The Japanese group Toyota remained the world’s number one automobile in sales volume in 2022 for the third consecutive year, with close to 10.5 million vehicles sold (-0.1%), according to data published this Monday.
These clouds should start to lift this year as well: Toyota recently said it was targeting production of between 9.5 and 10.6 million units of its Toyota and Lexus brands by 2023, up from 9 million last year (+5 .2% in a year). The Toyota empire also includes two other brands, Daihatsu (small cars) and Hino (buses and trucks).
The German group Volkswagen remained number two in the world in 2022 with 8.3 million vehicles sold (-7%), according to figures published in mid-January. Toyota’s sales in all-electric, a segment it was slow to launch into in earnest, preferring other technologies such as hybrid powertrains, however, still pale in comparison.
First 100% electric model
Its sales in this segment totaled only 24,466 units in 2022, far from those of the American Tesla (1.3 million), the Chinese BYD (911,000) or the Volkswagen group (572,100).
Last year’s commercial launch of Toyota’s first full-scale all-electric model, the bZ4X SUV, was notably marred by a humiliating recall campaign shortly after launch due to a problem with wheel carriers.
Despite lagging behind in the power sector, Toyota is expected to remain at the top of the global auto pecking order by volume for years to come, according to Mio Kato, an analyst at LightStream Research in Tokyo who publishes on the Smartkarma platform.
Toyota CEO Akio Toyoda made a surprise announcement last week that he will step down on April 1. He will be replaced by one of his lieutenants, Koji Sato, while he assumes the chairmanship of the board of directors.
Source: BFM TV
