New Toyota Corolla goes electric as part of dramatic reinvention

Toyota is preparing to launch an electric version of its best-selling Corolla as it radically redesigns the model.

The Corolla is the brand’s and world’s best-selling car, with more than 50 million units sold over a 60-year lifespan. Now, Toyota says it will undergo a complete overhaul in the next few years, including a dramatic new look and the addition of pure-electric power.

The next-generation Corolla was previewed with a bold concept car unveiled by Toyota president Koji Sato at the Tokyo Mobility Show. Revealing the car, Sato said that the Corolla was evolving to provide mobility for customers all over the world, regardless of differing roads and “energy realities”.

His comments refer to Toyota’s multi-fuel approach and to wildly varying demand for all-electric models in different regions of the globe. They also revealed that the future Corolla will come with an all-electric powertrain for some markets, alongside hybrid, plug-in hybrid and pure ICE variants.

He said: “The Earth is vast, and the world is diverse. Roads differ, and so do energy realities. That said, there’s one thing that we all share: a sense of caring for the Earth.

“And there’s one more thing… Wanting to drive a car that looks cool… I think that many of us share such a desire.

“Whether it’s a battery EV, plug-in hybrid, hybrid, or internal combustion engine vehicle ― whatever the power source ― let’s make good-looking cars that everyone will want to drive.”

There was no indication of what platform the new Corolla will use, but given the multi-fuel approach, it’s unlikely to be the e-TNGA architecture used in the bZ4X and C-HR+.

The concept car shows a radical design departure for the traditionally conservative Corolla. The slippery saloon shape appears to have been inspired in part by the most recent Prius as well as the C-HR+. Slimline headlights and a full-width light bar help create a dramatic angular front from which a steeply raked windscreen extends far back over the cabin. The rear features a similarly angular coupe-style design and light bar that wraps around onto the rear sides of the car.

Inside the design is even more radical, with a free-standing centre console and separate screens for driver and passenger in a pared-back cabin.

Toyota seems keen to stick to chairman Akia Toyoda’s “no more boring cars” mantra, so it’s possible that many of the show car’s predictions could become a reality in a future Corolla.