Toyota issued a recall on 2,700 bZ4X electric cars, roughly all the ones produced to date (though most undelivered), over the potential of wheels falling off.
Toyota Stories June 23
Toyota Stories June 2
Toyota has unveiled a new home battery pack to provide residential backup – a product that is going to compete with Tesla Powerwall.
Toyota Stories April 14
A recent report out of Tokyo says that Toyota is working on an SUV version of its Crown sedan, arriving in hybrid, PHEV, and fully-electric versions for its home country in addition to exports of some versions to China and North America. The Crown was the first Toyota vehicle to be exported to the United States in 1958, and it has remained a mainstay model in the Japanese market for 67 years.
Toyota Stories April 12
Toyota has now officially launched the bZ4X, its first all-electric vehicle in a long time, in the US and announced a starting price of $42,000.
Toyota Stories April 11
According to recent comments from Toyota North America, the automaker expects to surpass the 200,000 vehicle threshold for EV sales sometime this summer, disqualifying itself from any additional tax credits in the United States under current legislation. Toyota’s federal tax credits will be phased out just as the automaker plans to begin sales of its lone BEV, the bZ4X, later this year.
Toyota Stories March 23
Toyota announced a new partnership with ChargePoint on electric vehicle charging in America ahead of the US launch of its bZ4X electric SUV.
Toyota Stories February 24
US public charging network, EVgo, has announced a commercial agreement with Toyota Motor North America to provide upcoming bZ4X customers with one year of free charging on its network. Toyota is EVgo’s latest automotive partner as it looks to continue to expand its public charging network and expedite EV adoption for US consumers.
Toyota Stories February 14
Toyota has released additional images of “possible” new Lexus electric sports vehicles with “430 miles” of range. However, the automaker is using extremely vague language about those vehicles.
Toyota Stories January 20
Honda CEO Toshihiro Mibe recently spoke to proposals of hydrogen combustion cars by rivals like Toyota, stating his company studied the technology’s potential ten years ago. Mibe went on to say that unlike Toyota, Honda doesn’t see hydrogen combustion as feasible for cars. That doesn’t mean the Japanese automaker is abandoning the chemical element, however. Hydrogen Fuel Cell EVs remain a key part of its zero-emissions strategy looking forward.
Toyota Stories January 13
Japanese automaker Honda Motor Co. recently stated it is still undecided on where to manufacture EVs in the United States, questioning the country’s demand despite soaring sales numbers from competitors miles ahead in their own electrified transitions.
Toyota Stories December 14, 2021
Toyota teased an upcoming electric pickup truck with an early concept vehicle at an event today about its long awaited battery-electric vehicle plan.
Toyota Stories December 6, 2021
Toyota is planning to build a battery factory to support electric vehicle production in North Carolina.
Toyota Stories December 3, 2021
During a recent media event in Brussels, Toyota Europe outlined a plan for a 100% CO2 reduction in all-new vehicle sales in the market by 2035. This “goal” will be preceded by a sales mix of at least 50% zero-emission vehicles (ZEVs) in Western Europe by 2030. On a broader scale, Toyota Motor Corporation continues to dig in its heels as one of the few major automakers that has yet to set an expiry for gasoline vehicle production.
Toyota Stories December 2, 2021
Toyota has reportedly partnered with China’s BYD to build a new affordable electric car to launch next year.
Toyota Stories November 11, 2021
(The following article was sent to us by a concerned Japanese resident who wishes to remain anonymous.)
Remember the first electric Toyota RAV4? Probably not. The early attempt at an EV barely had a range of 100 miles and Toyota sold very few of them. Back in 2010, Toyota and Tesla jointly worked on a second RAV4 EV project and Toyota had invested $50 million in Tesla, which it sold in 2017 (and which would now be worth $20 billion had they not sold it).
Toyota Stories October 29, 2021
Toyota has unveiled a steering wheel similar to Tesla’s “yoke” steering wheel in its first electric SUV, but the automaker has introduced an important feature that fixes the main problem of the Tesla yoke.
Toyota has unveiled what could be considered as its first all-electric car: the bZ4X, an electric SUV packed with cool features.
Toyota Stories September 22, 2021
Some environmentalists are starting to call for a boycott of Toyota as the automaker keeps using its money and influence to slow down electric vehicle progress.
Toyota Stories September 9, 2021
Toyota announced that it is investing over $13 billion in EV batteries as it is trying to catch up after falling behind in electrification.
In the meantime, the Japanese automaker has led lobbying efforts to slow broader EV adoption.
Toyota Stories August 30, 2021
A 2019 rendering of Toyota's E-Palette designed for the 2020 Paralympic Games / Source: Toyota
Toyota Motor Corporation has resumed operations of its self-driving e-Palette pods at the 2020 Paralympic Games in Tokyo after a halt last Thursday following a collision with a visually impaired athlete. Working alongside the Paralympic Committee, Toyota will make several safety improvements, both inside and out of its vehicles.
Toyota Stories August 27, 2021
A fleet of Toyota e-Palette self-driving EVs / Source: Toyota
Toyota Motor Corporation has announced an immediate halt to all of its e-Palette self-driving transportation pods operating at the Tokyo Paralympic Games. The decision comes on the heels of an accident that took place in the Paralympic Village yesterday, when a Toyota e-Palette collided with a visually impaired athlete, injuring them.
Toyota Stories July 27, 2021
A battle is emerging in the world of transportation – the electric vehicle (EV) vs. the internal combustion engine (ICE). Soon you’ll have to choose sides, so it’s vital that you’re fully informed.
We’re here to help with that decision by offering context to consumers, whether you’ve never been near an EV or if you’re an expert. Below is breakdown of how far you can travel in each state on $100 in an EV vs. an ICE vehicle.
Toyota Stories July 26, 2021
If you’ve been watching the Olympics in Tokyo this week, you may have noticed several commercials from Toyota, a major sponsor of the Olympic and Paralympic Games. Several of the spots feature futuristic prototypes from Toyota, including the LQ concept EV. Yes, Toyota actually made an EV, albeit just a concept.
Toyota Stories July 20, 2021
Toyota Motor Group Subsidiary Woven Planet has announced the completed acquisition of Level 5, the self-driving division of rideshare veteran Lyft, Inc. The completed transaction is one of several made by Toyota and its subsidiaries in 2021, specifically pertaining to autonomous software and other self-driving technologies.
Toyota Stories June 16, 2021
Toyota is sticking to its delusional belief that battery-electric vehicles aren’t necessarily the future as they claim hybrids and fuel cell hydrogen will stay competitive for the next 30 years.
Toyota Stories May 5, 2021
Toyota says it’s considering bringing an all-electric version of its popular Land Cruiser to consumers as it’s in the middle of a trial with a Land Cruiser converted to electric propulsion for a mining company.
Toyota Stories April 27, 2021
REE Automotive and Hino Motors, a subsidiary of Toyota Motor Group, announced a business alliance to design and produce solutions in “next-generation commercial mobility.” The alliance will combine Hino’s experience as a commercial vehicle manufacturer with REE’s proprietary REEcorner technologies. The result should be a unique modular platform capable of serving a multitude of various purposes.
Toyota Stories April 20, 2021
Toyota says that it is reevaluating its anti-climate lobbying practices as it promotes carbon neutrality goals after receiving pressure from investors.
Toyota Stories April 14, 2021
Software systems developer Apex.AI has announced a partnership with Woven Planet under Toyota to help develop and deploy a production-ready autonomy stack. Woven Planet will use Apex.OS for Arene, Toyota’s vehicle development platform to enable modern software development tools and best practices in the automotive industry.
Toyota Stories March 31, 2021
Lexus has unveiled a new electric SUV concept, the “LF-Z Electrified,” but it’s not something it plans to bring to production. Rather, the automaker says that it is “symbolic” of its next-generation Lexus.
Toyota Stories March 30, 2021
Tesla and Toyota are rumored to be partnering on a new electric SUV, but it is based on a report that doesn’t have a lot of credibility.
Toyota Stories March 17, 2021
Toyota is currently lobbying the US government asking them to slow their rollout when it comes to battery-electric vehicles as part of the Japanese automaker’s increasingly delusional effort to slow down the electric vehicle revolution.
Toyota Stories March 16, 2021
Toyota is teasing its first battery-electric SUV ahead of the planned unveiling at the Shanghai Motor Show next month.
Toyota Stories February 10, 2021
Toyota is announcing today that it is going to bring two electric cars and a plug-in hybrid to the US in 2021.
Toyota Stories January 14, 2021
Toyota will pay a penalty of $180 million for failing to comply with the Clean Air Act’s emissions-reporting requirements from 2005-2015, according to a filing today by the US Department of Justice.
Over that time period, Toyota delayed required filings about emissions defects and failed to inform the EPA about progress on recalls related to emissions defects. This resulted in higher emissions, higher costs for consumers, and greater profit for Toyota.
Toyota Stories December 17, 2020
Toyota CEO Akio Toyoda went on a rant about battery-electric vehicles at an annual meeting of the automaker. He spread misinformation about electric vehicles and claimed that it wasn’t a good idea to push for a massive electrification.
This small-mindedness could spell the end for the automaker if they don’t quickly let go of such ideas.
Toyota Stories December 11, 2020
A new report suggests that Toyota is going to unveil an electric car with a new solid-state battery that enables 10-minute fast-charging capacity next year.
Toyota Stories December 7, 2020
Toyota announced today that they will be unveiling a new all-electric SUV in the coming months.
The automaker, which has been seen as a lagger when it comes to all-electric vehicles, says that it’s their ‘first step’ for battery-electric vehicles.
Toyota Stories November 6, 2020
Toyota CEO Akio Toyoda made rare new comments about Tesla and Elon Musk after the electric automaker has surpassed them as the most valuable automaker in the world.
He may or may not have been really hungry when it made the comments.
Toyota Stories June 30, 2020
Three weeks after introducing the RAV4 Prime plug-in hybrid in Japan, Toyota suspended orders in its home market and cut production for the US to just 5,000 vehicles. The company cited unexpectedly high levels of consumer interest and a…wait for it…constraint in battery supply.
Toyota Stories June 9, 2020
When Toyota announced pricing for its new RAV4 plug-in hybrid in late May, the company’s press release pegged the “manufacturer-estimated” all-electric range at 42 miles. However, the Toyota RAV4 Prime consumer website lists 39 miles of all-electric range.
Toyota Stories May 29, 2020
As far as plug-in hybrids go, 42 miles on a single charge is pretty damn good. A lot of commuters could refrain from using gas for weeks or months. Put that in a popular crossover model, and you could have a hit.
Toyota Stories April 27, 2020
The Lexus UX 300e crossover went on sale to Chinese consumers on Sunday, April 26. The Toyota-branded version of the same model, the C-HR, will go on sale this week – with the Izoa variant to soon follow.
Toyota Stories April 2, 2020
Toyota and BYD are launching today a new electric car company with the goal of “developing BEVs that appeal to customers.” expand full story
Toyota Stories March 2, 2020
Toyota might be down on EVs for America. But the Japanese automaker announced plans late last week that it will build a new electric vehicle plant in cooperation with the First Automobile Works (FAW) in Tianjin, China. The two companies will invest about $1.22 billion in the project.
The plant is expected to produce 200,000 battery-only, plug-in hybrid and fuel-cell vehicles every year. The company did not indicate how many units would be electric, plug-in hybrid, or fuel cell.
Toyota Stories February 14, 2020
Larry Hutchinson, CEO of Toyota Canada, spoke last week at the opening of the 2020 Canadian International Auto Show in Toronto. His comments were captured by Driving.ca’s David Booth, who characterized Toyota as “the industry leader in electrification” and “the biggest, most successful, and most environmentally conscious traditional automaker.”
Hutchinson expressed Toyota’s commitment to reducing carbon emissions. But, he argues, that mandating automakers to build more BEVs and trying “to convince drivers to buy them” won’t achieve the world’s climate goals.
Toyota Stories February 3, 2020
Toyota operating officer Masayoshi Shirayanagi, right, and Panasonic senior managing executive officer Makoto Kitano
Toyota and Panasonic announced today an agreement to jointly develop EV batteries starting in April. The new company, dubbed Prime Planet Energy and Solutions, will develop prismatic batteries for sale to other automakers. The joint venture, which will be owned 51% by Toyota, will have more than 5,000 employees.
Toyota Stories January 24, 2020
Toyota has a history of creating misleading electric-vehicle advertising, especially with its “self-charging hybrid” ad campaign. Norway has now banned the campaign, deeming it a lie. expand full story
