Big changes often are met with proportional resistance. The bigger the change, the stronger the opposition to it. The deeper and more far-reaching such changes are, so, too, are the reasons not to adapt such changes.
The same seems to be happening to transport and mobility. While new-energy vehicles such as full battery electric vehicles (BEVs or EVs) are becoming more mainstream in more markets, those who resist them point out such existential issues as “soul” and
“character,” being that these EVs lack such compared to their beloved ICE-powered cars, and that EVs would no longer be fun to drive.
Worry not, Toyota and Lexus assure the motoring public. They’re “cooking up” EVs that’ll still have soul, and definitely be a thrill to ride and drive.
That’s what Toyota Motor Corp (TMC) president Koji Sato stressed during the Oct. 25 opening press presentation of Toyota at the Tokyo Big Sight during Japan Mobility Show 2023. He said, “our future life with BEVs is not only eco-friendly, (these BEVs will) also offer their own flavor of driving fun and automotive seasoning.
“And they can deliver diverse experience value. We are making battery EVs like only a true carmaker can. This means revisiting the fundamental principles of carmaking, and delivering basic performance, like driving range, as well as value that only battery EVs can offer.”
Sato went into specifics, as he disclosed that Toyota has been developing cars “with both a low center of gravity and a spacious interior, which was not possible in the past.”
He further explained, “We need to make the main components much smaller and lighter, and deploy our strengths as a carmaker to put them together in the best package possible. Achieving this means that the design, the driving feel, and everything else can be transformed.”
300,000,000 Toyotas, and counting
There’s certainly a lot of fun in numbers, too. Just this Monday, Nov. 6, TMC chair and Master Driver Akio Toyoda dished out a mind-boggling figure, announcing that Toyota had just rolled out its 300 millionth car this September.
“Kiichiro Toyoda said, ‘Carmaking is something everyone does together.’ I think this number of 300 million stands as proof of all the hard work, every day, of our colleagues at Toyota, our suppliers and dealers, and all the many other stakeholders, as well as all those who came before us. This history did not just start when they built the first car. The founding members repeatedly tried and failed, continually building prototypes, and their efforts led to the Toyota of today. Toyota has faced danger, time and again, to this point. Each time, what has saved us are the customers who love Toyota cars. I think the number of cars tells the stories of our customers, and the customers who have chosen Toyota cars to be their partners through their own stories are what allow us to continue making cars to this day. I am grateful from the bottom of my heart. I love cars, too, and we will carry on making cars, one by one and with care, along with all our car-loving colleagues,” Toyoda said in a statement.
Sato added, “All our colleagues have overcome countless challenges…natural disasters and unpredictable events, the Covid-19 pandemic, and chip shortages. Every time we faced the danger of being unable to make cars, everyone worked together to restore or adapt production. In the future, we will be sure to never forget all those who have supported our carmaking.”
Toyota’s landmark production was achieved 88 years and two months after its first car, the Model G1 truck, was produced by the automotive production division of Toyoda Automatic Loom Works Ltd (later Toyota Industries Corp) in August 1935.
Domestic production accounted for 180.52 million, while 119.6 million were produced abroad. The Corolla series gets the “crown” for being the model with the highest production in Toyota’s history, so far, with 53.399 million units made globally.
Driver and vehicle as one during this writer’s coverage of the Japan Mobility Show two weeks ago, it was also revealed that Lexus would be the first to come out with next-level-designed EVs, as Toyota focuses on a multi-pathway approach to new energy and vehicle electrification.
During my interview with Lexus International president Takashi Watanabe, he stressed, “right now, we’re looking at dynamic forms and the future of BEVs looking forward, looking mobility tech. The characteristic new traits of BEV performance would be the instituted form: The responsiveness, the strong acceleration that cannot be achieved with the internal combustion engine (ICE). So, for us, whether it’s BEV, ICE, or any other kind of powertrain, the important thing is to have a vehicle and a driver coming together as one and have that synergy, that engagement.”
Watanabe references Akio Toyoda, who describes the driver-vehicle relationship as a “dialogue”—“the vehicle responds to you and you respond back.”
Watanabe said that BEVs make this driver-vehicle relationship more pronounced.
“With BEVs, all kinds of unnecessary external noises are eliminated. We have this heavy battery mounted between the tires, but that allows us to achieve the optimal amount of balance, as well as a low center of gravity. Having these exceptional fundamentals amplify that dialogue and interaction between the driver and the car,” said Watanabe.
The Oct. 25 presser also announced the development of Lexus’ Arene operating system, which would bring together state-of-the-art software and hardware platforms in the luxury carmaker’s next-generation BEVs. Simply put, Arene OS would seamlessly integrate digital life into the vehicle, providing personalized driving experiences, as well as extended entertainment and connectivity.
The world premiere of the next generation Lexus BEV concept LF-ZC (Lexus Future Zero-emission Catalyst, which is scheduled for launch in 2026) and the Lexus’ BEV mobility flagship concept LF-ZL (Lexus Future Zero-emission Luxury) were held that day.
Toyota and Lexus chief branding officer Simon Humphries also spoke at the event. He revealed that Lexus knew its mobility pathway years before. “In 2019 we made a commitment to become 100% electric by 2035. We believe that BEVs, through their unique attributes, will allow us to expand the scope of possibilities to elevate the customer experience.”
When he presented the LF-ZC, he emphasized: “The fusion of digital and physical technology will lead to new and fresh solutions allowing us to push the boundaries. We want to achieve the most efficient engineering without losing one ounce of emotion. We are aiming for more emotional design, more space and flexibility, more driver engagement— all from a smaller, lighter, and more aerodynamic structure. By radically redefining the packaging and layout, the passengers sit forward and low. The vehicle proportions are dramatically altered. Creating not only incredible space efficiency and visibility but also a beautiful, sleek silhouette together with precise driving dynamics.”
And with the Arene OS, Humphries said future Lexus BEVs would “literally be moving sensors that can see, touch, hear, and even smell.”
Now, wouldn’t that be a lot of fun?
