Toyota considering mass-produced long-range EV, Nikkei reports

Toyota is considering a mass-produced long-range electric vehicle (EV) that would be available by 2020, according to a report from the Nikkei business daily.

The paper, without citing sources, said that the Japanese manufacturer is aiming to set up a team in 2017 that would focus on developing EVs with a range of over 300km (186m) on a single charge.

Toyota neither confirmed nor denied the report but, if proven to be true, it would represent a significant shift in focus for the Japanese manufacturer. Standing as one of the pioneers of mass-produced hybrid powertrains, Toyota has maintained that pure EVs are not the true future of low emission transport.

While competitors such as Nissan have released successful pure EVs like the Leaf, Toyota has instead focussed its efforts on expanding its hybrid offering and investing in the development of hydrogen fuel cells, releasing its hydrogen powered Mirai in 2015.

Toyota’s philosophy has been that hybrids offer a practical short term solution, but hydrogen fuels offer the most promising long-term alternative to conventional combustion engines, while EVs could have a place for short distances around city centres.

It remains to be seen if the longer range EV will become a reality, but it could suggest that Toyota’s confidence in hydrogen is waning and that EVs will become a more central part of the manufacturer's future plans.

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