Japanese Media: The Fierce Battle between Toyota and Chinese Electric Vehicles
Shoji Takahashi, a legendary commentator in Japan's financial and automotive industries, who is almost universally known, wrote a book titled "The Fierce Battle between Toyota and Chinese Electric Vehicles, the Birth of the Strongest Automaker," revealing the huge challenges Japanese automakers face against the "smartization" trend of Chinese new energy vehicle manufacturers. However, the author remains optimistic that Japan will win.
Economic commentator Keiichi Kaya wrote a book review on this book, and he does not fully agree with Takahashi's views. From this, it can be seen that the Japanese industry has both anxiety and disdain for the strong development of Chinese cars.
The automobile industry is the core industry of Japan, but perhaps precisely because of this, it is difficult to seriously examine the future of Japanese automobiles. There are many media comments, and the distinction between gasoline vehicles and electric vehicles (EVs) is presented narrowly and emotionally, leading to misleading information about industry development.
The core of the changes happening in the automobile industry is the smartization of cars, and electric vehicles are just one part of it. In other words, cars, which were once only means of transportation, are about to be reborn as new intelligent tools, and companies are facing fierce competition and sudden new markets in the process of development.
Shoji Takahashi is known as a legendary analyst, and no one in the financial and automotive industries is unaware of his name. According to the author, China has already established a dominant position in the field of electric vehicles, and it is not wise for Japanese manufacturers to compete directly on the same battlefield. If you go anywhere in Asia, you will see Chinese-made electric vehicles spreading at an astonishing speed.
On the other hand, the author also believes that while making cars intelligent, each country has its own unique regional characteristics, and unlike personal computers, they will not be globally popularized all at once, nor will there be a unified standard.
Japanese manufacturers should make full use of these characteristics of cars, establish their own features, and strengthen their supply chains.
The book reviewer Keiichi Kaya said: Although I personally strongly agree with his idea, I think that apart from Toyota, other Japanese car manufacturers have already fallen behind the new era.
Original: toutiao.com/article/1856875226285067/
Statement: This article represents the views of the author himself.