Toyota R & D Center (China) Co., Ltd. (hereinafter referred to as TMEC) 10 22 in Changshu City, Jiangsu Province, held a groundbreaking ceremony for construction, which is Toyota's largest global R & D center, is currently the foreign auto companies in China alone building one of the largest R & D base. Toyota president Akio Toyoda announced the groundbreaking ceremony, the domestic R & D center will develop hybrid powertrain equipped vehicles, and around 2015 to achieve the FAW Toyota, Guangzhou Toyota's production and sales.

    TMEC located in Changshu City, Jiangsu Province, "South East Economic Development Zone" within an area of ​​2.34 million square meters, including a field that contains a variety of road conditions and a variety of equipment, laboratory test, the estimated total investment of nearly $ 700 million. Toyoda, said at the groundbreaking ceremony, TMEC will build a global R & D system in Toyota's largest R & D center, to promote Toyota's domestic environmental technology research and development is a priority. "We decided to try in the 'second Five-Year Plan' period, the development of China-made hybrid powertrain equipped vehicles, and around 2015 to achieve the FAW Toyota, Guangzhou Toyota's production and sales."

    Toyota's hybrid market since 1997, cumulative worldwide sales of over 3.3 million, but sales in the Chinese market is not ideal. Toyota was the first hybrid made in China to achieve auto companies, but because of other key components of the powertrain is still dependent on imports, high costs lead to market hybrid vehicle prices high. If equipped with Toyota's launch in China-made hybrid powertrain vehicles, is expected to significantly reduce its market price.

    China had achieved in hybrid Toyota Prius and Camry hybrid localization, two cars are strong mixing, fuel efficiency is 40%, the former has been discontinued because not timely replacement, which price more than 300,000.

    TMEC is Toyota's first outside of Japan set up five R & D center, after Toyota in the United States, Europe, Australia, Thailand, with R & D, respectively, also being in Japan has three major R & D center. It is understood, TMEC contains a test track, is the largest in Asia outside Japan in addition to the test track.

    It is noteworthy that this is Toyota president Akio Toyoda again within six months in China, attended along with two vice-president of Toyota, Toyota of this magnitude in the history of China is not common. Toyoda is the last time in China in April this year, the Shanghai auto show, and then the last time in March last year, Toyota is "recall" when it came to China "fire."

    ¡ö Anecdotes

    Toyoda also announced the appointment of Toyota Motor Corporation's Senior Director of technology department loyalty to TMEC Yamashina, general manager of the new term, he was Toyoda evaluation after the vice president for the company within a Bamboo Chi Yamada, senior technical staff, after Toyota F1 in-house and other racing business. Yamashina Zhong said that when he was traveling in the United States, Toyoda M, and Yamada Bamboo Chi within a business trip in Europe, after consulting both loyal to the Mountain Division sent an appointment e-mail, and he is lying in bed replies: "I know." He said, "president in the European R & D Center China travel Shihai thinking things, we can see how this attention."