According to Nikkei Business, Toyota will produce EV SUVs in the US by 2025.
The goal is to reach a 10,000 production rate per month by 2026.
The brand is late at the EV party.
Apparently, Toyota is finally moving into the electric age, at least according to an article published on Japanese website Nikkei Business. The publication even reported that Toyota will start producing electric SUVs on American soil, starting in 2025. Of course, at this point, this is just a rumor, but a rumor that makes sense.
It’s a change of mindset for the Japanese division, which, with Akio Toyoda at the helm in recent years, has been advocating hybrid technology rather than going all-in on electric power. But with the popularity of EVs skyrocketing, Toyota no longer has a choice. The automaker must make up for lost time. That’s why production on American soil is being considered in the short term, according to this article.
Motorsports enthusiast Akio Toyoda will soon hand over the reins to Koji Sato, head of strategy at Lexus. Sato will inherit the task of accelerating the brand’s electrification. Sato has already said that Toyota needs to commit to building better cars, including accelerating the electric shift.
Also, according to the Nikkei Business article, a monthly production of more than 10,000 EVs (and one million EVs sold worldwide) would be considered by 2026. However, a Toyota spokesperson denied the rumors surrounding the production of EVs in the United States and that no decision had been made at this time. We’ll have to wait and see what Toyota decides, but where there’s smoke there’s fire.
However, it’s clear that the automaker will accelerate its move to electric drivetrains in the coming years. After all, a plethora of electric prototypes were already shown last year (see photos) and the bZ4X crossover is not enough to meet the needs of every motorist on the road. In fact, based on its range results, the first mass-market electric vehicle is not exactly at the front of the pack against the best EVs on the market nowadays.
Indeed, with a theoretical range of 406 km – or 252 miles – in its most “economical” trim according to Canada’s EnerGuide, the bZ4X is not in the top tier, especially since early adopters are already complaining about this aspect of the vehicle.
However, it would be a mistake to count Toyota out in this EV race, as the Japanese giant has the means to achieve its goals. Besides, with its expertise with hybrid technology, Toyota should find its way back to respectability very quickly.
