Toyota is No. Still 1 in the world in the automotive sector
The Japanese group Toyota Motor Corporation remained the world number 1 in the automotive sector in 2022. For the third time in a row, after 2020 and 2021, Toyota sold almost 10.5 million vehicles last year, despite a slight decrease in delivery in 2022, which is estimated at -0.1%.
This announcement was made just a few days after the announcement of the departure of Toyota’s emblematic and respected boss, Akio Toyoda, on April 1.
Toyota leads the Volkswagen group, which remained number 2 in the world in 2022. The Wolfsburg group sold around 8.3 million vehicles over the past year, representing a 7% decrease in deliveries. Reading the numbers, we can see that there is a 2.2 million difference in vehicles between the two industrial groups, although Toyota only has 4 brands (Toyota, Lexus, Daihatsu, Hino) while VW currently has 9 at the very least (Volkswagen, Porsche, Audi , Seat, Cupra, Skoda, Lamborghini, Bentley and Traton*).
Good almost anywhere but weak to electricity
Toyota finds it hard, and perhaps rightly so, to believe in an all-electric automotive world. Akio Toyoda has repeatedly said this to the point that the Japanese giant seems to be dragging its feet to develop in this automotive field that many consider a European affair and a little European but not really global.
Toy’ prefers to improve and optimize other technologies such as hybrid and plug-in hybrid engines. This choice is felt at the level of sales because the group sold only 24,466 units in 2022, in other words nothing (0.23% of group sales) and it is a good distance from EV tenors segment Tesla (1.3 million sales) , BYD (911,000 sales) and Volkswagen (572,100 sales). When Toyota sells one electric car, Tesla sells 53…
The less-than-glorious launch of the e-SUV bZ4X may also have had an impact because between a recall campaign set up around the time of launch and a battery with below-advertised performance, Toyota is was a bit overlooked at the time when it came to entering the wonderful world of EVs.
We will not be disturbed by the fairy of electricity
Despite a timid, not to say fearful, approach to the world of electric vehicles, the Toyota group has announced that it intends to increase production for the current year. The Japanese firm said it is calmly considering production in 2023, which will be between 9.5 and 10.6 million vehicles for the Toyota and Lexus brands alone, meaning a noticeable increase compared to 2022 and the 9 its million units produced, up +5.2% year-on-year. If we add the production volume of Daihatsu and Hino, it is a safe bet that TMC will be more than 11 million units by December 31.
Toyota pointed out that despite the strong impact of production constraints related to the Covid-19 pandemic, but also the increase in demand for semiconductors and other geo-political or customs factors, the group sales worldwide remained equal to last year (2021). ) due to strong demand in Asia and lower but sustainable growth in other markets around the world.
According to various analysts, Toyota should remain at the top of the hierarchy for several years, especially thanks to the quality of the products, the flexibility of the models according to the markets and the technological development but also the sales of hybrid models, this without forgetting the uncertainties still surrounding the mysterious world of EVs.
Despite what some media say is “in love with EV”, the arrival of Koji Sato at the head of Toyota should not upset the policy and the choices of the Japanese company that knows year after year success in the global automotive markets.
Traton*: Truck subsidiary of VW Group which includes MAN Truck & Bus, Neoplan, Navistar, International Trucks, Volkswagen Caminhões e Ônibus and Scania brands.
Via Toyota, AP.
