Next Toyota Corolla to Offer Hybrid Claimed Near 100mpg
Toyota says the 13th-generation Corolla, due by 2030, will ride on a new platform that takes petrol, hybrid and electric drivetrains. Its new hybrid is billed as 15% more efficient.
The next Corolla will launch by 2030 as a complete break from the current car. Toyota says its new hybrid option could come close to 100mpg in daily driving.
A new platform for every powertrain
The 13th generation of the best-selling car in the world will look and be built differently from today's model. A concept shown at last year's Tokyo motor show previews the styling.
Underneath sits what Toyota calls a "multi-pathway" platform. It can take any type of powertrain, and for the first time that includes pure electric power in a Corolla.
The hybrid and the 100mpg claim
At its core is a new 1.5-litre four-cylinder petrol engine, offered with or without a turbo. Toyota says it improves fuel economy by 15% over the hybrid system in its current cars.
The company has not published official consumption forecasts. It does point to the Aygo X, which reaches mid-80s mpg in real-world use. Toyota says that suggests almost 100mpg would be feasible on the road.
Small enough to share a floor with an EV
Despite an extra cylinder, the new engine is 10% below the size of the 1.5-litre unit in today's Aygo X and Yaris. The electric motor is smaller too, with a more compact inverter and power control unit.
That matters because the platform is described as "EV-first". Toyota Europe R&D boss Thiebault Paquet said the logic starts with the hardest case: "The battery-electric vehicle is the most challenging."
A smaller combustion side means petrol versions can offer the same cabin room as the electric ones. It also allows lower, sleeker bodies, which cut drag and fuel use. Combustion and electric versions of one car can be built on the same line, so factories need less retooling and Toyota can shift output as demand changes.
Selling the hybrid to rivals
Toyota also wants other carmakers to buy the hybrid system, which would help cover the large development bill for the platform and powertrain. Powertrain boss Timothy D'Herde pointed to its modularity and small size as the selling points.
Talks are already under way with potential buyers, including at least one unnamed UK manufacturer. Lotus has fitted Toyota engines for more than 20 years, yet the Emira is due to drop its Toyota V6 for a hybrid from Horse, a Renault-Geely company, so it is not clear which UK firms will sign up.
Our view
The real test of this plan is the 100mpg figure. It rests on a comparison with the Aygo X, not on Toyota's own forecast, so the first official consumption numbers will show how much of it survives.
The supply deal may matter as much as the car. If a UK maker signs up, Toyota's hybrid would end up in cars that do not carry the Corolla badge.
Source: Autocar