It looks like Toyota is eyeing the smaller slice of the electric vehicle (EV) pie. The company, known for its big ambitions in the electric market, may be shrinking things down for its next project. According to an unsourced report by Japan’s Best Car, Toyota is teaming up with Suzuki to develop a mini electric vehicle.

Suzuki sold a whopping 1.31 million non-electric units in 2022

Why Suzuki? Well, the small-car giant sold a whopping 1.31 million units in 2022, according to JATO Dynamics. That’s a huge customer base looking for a transition into electric. Notably, Suzuki previewed its first-ever EV, the eVX crossover concept, in January 2023, hinting at its electric ambitions.

Toyota, on its end, aims to produce 1.5 million battery-electric vehicles (BEVs) annually by 2026. But this time, instead of going big, it seems to be thinking small. The proposed mini EV is rumored to resemble the 145-inch long Toyota Aygo X, which is a hot seller in Europe.

Both companies have been cozying up for a while now. Last year, they declared an enhancement of their existing partnership in the development of compact electric vehicles. More recently, in May 2023, they announced a joint project focusing on a new EV platform for mini electric vans.

What’s the hint for the new vehicle’s concept name? A filing with the USPTO last week registered the name “FT-3e.” For those keeping score, “FT” stands for Future Toyota. Given Toyota’s history of using this prefix for concept vehicles, this mini electric might just be the future we’re looking at.

To add more fuel to the fire (or perhaps more electrons to the battery), Toyota has been privy about some of its 15 EV concepts it showed off last December. One of those was conspicuously labeled “small bZ electric crossover.” Is this a preview of the Toyota-Suzuki collaboration? Time will tell. Keep your eyes peeled for the Japan Mobility Show starting October 26, where we might get some juicy details about the mysterious FT-3e.

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Suzuki the Japanese Multinational Corporation announced on Tuesday its plans to collaborate with the Japanese start-up SkyDrive in the production of flying cars or electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft. With an ambitious goal of becoming a frontrunner in the rapidly expanding industry, Suzuki aims to commence joint manufacturing activities with SkyDrive by the spring of 2024.

The companies have identified a Suzuki Group factory located in central Japan as the production site for these advanced vehicles and plan to commence manufacturing activities by approximately the spring of next year, according to Suzuki’s official statement.

By joining forces with SkyDrive, Suzuki aims to capitalize on the burgeoning market for flying cars, which holds immense potential for the future of transportation. The partnership signifies Suzuki’s determination to seize a leading position in this innovative field.

As part of this collaboration, SkyDrive will establish a subsidiary exclusively dedicated to the production of these eVTOL aircraft. Suzuki, on the other hand, will extend its support by assisting in various aspects of manufacturing preparation, such as talent acquisition. This partnership between the automotive giant and the start-up is expected to leverage the strengths and resources of both companies to develop cutting-edge aerial vehicles.

By utilizing a Suzuki Group factory, the collaboration aims to capitalize on the existing infrastructure and expertise within the organization. The establishment of a wholly owned subsidiary by SkyDrive signifies the start-up’s focused approach to eVTOL aircraft production. With Suzuki’s assistance in talent acquisition, the subsidiary will be well-equipped to attract the skilled professionals necessary for the successful manufacturing and development of these aerial vehicles.

This announcement closely follows SkyDrive’s recent unveiling, at the Paris Airshow, of an updated design for their in-development vehicle, now capable of carrying three individuals instead of two. The redesigned vehicle boasts an approximate length of 13 meters and a height of 3 meters, resulting in an extended maximum flight range of about 15 kilometers, compared to the previous 10 km. 

The collaboration between SkyDrive and Suzuki in the field of flying vehicles was initially announced in March 2022, and while the partnership details have been under discussion, this latest development signifies progress toward their shared goal of advancing aerial transportation technology.

Flying Cars and their future impact:

Flying cars, often referred to as electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft, are futuristic vehicles capable of both driving on the ground and taking off vertically to fly in the air. They have been a long-standing vision in science fiction and a symbol of technological advancement. However, despite significant progress in recent years, we are still waiting for flying cars to become a common mode of transportation. This delay is primarily due to various challenges, including regulatory hurdles, infrastructure limitations, safety concerns, and the need for advanced technologies to ensure efficient and reliable operations. Nevertheless, ongoing developments and collaborations between the automotive and aerospace industries are bringing us closer to the day when flying cars will transform our skies and revolutionize urban mobility.

According to market projections, the global flying car market is expected to reach a value of $3,804.18 million by 2035, registering a significant compound annual growth rate of 34.1%. Europe is anticipated to be the highest contributor, with an estimated value of $1,618.68 million by 2035. 

Key players operating in this evolving market include AeroMobil, Airbus S.A.S., Hyundai Motor Company, Klein Vision s.r.o., Lilium, PAL-V N.V., Samson Motors, Inc., Terrafugia, The Boeing Company, and Volocopter GmbH. These industry leaders are actively involved in shaping the future of aerial mobility and advancing the development and commercialization of flying cars.

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Toyota is jointly developing new mini electric vans with Suzuki. The two companies have also jointly developed a battery electric vehicle (BEV) system with Daihatsu Motor. The new BEV platform with be at the heart of a new generation of electric minivans. Toyota is gradually making inroads into the EV market with a raft of offerings and investments in that direction.

Toyota has made pointed efforts to accelerate development in its BEV strategy with its new CEO Koji Sato driving the process. The Japanese automaker plans to deliver ten new EVs by 2026 and a projected sales outlay of about 1.5 million units annually. Toyota had a less-than-expected reception for its first EV, the bZ4X, and expects to eclipse that with its new strategy. Toyota’s second EV, the bZ3 was released last month in China and was co-developed with BYD. There are several other EV models on the Toyota lineup including the bZ FlexSpace and an aerodynamic sports EV.

The new BEV platform is slated to come into operation by 2026 and this could see a significant increase in the range of Toyota EVs. The company claims the technology will double the range of future EVs with the use of highly efficient batteries. The three Japanese automakers, Toyota, Suzuki, and Daihatsu Motor will also deploy the BEV platform for new electric minivans. A prototype of the mini electric vans that implement the co-developed BEV platform will be on exhibition this week. The exhibition is being hosted by the Japan Automobile Manufacturers Association.

The electric minivans combine features from Toyota, Suzuki, and Daihatsu models. The cars reflect Suzuki’s and Daihatsu’s expertise in small-sized cars in combination with Toyota’s electrification technology. The first model will be manufactured by Daihatsu while Toyota and Suzuki will subsequently release theirs by Q4, 2023. A minimum 200km range on a full charge is expected for the new electric minivans.

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Electric vehicles are gaining popularity day by day. The market, which has a growing potential, is attracting the interest of not only new brands but also established companies that have been producing internal combustion engines for many years. Lastly, Maruti Suzuki, the Indian arm of Suzuki Motor Corp, unveiled the Concept eVX, an electric SUV that has a 60kWh battery pack and offering up to 550 km of driving range on single charge.

Maruti Suzuki, the Indian operation of Suzuki Motor Corporation, unveiled the Concept eVX, an electric SUV at the Auto Expo 2023 in India. The concept car is set to hit the market by 2025 and is powered by a 60kWh battery pack that offers up to 550 km of driving range on a single charge.

“We plan to bring it to market by 2025. At the Suzuki Group, addressing global warming is a priority,” said SMC Representative Director and President Toshihiro Suzuki. He added that the company is committing to reducing greenhouse gas emissions and investing Rs 10,000 crore in the production of Battery Electric Vehicles (BEVs) and their batteries in India.

Maruti Suzuki is also displaying other eco-friendly products such as the WagonR Flex Fuel prototype, Brezza S-CNG, and Grand Vitara Intelligent Electric Hybrid. The Concept eVX is Suzuki’s first global strategic electric vehicle and is being debuted in India. The Auto Expo, which is held every two years, was originally scheduled to take place in 2022 but was postponed due to COVID-19.

Some major manufacturers such as Mahindra & Mahindra, Skoda, Volkswagen, and Nissan along with luxury car makers like Mercedes-Benz, BMW, and Audi are not participating in this edition, but the likes of Maruti Suzuki, Hyundai, Tata Motors, Kia India, Toyota Kirloskar, and MG Motor India will lead the traditional automakers at the show. The Expo will be held from January 11-18, with press days on January 11-12 and general public days from January 13-18.

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The electric vehicle market in India is going to have some new competition as Maruti Suzuki-Toyota is working on an electric SUV which is expected to offer a range of up to 500 km.

Both the companies are working together to bring out this electric vehicle for the International as well as the domestic market. While the automakers are working on this project together, their variants will have a distinct design and styling.

According to an AutoCar India report, the Maruti Suzuki variant is codenamed YY8 and is said to sport a futuristic design and might look totally different from the auto maker’s existing ICE-powered cars.

For those who are unaware, both Toyota and Suzuki had signed up an MoU (memorandum of understanding) in 2017 aimed at co-developing electric vehicles for the Indian market. According to this agreement, Suzuki will produce EVs for the Indian market and will supply some to Toyota. While Toyota is expected to provide technical support for the electric models.

The new vehicle will be designed from scratch unlike the previous tried and tested method of fitting the ICE vehicle with an electric powertrain. According to reports, YY8 will be a 4.2-meter-long vehicle. Reports also mention that the car might have a 2,700mm wheelbase. The benefit of such a long wheelbase is that the company will be able to fix a bigger battery which further translates into a higher range.

The SUV will feature both two-wheel drive and four-wheel drive variants. The two-wheel-drive variant is expected to be equipped with a 138hp motor and a 48kWh battery offering up to a 400 km of range in ideal conditions and the variant with four-wheel drive might come equipped with two-electric motors providing 170hp, a bigger 58 kWh battery, and up to 500 km range.

It is expected that the key features of Toyota’s e-SUV will remain the same but there will be a difference when it comes to the design of the vehicle. Moreover, the battery of this car is expected to be procured locally. According to reports, TDSG, a joint venture between Maruti-Suzuki, Denso, and Toshiba, is expected to manufacture these batteries in its Gujarat-based facility.

At the moment, it is not clear if Maruti Suzuki will introduce both variants in India, however, it is being reported that Toyota might launch both the two-wheel drive and the four-wheel-drive variants in India.

As it’s going to be Maruti’s first electric car in the Indian market the pricing will play a major role and the company will want to price it aggressively considering the Indian market scenario. According to reports, Maruti is expected to price this car in the range of Rs. 13-14 lakhs taking on the most popular Indian EV Tata Nexon.

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The Chinese media went into a frenzy recently when a social media post by Xiaomi was put up suggesting the company was finally venturing into car manufacturing. The post was accompanied by a silhouette of a real-looking car. However, the company was quick to clarify that the Weibo post was an error from the handler and there were no immediate plans to get into car making.

The company later unveiled a remote-controlled version of the Suzuki Jimny SUV. The can is a sleek replica of Suzuki’s popular Jimny off-road vehicle and it is availed in a 1:16 scale and a retail price of 199 yuan (~$28) in China.

Xiaomi may not have plans to dabble into car manufacturing at the moment but that doesn’t mean the company hasn’t got it on its “To do” list. The Chinese company had made a regulatory filing in India in 2017 which suggests that it might sell electric vehicles. A Xiaomi employee was reported to have told the Financial Times that the company didn’t currently have any cars in production.

Just last year, Xiaomi teamed up with Chinese carmaker FAW best known for building the iconic Red Flag sedans that chauffeur top Communist officials. According to promotional materials, the Xiaomi version of the Bestune T77 SUV allows owners to remotely control Xiaomi’s smart home products through voice commands in the vehicle. Prices started at 124,800 yuan (US$17,625).

Just last month, Xiaomi registered a Chinese trademark that roughly translates as “Xiaomi car alliance.” Apart from Xiaomi, other tech giants such as Huawei has also got plans in this regard. The Chinese market leader teamed recently joined forces with 18 carmakers in China to develop 5G-connected vehicles for consumers.

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