Toyota and its luxury subsidiary, Lexus, went all-out, showcasing 15 EVs with different flavors, including sports cars, all launching before 2030!
The Japanese auto conglomerate penetrated the EV industry only a few months back with the launch of its fully electric and affordable ‘bZ’ series. The CEO of Toyota, Akio Toyoda, was an outspoken critic of ‘zero emission’ vehicles, claiming that a completely ‘clean’ tag was not possible due to the involvement of the infamous oil and gas industries in some applications.
Toyota was also a pioneer in hybrid technologies introducing the Prius way back in 1996. However, it was one of the slowest to accept full electrification. Fast forward to this year, and the Japanese auto giant has completely altered the tide. Namely, the brand recently pledged a $17.5 billion investment across the globe to develop battery technologies and new EVs.
In the context of pipelines, the Japanese manufacturer (including Lexus) recently gave journos and enthusiasts a sneak peek of what we could expect this decade. Akio Toyoda displayed a raft of different EVs at the event, including crossovers, compact SUVs, vans, saloons, pick-ups, hatches, and even sports cars!
Toyota’s first EV will be the bZ4X — a crossover built on the exclusive e-TNGA platform built specifically for electric powertrains. The bZ (Beyond Zero) also shares its chassis with Subaru’s crossover, Solterra. However, the electric truck that will probably share the platform with the new Tacoma will probably be more interesting to buyers in North America. Details are scarce, but it should be comparable with the Ford F-150 Lighting and Tesla Cybertruck.
Furthermore, Toyota looks to expand its affordable range with another compact crossover with a futuristic coupe-esque styling plus a sub-compact SUV that is earmarked for city usage. Akio set aside an energy efficiency target of 1250 W for every km driven, comparable to that of a Tesla Model 3. Further down the line, the company will also launch an electric sedan and a three-row SUV.
Moving on to the Lexus garage, the luxury brand aims to launch its first-ever all-electric offering with the RZ. No potential details have been given out yet, but it will definitely sit on the same platform as the Toyota bZ4X, albeit with a larger battery and more powerful motors. The RZ is easily identifiable by the signature Lexus grille and headlamps on a crossover body. Moreover, the brand also offers a sneak peek of the SUV and the all-electric sedan.
Lexus also works on an electric IS sedan, larger three-row SUV, and probably electric versions of the ES and LS, albeit with a “shooting brake” hatchback rear end. All EVs from the luxury arm look very aggressive and have only a hint of the spindle grille.
Thankfully it’s not all electric crossovers and SUVs — Toyota and Lexus also showed us two exciting sports cars. The low-slung aerodynamic Lexus beast is heavily inspired by the mesmerizing LFA and certainly finds its appeal amongst enthusiasts. It is expected to rival the likes of the Lotus Evija and the Rimac Nevera with a 2-second 0-60 mph sprint and a 435-mile range. Meanwhile, Toyota’s electric sports car with probably be the successor to the MR2, with a mid-mounted motor and a battery unit.
Toyota also showcased a contemporary mid-box van and a tiny quadricycle, although these vehicles are probably headed to Japan.
Although slow to accept at first, Toyota and Lexus are definitely going all-in with their EV range. The future will get super intriguing!
