The Japanese alliance produces over 16 million cars a year.
Following the unveiling of its next-generation electric vehicle (EV) technologies, Toyota Motor Corporation now has strong momentum heading into a (possible) EV-only future. In a recent announcement, the Japanese automaker revealed that it could share the new EV technologies with local partners to bolster its presence in the electric car market.
Automotive News reports that automakers like Subaru, Mazda, Suzuki, Daihatsu, Hino, and Isuzu may receive Toyota's in-development EV tech. Together, the alliance, formed through cross-shareholdings, has posted global sales of 16.3 million units.
Toyota's next-gen EV tech promises to deliver a cruising range of 930 miles (1,500 km) using solid-state batteries, almost twice what long-range all-electric cars offer today. It looks to add over 600 miles in 10 minutes of charging.
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Toyota's only active EV, the bZ4X, currently has around 250 miles of range. The bZ4X's twin, the Subaru Solterra, offers around 228 miles of cruise range. Both EVs are available in the US market, as is their more premium counterpart, the Lexus RZ 450e, which has an infamous 220 miles of EV range.
Considering the significant improvements in EV capabilities, Toyota's partners should benefit big time, allowing them to make a mark in their respective markets. In the US, Tesla is still the top dog in the electric car market thanks to its volume-sellers, the Model Y and Model 3.
Of note, Toyota's next-gen EV technologies are scheduled to arrive in 2026.
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Production is another key factor Toyota is looking at to bring its ambitious plans to fruition. New techniques are being considered, such as giga casting and its proposed self-propelled production, in which cars drive themselves through assembly plants. It is said to reduce reliance on human labor, but it just might help Japan's labor shortage as the population ages and shrinks.
“Those technologies should not be applied only to battery electric vehicles,” said BEV Factory President Takero Kato. “It's about increasing our quality and flexibility. We will be able to streamline all our manufacturing and production activities through this activity.”
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Keyword: Toyota Plans To Share EV Technology With Mazda, Subaru And Other Japanese Carmakers