Toyota Motor Corporation has announced that it will preview a brand-new model for its European Battery Electric line-up – a mid-sized battery-electric SUV based on the forthcoming the e-TNGA platform.
Further details are to 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 be based on Toyota’s new e-TNGA platform. Thanks to its clever design the new platform is both highly versatile and easily adaptable for a range of product types.
The basic architecture principle is that a number of key elements remain fixed whilst others vary. This approach allows variance in vehicle width, length, wheelbase and height.
e-TNGA can also be defined with front-, rear- or four-wheel drive and 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 of 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.
“Toyota will shortly take the next step in the rollout of its forthcoming battery-electric portfolio by first previewing an all-new mid-sized 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”, says Koji Toyoshima, Deputy Chief Officer, ZEV Factory, Toyota Motor Corporation.