Electric Toyota GR 86 under study

Toyota has confirmed it is already “investigating future options” for powertrains with the incoming second-generation 2022 Toyota GR 86, which could give rise to the first-ever battery-electric version of the popular sports car.

As we’ve reported, Toyota considered a petrol-electric hybrid powertrain for the Toyota 86 in its first generation, along with other options for boosting performance such as forced induction via turbo/supercharging.

A full-electric version was also mooted amid conversions made by aftermarket specialists, including a TGMY-fettled 86 that lapped Japan’s Suzuka circuit in less than three minutes.

But in an interview with Top Gear magazine in the UK, Toyota chief engineer Yasunori Suezawa has revealed that different powertrain options are already being investigated for the new GR 86, which uses a 2.4-litre four-cylinder boxer engine (173kW/250Nm) and is due on sale in Australia in the first half of 2022.

Suezawa said it was too early to clarify its direction, but, as Toyota engineers discovered with the first-generation 86, the extra weight involved with a hybrid powertrain has ruled out that form of electrification.

“Our intent is to keep providing this type of vehicle and that’s the reason we’ve gone into an investigation of different options,” Suezawa told the Brit mag.

“However, we’ve just started this, so we’re not at a stage where we can mention hybrid or EV etcetera.

“A hybrid system would make it heavier and we decided in the initial development stages we wanted an engine only.”

Weight, or rather the lack of it, has always been a core element of the Toyota 86 across both generations, so much so that the brand is still shunning forced induction, choosing instead to up the engine capacity on the new model (twinned with the Subaru BRZ) in the pursuit of more power.

“What we wanted to protect was making it a lightweight vehicle,” Suezawa said.

“We wanted the naturally aspirated engine – we didn’t intend to add anything like a turbo or supercharger to the car.

“We wanted to keep the natural linearity and ramp up of torque.

“We wanted that direct feel to pedal input. If you add turbos it makes the car heavier and if you have a look at the GR86, it is the lightest in its segment.”

Despite these comments, Toyota may have no choice but move to full electrification with the advent of ever-tightening emissions regulations such as Euro 7 that’s putting pressure on car-makers to abandon traditional combustion engines.

Lightweight specialists Alpine and Lotus are among those to detail their planned transition to EVs, including the co-development of an all-new zero-emissions sports car.