Toyota to Expand Diesel, Plug-in Hybrid Efforts; New Lexus and Toyota Dedicated Hybrids to Premiere Next Year
13 January 2008

At a media reception at the North American International Auto Show tonight, Toyota president Katsuaki Watanabe said that he has challenged the companyÆs engineers to meet the new US 35 mpg CAFE standard ôwell in advanceö of 2020.

Some of the steps he outlined to accomplish that goal include the planned offering of a new advanced diesel engine in both the Tundra and Sequoia. Watanabe also said that by 2010, Toyota will accelerate its global plug-in hybrid R&D program. As part of this plan, Toyota will deliver a ôsignificantö fleet of plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs), powered by lithium-ion batteries, to a wide variety of global commercial customers, with many coming to the US.

The planned expansion of the Panasonic EV joint-venture battery factory to build lithium-ion batteries is part of that initiative. (Earlier post.)

Watanabe also said that Toyota will premiere two all-new, dedicated hybrids, one for Toyota and one for Lexus at next yearÆs North American International Auto Show.

Last year, as never before, industry and government and mainstream consumers came to grips with the need to address global climate change. I believe we will all remember 2007 as the year that the world responded to a wake-up call too long ignored.

Sustainable Mobility addresses four key priorities. First, we must address the vehicles themselves and the advanced technologies. Highly advanced conventional engines, plug-in hybrids, fuel cells and clean diesels, as well as many other innovative new technologies, will all play a part.

Second, we must address the urban environment, where these new technologies will live. In the future, we foresee ômixed mobility,ö combining intelligent highways and mass-transit, bike paths and short-cut walking routes, recharging kiosks and hydrogen fuel stations.

Third, we must address the need for partnerships between energy and transportation along with government and academia to bring new technologies to market.

Finally, we must address the energy challenges surrounding the use of advanced vehicles. Is the power grid we use produced by coalàor wind? Can a hydrogen re-fueling system be created?

...we are committed to developing everything completely in-house because it is faster and more efficient. We know there is not just one solution, but many.
ùKatsuaki Watanabe