Toyota Says Electric-Vehicle Advances Give China Chance to Lead

(Bloomberg) -- China's knack for speedy adaptation has put the country in a position to lead the world in new auto technologies, particularly electrification, Toyota Motor Corp.'s China Chief Executive Officer Kazuhiro Kobayashi said.

“The shift toward new energy vehicles as a result of the strengthening of NEV policies has given China the momentum to overtake other countries in development, as well as in the fields of autonomous driving and connected cars,” Kobayashi said on the eve of the Beijing auto show. “What impresses me the most is the sense of speed.”

Toyota, Asia's biggest carmaker, unveiled the C-HR compact crossover and sister model IZOA for the Chinese market that will go on sale this year. The company previously announced plans to also introduce plug-in hybrid versions of its Corolla and Levin sedans in the country in 2018.

“At Toyota, we believe the rapidly changing circumstances will be our chance to further accelerate the growth of our business in China,” said Kobayashi, who took over as head of business in the nation at the start of this year.

To contact the reporter on this story: Kevin Buckland in Beijing at kbuckland1@bloomberg.net.

To contact the editors responsible for this story: Anand Krishnamoorthy at anandk@bloomberg.net, Lena Lee

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