Toyota is planning to launch its first electric car with an advanced autonomous driving system next year, but only in China to start.
Reuters says Toyota will launch the Bozhi 3X SUV in 2025. It will be the manufacturer's first vehicle to offer advanced driving assistance for parking and navigation on highways and within urban traffic. Toyota is developing the system with Momenta Global, which also helped develop autonomous driving software for companies like Mercedes-Benz.
Toyota has also said it plans to launch an iron phosphate lithium battery between 2026 and 2027, which could potentially reduce the production cost of its existing bZ4X EV by 40%.
Toyota has resisted the push to go fully electric. In May, it teamed up with Mazda and Subaru to build a new line of next-gen gasoline engines for hybrids and plug-in hybrids. It's taking a "multi-pathway" approach to reducing emissions, which includes continued investment in gasoline-powered cars as well as EV technology.
Late last year, Toyota showed off a number of EV prototypes ahead of the Japan Mobility Show, including the Land Cruiser SE, a 3-row electric SUV concept that seats seven passengers, as well as the EPU: Electric Pickup, which has a range of over 400 miles.
The news comes about two months after Tesla's Full Self-Driving tech was tentatively approved to launch in China. Tesla is working with Chinese tech firm Baidu to provide navigational support and lane-level mapping services for Tesla.