The Toyota booth -- the largest at the reborn auto show here in Tokyo -- delivers a clear message: We are (finally) going electric. At center stage are two concepts showcasing what to expect from the forthcoming full-electric Supra coupe and the successor to the bZ4X electric crossover. Just to the left of those models are two metallic silver concepts previewing battery-powered versions of the Land Cruiser SUV and Hilux pickup.
This all aligns with the pro-BEV (battery-electric vehicle) comments Koji Sato made in February after being tapped to succeed Akio Toyoda, the grandson of the company's founder, as Toyota CEO. At that time Sato said: "To deliver attractive BEVs to more customers, we must streamline the structure of the car, and -- with a BEV-first mindset -- we must drastically change the way we do business, from manufacturing to sales and service."