Suzuki, Daihatsu & Toyota to Develop Mini-Commercial Van Electric Vehicles

Suzuki Motor Corporation, Daihatsu Motor Co., Ltd., and Toyota Motor Corporation have announced plans to devlope prototype mini-commercial van electric vehicles (BEVs) equipped with a jointly developed BEV system. The three companies jointly developed a BEV system suitable for mini-commercial vehicles by combining Suzuki and Daihatsu's expertise in creating small-size cars with Toyota's electrification technology to introduce this mini-commercial van BEV.

Daihatsu will produce the vehicles, and Suzuki, Daihatsu, and Toyota will each release their own version within fiscal 2023.

The cruising range per charge is expected to be approximately 200km, and development is currently underway with the aim of creating a vehicle that can fully meet the needs of customers in the delivery industry.

Commercial Japan Partnership Technologies Corporation (CJPT) also participated in the planning to achieve the optimal specifications for efficient last-mile logistics.

The BEVs were unveiled at an exhibition event that introduces the automobile industry's efforts to achieve carbon neutrality (CN), from Thursday May 18 to Sunday 21.

The exhibition event will be organized by the Japan Automobile Manufacturers Association (JAMA) along with the G7 Hiroshima Summit.

The three companies Suzuki, Daihatsu, and Toyota will continue to promote efforts to achieve CN by providing sustainable means of transportation.

In April 2021, Isuzu Motors Limited, Hino Motors, Ltd., and Toyota Motor Corporation established Commercial Japan Partnership Technologies (CJPT), a new company, with the aim to accelerate the implementation and spread of CASE in society to help address various difficulties facing the transportation industry as well as help achieve a carbon-neutral society.

Suzuki Motor Corporation and Daihatsu Motor Co., Ltd. joined the partnership in July 2021.