More and more evidence is piling up that Toyota is serious about launching an electric sports car.
After teasing what looked like a modern MR2 powered by batteries with a concept in 2021, the automaker now plans to use the 2023 Tokyo auto show on later this month to roll out a concept that looks like it might be a tease of an electric next-generation Supra, or something along those lines.
Teaser shots released on Monday show two Tokyo-bound concepts. One is the FT-Se sports car and the other is a crossover dubbed the FT-3e. FT stands for “Future Toyota,” the designation Toyota uses for concepts that typically preview upcoming production models.
Toyota said both concepts feature “highly responsive controls” that are unique to electric vehicles, pointing to the type of highly precise torque vectoring systems that independent control of electric motors can deliver. The two concepts also share major components, Toyota said, though the FT-Se features a wide and low design that should further aid its handling. Its exterior design has also been designed to reduce drag.
Toyota FT-3e concept
Beyond the previous concept from 2021, Toyota has said very little about its electric sports car plans. However, Toyota Chairman—and former CEO—Akio Toyoda revealed earlier this year that he’s personally involved in the development of an electric sports car for Toyota, and confirmed it would have a manual transmission (complete with a clutch pedal) and generate engine sounds, though he also said production hadn’t been approved.
While an electric sports car for Toyota may not have been approved yet, Lexus has confirmed plans for an electric supercar that may come with a solid-state battery and enough performance to deliver 0-60 mph acceleration in the low 2.0 seconds.
The Tokyo auto show opens to the media on Oct. 25. Lexus will use the show to present a sleek sedan that previews next-generation EV technology due around 2026.
