Because it seems to make up for misplaced time, Toyota is giving us a glimpse of its next-gen EV manufacturing line with trendy know-how like Giga casting, self-propelled meeting strains, and robots to move completed autos.
Electrical car gross sales proceed ramping at a file tempo. By the tip of 2023, world EV gross sales are anticipated to surpass 14.5 million models, in keeping with information from CounterPoint Analysis.
Over 2.15 million EVs had been bought within the second quarter alone. Legacy automakers and startups alike are combating for a place within the new electrical period. Tesla has maintained its lead, delivering 466,000 EVs within the second quarter, whereas China’s main automaker, BYD, closed the hole with 352,000 passenger EV gross sales.
In the meantime, of Toyota’s 4.15 million autos bought globally within the first half of the yr, solely a fraction (round 0.19%) had been absolutely electrical.
A number of automakers have been caught flat-footed by the fast transition. Lots of them, together with Toyota, Honda, and Nissan, have just lately introduced plans to speed up their electrification methods to show issues round.
Toyota revealed a number of new applied sciences at a workshop in June, together with a number of straight out of Tesla’s playbook.
The automaker gave us a sneak peek of what we are able to anticipate throughout a plant tour, displaying off its next-gen EV manufacturing line for the primary time.
Toyota exhibits off new EV manufacturing line know-how
One of many largest highlights was its Giga casting know-how, a course of Tesla launched at its Fremont manufacturing unit in 2020.
Giga casting entails producing considerably bigger aluminum elements to scale back complexity whereas saving essential sources. Tesla is claimed to have decreased prices by round 30% utilizing the tactic.
Toyota claims its “wealth of data” about molds enabled it to develop “fast mildew replacements.” By doing so, Toyota says it decreased the lead time for altering the mildew to round 20 minutes in comparison with 24 hours.
Moreover, the automaker will use proprietary evaluation tech to enhance the casting high quality, decreasing the variety of faulty elements.
Toyota additionally emphasised its self-propelled EV manufacturing strains. The know-how was developed utilizing sensor know-how from autonomous driving to allow “sizable journey at low speeds.”
Utilizing self-propelled strains, Toyota can cut back the necessity for conveyor gear, a serious price related to manufacturing.
Toyota additionally launched a three-part modular construction consisting of the car’s entrance, middle, and rear to boost work effectivity and additional cut back complexity.
Dealing with a labor scarcity, the automaker confirmed off its Automobile Logistics Robotic (VLR), designed to enhance car transportation on the completed car yard.
Toyota additionally revealed its EV battery roadmap final week, which incorporates new EVs launching in 2026 with practically 500 miles (800 km) vary.
Electrek’s Take
Toyota could have a protracted approach to go in catching Tesla. The Japanese automaker is now trying to play catch-up after falling behind within the EV race early.
New know-how, together with next-gen EV manufacturing strains and superior batteries, will assist Toyota enhance competitiveness sooner or later. However by 2026 or 2027, when many of those applied sciences are put to make use of, Tesla will seemingly already be onto the subsequent innovation.
Tesla is on monitor to ship 1.8 million EVs this yr. Toyota goals to succeed in 1.6 million in one other three years.
Whereas the Japanese automaker wasted time on inferior know-how, like hybrid and gasoline cells, Tesla has been laser-focused on ramping up EV manufacturing whereas enhancing effectivity.
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