Toyota

A planned ban from 2035 on petrol-powered vehicles in America’s so-called ‘green’ state California needs to be reconsidered, says Toyota Motor Corp. president Akio Toyoda (above). “Realistically speaking, it seems rather difficult to really achieve that,” US publication Automotive News reports Toyoda as telling a conference  in Las Vegas. He said the California ban would … [Read more...] about Ban on petrol-powered vehicles ‘not workable’, says Toyota boss

An energy supply company executive accused Toyota NZ of not being ready to meet the market for electric vehicles (EVs). “What’s that mean?” company CEO Neeraj Lala asked the woman. She replied: ‘Why are you so behind on EVs?’ Lala told the story at the launch – via the online Zoom platform – of Lexus’ first battery-electric model, the UX300e, a mid-size SUV, pictured … [Read more...] about Energy bigwig targets Toyota for being ‘so behind on EVs’

The Toyota bZ4X, the Japanese carmaker’s first battery-electric vehicle (BEV), ushers in the evolutionary next stage of electric automotive power: solid-state batteries (SSB). The bZ4X SUV won’t have SSB power on board when it lands in New Zealand later next year. Instead it will be powered by a conventional liquid-cooled lithium ion pack. But it remains a Toyota pioneer … [Read more...] about All-electric Toyota points to future of solid-state batteries

Toyota NZ has equipped its 2021 Yaris with significant safety firsts in a bid to inject renewed interest in the small car. Yaris, like the rest of its five-door, town-and-around hatchback rivals, has been pushed aside in the last decade by the growth of compact SUVs. In 2013, for example, small cars (21,511) accounted for 26 per cent of an overall 82,355 NZ Transport … [Read more...] about 2021 Toyota Yaris hits high point with safety firsts