Little by little, the leader in hybrid cars is going electric. On Monday, Toyota took stock of its zero-emissions strategy, while it has long favored battery-free hybrid as its strategy to reduce emissions. Toyota will thus offer six models in its electric family “bZ” (“beyond zero” in English) that opened at the end of 2022 with the launch of its compact bZ4X. However, a launch interrupted by a massive recall.
50% of electric cars sold in Europe in 2030
The Japanese automaker, world number 2 behind Volkswagen, intends to sell a total of 10% electric and 80% hybrid (including rechargeables) in Europe by 2025, then 50% electric across Europe by 2030. line with the future European regulations that will prohibit the sale of thermal vehicles in Europe in 2035.
“There is no doubt that electric will play an increasing role in the transition to a zero-emissions European market by 2035, as endorsed by the European Parliament,” said Matt Harrison, CEO of Toyota Europe.
“But I think it is too soon, and perhaps too risky for the environment and for our customers, to put all our electrified eggs in one basket, the battery-powered car,” he continued. .
During a press conference on November 30 at the Brussels airport, the group presented a draft of a compact electric SUV. The Toyota bZ compact SUV concept was designed by a team of designers based in France and these aggressive lines should help it stand out in the most competitive market segments, against the Tesla Model Y or the Volkswagen ID.4. At 4.53 meters long, Toyota’s SUV is in the field of midsize family SUVs, a rapidly growing sector that all manufacturers are targeting. However, the Japanese manufacturer does not give more information about the autonomy or the release date of the future model.
The C-HR as a plug-in hybrid
Toyota will also launch in Europe the production of batteries for another small SUV with very marked shapes, the C-HR rechargeable hybrid. The group’s premium brand, Lexus, has also shown its ambitions in the high-end electric range with the “Electrified” sports coupe concept. The new generation of its RZ electric SUV is scheduled for 2023.
If you bet on electric, Toyota has not abandoned its DNA for more than 20 years: the hybrid. The fifth version of its Prius, a world pioneer in hybrid engines, will only be marketed in a plug-in hybrid version in Europe, in mid-2023.
With much sportier shapes and features than its predecessors and solar panels on the roof, it promises a wide electric range of 69 kilometers with average emissions of 19 grams of CO2 per kilometer. The massive hybridization of all Toyota models, starting with its small Yaris made in France, must thus compensate for the shortage of electric cars, which are more difficult and expensive to produce due to a lack of lithium in sufficient quantity, in particular.
Source: BFM TV
