Toyota working on new battery electric SUV

Toyota announced today that it will preview a brand-new model for its battery electric vehicle line-up: a mid-size SUV based on the forthcoming e-TNGA platform.

Further details will be announced in the coming months. At this stage, only a stylised silhouette and details of the platform architecture have been released.

The un-named preview model will use Toyota’s new e-TNGA platform. Thanks to clever design, the new platform is highly versatile and easily adaptable for a range of product types.

The basic architecture principle is that a number of key elements remain fixed while others can vary. This approach allows variance in vehicle width, length, wheelbase and height.

The e-TNGA platform can also accommodate front, rear or all-wheel drive, with a wide range of battery and electric motor capacities to suit various vehicle types and usage profiles.

By using this versatile approach, the development time for different product variants can be reduced and individual models can be developed in parallel.

The first e-TNGA- based model has already been developed and is being readied for production. Manufacturing will take place at Toyota’s ZEV Factory in Japan.

Koji Toyoshima, Deputy Chief Officer, ZEV Factory, Toyota Motor Corporation, said: “Toyota will shortly take the next step in the roll-out of its forthcoming battery electric portfolio by first previewing an all-new mid-size SUV in the coming months. The versatility and flexibility of e-TNGA technology allows us to design and create vehicles that are not just battery electric but also exciting to drive and beautiful to look at.”