BRUSSELS – Toyota is getting ready a brand new Europe-specific car platform that can accommodate full-hybrid, plug-in hybrid and full-electric powertrains, relying on market circumstances and buyer choice. 

The structure will mix components of Toyota’s world compact platform (GA-C) and the EV-only e-TNGA platform. E3 stands for for emotion, engagement and power, Toyota Europe says.

Toyota wants a brand new archtecture for Europe as a result of it won’t construct autos based mostly on the e-TNGA platform within the area, as an alternative importing them from Japan, beginning with the bZ4X compact crossover to be launched subsequent 12 months.

The E3 platform will permit the automaker to regulate the powertrain mixture of its core merchandise in line with buyer demand and availability of charging infrastructure,Toyota Motor Europe CEO Matt Harrison mentioned.

“We’re satisfied that the journey to carbon neutrality won’t be solely electrical, will probably be eclectic – that’s to say, it’s going to embrace a number of applied sciences and fuels which all result in the identical vacation spot,” Harrison mentioned in an interview with Automotive Information Europe.

Toyota will set up the E3 platform in its UK and Turkey vegetation, which already construct fashions based mostly on the GA-C structure (See desk, under). The 2 vegetation have a mixed complete capability of over 450,000 models a 12 months.

Harrison mentioned that the E3 platform would go into manufacturing within the second half of this decade.

It should underpin Toyota’s rising lineup of compact fashions, which has been expanded with the brand new Corolla Cross SUV becoming a member of the C-HR and RAV4 SUVs, and Corolla hatchback, sedan and wagon fashions.

Toyota’s future compact lineup will evolve, with solely the Corolla hatchback – and probably the sedan – changed for the subsequent era. Station wagon prospects could be served by the Corolla Cross, which can be imported from Japan; a second era, to debut later within the decade, can be manufactured in Europe on the E3 structure.

Toyota may also use the E3 structure to underpin a second-generation C-HR. The distinctively designed coupe SUV was launched in 2018 and is the oldest providing within the automaker’s compact lineup in Europe.

With 88,433 models offered in Europe from January to October, the CH-R is Toyota’s second best-selling SUV behind the RAV4 (92,552) and the fourth general best-seller behind the Yaris small automobile (164,164) and the Corolla vary (121,233), JATO Dynamics figures present.