That’s what really matters with e-cars

When it comes to e-cars, the name Toyota usually comes up last. After all, the group is just getting started with pure e-mobility and is therefore much later than many of its competitors. But what Toyota says is most important in electric cars, they want to do much better than the competition.

The first purely electric model from Toyota with the preliminary, bulky title bZ4X should be ready in mid-2022 – a late start. Nevertheless, one is sure to know the secret recipe for success.

Toyota: Low prices determine the success of e-cars

Although it’s not that secret: For Toyota’s electric cars, the Affordability top priority to have. For this they even want to make compromises in the all-important range, according to Cooper Ericksen, vice president at Toyota North America for product strategy (source: Green Car Reports).

So for Toyota, price is the most important thing: “Nothing happens until you sell a car” is, according to Ericksen, an internal saying at the automaker. “In order to have a positive impact on the environment, you have to sell a lot of cars.”

But how should Toyota succeed? in the one installed smaller batteries, which have correspondingly less range. At the same time, research is being done to make the battery, the most expensive part, more effective and cheaper – the goal is 50 percent lower costs than the bZ4X by 2030. Extreme range is not the top priority, especially not for future volume models.

Massive electric cars need less range

Long range is seen much more in the luxury segment – in Toyota’s case with the group brand Lexus. In the future, models with a range of up to 800 km will be used. The more drivers get used to electric cars, the clearer it will become that many don’t need a range of up to 300 or 400 miles (up to around 640 km), Ericksen said. at You want to orientate price and range to the customer.

Toyota’s first impression of the bZ4X electric car, which customers can now pre-order:

In addition, the famous longevity continue to play a major role, as does responsibility towards the environment. It remains to be seen whether Toyota finds the right gap for the hesitant start with this strategy.