\n\u201cFor the first time, I came face to face with the competitiveness of Chinese components,\u201d Kato said. \u201cIn China, they were not simply learning and applying technologies, but also rapidly transforming manufacturing.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cLaying eyes on equipment that I had never seen in Japan and their state-of-the-art manufacturing, I was struck by a sense of crisis \u2013 \u2019We\u2019re in trouble!\u2019 At the same time, I began to think that I would like to spend the rest of my career in China,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n
This sense of realization came when Toyota started collaborating with BYD for the Chinese-market bZ3 sedan, which is based on the Japanese manufacturer\u2019s e-TNGA platform but uses the Chinese maker\u2019s Blade batteries.<\/p>\n
As Kato says, the development of the electric sedan was marked by constant change. A particularly eye-opening experience came five months after the vehicle\u2019s height and wheelbase were modified, which is a huge change in and of itself.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe overall height was lowered by around 25 millimeters [0.9 inches], so the underbody had to be entirely redone. In Japan, that would have brought the entire development to a standstill,\u201d Toyota\u2019s BEV Factory chief said. \u201cRegardless, everyone agreed on the change because we were committed to putting out a product that would make customers happy. Deep down, it seemed like a complete write-off, but we had to go for it,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n
Gallery: Toyota bZ3 <\/h3>\n
<\/p>\n
While testing the bZ3 in Mongolia, Kato was summoned for an interview with Akio Toyoda, Toyota\u2019s Chairman, and Koji Sato, the company\u2019s CEO. During the meeting, he was asked to return to Japan and take the helm of the Vehicle Development Center, which handles everything from planning to mass-production development.<\/p>\n
Fast-forward to July 2023, and Toyota is holding its annual General Shareholders\u2019 Meeting in Tokyo. Here, Kato takes the microphone and says: \u201cI love BEVs.\u201d But was this scripted?<\/p>\n