Toyota to Pull Plug on Next-Gen EV Development

Nagoya, May 29 (Jiji Press)–Major Japanese automaker Toyota Motor Corp. said Friday that it will cancel the development of a next-generation electric vehicle amid the stagnant global EV market. Toyota will, instead, allocate its management resources to the development of SUVs, which are in strong demand. Specifically, it plans to scrap development of a mass-production model of the LF-ZC electric sedan under its Lexus luxury car brand. The model was set to go into production in mid-2027. The LF-ZC was slated to feature an all-solid-state battery, a next-generation battery designed to reduce charging time compared with lithium-ion batteries and extend driving range to roughly 1,000 kilometers per charge. On the other hand, Toyota will continue its research and development into cutting-edge EV technologies, including all-solid-state batteries and gigacasting, a manufacturing process in which aluminum vehicle parts are produced as a single casting. Toyota has adopted a multi-pathway approach, under which it provides customers with a wide selection of vehicles ranging from gasoline-powered cars, hybrid vehicles to EVs. By launching the bZ4X SUV as part of its EV lineup, the company saw its global EV sales grow by about 40 pct from the previous year to some 200,000 units in 2025. Still, the automaker is struggling with a severe slump in its key U.S. market, after the administration of U.S. President Donald Trump ended tax incentives for EVs. END [Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]