NAGOYA, JAPAN: Toyota Motor Corp is considering beginning mass production of electric vehicles in China as early as 2019, as the Chinese government plans to require carmakers to build a minimum number of environmentally friendly vehicles, a source familiar with the matter said on Saturday. The production of zero-emission vehicles is in line with Toyota's earlier plan to start large-scale output of electric vehicles by 2020 to meet stricter exhaust emission regulations worldwide. Toyota set up a division to step up development of electric vehicles last year and President Akio Toyoda is in charge of the team. A Toyota executive said it was "natural" to seek to introduce electric cars in China ahead of rivals as emission regulations are becoming tougher. Toyota may produce the electric version of the C-HR small crossover sport utility vehicle which it plans to start manufacturing in China in 2018.

Source: Bangkok Post July 22, 2017 13:18 UTC