Cars & Concepts
Zwischen Tradition und Innovation: Toyota Gazoo Racing hält an Verbrennern fest, während Elektro-Sportwagen FT-Se auf Eis liegt
Until the ban: Toyota leans into combustion-engine sports cars
Gazoo Racing continues to put resources into combustion engine development – is it the end for the FT-Se?
Toyota has largely stayed away from a widespread adoption of electric vehicles. It's not just the company, but also its motorsport and sports car division, Gazoo Racing, that relies on traditional fuel engines. They even believe in a "bright future" for them.
Japanese manufacturers continue to channel funds into the advancement of combustion engines, which are anticipated to be integrated into upcoming models succeeding the GR86, GR Yaris, GR Corolla, and GR Supra.
Tomoya Takahashi, who leads Toyota Gazoo Racing, shared with Car Expert, an Australian publication, that the company has no intentions to develop a high-performance electric vehicle. He emphasized the commitment of GR to continue utilizing combustion engines to the fullest extent. Takahashi mentioned that although there might be a future ban on these engines, they are not the issue; instead, carbon is the enemy.
While purists may welcome this news, one has to wonder if this spells the end for the FT-Se. The prototype, which bore a resemblance to the MR2, made its debut at the Japan Mobility Show in Tokyo in October 2023. The FT-Se is a genuine GR sports car, featuring two seats, dual motors, and a rear-biased all-wheel drive. Thanks to its mid-engine design, this electric racer is expected to accelerate from 0 to 100 km/h in just three seconds, with top speeds capping at 250 km/h.
During a conversation with our counterparts at the American affiliate InsideEVs, Hideaki Iida, who leads the GR Design Group, mentioned that the FT-Se might enter production after 2026. While we haven't given up hope, it appears that Toyota is more focused on launching their sports models with traditional combustion engines. Nonetheless, offering both gasoline and electric models would present a mutually beneficial scenario.
To summarize: Gazoo Racing will continue to utilize gasoline engines for the foreseeable future, whereas it's unlikely that they will release fully electric vehicles anytime soon.
Additional Information on Toyota GR
A blend of technologies could be the answer to cutting carbon emissions, suggests Takahashi, highlighting the role of hybrid technology. This approach, which has found favor in the sports car market as a means to meet emission standards, was recently adopted by Porsche. Additionally, the president of GR is keeping synthetic fuels and hydrogen-powered combustion engines on the agenda for future research.
Source: CarExpert
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