Japan's Nidec is building an almost totally "made-in-China” electric car motor to help Toyota compete in the world’s largest auto market, according to Chief Executive Officer Mitsuya Kishida.
About 99% of the materials and parts in the E-axle motor are from China, said Nidec president Kishida. Building the integrated motor was "incredibly tough,” he said in an interview last week.
Nidec began supplying the motor for Toyota’s electric bZ3X sport utility vehicle, which went on sale in March from about 110,000 yuan ($15,350), and has sold about 20,000 units so far, according to a Toyota spokesperson. The car — the first Toyota vehicle to use this motor — is part of the company’s push to turn around its fate in the world’s No. 2 economy, as Chinese carmakers capture market share from global rivals.
With your current subscription plan you can comment on stories. However, before writing your first comment, please create a display name in the Profile section of your subscriber account page.