toyota provides a glimpse into their upcoming electrical vehicles

during a media briefing in japan, akio toyoda, global president of toyota motor corporation, revealed 16 toyota and lexus BEV (battery-powered electric vehicles) models. the launch is part of toyota’s vision of the future of mobility which includes a strategy for achieving carbon neutrality.

in addition to continuing to develop hybrids (HEVs), plug-in hybrids (PHEVs), and fuel-cell electric vehicles (FCEVs), toyota will expand its offering of battery electric vehicles (BEVs), including its awaited pickup truck. ‘if the energy that powers vehicles is not clean, the use of an electrified vehicle, no matter what type it might be, would not result in zero CO2 emissions,’ toyoda said. ‘the other category is that of carbon-neutral vehicles. vehicles in this category run on clean energy and achieve zero CO2 emissions in the whole process of their use. we at toyota will do our utmost to realize such vehicles.’

images by noriaki mitsuhashi / N-RAK photo agency

known for being quite secretive in their processes, toyota’s announcement came as a surprise. the company said it will invest approximately $70 billion globally in electrified vehicles. from this amount, around $35 billion will be invested in BEVs starting 2022 through 2030.

the presentation included electric vehicles for both lexus and toyota, both of them still in development — a first for the industry. the under-development vehicles on show had their windows tinted, hinting that interiors are still not ready. very few technical details were revealed. some of the models presented are based on existing vehicles, while others are completely new.

the concept car presentation began with the toyota bZ range consisting of compact coupe-style SUVs. it continued with lexus’ first electric vehicle dubbed the RZ, a production version of the LF-Z electrified concept. but the vehicle that stole the show was the pickup truck which seems to evolve from the hilux or even more from the tacoma or the tundra.

‘the world is becoming evermore diverse. people are increasingly confident in making their own choices to lead free and enjoyable lifestyles,’ said simon humphries, design senior general manager. ‘at toyota we believe that truly good products create new experiences for the customer, enhancing their chosen lifestyle directions. from that point of view, each electric vehicle should be unique and special, not only those on dedicated platforms, but also those related to existing models. whether that means building on toyota’s off-road heritage to create new exciting recreational experiences, or finding new ways to combine versatility with dynamic driving.’