No Electrified GR Models Until 2030, Says Toyota Exec

How the tables have turned. The automobile electrification crusade started years back, with the pro-electrification groups were seen as the David, while the giant corporates swearing behind ICEs were the Goliath. But now, political willpower and pressure has flipped the script upside down.

Defiant to the whole electrification bandwagon is Toyota, and specifically its performance branch – Toyota’s Gazoo Racing (GR). Whilst the rest of industry’s key players scrambling to cope with electrification, the Japanese marque insisted on not going full-blown EV, while focusing alternatives such as hydrogen fuel cells and PHEVs.

The ‘battle’ seems to have ended following the previous report on Toyota snubbing its GR line-up. But fortunately (or not), it might not be over soon. Recently, Australian automotive magazine, Drive.com.au spoke with Toyota Australia’s top exec regarding the brand’s journey and take on electrification.

Sean Hanley, Toyota Australia’s Head of Sales and Marketing, stated that Toyota is “not opposed to battery-electric vehicles, but a diversity of products is the right way to go in the foreseeable future.” The Toyota exec added that all upcoming Toyota models might get electrification to a certain extent by the end of this decade, but not its performance GR line-ups.

Hanley further stated that "by 2030 every Toyota in our range, apart from GR performance cars, will have some form of electrification." Coincidentally, this ‘good’ news came weeks after reports of Toyota chief engineer saying the brand will drop the GR line-up indefinitely. GR’s current line-up consists of Yaris, Corolla, GR86 and Supra might be the last few pure combustion performance cars boasting the famous GR badging.

With the recent JDM boom going on globally, dropping its performance line-up entirely might not be a smart move, both business-wise and especially namesake-wise. As a brand with reputable motorsport heritage, fans may show discontent should the GR models be snubbed indefinitely.

Also, does it mean that we might be getting electrified performance GR models 2030 onwards? By then, even a hybrid GR might please the purest of JDM petrolheads.