oyota is planning to start mass-producing electric vehicles by 2020 in its bid to extend beyond its current fleet of hybrid and fuel-cell vehicles.
Japanese publication Nikkei says that the world’s current second largest automaker intends on creating an in-house team dedicated to the planning and development of electric vehicles in the start in 2017.
It is reported that Toyota could base an EV with a range exceeding 300 km (186 miles) on the platform of the Prius or alternatively, the Corolla sedan and offer it as an SUV.
Back in January, Toyota established a battery material research department which in all probability, will create the batteries for the brand’s range of EVs. Alternatively, there’s a chance that the company may use batteries from an outside source to keep internal costs to a minimum.
It is thought that Toyota has been prompted into developing a fleet of electric vehicles on the back of declining costs for the required technology and improvements in driving range. Additionally, Toyota’s move mimics that of rival Volkswagen who have also committed to introducing affordable electric vehicles from 2020.
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