Enthusiasts has been hesitant to embrace electric vehicles in the past, and who can blame them? You just cannot be recreated the thrill of a naturally aspirated engine or the whine of an eager turbocharged oxygen machine. It seems Toyota feels the same way.
Speaking to Australia Automotive expert magazine, Toyota Gazoo Racing President Tomoya Takahashi said there are plans to produce gasoline-powered cars for car enthusiasts for as long as possible. He said there is even investment in new engines.
“We want to use internal combustion engines as much as possible,” Takahashi-san told Australian media last week.
“There may be a time in the future when engines are banned, but internal combustion engines are not bad, the enemy is carbon.
“We are investing in future engines.” With the enemy in mind being carbon, Takahashi seems to hint that there will be a place for hybrid engines and carbon-neutral fuels for future vehicles. However, he would not comment on future products.
If you’re wondering when we might see high-performance electric cars wearing the GR badge, don’t get your hopes up. Takahashi told Car Expert that there are no plans for a GR EV. For a brief moment, it seemed like this was something Toyota And Lexus considering. Both automakers are working on “manual” transmissions for electric vehicles, however, according to Car Expert, it appears that idea has been shelved for the time being.
As for other electric vehicles, Takahashi basically said things are holding steady and electric vehicles are not the only way forward. “We are uncertain about electrification and when it will happen. Globally, there are discussions that not all cars are electric. No one can see the future 10 years from now. Our direction is multi-directional, not just EV,” he said.
