Toyota Working On Performance EV With A Manual

At this past weekend's 24 Hours of Le Mans, former Toyota CEO and current chairman Akio Toyoda said that the Japanese automaker's Gazoo Racing division is developing a performance EV with engine sounds, a manual shift lever, and a simulated clutch - and it's good.

"I actually had the opportunity to test-drive a battery EV that GR is working on," said Toyoda, as reported by Road & Track. "The very difference that the BEV has that GR is developing is that you can actually hear the sound - engine noise. You just won't be able to smell the gasoline."

Simulated engine sounds are nothing new, but "it has a manual transmission. There's also clutches too," added Toyoda. This is achieved, not by a physical connection to the drivetrain but, by remapped torque profiles and other software tweaks. It's so realistic it will allow a driver to roll back or stall the car if their clutch control is inadequate.

According to Autocar, Toyoda said that what powers the car doesn't really matter. What does matter is "how fun it is to drive," and things look promising on that front. Speaking of the abovementioned GR development car, Toyoda said: "I don't know if that car will make it onto the market yet, but the first priority of making these kinds of cars is that they need to be fun to drive, no matter what powertrain they use." That's why the GR Supra has a better manual shifter than the mechanically similar BMW Z4.

Toyota GR will not rush a product that it believes is not fun to drive, which is why we learned last year that electrified Gazoo Racing products will not arrive for some time. And with direct involvement from a true automotive enthusiast, we're expecting the eventual GR EV to exceed expectations.

"If you put someone in the car and asked them to drive it and guess the powertrain, they probably wouldn't be able to tell you," said Toyoda.

Current Toyota CEO Koji Sato said earlier this year that his predecessor's freer schedule should give him more freedom to create cars enthusiasts love. Since Toyoda was the man who facilitated the arrival of great cars like the GR Supra, GR86, GR Yaris, and GR Corolla, it stands to reason that he will hold an electric performance car to the same lofty standards.

As for the idea of an EV with a simulated gearbox, Toyota has been working on the idea for at least a year but only confirmed the existence of the technology in December 2022, which proves that Toyota is serious about getting it right. The only possible point of contention is that Toyoda says the potential GR EV will still look electric from the outside.

A combustion-mimicking electric powertrain won't be the last bright idea Toyota announces because the company is more open to considering the creative ideas of its own employees these days. Being a rigid corporate entity only gets you so far.

"I think I can probably say, with this example, that Toyota has really changed into a company where [employees] can look into an idea that sounds interesting, and create a car from their ideas and make a test-drive possible," said Toyoda.

Toyota is stimulating the flow of creative juices from within, not reacting to other automakers. This measured but inventive approach will surely serve the company well as it looks to take the market by storm with plenty of exciting solid-state battery tech; the automaker recently announced a world-beating range and charge times for its future EVs.

Remember that Toyota is not promising a production GR EV yet, only evaluating the concept. "Whether it makes it to the market or not, what the company is trying to do is explore the idea of what it is that we shouldn't lose in a car even if it becomes BEV," said Toyoda. Whatever the solution, it looks like Toyota GR EVs will be loads of fun.

Hopefully, we'll get a GR-developed Prius in the meantime. Come on, Toyota. We know you want to.