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Tesla remains the global leader in the EV marketplace. And Japanese carmaker Toyota is impressed.

According to the Automotive News, Tesla has eliminated hundreds of parts and up to 220 pounds (100 kilograms) in the Tesla model Y. In the meantime, they have drastically increased the battery range and slashed overall costs.

 In 2022 Tesla delivered 1.3 million battery electric-vehicles (BEVs).

Announcement of new Toyota CEO 

Toyota is still the world's largest automaker. And they produce a diverse range of vehicles. But it has been struggling to keep up with its competitors in the electric car market. 

While the company sold 2.6 million hybrids in 2022, it only sold 24,466 (BEVs) worldwide during the same period. 

Toyota is trying to revamp its EV strategy, to accelerate its EV rollout and launch dedicated BEV architecture by 2026. 

The company is determined to catch up to Tesla. And there is increased urgency after the announcement that effective April 1, CEO Akio Toyoda is being replaced by former Lexus head Koji Sato.

Global Leader keeps getting better

Toyota engineers recently conducted a teardown study of the Tesla Model Y to understand what makes it so successful.

"Taking the skin off the Model Y, it was truly a work of art. It's unbelievable," said one Toyota executive who analyzed the Tesla part-by-part. They were surprised by how different the latest versions of the Model Y were under the skin.  And compared the latest to earlier versions that looked the same on the outside. 

According to Automotive News, the engineers were impressed by the Model Y's simplistic yet efficient vehicle structure. And loved its advanced manufacturing prowess. Toyota engineers took note of the use of giga casting, which eliminated countless parts and brackets. And the structural battery pack is said to be high-level engineering. that also serves as the car's floor.

Using the battery pack to serve as the car floor reduces the weight by up to 220 pounds (100 kilograms). And it’s the main reason that there is an increase in battery range and a decrease in construction costs.

The Toyota engineers concluded that Tesla has a significant advantage in four main areas: a dedicated platform, advanced battery technology, a designated EV production site, and a software-defined architecture.

The Toyota engineers believe that a significant leap forward will be required to catch up to Tesla. And suggested that Toyota needs a new platform designed specifically for EVs.

Project Juniper

In the meantime, Tesla CEO Elon Musk is spearheading even more engineering changes to the Model Y. And to keep the information close they are working on code-named Project Juniper.