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Ketua Pegawai Eksekutif Toyota, Ted Ogawa, berkata dia tidak pasti kenderaan elektrik akan menjadi sangat popular di Amerika menjelang 2030. Walaupun kerajaan mahukan banyak kereta elektrik di jalan raya, Toyota masih lebih berminat untuk membuat kereta hibrid.

Ogawa berkata Toyota akan terus membuat apa yang orang mahukan, dan sekarang, itu kebanyakannya kereta hibrid. Toyota membelanjakan banyak wang untuk membuat kereta hibrid di Amerika Utara.

Kerajaan mahu lebih separuh daripada semua kereta baharu menjadi elektrik menjelang 2030, tetapi Toyota menyasarkan hanya 30%. Ogawa berkata Toyota mungkin hanya membeli kredit untuk memenuhi peraturan kerajaan dan bukannya mengubah rancangannya.

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Toyota’s CEO, Ted Ogawa, has expressed a conservative outlook regarding the penetration of electric vehicles (EVs) in the US market by 2030. Despite targets set by the EPA, Toyota aims to leverage its position as a hybrid advocate rather than heavily investing in battery electric vehicles (BEVs).

Ogawa emphasised Toyota’s commitment to aligning with customer demand, which currently leans towards various forms of electrification, predominantly hybrids with internal combustion engines. Toyota’s strategy revolves around meeting this demand while maintaining its hybrid-centric approach.

Toyota’s investment in a $13.9 million battery complex in North Carolina underscores its commitment to hybrid and EV production in North America. The company has poured approximately $17 billion into its US manufacturing operations since 2021, with a particular focus on hybrid production.

While the EPA’s 2030 regulations push for over half of new cars to be BEVs, Toyota’s plan targets only 30%. Ogawa acknowledges the regulatory gap and hints at potential credit purchases to meet compliance while prioritizing customer demand over regulatory pressures.

Despite being a top-selling automaker, Toyota’s EV sales lag behind competitors like Tesla. Ogawa admits the company’s technological gap in battery technology but asserts active efforts to catch up, emphasising not only product development but also creating a supportive ecosystem for BEVs, including charging infrastructure and energy management solutions.

Toyota’s strategy in the evolving EV market reflects a cautious yet adaptive approach, prioritising customer demand and leveraging its expertise in hybrid technology. While the company faces challenges in meeting regulatory targets and competing with established EV manufacturers, its investments and commitment to innovation signal a proactive stance in navigating the transition towards electrification.

Toyota telah memperkenalkan kereta Konsep Sport Crossover di Eropah. Ini memberi kita gambaran tentang kereta elektrik yang Toyota rancang untuk ditambahkan ke rangkaian kenderaan elektriknya menjelang 2025. Mereka memperlihatkan konsep ini semasa acara bernama Forum Kenshiki Toyota di Brussels. Kereta ini mempunyai reka bentuk yang licin dengan garis-garis halus yang membuatnya kelihatan menonjol dalam koleksi kenderaan elektrik Toyota.

Konsep Sport Crossover pertama kali dipamerkan di Auto Shanghai pada bulan April. Ini adalah hasil kerjasama antara Toyota dan BYD Toyota EV Technology Co. Ltd. (BTET), usaha sama yang berpangkalan di China. Tujuannya adalah untuk menarik orang yang pertama kali mempertimbangkan kereta elektrik dan menawarkan pilihan bergaya sebagai gantian kepada SUV. Konsep ini menjanjikan keselesaan, lima pintu, bonet yang luas, dan banyak ruang di belakang untuk penumpang.

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BYD is gearing up to reveal its latest addition to the family of battery-electric vehicles, the Sea Lion 07. The unveiling is scheduled for November 17 at the Guangzhou Auto Show in China. Teasers in the form of sketches suggest that the Sea Lion 07 will join BYD’s ‘Ocean’ series, which already features models like the Seal, Dolphin, and Seagull.

Design cues for the Sea Lion 07 seem to draw inspiration from BYD’s Ocean-X sedan concept. Led by former Audi and Lamborghini designer Wolfgang Egger, the Sea Lion exhibits a compact SUV design, distinguishing itself from its predecessors like the Seal SUV. The front showcases sharp LED headlights and daytime running lights, contributing to a more aggressive look with angular air intakes.

A side sketch of the Sea Lion 07 reveals a coupe SUV silhouette, marked by dramatic curves and creases along the doors. While reminiscent of the Cupra Formentor, the BYD model positions its cabin farther forward. The rear design features aggressive elements with sharp edges and angular LED taillights, akin to the Atto 3.

Technical specifications are yet to be disclosed, leaving enthusiasts curious about its capabilities. However, early estimations suggest a starting price of around 190,000 yuan (RM122k). Closer to home, from the ‘Ocean’ lineup, we have the BYD Dolphin from RM99,900. Click here to find out why it should be your first EV.

Lexus is set to unveil a new concept car at the Japan Mobility Show 2023, offering a preview of their first next-generation Battery Electric Vehicle (BEV) expected to start production in 2026. While specific details about the concept weren’t disclosed, it’s anticipated to align with the teaser sketch previously released by Toyota under the Lexus brand.

Lexus is committed to a groundbreaking approach for their next-gen BEV, revolutionising the car body’s modular structure, altering production methods, and completely overhauling the software platform. The design will prioritise Lexus characteristics, focusing on aerodynamics for the exterior and utilising sustainable, high-quality materials for the interior.

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Toyota may be working on a brand-new three-row electric SUV under the Lexus name. According to the Lexus RX Owners forum, the Japanese automaker submitted four new trademark applications to the European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPA) for various Lexus TZ models on July 19, 2023.

Lexus RX 350 

The TZ450e and TZ550e are two of the four names the company wants to trademark. The letter “Z” indicates BEVs. As an electric alternative to the RX, Lexus offers the RZ 450e while Toyota offers the bZ4X. The firm recently unveiled the 2024 Lexus TX, a three-row petrol SUV that sits between the RX and the GX and shares its GA-K chassis with the Toyota Grand Highlander. The new TZ is the TX’s all-electric alternative.

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Polestar, the high-performance electric car company owned by Volvo Cars and Geely, announced last year that it would be launching one new model each year starting with the Polestar 3 in 2022. It’s now 2023 and the next model is the Polestar 4, which is positioned between Polestar 2 and Polestar 3 in terms of size and price. The company estimates launch pricing to be from 60,000 euros (equivalent to RM291,180 today).

Production is planned to begin in Hangzhou Bay, China, from November this year, with the first cars being delivered to customers in the country. A full-scale launch for other markets, including in Europe, North America and Asia Pacific, is planned for early 2024 – with sales and production ramping up for these markets through the course of the year.

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MG may sound like an old name and most Malaysians who do know of the brand might only have those old British sportscars in their minds. The MG brand is also no longer owned by a British company but by China’s SAIC since 2007.

The MG brand has actually been doing quite well in some markets and is sold in Thailand. It was supposed to come into Malaysia at one time but that has not happened yet. Perhaps we’ll see it soon with the wave of brands from China starting to sweep in.

MG’s modern products have been mainstream models but it is starting a new chapter with a high-performance electric sportscar. This is the Cyberster, just unveiled at Auto Shanghai in production form after the concept model was first shown two years ago at the same event.

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Electric vehicles (EVs) are slowly coming down in price and many manufacturers believe that, by the end of this decade, they should be able to offer EVs at the same price as models with combustion engines, size for size. Economies of scale come into play, reducing the costs in many areas and also the technologies.

However, the thing that still makes people hesitate in switching to an EV is how far they can go on a fully charged battery pack. It’s known as ‘range anxiety’ and it’s understandable that motorists worry about being stranded somewhere when their battery pack is empty.

Of course, combustion engine cars can also run out of fuel if the driver is not mindful of the amount remaining in the tank. But the difference is that you can probably call for help and someone can bring fuel to pour into the tank, or even get a life to a nearby town to buy fuel and come back. And there are petrol stations all over – unlike the limited (but slowly growing) network of recharging stations.

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Lancia, which is part of the FCA Group within Stellantis, seemed to have no future not so long ago. Its declining sales numbers and a stagnant range with just one model  put its continued existence at risk, and it was only Italians who seemed to have any affinity for the brand.

Stellantis sees Lancia as a brand with some hope and is willing to help it revive and embark on a new era. For a start, the 116-year old company has worked on a new brand vision which takes it into the electric age.

The brand vision has a design vision which was described last November and previewed in the Pu+Ra Zero, a 3-dimensional ‘manifesto’ that will guide the designers of the 3 new Lancia models to be launched between 2024 and 2028. Created from the words ‘Pure’ and ‘Radical’, Lancia Pu+Ra Design is described as a sustainable design language that is intended to ‘last for the next 100 years’.

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