Toyota Advances Solar & Hydrogen Cars

 Toyota's New Push to Bring Solar Powered Vehicles into Lineup

                                    Source:  Toyota

Mix of Zero Emissions Vehicles Coming From Toyota

Toyota has made a new commitment to equipping its cars with highly efficient solar power systems and batteries.  It's embarking on an R&D partnership with Japan's National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology, which has strong expert in renewable energy production.  Also joining the partnership is Toyota Central R&D which focuses on breakthrough technological advances for Toyota.  Toyota is showcasing its Toyota bZ4X concept, which is an electric vehicle with solar panels that feed an onboard solar charging system to extend the vehicle's range. bZ stands for "below zero" emissions and 4X for four wheel drive, which Toyota claims gives the vehicle off-road capabilities. This is a major Toyota concept now under development. Toyota is pushing in a strongly zero emissions direction for its future lineup of cars and other vehicles.

Toyota's Zero Emissions Goals

The purpose of Toyota's new R&D effort is to reduce the cost and improve the efficiency of solar batteries and solar power systems to make solar vehicles more affordable and popular for consumers.  Toyota is also redoubling its efforts to produce and transport hydrogen, which is also a zero emissions fuel, at much lower costs. Toyota hopes to cut its carbon dioxide emissions to net zero by 2050.  It also hopes to sell 8 million electric vehicles by 2030.  It intends to have a mix of models including hybrid electric, hydrogen fuel cell and solar powered vehicles in its 2030 lineup. Toyota's bZ4X concept vehicles with solar power, are expected to be available to buy in mid to late 2022.