[dZired]

Toyota has officially announced that it will be setting up a new in-house venture company, dedicated to development of electric vehicles. The new EV company will start operations from December 2016.

Toyota has currently designated just four people in the new firm. All four members have been roped-in from different verticals of the Toyota Group. The company claims that the small team will work using "unconventional work processes" in order to accelerate product development. The team will have access to all tools, knowledge and research information of the Toyota group.

Deeper details about platforms, powertrain and timeline for the company's first EV car haven't officially been revealed. However, reports suggest that Toyota's first EV will be launched in 2020 and will share its platform with the new-gen Prius.

This focus on the EV space is a departure from Toyota's earlier strategy. The Japanese automaker has till now been a firm believer that the way forward from conventional cars is hydrogen fuel cell. The Toyota Mirai was part of Toyota's ambition to bring hydrogen fuel cell-powered cars on public roads. However, the company now accepts the fact Hydrogen-powered cars suffer from limited infrastructural support. Hence, it has now decided to concentrate on electric cars which are a more feasible option.

Source: AutoExpress

Link to Team-BHP News

[landcruiser123]

Originally Posted by dZired

This focus on the EV space is a departure from Toyota's earlier strategy. The Japanese automaker has till now been a firm believer that the way forward from conventional cars is hydrogen fuel cell. ... However, the company now accepts the fact Hydrogen-powered cars suffer from limited infrastructural support.

If you ask me, I would say Hydrogen is better.
Existing gas stations could go on make the necessary infrastructural changes to supply hydrogen. That way, the gas stations will not go out of business.

Even with superchargers, electric cars can't refuel as fast as IC engine cars.

[qr20de]

Originally Posted by landcruiser123

If you ask me, I would say Hydrogen is better.
Existing gas stations could go on make the necessary infrastructural changes to supply hydrogen. That way, the gas stations will not go out of business.

Even with superchargers, electric cars can't refuel as fast as IC engine cars.

Hydrogen is much better, in terms of vehicle range and 're-charging' times but the problem lies in the cost of generating hydrogen fuel which is terribly expensive. Plus storage at new or adapted fuel stations is also extremely expensive.

Electric vehicles would definitely be the future at least in the near future as battery capacities increase and recharge times reduce. It's the normal cycle of vehicle development.

[landcruiser123]

Originally Posted by qr20de

generating hydrogen fuel which is terribly expensive. Plus storage at new or adapted fuel stations is also extremely expensive.

I'm sure the production of Petrol 150 years ago would have been expensive too. It's pretty cheap now because the cost of extraction and refining gets offset by volume sold.

In the same way, Hydrogen production should get cheaper in the future. (It'll be a different case if Toyota kills the Hydrogen powered car)

Also, AFAIK, Hydrogen can be produced by using organic waste matter which is available in plenty.

[volkman10]

Akio Toyoda will head Toyota's EV division. Fast tracks its EV organisation as regulations in China and Europe encouraging manufacturers to develop all-electric battery cars as they push alternative energy strategies.

Akio Toyoda, grandson of the company's founder Kiichiro Toyoda, has been at the helm of the world's largest automaker since 2009. He will head the company's electric vehicle planning department along with Executive Vice Presidents Mitsuhisa Kato and Shigeki Terashi

By putting the president and vice presidents in charge of the department, we plan to speed up development of electric cars

The president will directly oversee the department's operations to enable decisions to be made quickly and nimbly

Link

[govigov]

Toyota Mirai - https://ssl.toyota.com/mirai/fcv.html , is already developed and in the market currently. Even with 3 years of fuel included there are very few takers. This is because of the number of hydrogen filling station available. If you are out of hydrogen fuel, you are pretty much a sitting duck.

Hydrogen wont take of easily, because it requires dedicated fuel stations, storage and logistics. They have to be stored in pressurized tanks vs drums for oil. The hydrogen pump should make a tight seal with car and then talk to each other with IR technology to refuel. This is much too complicated.

Electricity however, is available in each household.

A supercharger can easily charge an electric car in very little time for a comparatively healthy range. (Good for town rides, but still not good for cross country)

A regularly used current gen Chevrolet volt can give you phenomenal mileage even in poor driving conditions. Like about upwards of 60kmpl. (Watch superspeedersbob youtube channel for Chevrolet volt). I personally think that this is just right for the Indian market for the daily office drives and puttering around town. This is where Chevrolet Volt succeeds as it will not leave you stranded because it has an internal combustion engine. I am not aware of a competition for the Chevrolet Volt so far that can pose a challenge to it.

The next gen Nissan leaf and the upcoming chevrolet bolt is supposed to target the 200 mile range on a single charge. Toyota does not yet have a vehicle that can do that.

Edit: The news article does not say whether it is targeting a crowd like the Tesla or aam-junta a create a competition for future Chevrolet Bolts and Nissan Leafs.