Sato stated that Toyota is not ashamed of its competitors’ widespread transition to electric motors and the development of software to match. Both Chinese and other Japanese manufacturers are looking to fill the EV market globally, but Toyota will still seek to create best practices for combining electric powertrains with internal combustion engines.
And Toyota is already working on such an engine. Sato said the company is developing a new low-displacement inline-four engine. The choice is no coincidence: According to the executive, inline four-cylinder engines are simple in design and easy to install, “allowing them to support a wide range of models, from family cars to sports cars.”
Sato emphasized that the combination of the internal combustion engine and EV will make the engine smaller and better take advantage of the unique characteristics of each power source. The new engine is expected to be installed in new Toyota hybrid and plug-in hybrid vehicles.
During the briefing, Sato recalled how Japanese automakers adapted new engine technologies in the 1970s, when air pollution became a problem. Strict emission standards were also followed at that time. “The challenge of creating the first-generation Prius before the 21st century, which set out to double fuel efficiency, was also an attempt to find a new direction for engines,” the executive said.
Source: Ferra
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