Toyota corrects course on electric vehicles with new models for U.S

Feb 11, 2021 | News On Japan

Feb 11, 2021 (Japan Times) - Toyota Motor Corp. plans to launch two new battery-powered vehicles in the U.S. this year, revising its earlier tentative position on electric vehicles and trucks.

The automaker said Wednesday it will start selling the unnamed EVs and an unspecified plug-in hybrid model, adding to a lineup with several gas-electric hybrids that accounted for almost one-fifth of its total U.S. deliveries last year.

Toyota withdrew from EVs in the U.S. seven years ago when it ceased production of an all-electric version of its best-selling RAV4 crossover sport-utility vehicle.

The move to expand beyond hybrids represents a reversal of that cautious stance and comes at a time when rivals such as General Motors Co. are planning dozens of EVs and aiming to cease output of gasoline-powered models entirely by 2035.

Toyota sells limited numbers of a fuel-cell-powered sedan called the Mirai, but its executives in the U.S. said as recently as last year that they hadn’t seen enough demand to justify a broader lineup of battery-powered models.

Toyota said 25% of its new-vehicle sales will be electrified by 2025 — not far from what it expects to sell in the U.S. this year. But it added that the share will rise to almost 70% by 2030.

Typhoon Nos. 28 and 29 Bring High-Wave Risk to Pacific Coast

Typhoon Nos. 28 and 29 are expected to remain well away from Japan, but waves of 3 to 4 meters could reach parts of the country's Pacific coast from around October 10, with Typhoon No. 28 moving west near Minamitorishima at about 40 kilometers per hour as of 6 a.m. on October 8.

Tokyo University Professor Wins Nobel Prize in Chemistry

Tokyo University of Science professor emeritus Kenzo Soai has been awarded this year's Nobel Prize in Chemistry together with French chemist Henri B. Kagan for discoveries that transformed scientists' understanding of how chemical reactions can favor one of two mirror-image forms of a molecule.

US Military Halts All Okinawa Operations for 48 Hours

The US military suspended activities by all forces stationed in Okinawa for 48 hours from noon on October 7, an unusual measure following the arrest of a US Marine in connection with a robbery and murder case that has renewed scrutiny of crimes involving American service members.

Qilin Hacker Detained in Japan

A core member of the international ransomware group Qilin was detained in Japan and handed over to German authorities, according to people familiar with the case, as Japanese companies and institutions face a growing wave of cyberattacks that has exposed nearly 15 million pieces of personal information this month alone.

Year of the Sheep Postcards Arrive in Hokkaido

New Year postcards for 2027 arrived at post offices across Hokkaido on October 6, with designs featuring sheep for the upcoming Year of the Sheep as Japan's traditional New Year card market continues to shrink.

MEDIA CHANNELS

MORE Society NEWS

Twin Brothers Busted Stealing Copper from Shrine Roof

Twin brothers have been arrested on suspicion of stealing copper roofing from a remote shrine in Kochi Prefecture, as police investigate a series of similar thefts reported at about 10 shrines across the prefecture since around September 2025.

Year of the Sheep Postcards Arrive in Hokkaido

TV Talent Dewi Sukarno Fined 200,000 Yen for Assault

The Tokyo District Court on October 6 fined television personality Dewi Sukarno, widely known in Japan as Dewi Fujin, 200,000 yen after finding the 86-year-old guilty of assaulting two women who worked for her agency, including a former manager.

US Marine Suspected of Strangling Woman With Hotel Phone Cord

A 20-year-old US Marine arrested over the robbery and killing of a woman at a hotel in Naha, Okinawa Prefecture, may have strangled her with the cord of a telephone installed in the room, investigators said.

Teen Boys Accused of Beating and Abducting 17-Year-Old

Five boys aged 15 to 17 have been arrested on suspicion of robbing and confining a 17-year-old high school student in Akishima, Tokyo, after allegedly beating him with a baton, taking his cash and forcing him to travel around on motorcycles.

Bar Owner Arrested Over Disposal of Girlfriend's Body in Mountains

A 36-year-old Tokyo bar owner was arrested on October 5 on suspicion of abandoning the body of his 25-year-old girlfriend in a mountainous area of Miyagi Prefecture, with police also investigating whether he was involved in her death.

Danjiri Float Overturns in Osaka, Injuring 11 During Festival

Eleven men were injured when a traditional danjiri festival float overturned while attempting to make a sharp left turn at an intersection in Sakai, Osaka Prefecture, on the evening of October 3, with all victims conscious when transported to hospitals and none suffering life-threatening injuries.

Fire Breaks Out at 'Haunted' Restaurant in Osaka

Police are investigating a possible case of arson after a fire broke out in the parking lot of a closed restaurant in Daito, Osaka Prefecture, early on October 3, damaging approximately 460 square meters of the property, which has become a popular gathering place for young people after being featured online as a haunted location.

< 2 3 4 5 >