Having already cornered a
95 percent market share of the Philippines’s electrified vehicle market
, Toyota Motor Philippines is ready to go 100 percent electric.
At the
launch of Toyota Mobility Solutions
, a new wholly-owned subsidiary of Toyota Motor Philippines, Toyota Motor Philippines chairman Alfred Ty revealed that the public’s response towards their hybrid vehicles has been overwhelmingly positive.
“We have shifted our Camry and RAV4 to a full hybrid electric line-up and the take-up has been very encouraging. Reservations for our Corolla Cross, on the other hand, show that 60 percent of customers prefer the hybrid over the full-petrol variant,” reveals Ty. “For Lexus Philippines, we are very pleased that our hybrid electric models now account for close to 30 percent of our sales.”
To date, Toyota Motor Philippines has sold close to 2,000 hybrid electric vehicles
These encouraging results has led Toyota Motor Philippines to take the next step: to launch two battery electric vehicles (BEVs), particularly the Toyota bZ4X (lead photo) and the Lexus RZ.
“I expect that we can make this happen by next year and beyond. We are seriously committed to helping build an electric future for mobility in the Philippines and to partner with government in achieving its sustainable goals,” said Ty.
Standing for “Beyond Zero,” the Toyota bZ4X rides on a dedicated EV platform called the e-TNGA BEV. This allows for a design that combines a long wheelbase with short overhangs. This results both in a distinctive design, and in an interior space comparable to a full-sized sedan. Its key design feature is the so-called “hammerhead” form.
The Toyota bZ4X features a cruising range of 460 (AWD) to 500 kilometers (2WD) thanks to a 71.4 kWh lithium-ion battery. The range can be extended by the roof solar panel which Toyota says can generate electricity equivalent of up to 1,800 kilometers of driving distance per year. Maximum output it set at 204 horsepower for the 2WD and 217 horsepower for the AWD. 0 to 100 km/h is done in as little as 7.7 seconds for the AWD and 8.4 seconds for the 2WD.
The bZ4X also made headlines for its
yoke-style steering wheel and steer-by-wire system
.
The Lexus RZ rides on the very same e-TNGA platform, but offers a higher motor output at 308 horsepower. 0 to 100 km/h is done in just 5.4 seconds, or more than a second faster than its Toyota sibling. The trade-off, however, is a shorter range at 450 kilometers.
Further differentiating itself from its Toyota counterpart is its all-wheel drive system. The standard Direct4 uses a Lexus-specific programming to control torque distribution. By balancing the torque split, it delivers not just more direct and confident handling, but damps vehicle pitch for a flatter, more linear acceleration and braking.
Lexus also fine-tuned the RZ’s driving dynamics at its “mini-Nürburgring” proving ground in the mountains outside Toyota City, Japan. Lexus is moving its global brand headquarters to the Toyota Technical Center Shimoyama in 2024.
With its filled-in grille, designers have dropped the term, Spindle Grille in favor of Spindle Body which Lexus says conveys its trademark element into a 3D form. It also enhances its aerodynamic properties. For example, the horn-like rooftop spoilers are meant to suppress crosswind force and improve stability.
Keyword: Toyota Motor PH Readying To Bring EVs In "A Year's Time"