Aware of the paradigm shift in the automotive industry worldwide, Toyota intends to deepen its restructuring to become a mobility company.
Its goal is to become a 50% hardware and 50% software company. And for now, its main intention is to remain a global company that offers a wide range of alternatives for the different markets in which it operates.
Mexico has taken on enormous relevance for the automotive consortium and has positioned itself in 16th place in the company’s world ranking.
In its 20 years of presence in Mexico, it has invested 1.4 billion dollars, has generated 4 thousand direct jobs, has sold 1.2 million cars and has produced 1.7 million vehicles in the country; It has sold almost 90,000 electric hybrids, in addition to reducing CO2 emissions by 700,000 tons.
That is the summary of the first Mexican to preside over the Mexican subsidiary of Toyota, Luis Lozano, who bluntly reiterates that his objective is to contribute to the reconversion of the company into a mobility company with a more comprehensive vision that goes beyond vehicles. .
After 18 consecutive years in which Toyota Mexico was headed by American executives appointed from the regional corporate office in the United States, Lozano arrives just at the moment when the automaker is entering an expansion phase in the Mexican market.
This man with an athletic figure and a Spartan race fanatic represented the company in the so-called joint room that accompanied the Mexican negotiators during the renegotiation of the new T-MEC.
Without being a protagonist, he has maintained the high-level political relations necessary to promote Toyota’s global guidelines, from Mexico. Although at the time both the differences in the interpretation of the rules of origin in the automotive industry provided for in the T-MEC and the discussion in Mexico of the Electricity Reform –which was finally rejected in the Chamber of Deputies–, did generate concern, the truth is that over time, fears dissipated.
Regarding the first issue, Toyota is clear that in the event that the position of Mexico and Canada wins, transit will be easier and, in the event that the US position wins, Toyota is ready to comply as requested by the government of That country.
As regards the Electricity Reform, the company was concerned, but in no way did it modify its plans.
Last year Toyota Mexico invested 170 million dollars and maintains its goals. With everything and the pandemic, the economic slowdown and the crisis of the shortage of chips, the Mexican market has behaved in a very positive way.
In Mexico, the sale of hybrid cars has been very successful.
These continue to be a great option. Today Toyota customers can have the ‘exempt’ hologram for up to eight years, although previously it was indefinite. In addition to the fact that hybrid models do not pay ISAN and tenure.
Toyota’s global commitment is not just for one technology but for four: hybrid, plug-in hybrid, electric and hydrogen cells.
He considers that each market will adapt or will have a preference for one of these technologies.
Toyota’s vision at a global level is to have all the technologies available and for the markets to adopt them according to their needs.
Mexico, says Lozano, is part of the North American market and Toyota, with 15 plants in the region, already has a clear strength and advantage because it has a good percentage of regional integration and a supply base that supplies its production plant. Let’s see.
Journalist
Rich and Powerful
He has worked continuously in newspapers, magazines, radio, television and the Internet, in the last 31 years he has specialized in business, finance and economics. He is one of the three hosts of the program Alebrijes, Águila o Sol, a program specialized in economic issues that is broadcast on Foro TV.