Toyota falters as Japan’s EV hesitancy claims second victim in China
Japan’s largest automaker, Toyota Motor, is laying off workers in China as the company struggles to keep up in the world’s biggest EV market.
Toyota lays off workers amid China’s EV transition
Japanese automakers are stumbling in China’s evolving auto landscape. According to a new report from Reuters, Toyota’s joint venture with China’s Guangzhou Automobile Group (GAC) laid off workers this weekend, offering them compensation.
Three workers who were affected said the move comes as the Japanese automaker is struggling in China’s ultra-competitive auto market that’s rapidly transitioning to EVs.
The joint venture’s factory in China employs around 19,000 people, producing models such as Toyota’s first EV, the bZ4X, alongside the Camry and Levin models.
Toyota launched the bZ4X in China in October 2022 with a starting price of 199,800 yuan (around $19,000). However, after several market leaders, including BYD and Tesla, cut prices, Toyota failed to gain traction.
The Japanese automaker sold 3,844 bZ4X models in China through January, representing just 0.26% of China’s EV market.
To boost sales and remain competitive, the automaker slashed prices by 15% in response earlier in February, with a new starting price of around 169,800 yuan ($24,800).
So far, the move has failed to make a difference, with EV sales falling 9% in the first six months of the year.
Despite launching its first electric sedan in China earlier this year, the BYD-powered bZ3 starting at 189,800 yuan ($27,000), Toyota (through FAW-Toyota) is recalling (not OTA) over 12.2K bZ3 electric sedans over defective rear door handles.
After taking over for longtime leader and grandson to the company’s founder (Akio Toyoda) in April, former Lexus branding chief officer Koji Sato said Toyota would need to act urgently to keep up in China’s EV market.
After seeing the impact of EVs at the Shanghai Auto Show, Sato explained:
We need to increase our speed and efforts to firmly meet the customer expectations in the Chinese market.
Meanwhile, Toyota is not the only Japanese automaker suffering in China amid the country’s shift to EVs.
China’s EV market takes a toll on Japanese automakers
According to the China Association of Automobile Association, Japanese automakers’ market share in the region has fallen from 20% last year to 14.9% in the first half of 2023.
Electric vehicle sales in China reached over 2 million through the first five months of the year, up 51.5% YOY as buyers continue adopting EVs at a record pace.
Japanese automakers, who have been arguably the biggest laggards in the EV market, are feeling the pinch the most.
For example, Mitsubishi Motors revealed in a memo last week it was suspending operations in China indefinitely after sales fell drastically. The memo (via Bloomberg) stated:
In the past few months, management and shareholders have tried to the best of our ability, but due to market conditions and with great reluctance and regret, we must seize the opportunity to transition to new energy vehicles. The company will resurrect after going through trials and tribulations.
After peaking at over 134K in 2019, Mitsubishi’s sales have fallen significantly, with only 34.5K vehicles sold in 2022. The decline in sales correlates with China’s booming EV market, fueled by clean energy incentives and other government initiatives.
Nearly all Japanese automakers, including Honda, Mazda, and Nissan, are seeing sales fall in China due to a lack of electric vehicle models to compete with domestic automakers.
Sales of Chinese brands accounted for 53% of the market through the first half of the year as domestic EV makers like BYD, NIO, Li Auto, and XPeng continue to grab market share with unique models in essentially every segment.
Electrek’s Take
Although Electrek has been saying it for years, Japan’s reluctance to produce electric vehicles is already starting to cost them.
China is the world’s leading EV market as the industry continues to adopt electric cars at a record pace.
Last year, a Climate Group report warned Japan could risk a 14% drop in GDP if it failed to boost EV output, and it continues to look more and more apparent that’s the direction we are headed.
Japanese automakers are not the only ones feeling the heat. Volkswagen, which has been a leader in China, saw sales drop 3.6% last year and was surpassed by BYD in passenger car sales for the first half of the year.
In light of this, most automakers mentioned here have recently ramped up EV efforts, including investing in battery tech, dedicated EV platforms, and more efficient models.
Japan is increasing support to advance storage battery tech with over 330 billion yen ($2.3B) in subsidies. Toyota is set to receive nearly 120 billion yen ($847M) of it to fuel its recently revealed EV battery plans.
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Ford is cutting prices on the electric pickup by up to $4,000 to offset the loss of the federal EV tax credit. The 2026 Ford F-150 Lightning now offers more driving range at a lower price.
2026 Ford F-150 Lightning prices and range by trim
After the Tesla Cybertruck took the title as America’s best-selling electric pickup last year, the Ford F-150 Lightning is back on top in 2025.
Ford sold over 10,000 Lightnings in the third quarter, nearly double the roughly 5,400 Tesla Cybertrucks sold. Through September, Ford has sold over 23,000 electric pickups. According to Cox Automotive, Tesla has only sold 16,097 Cybertrucks this year, 38% fewer than it did during the same period in 2024.
After the $7,500 federal EV tax credit expired at the end of September, many automakers, including Ford, are bracing for less demand.
To keep the momentum going, Ford is reducing prices for the 2026 F-150 Lightning by up to $4,000. Company spokesperson Martin Günsberg confirmed with Electrek that Ford is cutting prices on the flash trim by $4,000 and the Lariat by $2,000.
Ford introduced a new base STX model that replaces the XLT for 2026. The 2026 Ford F-150 Lightning STX starts at $63,345, the same as the 2025 STX, but it delivers an extra 50 miles of driving range.
A 123 kW extended range battery powers the STX, providing an EPA estimated 290 miles of range. In comparison, the XLT delivered 240 miles of range from a 98 kWh battery.
Ford also raided the F-150 parts bin to add a few off-road goodies like running boards from the Tremor, new wheels, and more.
The 2026 F-150 Lightning Flash will start at $65,995, down from $69,995. Meanwhile, the 2026 Lariat and Platinum trims will be priced from $74,995 and $84,995.
| Ford F-150 Lightning trim | 2025 Starting Price | 2026 Starting Price | Range (EPA-est miles) |
| XLT | $63,345 | N/A | 240 |
| STX | N/A | $63,345 | 290 |
| Flash | $69,995 | $65,995 | 320 |
| Lariat | $76,995 | $74,995 | 320 |
| Platinum | $84,995 | $84,995 | 300 |
Although Ford decided not to move forward with plans for a program to extend the $7,500 EV tax credit, the company is still offering significant incentives to compensate for the loss of it.
The 2025 Ford F-150 Lighting STX is eligible for up to $11,500 in savings in California and other ZEV states. Ford is offering a $9,000 lease cash bonus and an additional $2,000 Ford Power Promise cash bonus. Alternatively, Ford is offering 0% APR financing for 72 months plus an extra $2,000 Power Promise bonus nationwide.
With the 2026 Lightning arriving, Ford is offering big savings on 2025 models. The 2025 F-150 Lightning XLT is currently listed for lease as low as $279 per month in California. You can use our link to find offers on the Ford F-150 Lightning near you (trusted affiliate link).
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Global EV sales passed the 2 million mark for the first time in September 2025, according to new data from EV research house Rho Motion – here’s how it breaks down.
A record-breaking September
Rho Motion’s data shows that 2.1 million EVs were sold worldwide in September, the highest monthly total ever recorded. The US, UK, South Korea, and China all hit major milestones, with tax credit deadlines, new registration cycles, and local incentives fueling the global boom.
“Global EV sales topped 2 million units in a single month for the first time, driven by record-breaking demand across major markets,” said Rho Motion’s data manager Charles Lester. “The US surged ahead as buyers raced to claim expiring tax credits, the UK hit new highs on the back of fresh registration plates and the Electric Car Grant, and South Korea set records thanks to Tesla, Hyundai, Kia, and rising BYD imports. Year to date, EV sales have reached 14.7 million – up 26%.”
EV sales by the numbers YTD (Jan–Sept 2025)
- Global: 14.7 million (+26%)
- China: 9.0 million (+24%)
- Europe: 3.0 million (+32%)
- North America: 1.5 million (+11%)
- Rest of World: 1.2 million (+48%)
Europe surges on incentives
Europe had a record-breaking month with 427,000 EVs sold, up 36% year-over-year and 55% from August. The UK led the charge with record demand tied to the launch of new license plates and the government’s Electric Car Grant, introduced in July. BEV sales rose 30% year-over-year, while PHEVs jumped nearly 60%.
Germany’s EV market is expected to get another boost in 2026 after the government approved a new €3 billion ($3.5 billion) incentive package targeting low- and middle-income households. It replaces the subsidy scheme that expired in December 2023. Italy and Spain also continue to see strong growth, with sales up two-thirds and more than double, respectively, compared to 2024.
US buyers rushed to beat tax credit deadlines
In North America, EV sales soared 66% year-over-year in September as US consumers scrambled to take advantage of federal incentives before they expired on September 30. The tax credits supported both purchases and leases.
But Rho Motion expects Q4 2025 demand to dip sharply as those credits disappear. Some automakers are already taking defensive steps: Hyundai has cut prices, while Mercedes-Benz has paused production of four EV models. GM has suspended a production shift at its Spring Hill, Tennessee, plant, and Volkswagen is stopping ID.4 production in Tennessee in October. Nissan has gone further, scrapping its plans to manufacture EVs in the US altogether.
China is the world’s EV powerhouse
China still dominates the global EV market, selling 1.3 million EVs in September, a record-breaking month powered by strong BEV demand. Pure-electric sales rose 28% year-over-year to 800,000 units, while PHEVs and range-extended EVs dipped by 2% to 470,000.
China has sold nearly 9 million EVs YTD, up 24% from 2024, cementing its position as the world’s largest and most mature EV market.
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On today’s hyped up hybrid episode of Quick Charge, we’ve got the first extended range electric Jeep in North America – the 500-mile new Grand Wagoneer PLUS news that Mazda is getting into the plug-in price war, and a whole lot more.
Today’s episode is brought to you by Climate XChange, a nonpartisan nonprofit working to help states pass effective, equitable climate policies. The nonprofit just kicked off its 10th annual EV raffle, where participants have multiple opportunities to win their dream model. Visit CarbonRaffle.org/Electrek to learn more.
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