Toyota 'TNGA' global vehicle platform revealed

Toyota has officially revealed the Toyota New Global Architecture (TNGA). Through this new design philosophy, Toyota aims to facilitate growth by reducing resources consumed and improving efficiency. One of the goals is to reduce resources required for development by 20% or more. Toyota is focusing on joint development of powertrains and platforms together to create a lower centre of gravity and making components lighter and more compact.

Toyota claims it has increased the overall fuel efficiency of its powertrains by approximately 25% and overall power output by more than 15% by working on the thermal efficiency and energy-relay efficiency in transmissions. Toyota is also targeting an overall fuel efficiency increase of 15% in its hybrid vehicles.

The Japanese automaker plans to increase overall body rigidity by as much as 30-65% percent, and then further improve rigidity by joining body components using laser screw welding technology. Toyota will begin rolling TNGA platform based vehicles with the launch of an unnamed mid-size front wheel drive vehicle this year. This will be followed by specific new platforms for compact and large, front and rear wheel drive vehicles. Toyota expects approximately half of its vehicles sold worldwide in 2020 to be based on TNGA and its derivatives.