- Toyota is focusing on larger segments before introducing an electric Yaris.
- Its EU marketing boss said that a Yaris EV will arrive “at the right moment”.
- The company offers a small EV in Europe in the form of the Urban Cruiser.
Toyota is slowly but surely making its move into the electric vehicle market after years of focusing more on hybrids. A Yaris sub-compact will eventually join the EV lineup, but don’t expect it to be part of Toyota’s immediate plans, as larger EVs are taking priority right now.
Read: Toyota’s New C-HR+ EV May Launch In The US Next Year
Andrea Carlucci, the Director of Marketing and Product Development at Toyota Motor Europe, shed some light on the company’s upcoming EV strategy. In an interview with Autocar, Carlucci was asked about the potential for an electric Yaris. “This is the idea, but right now, it’s not something we talk about…” he told the magazine. “The right moment will come, but it’s not quite now.”
Bigger Is Better, for Now
The executive clarified that Toyota’s approach is to launch EVs in the “fastest-growing segments,” such as compact, midsize, and executive vehicles, categories that are seen as having more sales potential than subcompact models like the Yaris. Carlucci added, “For us, it is all about the right car, the right place at the right time, it really is. And at the moment, the expansion you’re seeing are the right segments for Europe for us right now.”
2024 Toyota Yaris (EU-spec)
Toyota’s current EV lineup in Europe includes the recently facelifted bZ4X, the new C-HR+, and the Urban Cruiser. The latter shares its platform with the Suzuki e-Vitara and has a similar size to the Toyota Yaris Cross, suggesting that Toyota’s push into the subcompact SUV market has given them the breathing room to delay the Yaris EV, keeping R&D costs in check.
Future Toyota EVs: Familiar Names, Familiar Faces
Carlucci also revealed that future Toyota EVs will carry “familiar names from current cars,” meaning the electric Yaris will likely stick with the Yaris badge. Given the Yaris’ history, it’s expected that the EV version will make its debut toward the end of the decade. Before that, Toyota plans to introduce an electric pickup and two electric SUVs by 2026. Also on the horizon is the production version of the FT-Me heavy quadricycle, which is designed to compete with the Citroen Ami.
More: Toyota FT-Me Concept Previews Sub-2.5-Meters Urban EV
The Toyota Yaris has proven to be quite popular since the arrival of the first-generation model in 1999. The fourth-generation model was introduced in 2019, receiving a mild facelift in 2024. In Europe and the UK, the Yaris is now exclusively offered with a self-charging hybrid powertrain, although the gasoline variant is still available in Japan.
Besides the Yaris and the Yaris Cross, the family also includes the rally-bred GR Yaris hot hatch, although it rides on a bespoke chassis with elements from the bigger Corolla. According to the latest reports, Toyota could add a dose of electrification in the successor of the GR Yaris in the form of a self-charging hybrid setup.
