Toyota Develops New Hybrid Strategy for Future

Toyota is a leader in the Hybrid Electric Vehicle (HEV) industry.

Although General

Motors will soon offer more HEV model choices, for the

time being the Japanese giant is the leader with a combined total of

six between its Toyota and Lexus brand names. Not to be outdone by GM,

this number will grow as Toyota has pledged to make every vehicle it

sells available as a hybrid by 2020, a tremendous goal, considering

that that's less than 12 years away. Of course, Toyota has developed a

strategy to help achieve these goals.

One

interesting item that's come up is whether or not Toyota will combine

the efficiency of the modern diesel engine with its hybrid drivetrain.

And while it's already put diesel hybrid trucks into production under

its Hino brand, it won't be doing the same for cars. On the subject,

Toyota's president, Katsuaki Watanabe, remarked that combining diesel

and hybrid powertrains together would be too costly.

Instead,

what Toyota will be focusing on is the next generation of batteries.

No, not lithium-ion cells, which the automaker is already working to

install in its Prius and other hybrid models, but the generation to

follow. Toyota is reportedly looking ahead to a zinc-air type battery.

Preliminary goals for cars using the new battery system, which would be

plug-in hybrids, include the capability of being charged from a

standard outlet, and also to have a range of 50 miles on battery power

alone. Toyota hopes to have such a battery type in production for 2020,

which coincides with its all-hybrid mandate.