Toyota Motor North America (TMNA) has announced the appointment of Shinichi Yasui as the Chief Project Leader for its newly established Hydrogen Factory, effective July 1, 2023. The factory is a dedicated organization within Toyota Motor Corporation (TMC) focusing on accelerating the development and production of fuel cells and hydrogen-related products.
The objective of the Hydrogen Factory is to streamline business strategy, development, production, sales, and marketing under one organization. This will facilitate quicker decision-making, establish stronger ties with rapidly expanding markets such as China and Europe, and promote the sustainable commercialization of hydrogen-related products.
Shinichi Yasui, a seasoned Toyota executive with 35 years of experience, has been a part of Toyota’s North American Executive Committee since 2017, spearheading the company’s R&D operations in the region. Yasui started his career with TMC in 1988 as an engineer, working on the development of airbag systems, seats, and seat belts. Over the years, he held numerous engineering and product planning roles, and in 2013, he became the chief engineer for all Corolla models. He was appointed executive general manager of product planning at TMC’s Mid-Size Vehicle Company in 2016 before taking on his current role at TMNA. Yasui holds a master’s degree in mechanical engineering from Meiji University in Tokyo and an Executive MBA from the University of Michigan.
Details regarding Yasui’s successor at TMNA and further information about his new role will be shared at a future date.
Toyota has been a prominent part of North America’s cultural fabric for over 65 years and remains dedicated to advancing sustainable next-generation mobility. With more electrified vehicles on the road than any other automaker, Toyota currently offers 22 electrified models and plans to begin automotive battery production for electrified vehicles at its 14th plant in North Carolina by 2025.
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