112.1 billion! The world's largest automotive group additional battery investment!

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The world's largest auto group has added a quota for battery investment.

On December 14, Toyota's Sucker Punch held a new electrification strategy conference, outlining Toyota's strategy to achieve carbon neutrality by 2030, including the latest goal planning for electric vehicles and additional battery investment.

Battery investment increased to 2 trillion yen

Akio Toyoda said he plans to spend 8 trillion yen to promote the electrification of products by 2030, of which 4 trillion yen will be spent on the development of pure electric models, and another 400 million yen will be spent on the continued development of hybrid, plug-in hybrid and hydrogen fuel cell vehicles. In order to catch up with global competitors while faster transition to zero-emission vehicles.

Of the Y4,000bn pure electric vehicle spending plan, Y2tn (about 112.19 billion yuan at the latest exchange rate at the time of publication) will be used to accelerate battery development, compared with Toyota's total investment of 1.5 trillion yen on Sept. 7. This means that Toyota has increased its investment in batteries, with an additional 500 billion yen.

The adjustment of battery investment is also accompanied by the adjustment of the overall goal.

According to the latest plan, Toyota plans to launch 30 new electric vehicles worldwide by 2030, while selling 3.5 million electric vehicles. Compared with the previous goal of launching 15 new models and selling 2 million vehicles by 2025, it is not without enthusiasm. But from a numerical point of view, it is not impossible.

First, the sales target of 3.5 million electric vehicles is equivalent to about 37% of Toyota's global sales last year; second, Toyota has established a product matrix.

At this press conference, Toyota brought 16 electric models, of which 15 are new models, 11 are Toyota brands and 4 are Lexus brands. In addition, of the sales target of 3.5 million vehicles in 2030, 1 million are expected to be Lexus-branded cars.

It can be seen that, in addition to the Toyota brand, Lexus will play a key role in Toyota's future electric strategy.

At present, the Toyota brand has introduced about 100 models in more than 170 countries and regions, including fuel vehicles, hybrid vehicles, plug-in plug-in hybrid vehicles and hydrogen fuel cell vehicles.

The Lexus brand has introduced about 30 models in more than 90 countries and regions, including fuel vehicles, hybrids and plug-in plug-in hybrid vehicles.

In the future, Toyota will continue to expand the selection of "carbon neutral models" through the introduction of BEV models.

Of course, Toyota will not "ignore" hydrogen fuel cell vehicles, which have been in operation since the 1990s, and will promote the use of fuel cell vehicles in areas such as buses and large trucks.

Toyota's battery technology route

In the battery field, Toyota has been committed to independent research and development and production of batteries for many years. In 1996, Prime Earth EV Energy, was established to continuously improve Ni-MH battery technology; in 2003, it began to develop lithium-ion batteries; in 2008, the battery research department studied next-generation batteries such as all-solid-state batteries; in 2021, it established Prime Planet Energy & Solutions, integrated battery business.

Combining the automobile electric strategy and the layout in the battery field for many years, it is not difficult to see that Toyota has always been based on the two major battery technology routes of lithium-ion battery and Ni-MH battery. At the same time, in the longer-term goal, Toyota also aims at solid-state battery.

In terms of lithium-ion batteries, Toyota CTO Masahiko Maeda has previously said that Toyota plans to increase fuel efficiency by more than 30 per cent (30 per kilometer reduction in electricity use) by improving the materials and structure of batteries used in plug-in hybrid vehicles (PHEV) and pure electric vehicles (EV) models, and is expected to be developed through integrated research and development of vehicles and batteries by 2030. Reduce the battery cost per car to less than 50%.

In terms of bipolar Ni-MH batteries, the new Aqua released by Toyota in July was the first to carry a new bipolar Ni-MH battery. This battery creatively adopts bipolar structure and realizes the practicality of driving vehicle battery. Compared with the battery installed in the old Aqua, the output density is two times higher and the sense of acceleration is stronger.

In terms of solid-state batteries, an electric car built by Toyota with all-solid-state batteries was tested on a test route in June last year. At present, it has reached the stage of obtaining vehicle driving data. After improving according to these data, in August of the same year, Toyota officially obtained a license for its electric vehicle with all-solid-state batteries and began its driving experiment.

At the same time, it is also reported that Toyota's all-solid-state batteries will be mass-produced on a small scale by 2025, first on hybrid models, and sustained and stable production by 2030.

At present, the sales target and technical route seem to be basically clear, and the battery capacity target is bound to be "fully equipped". Toyota expects annual battery capacity to exceed 200GWh by 2030. However, this goal will also be timely adjusted according to the needs of consumers and the popularity of electric vehicles.

Toyota's Battery moments

It is reported that Toyota in the power battery moments lineup is quite luxurious.

In the Japanese home market, including Panasonic, Sony, Toshiba and so on. Among them, the cooperation with Panasonic goes a step further. The aforementioned Prime Planet Energy & Solutions is a joint venture between Toyota and Panasonic, in which Toyota owns 51 per cent and Panasonic 49 per cent.

In late November, foreign media reported that Toyota might build a battery factory on the outskirts of Greensboro, North Carolina, according to a person familiar with the matter. The battery factory may be run by Prime Planet Energy & Solutions. It will also be Toyota's first battery plant in the United States, with a budget of up to $2.11 billion.

In the Chinese market, including Ningde era, BYD and so on, and Toyota cooperates with the two only two days apart.

In July 2019, Toyota announced cooperation with Ningde era and BYD. However, there are differences in cooperation between Toyota and the two. Toyota and BYD have a wider range of cooperation than in the Ningde era. The cooperation with Ningde era focuses on battery supply, including battery technology development and battery recycling. And the cooperation with BYD, in addition to power batteries, but also with Toyota to jointly develop cars and low-chassis SUV pure electric models, put on the domestic market.

This year, the cooperation between Toyota and BYD ushered in new progress and gradually deepened.

On April 9, it was reported that BYD would produce electric cars for Toyota. Not only the simple technology output, but also from the bottom technology, electronic control system, motor and battery and other core technology, are completed independently by BYD, followed by Toyota acceptance.

More importantly, the new car will hang the Toyota Niutou logo directly. In other words, as long as you see the pure electric car with Toyota logo in the future, it is likely to be made by BYD.

"Toyota, with the help of BYD, will launch a small electric car for the Chinese market next year, which will use BYD's blade lithium iron phosphate battery," a person familiar with the matter said on December 3. "

It is reported that Toyota's car, which is slightly larger than the best-selling Corolla (Corolla) in history, will be unveiled as a concept car at the Beijing Auto Show in April next year, and is likely to be the second model of Toyota's bZ series of all-electric vehicles.

Stubborn Toyota

Toyota, as the largest giant in the fuel car era, once had a lot of scenery, and it regained the top spot in global auto sales in 2020.

However, due to the birth of Tesla, leading the electrification wave, Toyota's life is not so easy. Since 2020, Tesla has overtaken Toyota to become the world's largest auto company by market capitalization, which has put heavy pressure on the overall momentum of the fuel car industry.

"it's not too late for Toyota to enter the electrified transition, but its route is conservative and wavering between hybrid, pure electricity and hydrogen technology."

As stated in a message in this forum, the reason why Toyota is "weak" is that, in addition to Tex's strength, what is more important is that it wants everything.

Today, Toyota is no longer "contemptuous" of electric cars, but has strengthened its determination to transform. It is worth looking forward to whether the elephant can turn around and strike later.