Japanese automaker Toyota has recently announced plans to accelerate its electrification efforts under the leadership of a new Chief Executive Officer.
The newly appointed Toyota President and CEO Koji Sato stated that the automaker intends to develop new electric vehicles exclusive to both Toyota and its luxury brand Lexus.
Toyota’s next-gen BEV in 2026
CEO Sato noted that the automaker is developing its “next-generation” battery electric vehicles, which are scheduled to debut under the Lexus brand in 2026.
Unfortunately, Toyota has not elaborated on what “next-generation” really means.
All we know is that Toyota is developing “everything from the battery and platform to how a car is built optimized for BEVs,” as claimed by CEO Sato.
Slow progress due to communication problems
Reuters reported that Toyota is coming under fire for its lack of EV-related initiatives and for its unwillingness to push beyond its hybrid models, such as the Prius.
In effect, this reluctance has led to criticism of Toyota’s business practices in the auto industry. During the press conference, CEO Sato explained that Toyota’s slow EV adoption was primarily due to communication problems.
However, he also revealed that the Japanese automaker would continue its “multi-pathway” and “omnidirectional” approach. It indicates that Toyota has no plans to abandon its hybrid vehicles in the near future.
Toyota’s BEV-first mindset
Fortunately, the organizational restructure now pushes Toyota to expedite its EV plans and adopt what it calls “a BEV-first mindset.”
In hindsight, Toyota has only launched one EV to the market. Its all-electric bZ4X is based on its e-TNGA BEV platform.
The new plans align with Toyota’s goal to be the first of seven “Beyond Zero” EVs it intends to market by 2025. Lexus is also set to debut its first all-electric offering RZ.
