As Japanese automakers fall behind in the surging Chinese EV market, Toyota looks to turn things around. Toyota announced Monday it will boost local development of tech and software in China to produce “electrified vehicles that are competitive” where EVs are taking over the market.
Toyota boosts local EV development in China
A market once dominated by foreign automakers like Toyota and Volkswagen, China is now seeing an unprecedented surge in domestically built EVs.
On top of this, price cuts from the nation’s top EV makers, like BYD and Tesla, continue putting more pressure on other automakers.
To catch up, Toyota’s new plans call for accelerating local design and development of smart cockpits to enhance the driving experience with modern interior designs and built-in AI, something buyers in China are gravitating toward.
Toyota is also working with its top suppliers, Denso and Aisin, to speed up electric powertrain development.
The move comes after a report from Reuters claimed Toyota’s joint venture in the region with China’s GAC was laying off workers last week.
Toyota bZ3 electric sedan (Source: FAW-Toyota)
Toyota also plans to significantly reduce manufacturing costs through three initiatives. These include developing a local supplier base, reviewing parts designs, and reforming production and manufacturing to regain competitiveness.
CEO of Toyota China, Tatsuro Ueda, commented on the situation, saying:
The Chinese market is growing at an unprecedented pace. Toyota will also work together as a group to reform how we work & think to survive in China. By promoting local development with IEM by TOYOTA at its core, we will attempt to develop and provide competitive products that can satisfy Chinese customers at a fast pace.
Meanwhile, the automaker is sticking to its “multi-pathway” approach, which includes EVs, PHEVs, HEV, and FCEVs.
Toyota concept EVs (Source: Toyota)
Electric vehicle urgency reaches Japan
Newly elected CEO Koji Sato stated during an interview after taking over in April, “We need to increase our speed and efforts to firmly meet the customer expectations in the Chinese market.”
Toyota already slashed prices on its first electric SUV in the region, the bZ4X, earlier this year. On top of this, the automaker issued a recall (over 12K units) for its first electric sedan, the BYD-powered bZ3, over defective door handles.
Toyota bZ4X (Source: Toyota)
The automaker has already revealed plans to advance new EV technologies, including Giga casting to reduce manufacturing complexity, self-propelled production lines, hypersonic rocket tech to enhance efficiency, and next-gen batteries that will boost range while cutting costs.
Giga cast (Source: Toyota)
Toyota plans to have engineers from its three joint ventures in China, BYD, FAW, and GAC, work on a “Toyota-led development project.”
Electrek’s Take
Japanese automakers, who have been slow to adopt purely electric vehicles, are falling behind in the world’s largest EV market, and it’s starting to take its toll.
Mitsubishi was the first Japanese EV maker to fall in China, announcing plans to suspend operations in the region indefinitely earlier this month. A company memo 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.”
Mitsubishi China sales (Source: Bloomberg)
Mitsubishi, like Toyota, cited China’s transition from ICE to electric as reasoning. Mitsubishi’s sales have fallen from a peak of 134,500 in 2019 to only 34,500 this past year.
Other Japanese automakers are also seeing sales fall in the region, including Honda, Nissan, and Mazda.
Toyota’s sales in China fell 2.8% in the first half of the year, including a 12.8% drop in June. And it’s not only happening to automakers in Japan. They are just seeing some of the most drastic impacts. Other foreign automakers are also feeling the heat in China’s booming EV market.
Volkswagen has accelerated its EV efforts in the region, partnering with Xpeng Motors (through Audi) to use its tech platform, ADAs, and connectivity software to develop two new models.
Meanwhile, China’s EV market continues to get bigger, and domestic automakers like BYD, NIO, XPeng, Li Auto, and others are gaining their share.
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Lectric’s XP4 750 e-bike has become my go-to means of traveling around Brooklyn in the few months I’ve had it, and I’m certain it will be winning the brand another award as the top-selling e-bike in America, which was my conclusion after going hands-on in my review. The standard XP4 e-bike sports a capable 500W brushless geared hub motor (that peaks at 1,092W) alongside a 10.4Ah battery, whereas the XP4 750 e-bike brings along a larger 750W motor (1,310W peak) and a 17.5Ah battery combo that boosts travel times from the standard 50-mile pedal-assisted range up as far as 85 miles. Both e-bikes utilize Stealth M24 tech in the motors for quieter performance, with top 20/28 MPH top speeds, depending on your state-specific laws.
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If you’re unaware, Lectric made some serious redesigns with this new generation, including the zero-degree stem, detachable TFT display, and the highly applauded repositioning of its side key location/charging port on top of the keyless riding functionality. Of course, there’s plenty more to love, like the hydraulic brakes, puncture-resistant mixed-terrain tires, the integrated taillight with both brake lighting and turn signals, the Shimano Altus 8-speed derailleur, and more.
Lectric XP4 e-bikes with up to $514 bundles (and gifts):
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ONE LR Belt-Drive e-bike with $288 bundle (and gifts):
Save up to an exclusive $970 on refurbished Anker SOLIX units like the F3800 power station at a second-best $1,709
We’ve secured exclusive discounts from Wellbots on a collection of 10 different refurbished Anker SOLIX power stations, solar generator bundles, and add-on accessories that total up to $970 in savings. One of the notable standouts that is also seeing the largest price cut is the Anker SOLIX F3800 Portable Power Station at $1,709.05 shipped, after using the exclusive code 9TO5RBANKER at checkout for an additional 5% off. This renewed model is dropping from $2,679 to $1,799 with the starting discount, and the exclusive code cuts an extra $90 from the tag – which beats out the best pricing we’ve seen on a new unit by $490. We’ve had two previous exclusive deals on this refurbished station over the year, with today’s deal only beaten out by a drop to $1,699 from May. You’re getting the second-best price here with a $970 markdown, landing it just $10 shy of the May low.
Travel all terrains on Segway’s ZT3 Pro e-scooter with Apple Find My and proximity locking at its $850 low
Looking in on Segway’s extended Fall Prime Day Sale, you have through the rest of the week to hop on the ZT3 Pro Electric All-Terrain Scooter at $849.99 shipped, which also matches the price at Amazon. While it may carry a $1,300 MSRP direct from Segway, you can normally find it down at $1,000 at Amazon. We saw it previously drop to this rate for the first and only time during July’s Prime Day event, with this being the second chance at its best pricing. You’ll be scoring $150 off the going rate (and $450 off the MSRP) for the all-time lowest price we have tracked. Be sure to check out the full lineup of Segway EV Prime Day deals in our original coverage here.
Missed Prime Day? Anker’s new SOLIX C1000 Gen 2 power station is at its next-best $429 price
If you pop in on Anker’s official Amazon storefront, you can currently pick up the new SOLIX C1000 Gen 2 Portable Power Station at $429 shipped, which beats out the brand’s direct website by $70. We saw this new backup power solution fall to a new $379 low at Amazon during its Prime Day event last week, while the brand’s direct Prime sale only saw it discounted to today’s rate. If you missed out on that two-day all-time low, you can score it at the next-best price while these savings last. Learn more about it in our hands-on tested review here, while also checking out the early-bird savings on the new SOLIX C2000 Gen 2 power station here.
Forget ice runs with Anker’s SOLIX EverFrost 2 58L dual-zone electric cooler at $720 (Today only)
As part of its Deals of the Day, Best Buy is offering the Anker SOLIX EverFrost 2 58L Cordless Dual-Zone Electric Cooler at $719.99 shipped, which beats out Amazon’s current pricing by $179. While it carries an $1,100 MSRP, you’ll more regularly find it around $900 these days, with discounts having gone as low as $719 since it hit the market in March, with that price having only appeared once back during July’s Prime Day event. You’re looking at the next-best rate that only lasts through the rest of the day, giving you up to $380 off the MSRP and equips your outdoor gatherings with a reliable means to keep things chilled and/or frozen.
The savings this week are also continuing to a collection of other markdowns. To the same tune as the offers above, these all help you take a more energy-conscious approach to your routine. Winter means you can lock in even better off-season price cuts on electric tools for the lawn while saving on EVs and tons of other gear.
Tesla has brought back its ‘Mad Max’ mode for its ‘Full Self-Driving (Supervised) that ignores speed limits amid several regulatory investigations into Tesla’s system being dangerous.
Between wrongful death lawsuits from customers and pressure from regulators, including the California DMV and NHTSA, one would think that Tesla would be more careful about its communications regarding its advanced driver assist systems.
But no.
On the contrary, Tesla is bringing back the controversially named “Mad Max” mode in its Full Self-Driving (Supervised), a level 2 advanced driver assistance system that Tesla claims will become level 4 fully autonomous in the near future – something it claimed every year for the last 7 years.
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Last week, Tesla released its FSD v14 update, the first significant update in a year, and it included a new mode: Sloth Mode, which drives slower.
Now, Tesla has pushed another update, FSD v14.1.2, which adds another mode on the other end of the spectrum: Mad Max.
The automaker wrote in the release notes:
Introduced new speed profile MAD MAX, which comes with higher speeds and more frequent lane changes than HURRY.
It’s not the first time Tesla has introduced this mode, whose name is borrowed from the popular series of post-apocalyptic movies, in which people are known for driving aggressively.
At the time, CEO Elon Musk presented the feature as being more aggressive in doing lane changes and navigating more challenging traffic situations. He specifically mentioned Los Angeles.
The new Mad Max mode in Tesla FSD is marketed similarly. It hasn’t been out for 24 hours, and it has already been spotted rolling stop signs and driving more than 15 mph (24 km/h) over the speed limit.
NHSTA initiated four separate investigations into FSD over the past year. The company is awaiting a judge’s decision in a case against California DMV over the naming of Autopilot and Full Self-Driving.
Amid all that, Tesla decides to launch a feature called Mad Max.
Even if it were incredibly safe, it would be pretty dumb.
As usual, I like to remind readers that Tesla doesn’t take any responsibility for its ADAS system, Autopilot, and Full Self-Driving. They require drivers to pay attention at all times and be ready to take control. They can make dumb mistakes at the worst time.
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A new study from the North American Council for Freight Efficiency (NACFE) challenges the notion that battery electric semi trucks can’t serve long-haul logistics, but they’re not presenting a slide deck made by pencil-pushers and spreadsheets. They’re proving HDEVs are ready with real-world electric semi trucks covering hundreds of miles every day.
NACFE recently wrapped its “Run On Less – Messy Middle” technology demonstration showcasing a mix of “clean” trucking technologies that includes diesels, bio-diesel, natural gas, hydrogen, and (of course) BEVs in a full range of duty cycles across 13 active fleets in the US and Canada — and, while I’ve criticized NACFE for taking Shell’s money and continuing to promote a “Messy Middle” message that I find disingenuous, they’re doing some pretty heavy lifting here to show that battery electric semis are more ready for prime-time than most fleet managers might believe.
“Take a moment, plan your route from Seattle, Washington, to Bozeman, Montana, on I-90. Your mapping program will tell you that it is 677 miles and will take an estimated 10 hours and 2 minutes. Then day two of your drive from Bozeman to Fargo, North Dakota, on I-94 racks up another 750 miles taking an estimated 10 hours and 29 minutes [and so on],” writes Rick Mihelic, Director of Emerging Technologies at NACFE, for the Commercial Carrier Journal. “On the fifth day, push on into New York City, adding 614 miles. In five days, you’ve taken your truck the width of the country, accumulating 2,967 legal hours-of-service miles.”
“Congratulations,” he adds, somewhat sarcastically. “You’ve just proven a battery electric truck can’t do what a diesel truck can.”
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Instead of presenting a hypothetical scenario specifically designed to showcase the strength of existing diesel infrastructure, however, Mihelic proposes an alternative perspective: a real-world example, from a real-world fleet.
“Start in Midland, Texas, and head south to Laredo, racking up a 470 mile day,” . On day two, run around Laredo picking up loads then head north to Junction, Texas, to complete a 301 mile day. Then on day three head to Santa Teresa, New Mexico, getting in 447 miles. On day four, head to Phoenix, another 473 miles. On day five, push on into San Bernadino, California, adding 293 miles. Five days in a truck, a total of 1,984 miles.”
That route? It’s 100% electric. And it’s not the only one.
Real road ready
Granted, 1,984 miles is significantly less than 2,967, but that’s not the point. Over the course of their telematics driven research, the NACFE team tested three BEV semis — a Volvo VNR Electric, a Freightliner eCascadia, and a Windrose R700 — and all of them successfully fulfilled their duties, covering hundreds of miles each day with loads of up to 55,000 lbs.
And they did it, in the real world, without burning a drop of diesel.
Some diesel advocates often over-emphasize the narrative about long-haul trucking, giving the impression that all Class 8 trucks run more than 600 miles per day and they all are running heavy at 80,000 lbs. maximum weights. Facts don’t seem to bother those people. The reality is that the average truck loading is often less than 70,000 lbs., that anywhere from one-tenth to half the time the trucks are running empty back hauls. And especially, they ignore all the telematics data out there from multiple credible sources that show that most trucks are operating less than 500 miles per day.
It’s called misinformation, and it has served vested interests very well. But facts are facts. Battery electric trucks can go the distance.
Back in June, we covered an Altitude by Geotab study published earlier this quarter analyzed 2024 aggregated data from Geotab-connected commercial vehicles, revealing that 58% of medium-duty trucks and 41% of heavy-duty trucks drive less than 250 miles between depots. The study focused on medium-duty (Classes 3-6) and heavy-duty (Classes 7-8) truck data gathered from driving patterns, routes, and stops on real roads to determine the feasibility of electric and alt-fuel truck adoption and to help identify the most strategic locations for charging infrastructure build out.
“The trucking industry is undergoing a significant transformation, driven by the need for efficiency, sustainability, and economic benefits,” explains Nate Veeh, AVP of Market Development at Altitude by Geotab. “Our analysis reveals that a substantial portion of medium- and heavy-duty trucks have daily driving patterns that are well-suited for electrification … by using data insights, utilities and other key stakeholders can pinpoint where truck concentrations are and understand their aggregate driving behaviors, to make informed decisions in terms of truck electrification and the subsequent demands on energy grids and location of EV charging networks.”
Telematics integrations can also help optimize a fleet’s charging schedules, both by scheduling EV charging for lower priced, off-peak hours and by identifying the most dependable high-speed charging stations along regular routes to minimize down time for both vehicles and drivers.
You can check out the data for yourself at the source links, above, then let us know what you think about the future of electric heavy transport in the comments.
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