Daniel Smithpresident of the Argentina branch of Toyota, has been on vacation since last Saturday. In fact, this executive, who over the years has become one of the most visible faces of the local business community, so expects his retirement, which will formally take place on May 2. On that day will assume he Gustavo Salinasalso Argentine and commercial brand director for the entire region.

This period of transition is experienced in the Zárate factory as a matter of fact not published in the past decade, since Herrero became president of Toyota nine years ago.

During that time under his leadership, Toyota established itself as the main vehicle from Argentina: every day, the Zárate factory produces about 700 Hilux and SW4 pick-ups. At this rate, it has also become the main exporter and also, in 2021, the best seller in the domestic market.

Within the automotive companies that make up the exclusive club of the Association of Automotive Manufacturers (ADEFA), not a few of its executives wonder what kind of profile adoption of Salinas, an executive who spent much of his final years aboard an airplane, fulfilling the requests of 23 countries where it sells vehicles that Toyota makes in Argentina and Brazil.

Salinas will have to announce in the coming months what the future holds Hybrid Hilux. It’s not about futurology, but something the company itself has announced, labeled “commitment”: before 2025, Toyota’s full range will have even a hybrid or electric version.

In Brazil they have already reached that promise in the case of Toyota Corollawhich since 2019 has passed the first hybrid vehicle made at Mercosur.

For the Argentine Hilux and the other two Brazilian models (Yaris and Etios) the clock is ticking: the “deadline” is 2025, almost within two and a half years.

In Zárate, as the transition from one president to another continues, they continue soil preparation so that Salinas moves comfortably as a local reference to so -called “sustainable mobility”, as it is called these days to all energy sources that do not produce emissions.

The company’s bid is to show that they have all “sustainable” technology under control, from “old” hybrid cars to futuristic hydrogen prototypes.

“In the world it is estimated that there are 1,400 million combustion vehicles in circulation, which in the future will need to be replaced,” he said. Diego Prado, director of Corporate Communication, at a meeting with journalists in Zárate, on Tuesday. “We are the vehicles we already have. But the goal should be to make the entire value chain sustainable, from energy extraction to the final disposal of batteries. “

During these times, the test track of this large factory accumulates tire marks made by a own car pokerwith a variety of alternative propulsion technologies.

The range starts with cars hybridsAs the Corollawhich is now available at local dealerships (with the wait at least six monthsyes) for 5.4 million pesosor the Cross version thereof in $ 6.3 million.

The sample proceeds to a car 100% electrica Lexus UX300enot yet sold in Argentina (in Spain, with a promotional price, it is possible to buy at a cheap price € 30,000). It has a range of approx. 300 kilometers.

Right now, Lexus is available at local dealerships hybrids, vehicles powered by a combination of electric motors and propulsion. And they’re not cheap at all: the cheapest hybrid UX is on $ 57,000 and the price list reaches the LC500 coupe, from $ 249,000.

Until then, both hybrid and electric were technologies already they have reached the country, in the dropper, but you’ll already see them on the streets. The other two vehicles now on display at the Zárate factory are today’s technologies not published local.

The third is a Toyota RAV4 “Plug-in Hybrid”: a hybrid vehicle, already circulating in Japan and the United States, with a larger proportion of “electric” driving (75 kilometers) than conventional hybrids, so it generates less emissions. It has a charging plug for the electric motor, and at the same time it fills the fuel. Some of the pilots who tested it put it on the Zárate track 180km/h in a few seconds. There are no plans to bring it to the country so far.

The fourth vehicle is a Toyota Mirai FCEV (for “Fuel Cell Electric Vehicle”) that the electric motor is powered by a battery of hydrogen cells. It is a very good type of engine, with a range similar to combustion engines (650 kilometers). But so far it has no commercial destination. “The available (hydrogen) technologies are very expensive,” Prado said.

In Argentina, there was a bill in Congress, “Promotion of Sustainable Mobility”, sent by the Executive Power to be discussed in extraordinary sessions but finally boxed. The reason? Apparently, the strong opposition of oil companies against one of its clauses, which mandates that they stop producing all kinds of vehicles with emissions (including hybrids) from 2041.

The project, which appeared in the portfolio of Matias Kulfas, has the support of ADEFA, including Toyota. But Prado revealed that from the company they want to give a discussion on this issue, with Salinas leading the way in May.

“It’s pointless to move forward with bans, if the required infrastructure is not built identically. A system is needed that generates incentives for sustainable mobility, both incentives for production and the generation of new energy, ”the executive said.