Toyota is ramping up its electric offensive and could launch up to six new electric cars

Toyota is accelerating its electrification programme and aims to work with new partners that will allow it to rapidly develop the new line-up. The brand plans to step up its electric offensive with up to six new battery electric cars. Toyota will expand its development of battery electric vehicles, with plans to launch at least ten models worldwide from 2020, including six global models based on its new e-TNGA platform.

The brand has brought forward its target for electrified vehicles to account for half of global sales from 2020 to 2025, partly in response to the accelerating uptake of such vehicles.

As part of that plan, Toyota expects to sell at least one million battery electric cars and around five million hybrid cars, a technology in which the company has long been a pioneer. The electric car programme of Toyota will begin next year, in 2020, when the brand launches electric versions of the Toyota C-HR and its sibling, the Toyota Izoa, in China.

These two vehicles will be joined by a two-seater city car available only in Japan. The latter model will have a top speed of 60 km/h and will be followed by other electric city cars and ultra-compact scooters.

Toyota raises its stake in electric vehicles

The Japanese brand also plans to develop at least six variants of the global model, including the results of the recently announced collaborations with Suzuki and with Subaru, based on an electric version of its well-known TNGA platform.

These future vehicles include the new compact SUV it is developing with Suzuki and the mid-size SUV it is working on with Subaru. In addition, Toyota will also develop a large SUV and a saloon, among others. Some of these may also be developed with new partners, as the manufacturer has confirmed.

The Toyota e-TNGA platform has been designed to be flexible and can be used to produce cars with front-wheel and rear-wheel drive, with the motors on the front and rear axles respectively, or models with all-wheel drive. As with other electric car platforms, the future batteries will be installed under the floor.

The brand has already warned that its plans could be slowed by the ability to secure enough batteries. It is working with several partners to secure battery supply, including the new agreement with the Chinese company CATL. Some reports suggest the new Toyota Prius could become the best-selling hybrid car in the world, but it would have to face competition from electrified models from brands such as Hyundai, Volkswagen and even Audi.

The Japanese brand has also warned that this extra push into the development of new electric cars could also significantly affect its profitability.