Toyota’s Redesigned Prius May Get More Drivers Behind the Wheel of a Hybrid Vehicle

Toyota has completely redesigned the Prius and its sleek looks and improved performance just might get more drivers behind the wheel of a hybrid vehicle. The new Prius may also attract buyers that are looking for a more affordable alternative than purchasing a fully-electric vehicle. The improved lithium ion battery allows the Prius to operate on EV-only mode for most daily commutes.

FutureCar Staff 2022-12-25 12:50 PT

Toyota to Collaborate With Texas-based Utility Provider Oncor to Accelerate a Vehicle-to-Grid EV Charging Ecosystem

Toyota Motor North America (Toyota) and Texas-based utility company Oncor will collaborate on a pilot project to expand vehicle-to-grid (V2G), charging technology. V2G technology allows the energy from an electric vehicle’s battery to flow back to the grid when not being used. The project is Toyota’s first collaboration with a public utility company. The research will allow Toyota and Oncor to be better prepared to support a more comprehensive EV charging ecosystem in the U.S.

FutureCar Staff 2022-12-15 11:05 PT

Toyota is Investing an Additional $2.5 Billion to Expand its North Carolina Factory to Boost EV Battery Production

Toyota Motor Corp announced on Wednesday that it will invest an additional $2.5 billion at its newest U.S. facility, “Toyota Battery Manufacturing North Carolina” (TBMNC), to produce more batteries for electrified vehicles. Battery production is scheduled to begin in 2025. The latest investment brings Toyota’s total investment in North Carolina to $3.8 billion.

Eric Walz2022-10-07 09:45 PT

Toyota is Working With the U.S. Dept of Energy to Advance ‘Megawatt-Scale’ Fuel Cell Powered Stationary Energy Generators

​Toyota Motor North America is collaborating with the U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE's) National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) to build, install and evaluate a 1-megawatt (MW) fuel cell power generation system at NREL's Flatirons Campus in Arvada, Colorado. Toyota said it leveraged its over 25 years of fuel cell development experience in designing the 1-MW fuel cell system, expanding on its expertise from the light duty fuel cell electric vehicle market.

Eric Walz2022-09-30 11:00 PT

Toyota Offering Multiple Solutions for Non-Drivable bZ4X Electric SUVs

Toyota bZ4X owners that aren’t interested in waiting for the automaker to come out with a fix have the option of Toyota buying back the SUV.

Vineeth Joel Patel2022-09-13 22:00 PT

Toyota Unveils the 2023 Crown, a Lifted Hybrid Sedan With 340 HP

One of Toyota’s oldest modest returns to the U.S. as a raised sedan with chunky styling and a 340-horsepower hybrid powertrain.

Vineeth Joel Patel2022-08-22 15:00 PT

Toyota’s Woven Planet is Now ‘Training’ its Self-Driving Development Vehicles Using Data From Low-Cost Cameras, an Approach Used by Tesla

Toyota’s Woven Planet Holdings, which is working on advanced technology for the automaker including autonomous driving, is taking a new camera-based approach in advancing its self-driving development without the use of expensive vehicle sensors such as lidar, Reuters reported on Wednesday. The team at Woven Planet views it as a "breakthrough" that may help drive down costs and better scale Toyota’s autonomous driving technology.

Eric Walz2022-05-13 10:45 PT

Toyota is Working With ChargePoint to Ensure Customers Have Convenient Home & Public Charging Options for its New bZ4X Electric SUV

As Toyota Motor North America prepares for the launch of its first electric vehicle in the U.S. next year with the debut of the battery-powered bZ4X SUV, the automaker wants to ensure that its EV customers will have seamless access to charging both at home and at public chargers. The automaker announced today it will work with EV charging provider ChargePoint, Inc. that will help ensure that bZ4X drivers will have access to convenient charging solutions.

Eric Walz2022-04-28 15:15 PT

2022 Toyota Mirai Gains Hands-Free Teammate System

The 2022 Toyota Mirai becomes the first vehicle with a Toyota badge to be offered with the automaker’s high-tech Teammate driver-assist system.

Vineeth Joel Patel2022-04-19 07:00 PT

Toyota to Launch its ‘Arene’ Vehicle Operating System in Models by 2025

​For the past several years, Japan’s Toyota Motor Corp has been developing its own automotive operating system called “Arene”, which can handle everything from basic vehicle functions to advanced applications such as autonomous driving. As development work continues, Toyota plans to put its Arene operating system (OS) into its vehicles by 2025, news outlet Nikkei reports.

FutureCar Staff 2022-02-10 17:00 PT

Toyota-backed Autonomous Driving Developer Pony.ai Gets its Driverless Test Permit Suspended in California After Minor Accident

After a minor accident involving one of Pony.ai's autonomous test vehicles in California, the state has stepped in and suspended the company's deployment permit while it conducts an investigation to find out what happened. It’s the first time that the California DMV suspended an autonomous driving test permit after issuing over 50 of them to companies working on self-driving vehicles in the state.

Eric Walz2022-01-20 13:25 PT

Toyota Commits $35 Billion by 2030 to Develop New Electrified Vehicles, Including Hybrid & Fuel Cell Models

Japan’s Toyota Motor Corp, which once saw hybrid vehicle powertrains as the future while the rest of the auto industry invested heavily in battery-powered vehicles (BEVs), is now going all in on electrification. But rather than producing only purely electric vehicles like Tesla, Toyota’s updated electrification plans through 2030 will include a mix of battery electric, hybrid and fuel cell powered vehicles.

Eric Walz2022-01-20 11:40 PT

Toyota to Build a ‘Multi-Billion Dollar' EV Battery Plant in North Carolina, its First in the U.S.

Toyota Motor Corp is making a "multi-billion dollar" investment to build an EV battery factory in North Carolina, state officials announced on Monday. The plant will supply the batteries for Toyota’s future U.S.-built models and employ roughly 1,750 workers from 2025 to 2029, making it one of the largest manufacturing investments in the state’s history, according to North Carolina's Commerce Department.

Eric Walz2022-01-12 11:15 PT

Toyota’s Electric Cars to Focus on Price, Not Range

Instead of making electrified vehicles that have a large amount of range and are incredibly expensive, Toyota will focus on making EVs with an affordable price.

Vineeth Joel Patel2022-01-10 07:25 PT

2023 Toyota bZ4X Officially Unveiled With 250 Miles of Range

Toyota’s newest electric vehicle will go in sale in the middle of 2022 and is the first EV to be a part of the automaker’s bZ lineup.

Vineeth Joel Patel2021-12-28 07:15 PT

Toyota’s Woven Planet Group Acquires Silicon Valley-based Automotive Software Developer Renovo

​Toyota Motor Corp subsidiary Woven Planet Holdings, Inc., which is an expansion of the operations of the Toyota Research Institute (TRI), announced the acquisition of Renovo Motors, Inc. (“Renovo”), a Silicon Valley-based vehicle software developer. Renovo will help advance Woven Planet’s mission to create software-programmable vehicles for Toyota.

FutureCar Staff 2021-11-04 13:15 PT

Toyota, Honda Voice Opposition to Proposed Tax Credit Bill

The proposed bill gives massive incentives to shoppers that purchase a union-made electric car that’s assembled in the United States, leaving brands like Toyota, Honda, and Tesla out of the mix.

Vineeth Joel Patel2021-10-25 16:00 PT

Toyota to Invest $13.5 Billion in Electric Vehicle Battery Development by 2030

​Japan’s Toyota Motor Corp is making a massive investment in electric vehicle battery technologies. The automaker announced on Tuesday that it is investing up to $13.5 billion to develop advanced battery technologies for its future lineup of electrified vehicles. Toyota’s ongoing development of batteries is also designed to reduce the battery costs per vehicle by 50% by the second half of the 2020s.

Eric Walz2021-10-14 13:35 PT

Toyota is Now Manufacturing Engine Blocks and Transmission Housings From Recycled Aluminum at its Plant in Tennessee

The engine block in your Toyota vehicle may contain recycled beverage cans and other repurposed aluminum. Toyota Motor Manufacturing Tennessee (TMMTN), the factory that builds engine blocks and transmission housings for every Toyota vehicle sold in the U.S., is using recycled aluminum to create thousands of them each day.

Eric Walz2021-09-25 12:35 PT

Toyota to Offer New Replacement Parts for the Land Cruiser to Help Owners Keep Them on the Road

Toyota announced that it will reproduce spare parts in celebration of the 70th anniversary of the Land Cruiser on Aug 1, 2021. The parts will be reproduced for 40 Series Land Cruiser, which was produced between 1960 and 1984, as part of the GR Heritage Parts Project set up by Toyota to reproduce and resell spare parts for its older sports cars, such as the Supra.

Eric Walz2021-09-08 11:00 PT