Toyota has announced that all of its cars will be available with either an electric, hybrid or a fuel cell drivetrain within seven years as part of a major movement to achieve its own Environmental Challenge 2050 announcement made two years ago.
Toyota say that by following their own direction on this will see its own new car global emissions reduced by 90 percent compared to 2010 levels and requires a significant number of cars sold to be electrified, which is why the move to total electrification.
It now aims on selling more than 5.5 million electrified cars by 2030 with at least one million of those vehicles being total emissions free. The plan will see a rollout of electric-based powertrains into every model in its line-up by 2025, with over 50 percent of Toyota and Lexus new car sales electrified models.
“Toyota will make available more than 10 battery electric models worldwide by the early 2020s, starting in China, before entering other markets. The gradual introduction to Japan, India, U.S. and Europe is expected,” Toyota said in its announcement.
Underpinning future sports cars will likely be a new electric hybrid electric drivetrain that Toyota says it is developing alongside Mazda to be more powerful and simpler, along with expanding its plug-in hybrid range. A new battery system that is lighter and more compact will be easier to introduce.
There will also be a significant investment in development of fully-electric and fuel cell cars powered by alternative energies such as hydrogen, and more than 10 battery-electric models will be available by 2020.
New technology inside future EVs will include Toyota’s next generation solid-state batteries that reduce weight and size while increasing storage capacity. Toyota is also working with Panasonic in Japan to develop prismatic batteries that can be as thin as three centimeters and placed inside cars to provide a better weight distribution among other advantages.
