Tag: toyota

Toyota Parodies: Laughter At The Company’s Lackluster Embrace Of EVs

Yura

A parody is a comical retelling and transformation of another text, created with the intent of calling to light perceived weaknesses through imitation and mockery. It’s fun to check out some Toyota parodies at this transitional moment in time  — a time in which the automotive industry is moving head-on to all electric transportation. For far too long, legacy automakers were entrenched in sticking to The Way We’ve Always Done It.  Now the electric vehicle (EV) revolution is predicted to swallow up the global automotive industry — and Toyota has been caught distracted and behind.

ToyotaYawn: Public Citizen Lampoons the Japanese Carmaker

Public Citizen has launched ToyotaYAWN, a 5-figure ad campaign highlighting Toyota Motor Corp.’s lack of commitment to convert its full lineup of cars and trucks to zero emission vehicles.

“ToyotaYAWN is on!” reads an actor in the commercial spot, dressed in the same signature red the actual Toyota actor wears in the company’s US market commercials. (Red is one of the most dominant colors in Japanese culture. It is symbolic of the imperial nation, represented as a filled circle to symbolize the sun on the national flag.)

The actor announces to the camera, “With zero commitment to electrify our full fleet and only one EV on the market, it’s the least exciting time of the year.”

Red vertical banners that flank the stage backdrop are embossed with “ZZZ,” connoting sleepiness.

The ad lampoons the company’s longstanding end-of-the-year sale. “The boring, out-of-touch, and gas-guzzling offerings at Toyota’s end-of-year sales event are enough to put anyone to sleep,” said East Peterson-Trujillo, clean vehicles campaigner with Public Citizen. “Consumers want electric vehicles, but Toyota’s refusal to innovate means we won’t find them at ToyotaYAWN this year.”

The ad campaign, which will run online and on streaming platforms and is live through January 2, targets Toyota owners in Texas, Minnesota, Georgia, Idaho, and Tennessee.

The ToyotaYAWN commercial comes a week after activists from across the country called on Toyota to commit to producing only zero emission cars — the activists signed petitions, placed phone calls to executives and local dealerships, and spoke out on social media. The activists continue to call on the company to transition its full line-up of cars and trucks to zero emissions vehicles.

 

The Onion: Another in a Line of Fun Toyota Parodies

According to “eyewitness reports” on The Onion, visibly frantic area resident Dwight Freeman, 31, rushed headlong out his front door Sunday in a desperate attempt to get to his local dealer’s limited-time Toyotathon before his brief window of opportunity closed.

“My God, I have to get there right now!” screamed Freeman. He — after hearing a radio ad that claimed “these deals [would not] last long” — reportedly ran across his yard while pulling a shirt over his head as he carried his shoes in one hand and slammed a cup of coffee with the other. “These are the best deals of the season — the whole season.”

At press time, the wife and

… Read More... Read More

Toyota leans into accessories set up by sellers

Yura

Toyota is borrowing a prosperous engage in from rival brand names and bringing extra of its accessories business in-dwelling, permitting dealers to market and put in them directly and shoppers to roll their purchases into their financing agreements, all devoid of voiding the first warranty.

The blitz arrives at the midpoint of the redesign of Toyota’s “Four Brothers:” the Tundra and Sequoia, which are now on current market, as properly as the coming redesigns of the Tacoma, thanks following 12 months, and 4Runner, because of in 2024.

There are two sections to the push, at least to begin with. To start with, the manufacturer has designed raise kits in-dwelling, very first for the Tacoma and then this year for the redesigned Tundra. The kits provide excess floor clearance without altering the vehicles’ suspension functionality or compromising its driver support and protection systems.

“We started off with the Tacoma lift package past calendar year and then we launched the Tundra carry kit this calendar year, and we could not be much more energized to do so and really give what consumers are now putting on their vehicle in a way that won’t void the guarantee,” Kay Sanchez, Toyota equipment income manager, instructed Automotive Information.

Secondly, Toyota is rolling out a sequence of Connected Accessory Items from properly-regarded aftermarket organizations which includes Yakima and Rigid Industries and assigning individuals solutions portion quantities within just the Toyota and Lexus areas catalogs. Undertaking so will enable buyers to buy accessories with their car buy and, if they want, roll that price tag into their finance contract. Vendor installation would not be incorporated in the record selling price of the add-ons, Toyota said.

“The AAP method will make customization a seamless encounter for each and every proprietor, and each and every element will be validated by Toyota,” Lisa Materazzo, head of advertising for Toyota, reported in a written assertion announcing the initiative Tuesday, Nov. 1, at the Specialty Machines Current market Affiliation clearly show in Las Vegas.

Among the the initial products outlined in the catalog are rooftop tents and several roof racks from Yakima, camp fridges and air compressor kits from ARB and substantial-overall performance fog lights from Rigid Industries. Also offered are catalytic converter shields from Millercat that shield against theft of the highly specific, pricey elements.

Many other makes have introduced extras once dominated by aftermarket corporations in-household in the previous decade, specially people with specialized off-street offerings, together with Jeep and Ford.

… Read More... Read More

August U.S. car sales: Toyota, Honda skid all over again Ford, Hyundai, Kia put up double-digit August gains

Yura

Ford claimed a 27 % improve in August quantity, with the Ford division up 28 percent and Lincoln advancing 24 percent. The gains ended up broad throughout Ford Motor’s solution lineup, with utility car or truck volume leaping 48 per cent, vehicles soaring 13 % and autos up 49 %.

Ford said need remains sturdy, with retail orders for 2023 product vehicles totaling a lot more than 76,000 last thirty day period, a 41 per cent increase when compared to 2022 product calendar year vehicle orders from a year earlier. And for the fifth straight month, a lot more than 50 percent of Ford’s retail product sales arrived from earlier positioned orders.

The comapny said it finished August with 259,000 automobiles in vendor inventory or in transit, up from 254,000 at the finish of July and 215,000 as August 2021 closed.

Toyota Motor, with some of the leanest stockpiles, claimed quantity dropped 9.8 percent past month, with profits down 8.1 per cent at the Toyota division and 20 p.c at Lexus. It was the 13th-straight monthly drop at Toyota and seventh consecutive drop in Lexus’ month-to-month quantity. 

The Toyota brand’s top sellers posted mixed final results previous thirty day period: Camry, down 5.7 per cent Corolla, off 20 % Highlander, down 24 per cent RAV4, up 9.1 p.c and Tacoma, up 11 percent.

Toyota Motor mentioned it finished August with 132,932 motor vehicles in U.S. inventory — 16,556 at dealerships and 116,376 at ports or in transit — for a 21-working day supply, with truck provides higher than car stockpiles.

The Toyota division has a 20-day source of automobiles, even though Lexus is sitting down on a 26-working day supply of autos and light-weight vehicles, the corporation described Thursday.        

Honda Motor Co. reported August profits skidded 38 p.c, with deliveries down 36 percent at the Honda division and 47 p.c at Acura. Honda model product sales have now dropped 13 straight months, while Acura volumes have dropped 12 consecutive months.

Honda reported its days’ provide of motor vehicles continues to be stuck in the solitary digits, whilst a West Coastline rail embargo contributed to offer woes for the duration of the thirty day period.

Hyundai and Kia every finished a extend of 5-straight every month declines with strong August final results.

August quantity rose 14 per cent at Hyundai and 22 p.c at Kia driving robust retail desire for crossovers, EVs and some automobiles.

“We’re looking at stock start out to rebound, which resulted in potent revenue,” stated Randy Parker, CEO of Hyundai Motor The us. The corporation explained it finished August with 19,209 automobiles and lights vans in U.S. stock, up from 14,784 at the shut of July but off from 39,357 at the conclude of August 2021. Parker, in an job interview Thursday, said Hyundai expects manufacturing unit output to enhance 30 to 35 per cent in the second 50 percent, aiding to even more rebuild vendor stockpiles. 

Kia, with the lowest days’ supply of vehicles, in accordance

… Read More... Read More

Toyota expands N.C. battery plant programs

Yura

Toyota Motor North America’s first battery factory in the United States is now increasing, even as design work on the rural internet site in North Carolina is in its earliest phases.

The Japanese automaker introduced final week it would nearly triple its financial commitment in the plant, to $3.8 billion from $1.3 billion. In addition to providing cells and modules for hybrid vehicle batteries — introduced when options to build the plant ended up unveiled in December — the facility will also create electric automobile batteries.

The more investment boosts the size of the plant near the smaller city of Liberty, and will strengthen planned work to 2,100 from 1,750. Production is expected to begin in 2025.

In late 2021, Toyota Motor Corp. declared a international financial investment of about $70 billion to fund its long run electrification attempts. On Aug. 31, Toyota announced a foreseeable future battery output motivation of $5.6 billion, which includes expansion in North Carolina.

Norm Bafunno, senior vice president for device manufacturing and engineering with Toyota Motor North America, informed Automotive Information the plant’s growth will permit enough generation capability to serve four hybrid-electric powered motor vehicle strains and two battery-electric car or truck strains.

“We started off with four and talked about likely with two more hybrid-electric powered automobile lines, but we are pivoting now,” he reported.

Toyota verified the extra financial investment is at the very least in section a response to passage in August of the Inflation Reduction Act, which seeks to stimulate automakers to devote in battery production and elements sourcing in the U.S.

A spokesperson said Toyota “likes to establish the merchandise where it is offered,” so the business is aligning its footprint for electrification in the region. It really is heading to acquire time, the firm acknowledged, and there is still much get the job done to be done.

At $3.8 billion, the North Carolina battery plant represents Toyota’s 3rd-major manufacturing unit financial investment in the U.S., trailing only its massive assembly crops in Georgetown, Ky. ($8.5 billion in full investments due to the fact 1986) and Princeton, Ind. ($6.6 billion given that 1998).

Development crews are accomplishing site work on the 1,800-acre parcel, from which Toyota’s battery plant will soon increase. Even in its expanded type, Toyota Battery Manufacturing North Carolina will occupy only a compact portion of the land. At first, Toyota approximated the plant would present batteries for about 200,000 automobiles each year, but Baffuno reported updated capability estimates that contain EVs aren’t however accessible.

The plant, which will be operate in cooperation with subsidiary Toyota Tsusho, will manufacture cells and modules for installation into battery packs nearer to the prepared vehicles’ closing assembly issue, considerably like any other element. “We experience we’re heading to have some fairly excellent performance with shipping and delivery these modules for the reason that of their size, what they seem like, and their density pack,” Bafunno reported.

The automaker has started assembling the battery plant’s administration team, together with bringing

… Read More... Read More

Toyota taps radar to cease little one fatalities in hot cars and trucks

Yura

The principle was developed by Toyota Related North The usa in excess of the previous couple of many years, said Toyota Connected CEO Zack Hicks. It has not yet been included to a production motor vehicle, but it is in lively screening.

Last yr, Hicks explained, 23 youngsters and 59 pets died in the U.S. immediately after becoming in a scorching motor vehicle. About 25 p.c of them experienced entered the auto whilst it was parked.

“This is tragic and devastating to anyone associated,” Hicks informed journalists collected here final 7 days for a media celebration at Toyota’s North American headquarters. “So a few a long time in the past, I requested our groups to start out to investigate strategies and how we can resolve this.”

Unlike rear-seat occupant techniques that hire sensors embedded into the seats or rear-struggling with cameras, Cabin Recognition utilizes a single radar emitter embedded beneath the headliner. The emitter can detect an toddler respiration underneath a blanket or even an occupant on the floor or in the rear cargo place.

If the system detects existence when the driver is not existing, it commences an increasingly aggressive collection of alerts: initially flashing lights, then the car horn and then texts to the owner’s cellphone. If the problem carries on, Cabin Recognition pushes notifications to the owner’s intelligent home gadgets and can flip on the automobile, start out the HVAC system and open up the home windows to avert suffocation. It will also automatically notify to start with responders.

“Not like a digicam, wherever a boy or girl can slide asleep and is just not relocating, this can still decide up their heartbeat or even an infant’s chest just moving up and down. And whether the boy or girl is in the auto seat or in the footwell or even the cargo space, we can select it up,” Hicks spelled out.

“Our groups are also exploring the integration of more smart infrastructure, these as digital retail signage and car-to-auto communications, all intended to aid avert these tragedies.”

Cabin Consciousness works by using a one-chip 4D-imaging radar produced by Vayyar Imaging and was influenced by microwave radar technologies produced by NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory. That tech was ready to detect human respiration and heartbeats below more than 30 ft of rubble just after a 7.8 magnitude earthquake in Nepal in 2015, Toyota Connected claimed.

The Cabin Recognition system is below screening with May Mobility in its fleet of autonomously pushed Sienna minivans remaining analyzed in Arlington, Texas, and Ann Arbor, Mich.

In that software, Toyota Linked explained the program could be utilized to alert mother and father when their little one had completed an autonomous experience or to delay the vehicle’s route if a passenger had not exited after reaching their place.

“As we go closer to driver-out operations up coming calendar year and keep on to scale our world business with far more public AV deployments, engineering like the Cabin Consciousness concept is crucial for our riders,”

… Read More... Read More

Toyota, Redword Resources to operate on battery recycling

Yura

Toyota Motor North The us is the most recent automaker to collaborate with battery recycling corporation Redwood Resources as it is effective to supply a more sustainable battery offer chain for its electric powered car or truck force.

The shift comes as Toyota is getting 1 of the to start with automotive companies to accumulate close-of-existence batteries. The firm’s Prius, relationship to 1997, was the to start with mass-market gasoline-electric powered hybrid car, and its batteries are among the 1st to achieve recycling age en masse.

Redwood Components, established by former Tesla Main Technologies Officer JB Straubel, aims to split down conclude-of-lifestyle batteries and use their components in new kinds. Ford, Volvo and Tesla have previously struck specials with the organization.

“Toyota helped pave the way for thoroughly clean transportation with the introduction of the Toyota Prius additional than 20 years back. Their determination not only to provide millions of electrified vehicles this ten years but to assure their circularity into the potential is a crucial action for electrification,” Straubel stated in a push launch final 7 days.

Making a “circular ecosystem” for Toyota’s batteries is the prolonged-time period goal of the collaboration. This would entail Redwood Components breaking down Toyota’s batteries and sending their elements back again to the firm’s North American crops to be produced into new batteries.

This could alleviate some of the offer chain disruptions the field has been dealing with, in addition to slicing out environmentally dangerous harvesting techniques for “virgin” components these types of as lithium, cobalt and other metals.

Alexis Georgeson, vice president of communications and federal government relations for Redwood Elements, claimed the recycling of car or truck batteries is crucial for the sustainability of the EV market on the continent.

“Localizing and onshoring this is genuinely significant to be in a position to push up electrification in this country, and we’re viewing far more and much more automakers that are recognizing that,” Georgeson explained. “The two on recycling as properly as on sourcing the battery supplies additional regionally that go into their cell manufacturing.”

Nevertheless, recycled materials will not be likely into Toyota’s EV batteries in the close to upcoming.

Matthew Stich, common supervisor overseeing Toyota’s Battery Lifecycle Answers crew, claimed this collaboration will require gathering, screening and recycling Toyota’s hybrid electric automobile batteries.

He did counsel the chance of materials remanufacturing, data administration and battery well being screening in the future.

… Read More... Read More