The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Toyota

  • Autonomous driving ‘ll kill mass-market cars, says Toyota

    Toyota Motor Corporation said autonomous driving would kill off mass-market cars

    Simon Humphries, who oversees design at Toyota’s advanced R&D and engineering, is predicting a bigger impact than most people might imagine.

    “On one side, we’re going to see this optimised (transport) system, but on the other side you’re going to see a pure race car,” Humphries said in an interview with Reuters.

    “There will be an emotional solution and a practical solution. So, maybe the story is that the middle ground is increasingly going to disappear.”

    That may not sound like the most enticing future for someone working in the car business, but Humphries believed the combination of autonomous driving and electric powertrains will give designers more freedom, because it will eliminate the need for steering wheels, engines and other traditional parts that currently dictate the shape of cars.

    “When you don’t have to hold a steering wheel, the world is your oyster,” Humphries said.

    But so far, Toyota’s main vision of the autonomous vehicle of the future takes the form of a utilitarian box on wheels.

    Unveiled at CES 2018, the e-Palette concept can be configured to carry people or cargo. While it is very practical, the e-Palette makes even a Camry look sexy. Toyota has enlisted several companies to help develop the e-Pallette, and services that could make use of it.

    Enthusiasts often think of Toyota’s cars as soulless appliances, but they are still a step up from anonymous autonomous pods. One could argue that, if people no longer drive, cars won’t need to have a distinct design or character. But that future isn’t particularly pleasant to contemplate. Distinctiveness shouldn’t be limited to a handful of high-end luxury and performance cars.

     

  • Mazda, Toyota plan $1.6 billion in joint facility

    Toyota Motor Corporation and Mazda Motor Corporation had announced Alabama in United States as the site of their new joint-venture manufacturing plant.

    The new plant will have the capacity to build 300,000 vehicles annually, with production split evenly between two lines for each company to produce Mazda’s crossover model that will be newly introduced to the North American market and the Toyota Corolla.

    The joint venture represents a $1.6 billion investment that Mazda and Toyota plan to make with equal funding contributions. The site for the new plant is in Huntsville, located approximately 14 miles from Toyota’s Alabama plant (Toyota Motor Manufacturing, Alabama, Inc.). The facility is expected to create up to 4,000 jobs. Production is expected to begin by 2021.

    The State of Alabama is the fifth largest producer of cars and light trucks nationally with a strong automotive manufacturing presence including Toyota’s engine plant in Huntsville, where Toyota employs 1,400 team members. There are approximately 57,000 automotive manufacturing jobs in Alabama.

    In the coming months, after obtaining approvals and authorisation by antitrust agencies, the new joint venture will be established, and site preparations will begin with the start of production in 2021.

    Mazda Motor Corporation President and Chief Executive Officer Masamichi Kogai said: “Mazda makes cars with a clear vision of how we want to inspire people, contribute to society and help preserve the beauty of the earth. By making such cars here in Alabama, we hope that over time our plant will come to occupy a special place in the hearts of our employees and the local community. By making this plant a vibrant part of that community, we hope to work, learn and grow together with the people of Alabama and Huntsville.”

    Toyota Motor Corporation President Akio Toyoda said: “When Toyota and Mazda announced our intention to build a new plant in the US last summer, I said that two things brought the companies together: the love of cars, and the love of home towns. While cars get our hearts pumping, hometowns make the success of our endeavours.

    “We are proud of where we come from, of course, but as we expanded our business globally, every place where we operate has become our hometown.”

  • Toyota sets 2030 electric sales target

    Toyota sets 2030 electric sales target

    Toyota Motor Corporation has said it plans to sell more than 5.5 million electrified vehicles by 2030.

    Toyota’s electrified vehicle strategy centres on a significant acceleration in the development and launch plans of hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs), plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs), battery electric vehicles (BEVs), and fuel cell electric vehicles (FCEVs).

    The auto giant has been working toward creating ever-better cars and an ever-better society under the thinking of contributing to a sustainable society and creating mobility that brings smiles to customers.

    Addressing environmental challenges, such as global warming, air pollution, and limited natural resources and energy supply are of utmost importance to Toyota.

    By around 2030, Toyota aims to have sales of more than 5.5 million electrified vehicles, including more than one million zero-emission vehicles (BEVs, FCEVs).

    Additionally, by around 2025, every model in the Toyota and Lexus line-up around the world will be available either as a dedicated electrified model or have an electrified option. This will be achieved by increasing the number of dedicated HEV, PHEV, BEV, and FCEV models and by generalising the availability of HEV, PHEV and/or BEV options to all its models.

    As a result, the number of models developed without an electrified version will be zero.

    Toyota will accelerate the popularisation of BEVs with more than 10 BEV models to be available worldwide by the early 2020s, starting in China, before entering other markets-the gradual introduction to Japan, India, United States and Europe is expected.

    The FCEV line-up will be expanded for both passenger and commercial vehicles in the 2020s.

    The HEV line-up will also grow, thanks to the further development of the Toyota Hybrid System II (featured in the current-generation Prius and other models); the introduction of a more powerful version in some models; and the development of simpler hybrid systems in select models, as appropriate, to meet various customer needs.

    Batteries are a core technology of electrified vehicles and generally present limitations relating to energy density, weight/packaging, and cost.

    Furthermore, Toyota aims to focus on the development of a social infrastructure conducive to the widespread adoption of electrified vehicles.

  • ‘Toyota still highest selling brand’

    Toyota Nigeria Limited (TNL) still has the highest market share in the auto industry with 22 per cent as of the third quarter of the year, its Managing Director, Mr. Kunle Ade-Ojo, has said.

    He spoke with reporters in Lagos on the performance of the auto industry in the third quarter of the year.

    Ade-Ojo predicted that the Toyota market share in Nigeria would rise to 24 per cent at the end of the year.

    He said Toyota Hilux, belonging to the pickup commercial segment of the auto market, contributed about 70 per cent of the about 1,900 units of vehicles sold by the TNL through its dealers between January and September this year.

    Other models he identified as top sellers were Toyota Hiace and Avensis.

    “This year, if you look at the ratio sale of vehicles, most sales were more of commercial vehicles. In 2018, we hope to see a bit of balancing with the recovery of passenger vehicles. This year, a lot of companies were very careful because of the economic recession. They buy vehicles that will help improve productivity of their business. As the economy improves, so will there be balancing of sales across the models and vehicle segments,” he said.

    According to the TNL boss, about 7,000 new vehicles were sold in the first nine months of the year, representing 48 per cent drop from the total figures of 14,500 units recorded in the same period last year.

    “As of the end of the third quarter of the year, the vehicle sales were 7,000 units compared to about 14,500 last year, which is a drop of about 48 per cent in sales.

    “From the importation point of view, there is a slight improvement because in the first quarter, we had about 90 per cent drop, but as of the third quarter, the drop had reduced to 62 per cent,” Ade-Ojo said.

    He attributed the fall in the sale and importation/assembly of new vehicles in the country in the last one year to economic recession; increase in the import duty from 22 per cent to 70 per cent; drop in the value of the naira against the United States dollar and other foreign currencies; and other foreign exchange-related issues.

    The Nigerian economy just exited recession after contracting for five consecutive quarters, with the Gross Domestic Product recording 0.55 per cent growth rate at the end of the second quarter of the year.

    Ade-Ojo said with the gradual restoration of the economy, the auto industry could grow by five per cent next year.

  • Toyota stages auto show in Abuja

    Toyota stages auto show in Abuja

    Toyota (Nigeria) Limited will play host to auto lovers at the Transcorp Hilton Hotel, Abuja between November 21 and 23.

    According to Bukunola Ogunnusi, the Toyota Auto Show is an exhibition aimed at bringing the different models of the Toyota brand closer to the public.

    She said: “It is indeed a platform for customers to experience the wide range of vehicles from the Toyota range.

    “The exclusive auto show will showcase the beauty and elegance of the engineering mastery of Toyota craftsmanship imbued in all its models. Some of the vehicles that will be on display in the alluring environment are the new Coaster which has undergone a complete overhaul to reflect modern trends in engineering and design.  The Land cruiser and Avensis which have also received aesthetic touch-ups will be on exhibition. Also the Yaris, Corolla, Hilux; a workhorse described as “Beyond Tough” for its resilience and strength to take on any terrain.

    Lucky customers will be able to buy some of the vehicles on display at special discount during the three-day show.”

  • Toyota to recall 15,000 vehicles

    Toyota to recall 15,000 vehicles

    Toyota has begun moves to recall about 15,000 of its vehicles with faulty Takata airbags for them to be replaced with the improved life-saving gadgets in Ghana.

    The vehicles affected include some Toyota models made from 2002 to 2014. Those vehicles may have airbags that are likely to explode when deployed, causing injury or even death.

    About 16 deaths have been recorded worldwide following the defect.

    The models are IMV Hilux (2003 to 2014); IMV Fortuner (2003 to 2014); Avensis (2003 to 2008); Yaris (2006 to 2008); Corrola (2002 to 2014) and RAV4 (2003 to 2005) models.

    Speaking at the 2017 Toyota Users Conference in Accra last Thursday, Toyota Ghana Executive Director Dr Eric Darko, said the company had so far replaced about 2,500 of the faulty airbags.

    According to him, his outfit had a list of all those who bought vehicles with the airbag challenge from it and was calling the customers involved one after the other to have the problem fixed.

    He, however, said the company was willing to change the airbags of even those who did not buy their vehicles from it for free.

    “The only thing is if you have any car like that, let us know, if it is one of those cars that have been affected, we have an international system. We would check and replace it for free.

    “We have some cars that have been in the system for a long time and it is believed that over time, the airbags functionality may not perform very well because of a number of factors, including heat. You just bring it and we will change the airbag system,” he said.

     

  • Toyota partners Mazda, Denso for electric car venture

    Toyota partners Mazda, Denso for electric car venture

    Toyota Motor Corporation will partner Mazda Motor Corporation and auto parts supplier Denso Corporation to form a joint venture for developing electric vehicles, as Japan’s biggest automaker plays catch up in the expanding race for battery driven cars.

    The new company, called EV Common Architecture Spirit Co., will cooperate on the developing the architecture and components of electric cars for use in a wide range of segments, from mini-vehicles and Sport Utility Vehicles (SUVs) to light trucks, the companies said on Thursday.

    The deal will create a toolbox of components that both Toyota and Mazda can dip into when making their own electric vehicles. The deal builds on a fledgling alliance between the country’s largest automaker and one of its smallest that was cemented in August.

    The companies announced a capital tie up then, saying they would work together in a variety of fields, including electric cars.

    Toyota Executive Vice President Shigeki Terashi said then that sharing technology would give Mazda and Toyota extra volume and drive down costs.

    Terashi was tipped to head the new venture as president.

    The companies said increasingly stringent emissions regulations were forcing carmakers worldwide to develop electric vehicles. But the high cost of electric cars, driven partly by their expensive batteries, makes it necessary for erstwhile rivals to pool resources. The new venture, they said, will be open to participation from other automaker and suppliers going forward.

    “The huge investments and time required to cover all markets and vehicle segments is a pressing issue for individual automakers,” the companies said. “New regulations that mandate a certain proportion of electric vehicle sales are beginning to emerge,” he said.

    The industry’s frenzy for EVs was on full display around this month’s Frankfurt auto show. BMW, Mercedes-Benz and Volkswagen were among the makes rolling out ambitious plans to unleash waves of EVs over the coming years. Jaguar Land Rover weighed in with plans for full electric and hybrid cars from 2020, and Honda unveiled its next EV.

    The new Toyota Company will pull select engineers from all three companies and have about 40 employees. It will be based in Toyota’s high-rise office building in downtown Nagoya.

    Toyota will wield disproportional influence. It will hold a 90 percent stake in EV C.A. Spirit, while Mazda and Denso each take 5 percent. The two directors under Terashi also come from Toyota. They are Kiyotaka Ise, head of Toyota’s advanced r&d and engineering, and Toshiyuki Mizushima, president of the carmaker’s powertrain sub-company.

    Toyota long remained skeptical about EVs in favour of the hybrid technology pioneered by its flagship Prius, as well as the potential for hydrogen fuel cells. But the automaker finally joined the EV race late last year when President Akio Toyoda put himself in charge of a new EV Business Planning Department.

    It was envisioned as a flat, fast-moving organisation to mimic the nimble corporate culture of the Silicon Valley startups. At its helm were just four people, including Toyoda and counterparts from Toyota Group suppliers Aisin Seiki Co., Denso and Toyota Industries Corp.

    That EV planning department will remain, while the new JV incorporate elements of its work and feeds new EV technology back into it.

  • Obaseki, Toyota, Yamaha, Mitsubishi, others plan investment in Edo

    Obaseki, Toyota, Yamaha, Mitsubishi, others plan investment in Edo

    Edo State Governor Godwin Obaseki has met with executives representing Mitsubishi, Sojitz, Toyota, Sumitomo, Yamaha, Yokogawa, Panasonic and the Japanese Trade Organisation (JETRO) to plan potential investments in Edo State and assure them of availability of resources.

    The meeting held in Lagos.

    He added that the state had developed a database of unemployed young people in the state, which the Japanese could tap into, adding that Edo’s proximity to Lagos and Port Harcourt could also be utilised to develop a lucrative trade route.

    Edo North, explained Obaseki, was rich in solid minerals, such as limestone for cement production and fertile soil for cocoa production; while Edo South and Edo Central were good for maize, cassava, rubber and palm production. All these complemented an onshore gas reserve located at Oben near Benin City where some critical national assets such as power installation passed through the state.

    On power, the governor disclosed that Edo would be contributing 900 additional megawatts to the national grid through the 450MW Azura power plant and the 450MW National Integrated Power Plant (NIPP) project in Benin city.

    He explained to them that the state government had signed a Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) with Ossiomo power in Ologbo to supply uninterrupted power to all the government buildings located in the Sapele Road axis of the city.

    Obaseki said security would not be a problem, as the state was in a collaboration with the police to curb isolated incidences of crime in and around the state.

    Japanese Ambassador to Nigeria Sadanobu Kusaoke appreciated the sincerity and sense of responsibility of Edo State government, insisting that the Japanese were interested in collaborating with the Obaseki-led administration to expand the economy and create employment.

  • Toyota rewards Dream Car Art Contest winners

    Toyota rewards Dream Car Art Contest winners

    Toyota (Nigeria) Limited (TNL) has rewarded nine persons that emerged winners in the Toyota Dream Car Art Contest.
    The contest is a Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) of Toyota Motor Corporation Japan to develop the innate artistic talent in children and to cultivate an enduring relationship with them.
    Toyota distributors and dealers alike globally have keyed into this initiative because of its acceptance and impact on children’s psyche the world over.
    The 11th Dream Car Art Contest was held in Nigeria in Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja, Port-Harcourt, Rivers state capital and Lagos
    In Abuja, 297 children participated, 266 in Port Harcourt and 559 in Lagos. Three winners emerged from each category in Port Harcourt, Abuja and Lagos centres.
    Three national finalists from each category (nine winners in all) emerged after the rigorous assessment of entries from the three drawing centres.
    All the winning entries were judged based on the originality, creativity, environmental friendliness, safety and futuristic concept in their drawings.
    The nine winners (two from Port-Harcourt and seven from Lagos) were honoured on March 25 during Toyota Awards in Lagos.
    The winner’s parents, teachers and well-wishers were entertained and winners went home with Laptops, other corporate gifts and most importantly, winner’s certificate.
    TNL Managing Director Mr Kunle Ade-Ojo congratulated the winners and announced that one of the winners in next year’s edition would be sponsored to Japan.
    At the event were TNL Head of Marketing Department Mr Andrew Ajuyah, Marketing Manager Mr Bayo Olawoyin and the Public Relations Manager, Mrs Bukunola Ogunnusi, who introduced the winners.
    The winners gave presentation of their drawings, which explains the concept of their drawings respectively; they also urged Toyota to manufacture their dream car in the future.
    One of the winners, Ifunanya Nwankwo thanked TNL for the opportunity given to them to demonstrate their talents.

  • Transport firm wins Toyota prize

    Transport firm, Peace Mass Transit (PMT) Ltd has won Toyota’s best customer in Nigeria for the year 2016.

    It was the second time in six years, the PMT would win the prize, spurring the Japanese auto maker to present it with a commemorative plaque, and a N2m cash prize, at a colourful ceremony which held in Lagos.

    PMT which celebrated its 20th anniversary recently, has a preponderance of Toyota brands in its mini-bus fleet, and must have bought the highest number of units of the popular Toyota Hummer Hiace brand to qualify for this special recognition.

    The Chief Executive of PMT, Dr. Sam Maduka Onyeishi last week in Enugu at a media interaction displayed the prizes to reporters.

    Toyota representative and major dealer in Nigeria, Chief Michael Ade-Ojo, had earlier made the presentations to PMT, which was represented at the occasion by its South-West Area Manager, Victor Asadu.

    The event held at the Grand Banquette Hall, Civic Centre Ozumba Mbadiwe Street, Victoria Island, Lagos.

    Chief Ade-Ojo said at the occasion that Toyota was particularly proud of Peace Mass Transit Ltd, for being “consistently loyal to its brands”, and greatly valued the business relationship existing between the two organizations.

    Toyota, he said, desired that the robust and rewarding business relationship between the two got even stronger, while commending PMT’s unwavering loyalty to the Toyota brand.

    Chief Ade-Ojo is owner and proprietor of the Elizade Group, Toyota’s main distributor in Nigeria.

    Awards for Toyota customers were in two categories, including the one won by PMT, which was the only transport company in Nigeria so recognized.

    PMT first won the Toyota best customer award in 2012. The company which has over 2,000 mini-buses in active operation at any point in time, moves over thirty thousand Nigerians daily. PMT was established by businessman, Dr. Sam Maduka Onyishi, MON, in 1996. It has a staff strength of over 4,000 and some 60 bus terminals across Nigeria. The company has the largest mini-bus fleet in Nigeria, and posts a good safety track record.