Toyota Focus On Electric Cars

Toyota Motor Corp is setting up a new in-house unit to develop electric cars, offering its strongest endorsement in technology, with rival technology to its slow kick start.

Japan's biggest automaker said on Today it will launch next month a unit that will start with four persons and be responsible for planning a strategy for developing and marketing electric cars to keep pace with tightening global emissions regulations.

The unit will expand by drawing upon engineers, designers and other personnel from various sections of the company as needed.

Toyota had said it would reserve electric vehicles for short-distance commuting given the high price of rechargeable batteries and lengthy charging times.

Toyota has been developing ultra-compact electric vehicles for years. But by adding longer-range models to its product range, it would be changing its tune from promoting FCVs and plug-in petrol-electric hybrid cars as the most promising alternative to conventional cars.