"Akio Toyoda expresses his personal opinion on electric vehicles powered by batteries"
In a significant announcement made by Toyota in April 2021, the company's President, Akio Toyoda, received a positive evaluation for his plans for future Battery Electric Vehicles (BEVs).
Toyoda, known for his love of petrol-powered vehicles, has expressed a personal desire for the development of BEVs. However, he has not yet shown an enthusiastic enjoyment of driving BEVs. During a Q&A session on December 14, when asked about his feelings towards BEVs, Toyoda responded with a smile, admitting that it was a great question.
Toyoda believes that the driving skills of professional drivers will make Toyota vehicles safer and more fun-to-drive. He emphasizes that control technology alone cannot push major improvements, but it plays a key role in developing safer and faster vehicles with more enjoyable driving aspects.
In a test drive of a battery electric Toyota 86, Toyoda commented, "it's an electric vehicle." He has also shown enthusiasm for Toyota's hybrid system, which has been used in the 24 Hours of Le Mans and the FIA World Endurance Championship since 2012.
Toyoda is working seriously on BEVs, fuel cell electric vehicles, hybrid electric vehicles, and gasoline-only vehicles. He thinks that with control technology, a four-wheel drive vehicle can become a front-wheel drive vehicle or a rear-wheel drive vehicle.
Akio Toyoda is not just interested in Toyota's past BEVs but is getting interested in the BEVs that they are now developing for the future. He believes that when it comes to BEVs, a car becomes more like a commodity. However, he wants to provide customers with vehicles that can make them happy, emphasizing his personal involvement and responsibility for the driving feel of Toyota vehicles.
Meanwhile, outside the world of BEVs, Toyoda has been active in motorsports. He has participated in rally races and the Super Taikyu races, driving four-wheel drive vehicles. One of Toyota's professional drivers, Norihiko Katsuta, has won the All-Japan Rally Championships this year. The professional drivers of ROOKIE Racing are also very active in motorsports at various circuits.
Toyoda believes that electric motors have higher efficiency than gasoline-only-powered vehicles. He has been driving a hydrogen-powered vehicle in the Super Taikyu Series races since May of this year. Despite his love for petrol-powered vehicles, Toyoda acknowledges the potential of BEVs and is committed to ensuring that Toyota vehicles continue to provide a fun and safe driving experience, regardless of the power source.
