March
Toyota Motor Corporation reported an 11% year-on-year rise in global group sales to 1,043,423 vehicles in March 2025, including its Daihatsu and Hino subsidiaries, driven by a 36% rebound in Japan to 208,956 units from depressed level a year earlier, while overseas sales rose by 6% to 834,467 units. Sales in Japan last year were hit by extensive production stoppages at the group's small car unit Daihatsu due to its safety test rigging scandal. Toyota confirmed that group global sales in the last financial year (FY2024), from April 2024 to March 2025, fell by 0.7% to 11,010,833 units, with sales in Japan falling by 1.4% to 2,001,636 units while overseas sales were up by just under 2% to 9,009,197 units. In the first quarter of 2025 the group's global sales increased by 7.5% to 2,715,384 units, with sales in Japan surging by over 37% to 557,353 units while overseas sales were up by almost 2% to 2,158,031 units. Global sales of Toyota- and Lexus-branded vehicles increased by 4.8% to 2,515,791 units in the first quarter of 2025, with sales in Japan rising by 18% to 414,158 units, while overseas sales rose by 2.5% to 2,101,633 units. Sales in North America were slightly higher at 659,585 units, while sales in Latin America (excluding Mexico) rose by 9.5% to 116,887 units, and in Asia (excluding Japan) sales rose by 3.7% to 738,862 units. In Europe sales declined by 0.5% to 308,271 units. Toyota and Lexus reported a 21% rise in global sales of electrified vehicles to 1,232,927 units in the first quarter of 2025, accounting for 45% of total sales. Sales of battery electric vehicles (BEVs) rose by 15% to 34,730 units, which were almost entirely delivered to overseas clients, while sales of hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs) rose by 19% to 1,111,815 units. Daihatsu's global sales rebounded by 80% to 169,843 units year-to-date following last year's production stoppages, with sales in Japan surging by 173% to 132,774 units while overseas sales plunged by 25% to 37,069 units. The group's commercial vehicle unit, Hino Motors, reported a 1.7% drop in global sales to 29,750 units in this period, with sales in Japan rising by 1.8% to 10,421 units while overseas sales fell by 3.5% to 19,329 units. "Toyota global vehicle sales rise 11% in March" was originally created and published by Just Auto, a GlobalData owned brand. The information on this site has been included in good faith for general informational purposes only. It is not intended to amount to advice on which you should rely, and we give no representation, warranty or guarantee, whether express or implied as to its accuracy or completeness. You must obtain professional or specialist advice before taking, or refraining from, any action on the basis of the content on our site. Sign in to access your portfolio
Yahoo
31-03-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Toyota global vehicle sales rise 9.5% in February
Toyota Motor Corporation reported a 9.5% rise in global group sales to 825,217 vehicles in February 2025, including its Daihatsu and Hino subsidiaries, driven by a 52% rebound in Japan to 177,968 units from depressed year-earlier levels while overseas sales rose by just under 2% to 647,249 units. Sales in Japan last year were hit by extensive production stoppages at the group's small car unit Daihatsu due to its safety test rigging scandal. In the first two months of 2025 the group's global sales increased by 5.5% to 1,671,961 units, with sales in Japan surging by over 38% to 348,397 units while overseas sales were down slightly at 1,323,564 units. Global sales of Toyota- and Lexus-branded vehicles increased 3% to 1,547,349 units year-to-date, with sales in Japan rising by 20% to 259,821 units, while overseas sales were flat at 1,287,528 units. Sales in North America fell by 4% to 391,346 units, which was offset by a 10% rise in Latin America (excluding Mexico) to 73,496 units and a 3% rise in Europe to 187,684 units. Sales in Asia, outside Japan, were 1% lower at 453,709 units. Toyota and Lexus reported a 21% rise in global sales of electrified vehicles to 755,806 units in the first two months of the year, accounting for almost 49% of total sales. Sales of battery electric vehicles (BEVs) rose by 37% to 19,865 units, which were almost entirely delivered to overseas clients, while sales of hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs) amounted to 735,771 units. Daihatsu's global sales rebounded by 71% to 106,310 units year-to-date following last year's production stoppages, with sales in Japan surging by 173% to 82,423 units while overseas sales plunged by 25% to 23,887 units. The group's commercial vehicle unit, Hino Motors, reported a 1.4% drop in global sales to 18,302 units in this period, with sales in Japan continuing to recover - by 10% to 6,153 units - while overseas sales dropped by 6% to 12,149 units. "Toyota global vehicle sales rise 9.5% in February" was originally created and published by Just Auto, a GlobalData owned brand. The information on this site has been included in good faith for general informational purposes only. It is not intended to amount to advice on which you should rely, and we give no representation, warranty or guarantee, whether express or implied as to its accuracy or completeness. You must obtain professional or specialist advice before taking, or refraining from, any action on the basis of the content on our site. Sign in to access your portfolio
South China Morning Post
06-02-2025
- Automotive
- South China Morning Post
Shanghai aims for China's top carmaking crown with Toyota plant
Published: 7:30am, 7 Feb 2025 Shanghai has taken a big step towards reclaiming the title as the country's largest vehicle production hub following Toyota Motor's plan to make cars in the city. The metropolis, which has been eclipsed by Shenzhen and Guangzhou since 2022 in car production, announced on Wednesday that the Japanese marque would start building pure electric vehicles (EVs) from 2027 at its wholly owned plant in the southwestern Jinshan district. Toyota's investment 'fully reflects China's attractiveness to foreign investors', the Shanghai Commission of Commerce said in a statement. 'We will help businesses solve problems and provide efficient and relevant services for most foreign companies to invest and develop in Shanghai.' The Japanese carmaker said in a separate statement that the plant, with an annual capacity of 100,000 units, would tap the local supply chain, logistics network and talent pool to produce Lexus-branded EVs. 01:54 Experimental electric flying car takes to the air for test run in northern China Experimental electric flying car takes to the air for test run in northern China 'Shanghai officials have a reason to cheer in drawing Toyota to build cars in the city,' said Gao Shen, an independent analyst. 'Automotive is one of the backbone industries of the city's economy, and Toyota, the world's top carmaker by production volume, is certainly among the few corporate giants targeted by local officials.' The Toyota plant is the second fully owned car venture by an overseas company on the mainland, following Tesla's Gigafactory at Shanghai's Lingang free-trade zone, which launched production in late 2020.
