With buyers’ preference for zero-emission electric vehicles soaring,
Toyota looks to (finally) join the movement. Toyota is expected to begin producing electric SUVs in the US in 2025 as it aims to capture a piece of the booming market.
After falling far behind the industry over the past several years, insisting on a hybrid approach rather than going all in on fully electric vehicles, Toyota has significant ground to make up.
Toyota’s longtime CEO, Akio Toyoda, has been one of the most outspoken critics of the EV industry. However, “to advance change at Toyota,” the 66-year-old grandson to the company’s founder will
pass the baton to Lexus chief branding officer Koji Sato.
Sato is tasked with dragging the Japanese automaker out of the past and into the modern electric era – a challenge he seems up to, at least from his recent actions.
Set to take the reins on April 1, 2023, Sato has addressed the situation, claiming Toyota is committed to building better cars through “concrete actions and products, such as accelerating the shift to electrification.”
Last week Sato built on that promise, announcing that the “time is right” to begin
accelerating battery electric vehicle development with a “new approach.”
According to a
new report from
Nikkei Business, the new approach Sato is referring to may include Toyota manufacturing electric SUVs in the US as early as 2025. In addition, the report claims Toyota looks to achieve over 10,000 EV output monthly by 2026.
A spokesperson from Toyota said the details in the report have not been announced by the company and that no decision has been made on when to begin US-based EV production.
