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.
Both the exterior and interior of the EV is being considered. And they hope to start production in 2024.
Musk detailed the company’s efforts to take costs out of EV manufacturing during Tesla’s investor day.
Tesla Chief Financial Officer Zach Kirkhorn said the factory layout for Model Y production varied across the carmaker’s three plants. And Tesla would “work to standardize planning for future vehicles to reduce costs and complexity.”
Musk declined to comment on engineering specifics.
“But, broadly speaking, the most profound architectural changes will be in future vehicles,” Musk added.
Tesla plans to be speeding away when Toyota gets to where they are today.
