The KERS is an option for a future Toyota GT86

A Toyota GT86 with a larger engine or multiple turbos is not part of Toyota’s plans (also applies to the Subaru BRZ). What is on the table instead is a KERS that delivers more power for a short period of time. An unusual hybrid, according to Tetsuya Tada, GT86 chief engineer.

But no, the hybrid this engineer is talking about does not use the hybrid system we know from the Prius and the Yaris. It is a hybrid closer to the Toyota TS030 Hybrid from the World Endurance Championship, equipped with KERS and several supercapacitors, and a prototype has already been built, according to Tada.

However, there is a drawback: the cost of some of the necessary components, such as the capacitors, is still high. Moreover, they are not light enough to fit in a road car, so a KERS-equipped GT86 is not something we will see tomorrow.

The cost problem for this technology could only be solved with the passage of time, hoping that electronic component prices fall faster than car prices. As for the weight issue, Tada announced that the brand is working on lightweight capacitors.

How long would it take for a KERS-equipped GT86 to arrive? Probably a long time, perhaps the same time it took the GT86 to go from concept to final model.

Source | TopGear