Skip to main content

Will Toyota change course and build a mass-market electric car?

2012 Toyota RAV4 EV
Image used with permission by copyright holder
Toyota doesn’t like battery-electric cars. It believes hydrogen fuel cells are the better technology, because they generally offer greater range, and short refueling times similar to gasoline cars. But Toyota may be changing its attitude.

The Japanese automaker is now considering building an electric car, according to a Nikkei report. That car could appear in time for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, although that doesn’t give Toyota much time to accomplish a huge task. The company hasn’t even put together an electric-car development team, according to the report. That will happen over the next couple of months.

Interestingly, the Japanese government is expected to use the 2020 Olympics to promote hydrogen fuel cells, and Toyota will likely be a part of that, too. The automaker will supply a fleet of fuel-cell buses, with the first ones set to be delivered next year. Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe is pushing the concept of a “hydrogen society,” where fuel cells are used to power buildings as well as vehicles.

The Toyota electric car itself could be a small SUV, and may use the Toyota New Global Architecture (TNGA) platform that underpins the current-generation Prius hybrid. The Prius’ chief engineer, Koji Toyoshima, recently indicated that Toyota is now more confident in the lithium-ion battery cells other automakers already use in their electric cars. Toyota is continuing lithium-ion development work, but could also buy batteries for its electric car from an outside supplier, according to Nikkei.

Toyota isn’t completely new to electric cars. It sold two generations of the RAV4 EV, an electric version of its ubiquitous RAV4 SUV. Both were built solely to satisfy California regulations. The second-generation model (pictured above) used a powertrain from Tesla Motors. Toyota also built an electric version of its tiny iQ city car, which was imported to the U.S. in extremely limited numbers as the Scion iQ EV.

Instead of electric cars, Toyota has focused on promoting its Mirai hydrogen fuel cell car. The Mirai is currently sold only in California, because it’s the only state with a decent network for hydrogen fueling stations.

Editors' Recommendations

Stephen Edelstein
Stephen is a freelance automotive journalist covering all things cars. He likes anything with four wheels, from classic cars…
Best used EVs: get an electric car without paying full price
A Tesla Model 3 on a road.

Electric cars are all the rage, and for good reason. They're super-responsive, brimming with high-tech, and better for the environment. But they're still relatively new, and new ones are still relatively expensive. As a result, you may be wondering how you can get your hands on a used EV.

But buying a used EV can be a little daunting. After all, given how quickly electric cars are improving, you might want to make sure you're really getting an EV that will last more than a year or two. That's why we've put together this guide on the best used EVs.
Tesla Model 3

Read more
What are the different types of electric car chargers?
Electric car home charger

As we head into a world of electric cars, charging is the biggest concern for many first-time buyers. It makes sense. While the hype for electric cars themselves is arguably justified, the biggest drawback is the fact that you have to charge them, and right now, that can be a bit of a hassle.

That’s not only because of the fact that you have to wait to charge — but also because of the fact that there are different types of electric car chargers, and you may not be able to charge an electric car with all of those different types.

Read more
Pros and cons of buying a used electric car
Front three-quarters view of a 2023 Kia EV6 GT in a desert setting.

Electric cars have come a long way over the past few years. Gone are the days when the thought of an electric car was a novelty — these days, EVs are common, (mostly) available, and for the most part, refined.

But they’re also still relatively expensive, especially for a good one. That’s exactly why you might be thinking about buying a used one.

Read more