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An electrified pickup truck once seemed like an anomaly. But when Toyota set out to design the 2022 Tundra i-FORCE MAX — the brand’s all-new powerful hybrid-electric pickup — it knew that challenging expectations would be the only road to success. Winning consumers over on hybrids has never been an easy feat. Toyota knows this firsthand because the automaker accepted the challenge years ago. The Birth of Hybrid Vehicles A little over two decades ago, Toyota released the first mass-produced hybrid vehicle. The Prius (“before” in Latin) introduced people across the globe to a car that could function the same as the standard compacts they were used to – but with the added benefits of improved fuel economy ratings and lower emissions...

LOS ALTOS, Calif. and CHICAGO (Aug. 17, 2022) – Toyota Research Institute (TRI) and Northwestern University today announce their collaboration to help accelerate new materials discovery, design and development with the world’s first nanomaterial “data factory.” This AI-driven methodology goes far beyond the traditional trial and error by exploring vast parameter sets, collecting data and then empowering AI to search the materials genome to find the best materials for a given application. While the first application of the data factory will be used to discover new catalysts to make fuel cell vehicles more efficient, TRI and Northwestern believe this method of materials discovery will have wide-ranging applications in the future such as...

Toyota has long used its know-how to produce the quality vehicles seen on US roads for over 60 years. But in addition to well-built cars and trucks, Toyota crafts quality processes, and these processes are the “secret sauce” of Toyota’s success: just-in-time supply chain, LEAN manufacturing, Toyota Production System, and the foundational decision-making tool, Toyota Business Practices (TBP). A valuable instrument for shaping any project, TBP is also a boon for helping to shape young minds and sharpening the critical thinking essential to successful problem-solving. Through an innovative mentoring project that challenges students to “start their impossible,” in a nod to Toyota’s inspirational global campaign, students in the Plano...

Known for its on and off-road vehicle development, the Toyota Arizona Proving Grounds (TAPG) is dedicated to the innovation and development of vehicles. As one of Toyota’s most extensive facilities, TAPG is modeled and constructed to also be a one-stop shop for off-road truck and SUV development thanks to off-road courses to test technologies like the Crawl Control and Multi-Terrain systems. Additional TAPG features include the following: 12,000 acres of land a 10-mile oval 60-lane miles of paved and dirt tracks coast-down tracks vehicle dynamic areas further off-road facilities for all types of testing Instead of renting spaces at other facilities, Toyota built its own. “I knew we could do this on our own site,” says Bob Ditner...

Toyota values and understands the importance mobility brings to individuals, helping them to achieve goals that would otherwise be impossible or difficult to access. That’s why the company continuously seeks collaborations that will create innovative avenues for people to have the freedom and independence to move. For years, BraunAbility and Vantage Mobility International (VMI) have been helping to provide modification solutions for Toyota Siennas for the disabled community, giving people access to travel and go places by adding features to assist with mobility challenges. With in-floor and fold-out ramps provided by VMI and BraunAbility, the Toyota Sienna gives guests the option of modifying the vehicle so they can drive or ride in...

The life of an outdoor documentarian is a mixture of pulse-pounding adventure and occasional peril. For Idaho journalist Kris Millgate, she wouldn’t have it any other way. Millgate owns Tight Line Media, a company that is equally adept at both visual and print journalism. Her love affair for nature stems from her childhood when she would scan the skies for a rare glimpse of a bald eagle, near her home. Today, her work takes her thousands of miles, through meandering waterways and over challenging land masses. Millgate is presently riding a tide of success, as her one-year-old documentary, “Ocean to Idaho,” has been collecting an array of awards from several outdoor media associations and environment-focused film festivals. Her...

Tokyo, Japan, July 27, 2022―Yamato Transport Co., Ltd. (Yamato Transport) and Commercial Japan Partnership Technologies Corporation (CJPT) have announced today that they will begin studying the standardization and commercialization of replaceable and rechargeable cartridge batteries as part of energy management efforts for achieving a carbon neutral society. The introduction of commercial battery electric vehicles (BEVs) poses several challenges, including recharging times that are longer than refueling times for conventional gasoline and diesel vehicles, as well as increased logistics downtime (when vehicles and cargo are at a standstill) due to numerous vehicles recharging at or around the same time. The introduction of commercial...

On July 21, Toyota marked an important moment in history when Taiichi Ohno was inducted in the 2022 Automotive Hall of Fame. Ohno, a Japanese engineer and former Toyota executive, helped establish the fabled Toyota Production System (TPS), which revolutionized not only the Japanese automotive industry, but global vehicle manufacturing as well. Historical Moments ─ A 1969 Corolla and inductee information about Taiichi Ohno on display at the Automotive Hall of Fame in Detroit. Ohno spent much of his career training and consulting suppliers and employees on his revolutionary manufacturing process. Ohno left us with three books outlining his revolutionary philosophies: Toyota Production System (1978), Workplace Management (1984), and...

When Victor Sheppard’s 2007 Toyota Tundra reached its 1 millionth mile, almost every component of the truck was still fully functioning except for the sun visor detent on the driver’s side and the odometer, which at the 999,999-mile mark had reached its six-digit limit. For Toyota Chief Engineer Mike Sweers, who has overseen the Tundra, Tacoma, Sequoia and 4Runner vehicle programs, the moment should have been an occasion to marvel at being a part of something so legendary. Instead, Sweers popped open the hood to see what made Sheppard’s Tundra so resilient. What he found helped lead to the redesign of the all-new 2022 Toyota Tundra. Innovating upon the durability of materials used, the quality of design and the reliability of the...

Learning to drive can be a huge feat for anyone. But for drivers who learned in a stick shift vehicle, the experience was especially unpredictable. Instead of just one foot operating the accelerator and the brake pedal, there were two feet operating three pedals in tandem. Instead of two hands on the steering wheel at all times, there was frequent movement between the wheel and the shifter. Eventually it all came together. And as the car moved, there was an unmistakable sense of synergy, a deep connection to the engine’s machinations with each flick of the hand. Like a novice dancer stumbling their way through new steps, the sudden click of comprehension led to the sweetness of a smooth swing. Loyal fans of manual transmission argue...

AUSTIN, Texas (July 15, 2022) – With a striking debut, Toyota is reimagining the full-size sedan with the all-new 2023 Toyota Crown. Built to deliver an intuitive driving experience, this new premium sedan brings powerful acceleration and confident handling, along with supreme comfort for a sophisticated ride, all wrapped in a bold new design. It is also the first Toyota sedan to offer the HYBRID MAX System, Toyota’s performance hybrid with power that drivers will feel. Available in three grades: XLE, Limited and Platinum, Toyota Crown will offer a choice of two different hybrid powertrains: HYBRID MAX or the fourth generation Toyota Hybrid System (THS). The HYBRID MAX powertrain, exclusive to the Platinum grade, is Toyota’s all-new...

Isuzu Motors Limited (Isuzu), DENSO Corporation (DENSO), Toyota Motor Corporation (Toyota), Hino Motors, Ltd. (Hino), and Commercial Japan Partnership Technologies Corporation (CJPT) announced today that they have started planning and foundational research on hydrogen engines for heavy-duty commercial vehicles with the aim of further utilizing internal combustion engines as one option to achieve carbon neutrality. Tokyo, Japan, July 8, 2022―Isuzu Motors Limited (Isuzu), DENSO Corporation (DENSO), Toyota Motor Corporation (Toyota), Hino Motors, Ltd. (Hino), and Commercial Japan Partnership Technologies Corporation (CJPT) announced today that they have started planning and foundational research on hydrogen engines for heavy-duty...

At a time when almost any online purchase can be tracked from the moment an order is submitted, a veteran team of technologists, data scientists and logistics specialists at Toyota Motor North America (Toyota) came to a logical conclusion. Why can’t the car buying experience be the same? “There are lot of different ways companies think about and utilize data,” said Brian Kursar, group vice president, Digital Technology at Toyota, who recently was named Toyota’s first North American Chief Data Officer. “When we think about data, we think about building trust. In other words, how can Toyota use this incredibly powerful resource to create new products and capabilities to strengthen our relationships with our dealers, team members and...

PLANO, Texas (July 1, 2022) – Toyota Motor North America (TMNA) reported U.S. sales in June 2022 of 170,155 vehicles, down 17.9 percent on a volume basis and down 21.1 percent on daily selling rate (DSR) basis versus June 2021. June 2022 sales of electrified vehicles totaled 39,965, representing 23.5 percent of total monthly sales. For the first half of 2022, TMNA reported U.S. sales of 1,045,697 vehicles, down 19.1 percent on a volume basis and down 19.6 percent on a DSR basis. First half electrified vehicle sales totaled 266,413, representing 25.5 percent of total year-to-date sales. Toyota division posted June sales of 147,495 vehicles, down 18.3 percent on a volume basis and down 21.5 percent on a DSR basis. For the first half of...