While all the other car manufacturers around the world are focused on producing new models that are environmentally friendly, Toyota is out here upgrading its old models!
Yep, you read that right! At the 2023 Tokyo Auto Salon, Toyota came out with the green versions of its old sports range from the 1980s. According to Toyota’s Chief Executive Akio Toyoda, they felt that the old models need revamping first because “I don’t want to leave any car lover behind.”
He went on to tell reporters that it is difficult to make all the cars zero-emission vehicles as they only consist of a “fraction of the vehicles being sold.” He also added that converting old cars to be more environmentally friendly was a better option.
Despite the fact that Toyota is a pioneer in producing hybrid cars – its 1997 Prius is the prime example – the company is widely criticized for not manufacturing fully electric vehicles. The general criticism about Toyota is that it is finding it hard to abandon fossil fuels. But, at the 2023 Tokyo Auto Salon, Toyota unveiled two cars of the AE86 generation. One of these has been modified as a battery-electric vehicle and the other as a hydrogen-engine model.
Two high-pressure hydrogen storage tanks from a Mirai are utilized by the AE86 H2 Concept and are positioned at the back of the vehicle. This vehicle can easily run on compressed hydrogen with only minor alterations to its powertrain.
The AE86 BEV concept, on the contrary hand, is a typical EV. It gets its electric motor from a Tundra hybrid, its battery pack from a Prius plug-in hybrid, and other parts from unnamed Toyota models. Toyota does not go into extensive detail about these two cars, and no technical specifications are provided. Both concepts featured a manual transmission and clutch, which Toyota has been working on for some time.
To achieve the goal of zero carbon emissions by 2050, Akio Toyoda believes that existing cars should be revamped.
“It’s important to leave a choice for cars that are already loved or owned by someone.”
Which one of your fav old Toyota would you want to be revamped? Share with us in the comments below!
Toyota would be doing service to community; lot of its old models are on the road and this strategy would be allowing people to avoid legal affects.