Image Credit: Toyota.
Toyota Corolla has always been the undisputed king of cars. It's the default transportation module for everyone from college students to grandmothers. It's the sensible, reliable, slightly beige and worn wallpaper of the automotive world. And I say that with affection! It's the car you recommend to your cousin without having to worry about your reputation.
I wrote not that long ago about Corolla going electric, but back then, I had only seen a few teaser images. So, you can imagine my face when Toyota, at the Japan Mobility Show, rolled out something that looks less like a Corolla and more like a prop from Star Wars. They're calling it the Toyota Corolla Concept, and yes, it's got a charge port. The world's best-selling car is finally, properly, plugging into the 21st century. Maybe. Sort of.
Image Credit: Toyota.
There are some things that I love about electric cars. I love the instant, silent whoosh of acceleration. I love driving past gas stations and giving them a smug little wave. But Toyota... oh, Toyota. They've been famously hesitant, haven't they? While other companies were building "Gigafactories" and testing "Ludicrous Modes" on unsuspecting passengers, Toyota was perfecting the hybrid, tinkering with hydrogen, and telling everyone to calm down about this whole "EV thing." It was, they said, a "multi-pathway" approach.
Toyota always wanted to sell all the things to all the people. And honestly, this new concept is the peak of that philosophy. Toyota's boss, Koji Sato, said it's a "car for everyone" and that "energy realities" differ. It turns out the new architecture this Corolla of the future is built on can house a gas engine, a hybrid system, or a full-on battery-electric setup. It's Toyota's way of not committing to a relationship with EVs, but still wanting to "see what happens."
Image Credit: Toyota.
The looks... wow. If you can spot a single design cue from any Corolla built before today, your vision is better than mine. This thing is all sharp angles, sleek surfaces, and a two-tone black-and-silver paint job that makes it look like it's wearing a tuxedo. The front end is a single, thin bar of LEDs that just sort of squints at you. It's aggressive. It's futuristic. It's really not a Corolla. Which, arguably, is the best thing about it.
Then you get inside, and it's even more "we're not in Kansas anymore." The designers have clearly been mainlining screen-cleaning wipes. There's an array of screens in front of the driver, cleverly wrapped around the steering wheel. It's still a lot of screen estate, but at least it looks purposeful. The gear selector is now an "elevated touch pad" in the shape of a transparent Corolla (yes, really), and the only nod to the past is a three-spoke steering wheel. Thank heavens for small, familiar mercies.
Image Credit: Toyota.
I would love to tell you all the specs of the new Corolla, even if it's only a concept for now. I really, truly would. How much power? What's the 0-to-60 time? What's the battery capacity? How far will it go on a charge? Will it have a respectable 300 miles of range, or a paltry 300 kilometers (that's about 186 miles, for those of us who still measure in freedom units)? And the biggest question of all: How much will this slice of the future cost?
Unfortunately, I have no answers. Toyota presented the future of the world's most popular car and then... told us absolutely nothing about it. No power figures. No battery size. No acceleration times. It's almost as if they said: "We've made a thing! It's potentially amazing! Details to follow. Sometime. Don't call us, we'll call you."
This lack of information is a bit of a problem. Because while Toyota has been patiently exploring its "multi-pathways," the rest of the world has been building some seriously good, affordable EVs. Kia is popping out the EV3 and EV4. Hyundai isn't far behind. The Europeans are rolling out cheap-and-cheerful electrics every year. Ford is promising a $30,000 electric truck. And don't even get me started on China - they have so many great, cheap EVs, they're practically giving them away in cereal boxes.
The affordable EV party is already in full swing. Toyota is currently the guy standing on the porch, holding a very slick, very mysterious-looking invitation, but refusing to come inside. This Corolla Concept needs to be good, and it needs to be affordable. We don't need another $60,000 electric "super-car." We need this. A car for the people, powered by volts. If this thing lands with a 190-mile range and a $45,000 price tag, it's dead on arrival.
Image Credit: Toyota.
But... And this is a big but... It's a Corolla. This is the heaviest name in the game. If Toyota's army of engineers has actually cracked it - if they're just waiting for the right moment to reveal a 350-mile range, a $35,000 price, and that classic Toyota reliability - then all my sarcasm will have been for nothing. This car could be the one that finally convinces your stubborn uncle, the mailman, and your accountant that, yes, it's finally time to plug in. So, come on, Toyota. We love the new suit. Now, please, tell us what's underneath it.
Enjoyed the article? Give us a 'LIKE' and FOLLOW us on MSN! We're tracking the electric future... even if it's still buffering.
