Toyota has launched its Area 35 plan, aimed at enhancing electric vehicle (EV) production to better compete with industry leaders like Tesla and Chinese manufacturers such as BYD.

This initiative is part of a long-term vision for Toyota to lead the EV market, focusing on efficiency and leveraging existing resources to deliver high-quality vehicles.

As part of this strategy, Toyota intends to simplify its manufacturing process by reducing the number of car parts from 130 to 65, which is expected to lower costs and improve efficiency.

The plan also includes a significant reduction in the assembly line area for internal combustion engine (ICE) cars by 35%, allowing for increased EV production without the need for new facilities.

In addition to its EV focus, the company is rationalizing its ICE and hybrid models, although specific details on which trims will be discontinued have yet to be disclosed.

Unlike Ford, which has encountered difficulties due to over-commitment to EV investments, Toyota's approach emphasizes optimizing existing facilities to avoid unnecessary inefficiencies.

The Area 35 plan has already been implemented in 10 Japanese plants, resulting in an increased production capacity of 80,000 vehicles per year.

Looking ahead, Toyota plans to expand this strategy to all 54 global plants by 2030, targeting an ambitious annual output of 3.5 million electric vehicles.

CEO Yoichi Miyazaki has highlighted the flexibility of this strategy, which is designed to adapt to evolving customer preferences and market changes.

The Land Cruiser SE concept showcases Toyota's commitment to balancing traditional reliability with modern technology in its EV offerings.

While the effectiveness of the Area 35 plan in redefining the EV market remains to be seen, the automotive industry is closely monitoring Toyota's progress.