Toyota is making an EV sports car set to debut by 2026

Toyota Motor Corporation is gearing up for a major advancement in the realm of battery-electric vehicles (BEVs) over the next three years. The automotive industry titan revealed during its most recent financial report presentation its ambition to introduce a lineup of ten brand-new BEVs. This impressive assortment will include IMV or Innovative International Multi-purpose Vehicle BEVs, two opulent luxury EVs, and a performance EV. 

Before you get excited about a performance EV from Toyota though, it’s still unclear what badge the sports EV will wear. It’s in the realm of possibility that the EV sports car will be a Lexus since the presentation included cars from both Toyota and Lexus. Over at Lexus, the Electrified Sport Concept has been a topic of extensive discussion for the Japanese brand. Should the teased vehicle materialize as a production model, it will wear the Lexus brand, indirectly succeeding the V10 LFA.

On the other hand, Toyota also has the Sports EV concept, a car that will reportedly be a spiritual successor to the mid-engined MR2. The difference between these two concepts is that the Lexus concept car is more fleshed out compared to the Toyota Sports EV. 

According to Lexus, the production version of the Electrified Sport will presumably have all-wheel drive achieved through a dual-motor configuration. Moreover, Lexus adds that this vehicle has the capability to accelerate from zero to 100 km/h in the under the two-second range, while also boasting a generous cruising range exceeding 700 kilometers. In addition, rather than relying on conventional lithium-ion batteries, the Lexus Electrified Sport might employ cutting-edge solid-state batteries, making the car smaller and providing more performance overall.

With that in mind, it’s starting to look like the Lexus sports EV is the more plausible option in terms of what ends up getting made. A bit of a shame really as many people would love to see the comeback of the MR2, internal combustion-powered or not. In three years' time, we’ll get our definitive answer whether or not this new performance EV will be a Lexus or a Toyota.