Electric Toyota SUV, Lexus concept teased as brands shift to battery power
It looks like this will be the shared Toyota-Subaru SUV, though Europe will see it first.
An outline of things to come.
Although Toyota is one of a couple automakers taking a seriously hard look at hydrogen fuel cells for passenger cars, it's also working to not be left behind when it comes to electric cars . On Monday, Toyota underscored that message as it shed just a little bit of light on a new electric SUV. Meanwhile, its luxury division, Lexus , teased a new electric concept car.
We'll start with Toyota first. The Japanese brand provided a simple sketched outline of the electric SUV to come, set for a reveal in the next couple months, but we think we know a little more about this vehicle than what Toyota provided. A second photo it supplied is the same picture the brand used when announcing a partnership with Subaru in 2019. The goal of the program is to produce an EV platform the two companies will share, and the first vehicle to ride on said platform? A compact SUV, just like Toyota talked about today.
We saw this photo over a year ago, but this could be what Toyota's talking about.
The brand said this SUV will be a totally new vehicle and Europe has first dibs. It could be that this is a separate vehicle altogether, but we can't toss out the idea Toyota plans this SUV for the US, too. As for Subaru's version, it should share many of the mechanicals and rumors point to the "Evoltis" name for the model.
We have a name for the platform as well: e-TNGA. TNGA stands for "Toyota New Global Architecture," and "e" is often the go-to designator in the auto industry to tell the world something's electric. Toyota promised more details to come, but e-TNGA is totally scalable, provides space for all sorts of battery and electric motor configurations, and suits front-, rear- and all-wheel drive applications.
I like the shape here so far.
Now, to Lexus. The luxury division branded its electrified technology "Direct4," which references what Lexus describes as "instant electric control to all four wheels to transform dynamic performance." The system will work with future hybrid and battery electric vehicles and promises a hyper-responsive car.
A move to electric power will also see Lexus transform its design, and the brand supplied a single teaser of a new concept car it plans to reveal in the first quarter of next year. It's tough to make out details, but it looks like an evolution of the brand's current corporate face. Expect the grille to get a major overhaul, since EVs don't require nearly as much cooling as an internal-combustion engine.
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