Toyota has been forging forward with its multi-pathway approach which seeks to provide mobility solutions using various different powertrains. ICE power is no different and the automaker has inadvertently confirmed it will continue producing, marketing and selling them until they are completely outlawed.
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Despite being one of the first automakers to dabble with electrification on a mass scale with the Prius, Toyota has been notably absent from the electric performance car market, a decision driven by its motorsport and sports car division, Gazoo Racing (GR). The clarification to this has been made by Toyota Gazoo Racing president Tomoya Takahashi during an interview with Australian magazine Car Expert. The head honcho confirmed that there are no immediate plans for a performance EV since GR is more heavily committed to ICEs, stating:
“We intend to use internal combustion engines as much as possible. There may be a time in the future when engines are banned, but internal combustion engines aren’t bad; the enemy is carbon.”
Petrolheads and purists will be hopeful with the news, however, this doesn’t mean Toyota hasn’t dabbled in the electric performance vehicle space yet. In 2023 at the Japan Mobility Show in Tokyo, the FT-Se was unveiled with a striking similarity to the MR2 however omitting the ICE power in favour of dual motors and all-wheel drive with a rear-biased setup. The performance, on paper at least, was promising but the Japanese automaker hasn’t explicitly written these concepts off. The simple response is that ICE power remains the focus.
Related: High-performance Toyota GR SUV Rumoured to be on the Horizon
Hideaki Iida, project manager for the GR Design Group, hinted to InsideEVs that the FT-Se might enter production post-2026 but Toyota appears more inclined to develop fun, ICE-powered cars. The ideal scenario would be offering both combustion and electric GR models, catering to a wider range of enthusiasts in what has become widely known as Toyota’s multi-pathway approach.
While pure EVs are not on the immediate horizon, hybrid technology is seen as a viable solution to reduce carbon emissions. Takahashi mentioned that hybrids could play a significant role, and synthetic fuels are also under consideration. Toyota is actively exploring combustion engines that can run on hydrogen as part of its sustainability efforts. In addition to this, the firm has even run some liquid hydrogen-propelled race cars in shakedowns and domestic series promising a hopeful future.
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Toyota’s dedication to ICE technology highlights its belief in the future of combustion engines, even as the automotive industry increasingly shifts towards electrification. By blending traditional and innovative technologies, Toyota aims to offer a diverse range of exciting vehicles for enthusiasts worldwide.
