“We aim to develop a next-generation battery EV in the Lexus brand in which everything from batteries and platforms to the way the car is built will be optimised for BEVs,” said Koji Sato. As current chief of the brand, he oversaw the development of the first electric Lexus, the RZ, which is expected to be launched this year.
BEVs refer to all-electric vehicles that are generally called EVs by other automakers, but Toyota uses this name to distinguish them from the hybrid, plug-in hybrid and fuel-cell vehicles that it also makes.
Sato, who will replace Akio Toyoda in April as the new president and CEO of Toyota, made a speech and answered reporters’ questions at a news conference today. He named seven others who will form the new management team with him and talked about his plan to transform Toyota from a carmaker to a mobility company.
“To deliver appealing BEVs, we need to drastically change the way we do business, from manufacturing to sales and service, with a BEV-first mindset,” Sato said. “Lexus will lead this transformation.”
He pointed to the EV shift in developed countries, which is the main market for the Lexus brand, and said that Toyota is trying to meet such rising needs.
Sato, a veteran Toyota engineer, said that electricity has “a different influence on aerodynamics … We have to sufficiently understand the characteristics of electricity… and take a step further and manufacture [the cars] in the best suited way.”
Toyota has faced criticism from environmentalists and investors for failing to catch up with its peers in the development of EVs.
Sato pointed out that the emphasis on the electrification of Lexus was part of Toyota’s goal to provide a range of vehicles that can meet demand from all buyers.
“The energy situation is different in each country, and Toyota’s unchanging policy is to consider the circumstances of each country,” he said.
Asked about concerns over Toyota’s EV strategy, Sato said he regretted that there were “communication issues” around the matter. Toyota’s EV strategy is for the mid to long term and it is currently focused on energy-saving efforts and cutting emissions from its models by using hydrogen fuel-cells and other technologies in addition to batteries, as well as in its day-to-day business operations.