Toyota debuted its sharply styled Yundong Shuangqing hybrid concept at the Beijing Motor Show today, announcing that a production version will be sold in China at some point in the future. The Yundong Shuangqing was joined on stage by the Dear Qin compact and the GT 86 rear-wheel-drive sports car.
Toyota developed the Yundong Shuangqing’s hybrid powertrain mainly at the automaker’s research and development plant in Changshu, China. “We would like to put smiles on the faces of our Chinese customers with hybrid technology,” Toyota President Akio Toyoda said in prepared remarks at the show. “I want the people of China to be able to experience the beauty of hybrid technology through a hybrid car born in China.”
In 2005, China became the first place outside of Japan where the Prius hybrid was built when Sichuan FAW Toyota Motor Co. Ltd. started making the third-generation model. And two years ago, GAC Toyota Motor Co., which is in China’s Guangdong Province, started making the Camry Hybrid.
Earlier this month, Honda said it would launch at least four hybrids specifically for the Chinese market under either its moniker or the Acura brand in order to capitalize on what’s likely to be surging car sales in that country. Honda will introduce the CR-Z, Fit and Insight Hybrids in China later this year, and will likely sell its promised hybrid-powered Acura NSX sports car in China as well.
China-only Hybrid Concept Equipped with Locally Produced Hybrid System
Beijing, China, April 23, 2012 – Toyota Motor Corporation (TMC) is exhibiting 38 production and concept vehicles, including three world premieres, here at the 12th Beijing International Automotive Exhibition, which starts today and runs through May 2*1 at the China International Exhibition Center. TMC’s exhibit space covers approximately 3,200 m2.
Making their world premieres are the “Yundong Shuangqing”*2 China-only concept hybrid, which is equipped with a hybrid system developed primarily at the Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (China) Co., Ltd. R&D Center in Changshu, China, and the compact-sized “Toyota Dear Qin”*3, which is a global-strategic concept (sedan and hatchback) featuring a design aiming to attract more people to the user base.
Also, to meet the diverse needs of Chinese consumers, TMC is displaying the “86” compact rear-wheel-drive sports car designed to maximize driving enjoyment, the “Welcab” series of vehicles with factory-installed features for the disabled, and several types of environment-friendly vehicles.
At a press conference during the exhibition, TMC President Akio Toyoda said: “We would like to put smiles on the faces of our Chinese customers with hybrid technology. I want the people of China to be able to experience the beauty of hybrid technology through a hybrid car born in China.”
TMC aims to continue producing ever-better cars-ranging from environment-friendly vehicles to specially equipped vehicles to sports cars-to meet the needs of a broad range of vehicle users in China.
Outline of TMC Booth at the 12th Beijing International Automotive Exhibition
- Total area Approx. 3,200 m2
- Vehicles on display 38
- World premiere vehicles
- Yundong Shuangqing (China-only hybrid concept); Toyota Dear Qin (compact sedan and
- hatchback global-strategic concepts)
- Other featured vehicles NS4; Toyota Fun-Vii; FT-EV III; Prius Plug-in Hybrid; 86; AE86; Prius; Camry Hybrid; Prius Welcab; Alphard Welcab; i-REAL; winglet; others
*1Press days: April 23 – 24; trade days: April 25 – 26; public days: April 27 – May 2
*2Yúndòng (written as “??”) is a coined term in Mandarin Chinese which suggests “movement upon clouds” and is Toyota’s current corporate slogan in China. The slogan is meant to convey an image of innovation, dynamism and eco-friendliness; shuangqíng (written as “??”) is a coined term which suggests “dual support” and signifies the two power sources of the gasoline-electric hybrid system.
*3Qin (written as”?”) in Mandarin Chinese means dear or intimate and represents the wish
