Toyota to establish its 1st Indian R&D center in Bengaluru
What's the story
Toyota Motor Corporation is going to set up its first-ever research and development (R&D) center in India via its domestic subsidiary.
The move highlights the growing importance of the Indian market for the global car maker.
The new facility will be set up in Bengaluru, close to Toyota Kirloskar Motor's existing factory in Bidadi, according to Bloomberg.
Expansion plans
R&D center to start with 200 engineers
The Bengaluru-based R&D facility will reportedly start operations with a team of some 200 engineers.
The workforce is expected to grow to about 1,000 by 2027, according to the report.
This follows Toyota's decision to make India the hub for its operations in the Middle East, East Asia, and Oceania region.
Investment strategy
India to be a global hub for green technologies
Toyota has announced a series of priority investments to make India a global hub for clean and green technologies.
The company is closely watching the R&D operations of Suzuki's Indian unit in Rohtak, one of the country's largest auto engineering hubs with some 3,000 engineers.
This new research center will be Toyota's third R&D location in the Asia-Pacific region outside Japan, after China and Thailand.
Joint venture
Toyota's collaboration with Suzuki for EV market
Toyota's partnership with Suzuki is about to deepen as they integrate R&D and product development.
A key example of this collaboration is Toyota's upcoming Urban Cruiser EV, a rebadged version of Suzuki's first electric vehicle, the e-Vitara.
The model will be built at Suzuki's factory in Gujarat.
This is the first step for both Japanese automakers as they aim to penetrate the Indian and global EV markets together.