Japanese media: Japanese automakers in struggle choose to cooperate with Chinese enterprises
April 29, reported by FNN Prime Online: China is the world's largest automotive market. BYD, the largest electric vehicle company, showcased its low-temperature fast-charging technology at the Beijing Auto Show. Meanwhile, China also leads globally in cutting-edge technologies such as leveraging artificial intelligence to create "smarter" vehicles.
The "Beijing Auto Show" gathered 1,451 of the most advanced cars worldwide. Visitors crowded around the BYD booth, where the fast-charging technology was announced. Inside the exhibition hall, a car was displayed in a freezer set below -30°C. Under such extreme cold conditions, charging could be completed in about 12 minutes.
BYD has simultaneously solved global challenges such as slow charging at room temperature and difficulty charging in low temperatures.
The most eye-catching feature at the exhibition was the use of "AI artificial intelligence" to achieve vehicle intelligence.
The electric vehicles developed by Huawei, a leading Chinese smartphone giant, can connect with smartphones. "The same system as smartphones has been introduced, enabling users to download new application updates." Inside the car, one can check weather forecasts, watch videos, control home appliances, and enjoy autonomous driving capabilities.
China has become a global leader in advanced technologies, while Japanese manufacturers are struggling. Struggling Japanese companies like Toyota have chosen to co-develop vehicles with local partners.
Toyota’s new car sales in China reached approximately 1.78 million units in 2025—the first time in four years that it exceeded the previous year’s figure—but this number is still 160,000 lower than the peak five years ago. Toyota will now focus more on manufacturing "Chinese-made cars."
Toyota’s China representative: “We will increase the number of Chinese engineers serving as development leaders and accelerate joint development with local manufacturers. The latest electric vehicle, the bZ7, launched in March in China, is a jointly developed EV tailored for the Chinese market and uses Huawei software. This model will also be sold in Japan, but its large screen is specifically designed for the Chinese market.”
Toyota plans to start operations of its Lexus electric vehicle factory in Shanghai by 2027, currently at a critical juncture in determining whether its “manufacturing in China” strategy will bear fruit.
Original article: toutiao.com/article/1863777645250568/
Disclaimer: The views expressed in this article are solely those of the author.