Electric vehicle (EV = HEV + PHEV + BEV) sales in Thailand increased 41.4% from the previous year to 43,478 units (based on newly registered vehicle data) in 2021. HEVs went up 58.5% to 34,339 units, PHEVs dropped 9.6% to 7,060 units and BEVs rose 61.2% to 2,079 units. HEVs, which account for nearly 80% of all EV sales, have become the driving force of the market, more than quadrupling in the past five years. Toyota was the market leader in the HEV segment with an estimated 20,000 units sold in 2021. The best-selling model was the Corolla Cross HEV whRead more...

The Indonesian electric vehicle (EV) market doubled from January to November 2021 to 2,854 units, up 2.5 times compared to the same period of the previous year. HEVs accounted for over 70% of all electric vehicle sales, going up 2.1-fold to 2,145 units. HEVs were followed by BEV with 671 units, up 6.1-fold, and PHEVs with 38 units, up 3.2-fold. Although EV share of the total market is still only 0.4%, the introduction of HEVs and BEVs has already begun. The Toyota Corolla Cross Hybrid, launched in August 2020, leads the EV market with a 40% share. ToyotaRead more...

In November 2021, the fully-redesigned Daihatsu Xenia and Toyota Avanza were launched in Indonesia, entering their third-generation. Both vehicles have become core models of Daihatsu and Toyota in Indonesia since they were launched at the end of 2003 and early 2004, respectively. The two vehicles, jointly developed by Daihatsu and Toyota, are sister models. Starting from the current generation, the two models are built on the DNGA (Daihatsu New Global Architecture) platform. In addition, their drive system has been switched from FR-layout to FF-layout anRead more...

In December 2021, Toyota Motor announced that it would raise its sales target of electric vehicles from the previous 2 million units to 3.5 million units by 2030. In addition, the investment amount in in-vehicle batteries was raised from 1.5 trillion JPY to 2 trillion JPY. Toyota Motor will also invest 8 trillion JPY in electrification which will be equally divided between BEVs on one side, and HEVs, PHEVs and FCEVs on the other. In 2022, Toyota Motor plans to launch the bZ4X, the first model of the bZ BEV series, in the middle of the year. The bZ serRead more...

The factory shipment volume of new energy vehicles (NEV = BEV + PHEV + FCEV) in China is expected to exceed 3.4 million units in 2021, about 2.5 times the previous year's level. The extension of the NEV subsidy policy from 2020, when it was scheduled to end, to 2022, and policy support such as raising NEV credit achievement requirements is seen boost NEV sales. China’s NEV market in 2022 is expected to reach around 5 million units, a 1.5-fold increase compared to 2021. The sharp rise is believed to take place due to the ending of China’s NEV subsidy poliRead more...

Chinese NEV powertrain supplier Broad-Ocean Motor's sales in first nine months of 2021 increased 32.1% year- on-year to 7.32 billion CNY, and net profit went up 97.2% year-on-year to 380 million CNY. In addition to a significant increase in sales of powertrains for NEVs, thorough cost reductions have boosted business performance. Profits were driven up by the strong performance of electric vehicle-related business. The company has been supplying 3-in-1 powertrains for BEV manufactured by China’s Changan Automobile, Chery Automobile and India’s Tata MotorRead more...

Tianjin EV Energies is a Chinese pouch lithium-ion battery manufacturer based in Tianjin. As of November 2021, it had a pouch battery production capacity of 3.5 GWh / year. The company is currently building three more plants which will begin operations in the next two years. In the first nine months of 2021, the scale of drive batteries installed in automobiles reached 935.58 MWh, which was 2.2 times that of the same period of the previous year, making Tianjin EV Energies the 10th largest electric vehicle battery supplier in the industry. The company supRead more...

Toyota Motor is shifting its focus from hardware to software and is strengthening its software development capabilities. The company is collaborating with Woven Planet Group, Toyota Connected, and Toyota's overseas development bases to promote the development of software that transforms information into products and services. As of August 2021, Toyota’s software development network employed around 3,000 people. Woven Alpha is developing the vehicle software platform Arene which develops and implements software ahead of hardware, shifting to a software-fiRead more...

After merging production and development of motorcycles in 2019, Japanese automaker Honda Motor has been promoting the integration of the development function and production function of automobiles as well since 2020. In April 2020, Honda’s automobile business division established an integrated management system that is in charge of strategy planning, collective planning and development, individual model development, mass production preparation, and mass production and sales. In April 2021, the development function and the production function were also iRead more...

Major South Korean in-vehicle battery maker SK Innovation is setting up new battery cell factories in China. It completed construction of BEST, its first overseas battery cell plant for BEVs, through its local joint venture BESK in China’s Changzhou City in December 2019. BEST has an annual output of 7.5 GWh. SK Innovation’s second plant in China’s Yancheng City commenced operations in November 2020 with an annual production capacity of 10 GWh which is planned to be raised to 20 GWh in 2021. In addition, SK Innovation acquired a 49% stake in Chinese EVE Read more...

Samsung SDI is increasing the production capacity of LiBs and concentrating LiB production to improve efficiency in China. Samsung SDI has invested about 300 billion KRW in its Xi’an base to raise production capacity from 34 Ah to 112 Ah. Mass production is scheduled to start at the end of 2021. In June 2021, Samsung SDI announced that it had completed the liquidation of its Changchun base which manufactured LiB packs. The company intends to concentrate its LiB business at the Xi’an and Tianjin bases. Samsung SDI: In-vehicle Battery Business in China Read more...

South Korea’s largest in-vehicle battery manufacturer LG Energy Solution (LGES) spun off from LG Chem in January 2021. The move is intended to strengthen LG Chem’s battery business which remains the sole parent company of the new entity. LG Chem has been engaging in setting up new battery factories and raising production capacity in China. In January 2020, LG Chem’s Nanjing No. 2 Plant (now LG Energy Solution Technology (Nanjing) commenced operation with an annual production capacity of 6 GWh. Ultimately, capacity will be increased to 32 GWh by 2023. In Read more...

Honda's automobile production in China in the first half of 2021 increased 29.4% year-on-year to 782,000 units, reaching a record high level. HEV production increased 3.3-fold while BEV production went up 131 times. In 2022, Honda will start full-scale production of BEVs in China. The automaker plans to produce the e:N series, the first BEV-only Honda model series in China, at its two local joint ventures Dongfeng Honda and GAC Honda. Dongfeng Honda will produce the e:NS1 and GAC Honda will manufacture the e:NP1 from the spring of 2022. Both joint ventuRead more...

Toyota Motor's vehicle production in China in the first half of 2021 (including joint venture brands) increased 26.1% year-on- year to 812,000 units. Production adjustments were made in May and June 2021 due to the production transfer of the Avalon, but sales in the first five months of 2021 exceeded the level of the same period in 2020. However, it must be taken in consideration that production and sales were seriously hampered in the first half of 2020 by the pandemic. Toyota announced in March 2021 the establishment of a new joint venture company, HuaRead more...

Honda Motor announced its electrification strategy for China in October 2021. Five models of the e:N series, including three concepts, which will be the first BEVs bearing the Honda brand in China, were unveiled for the first time. Two of these models will be released in the spring of 2022, and the remaining three concept models are planned to be launched within the next five years. In addition, Honda also announced that it will stop the introduction of new gasoline vehicles to the Chinese market from 2030. The announcement indicated that Honda will stepRead more...

Toyota Motor is promoting a full lineup of electric vehicles to expand options for reducing CO2 emissions toward the realization of carbon neutrality by 2050. As part of this goal, the new BEV series TOYOTA bZ was announced in April 2021. TOYOTA bZ is targeting regions such as China, the United States, and Europe where demand for BEVs and power supply from renewable energy are high. Toyota plans to roll out 15 BEV models by 2025, of which seven models will be part of the TOYOTA bZ series. Since it is challenging for Toyota alone to introduce BEVs of variRead more...

Toyota Motor announced its battery strategy for the popularization of electric vehicles until 2030 in September 2021. The company plans to invest 1.5 trillion JPY in strengthening research and development of drive batteries and building a battery supply system to promote the diffusion of electric vehicles. Toyota has set a goal of reducing the battery cost per BEV by 50% in the latter half of the 2020s in order to promote electric vehicles. The automaker intends to increase competitiveness by reducing the cost of the battery itself and improving the elecRead more...

Toyota Motor intermittently suspended the operation of domestic vehicle plants from late August 2021 due to insufficient parts supply caused by the spread of the new coronavirus infection in ASEAN. Twenty-seven of out the 28 production lines at 14 plants in Japan temporarily stopped operation. Although virus prevention measures were being implemented by suppliers in ASEAN, the operating rate of many supplier factories declined due to long-term lockdown, resulting in a shortage of parts. Another reason for production cuts is limited semiconductor supply. Read more...

Honda Motor is pushing forward the rationalization of its business operations in India. In December 2020, the automaker announced the reorganization of its local production system. The Greater Noida Plant was shut down and production was concentrated at the Tapukara Plant. As a result, Honda’s production capacity dropped 40% in India; however, it was necessary to improve production efficiency because the operating rate has been below 60% since 2016. Honda also works on service digitalization. In October 2020, Honda expanded its online car sales platfoRead more...

Since January 2021, Honda Motor has reduced automobile production due to a shortage of semiconductors and a stagnation in the overseas parts procurement network caused by the pandemic. Honda's domestic automobile production decreased 14.1% year-on-year to 404,000 units in the first eight months of 2021. In an effort to ease semiconductor shortage at its factories in Japan, Honda ships surplus semiconductors from factories in countries where operations are restricted due to the pandemic to Japan, creating a global inventory management system. Meanwhile, HRead more...

Honda Motor plans to raise the ratio of BEV and FCEV sales to 100% worldwide by 2040. As of October 2021, Honda’s global electric vehicle lineup consisted of the X-NV, VE-1+, VE-1S and M-NV models in China, launched under Honda’s Chinese joint venture brands, and the Honda e in Japan and Europe. The automaker plans to roll out new models starting from 2022. In China, a Honda SUV e: prototype-based mass-produced model will be released in the spring of 2022. A total of 10 BEV models are planned to be launched in China in the next five years. In North AmeriRead more...

A hydrogen-based society cannot be realized simply by developing fuel-cell electric vehicles (FCEVs). A comprehensive hydrogen ecosystem must be built from upstream to downstream, from hydrogen production to the construction of transportation and supply systems, and the development of hydrogen filling stations. In Europe, automakers, which develop commercial fuel-cell vehicles, are working to build a hydrogen ecosystem in partnership with hydrogen and fuel-cell startups. In some cases, these alliances have spread to the United States and Asia. In tRead more...

Toyota Motor is teaming up with Suzuki Motor to revamp its product lineup in India. Toyota’s two flagship models the Innova MPV and the Fortuner SUV of the IMV series will remain the revenue base of the automaker. However, Toyota’s compact car lineup is planned to be completely replaced with OEM-supplied models from Suzuki. Looking at sales and aftersales service-related measures, in October 2020, a stockyard was set up in Guwahati, Assam state to shorten the delivery period in north India from nearly two weeks to a minimum of two days. In February 20Read more...

Chinese automaker GAC Group’s own-brand passenger vehicle production in 2020 decreased 7.8% year-on-year to 349,000 units due to the impact of the spread of the new coronavirus infection. However, thanks to solid sales of the Trumpchi GM8 and Aion S, sales increased 41.6% year-on-year to 223,000 units in the first seven months of 2021. It 2021, the company is expected to break free from sluggish sales which began in 2018. By 2025, annual sales of own-brand vehicles are aimed to surpass 1 million units. New-energy vehicles (NEVs) are intended to account fRead more...

In the Philippines, with major automakers advancing product strategies that rely on imported vehicles from Thailand and Indonesia, efforts to expand local production have only made little progress. On the contrary, the outbreak of the new coronavirus and the resulting restrictions prompted some automakers to end production in the Philippines. Following Honda’s plant closure in 2020, Nissan announced in January 2021 that it would end production outsourced to two local companies in March of the same year. Although the Philippines remains a supply hub of trRead more...

Honda Motor’s share in ASEAN (five countries) is declining. The automaker’s market share peaked at 14.3% in 2017 thanks to the launch of the seven-seater subcompact crossover BR-V but it gradually declined in the following years, reaching 10.0% in the first half of 2021. Although the popularity of SUVs is increasing in Honda’s main markets Indonesia and Thailand, the automaker’s sluggish market share is attributed to the declining demand for its outdated small SUVs the BR-V and HR-V which are positioned as core SUV models in ASEAN. Looking at sales reRead more...

Being a business growth driver, ASEAN is a priority market for Mitsubishi Motors. In recent years, sales in ASEAN have accounted for more than 20% of Mitsubishi’s global sales. Operating profit in the region was in the black with about 10 billion JPY even in FY 2020 when company-wide operating profit was in the red. Not only as a market but also as a production base ASEAN has gained importance in the past few years. Mitsubishi Motors is aiming to establish a mutually complementary production network in ASEAN. The company intends to build a system to suppRead more...

Toyota’s vehicle sales (including the Lexus brand) in ASEAN (six countries) in 2020 fell 34.8% year-on-year to 650,000 units due to the impact of the spread of the new coronavirus infection. Toyota witnessed significant decline in sales in its two largest ASEAN markets. The largest decrease in sales was in Indonesia, dropping 51.3% to 162,000 units. In Indonesia, due to the lockdown from April 2020, Toyota’s automobile sales in May fell 97.5% from the same month of the previous year to 716 units. Its market share for the full year of 2020 decreased 1.8 pRead more...

In the Taiwanese vehicle market, the increase of imported automobiles and the decrease of domestic-made vehicles has been a long-term trend. Investment to raise local automobile production has been limited in the past few years. However, in the first half of 2021 local production increased 23.9% from the same period of the previous year to 138,000 units, putting a stop to gradual decline in local production. Local production went up thanks to launching the locally-made Toyota Corolla Cross in the second half of 2020. Taiwan: Manufacturing Bases of MajRead more...

In March 2021, three Japanese automakers Toyota Motor, Hino Motors and Isuzu Motors launched the Commercial Japan Partnership (CJP), a program aimed at solving logistics issues in Japan. Two additional Japanese automakers, Suzuki Motor and Daihatsu Motor, joined CJP in July of the same year. CJP aims to reduce the workload on drivers by utilizing Toyota's CASE technology, including increasing carbon neutrality by electrifying vehicles, and improving the efficiency of logistics in general through connecting technology. Commercial Japan Partnership: Read more...