Toyota is plotting an all-electric sports car to rival Tesla as part of a host of new performance models planned in the coming years.
Naohiko Saito, Toyota’s handling guru, has said the electric powertrain previewed in the Toyota 2000GT EV at the Goodwood Festival of Speed is “an early part of the development process involved in refining the technology”. He added that the technology would be seen first in a city car before being developed for a sports car.
That could involve mating a manual gearbox to the electric drivetrain, something which is being developed in the 2000GT EV. It channels power through an electric motor and works in conjunction with an inverter that alters torque levels being sent to the wheels depending on the ratio chosen.
Hiroyuki Ogawa, Toyota’s advanced drivetrain engineering chief, said there was “a desire to use a manual gearbox in our electric and hybrid sports cars”.
He added the CVT gearbox was “efficient but not fun”, and the manual ’box “promises much better feel for the driver”. A production manual hybrid from Toyota is at least three years away, he confirmed.
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Toyota Tesla rival
Thank goodness, a car company run by an enthusiast at last!
As Challenger 440 said, VAG please take note - not everyone wants to pay prices loaded by about £1,500 for a DSG box that they do not actually want anyway.
BMW need reminding too - why can't we buy a manual M5 in the UK but you can in the States?
Go Toyota
Agree... This would make even better news than the GT86
The new boss of Toyota is an enthusiast and have stated on many occassions to make Toyotas interesting again..
Toyota get a lot of stick for
Toyota get a lot of stick for making boring boxes for the masses, but first we get the GT86, and now talk of manual hybrids, and even electric cars. It appears they really want to make cars for the more enthusiastic driver too.
As Challenger 440 said, i hope others are listening!