It might seem surprising, but Toyota's first, on-sale, fully-electric car is actually a van. It's this, the new Proace Verso Electric.
Shared with Peugeot, Citroen, and Opel
Toyota, famed for its hybrids, hasn't actually previously launched a fully-electric model (unless you count the Lexus UX300e which is, obviously, a Lexus not a Toyota) but thanks to its partnership with PSA Group when it comes to commercial vehicles, it's been given access to the same electric van architecture as you'll find in the Peugeot Boxer, Citroen Dispatch and Opel Vivaro.
50kW or 75kW battery
Based, of course, on the Proace van, the Proace Verso Electric will go on sale in early 2021 and will have a choice of two battery sizes - 50kWh or 75kWh. Fully-charged, the 50kWh version can go for a claimed 230km, while the bigger 75kWh model will take you for 330km. Both versions use the same 136hp, 260Nm of torque electric motor and are front-wheel drive. The Proace Verso Electric's top speed is limited to a battery-saving 130km/h.
There will be three body lengths on offer - Compact, Medium and Long - with seating for as many as nine people, and with lots of cargo space. With all the seats occupied, luggage space is rated at 280 litres for the Compact, 640 litres for the Medium, and a whopping 1,060 litres for the Long. You can also carry as much as a tonne of payload, or up to 1.2 tonnes with the 50kWh battery model.
Rapid charging options
All models come with a standard 7.4kW onboard charger, although that can be upgraded to an 11kW charger as an option. For fast-charging, you're looking at 30 minutes for the 50kWh model, and 45 minutes for the 75kWh model when connected to a 100kW charging station.
Standard equipment will include smartphone integration with Apple CarPlay or Android Auto, a seven-inch multimedia touchscreen, DAB radio reception, heated seats, auto-folding door mirrors, electric parking brake and keyless entry. Options will include automatic air conditioning control and satellite navigation but Irish specifications have not yet been set.
There will be plenty of safety kit, though, including the latest Toyota Safety Sense active safety and driver assistance systems. These include a Pre-Collision System (PCS) with pedestrian detection, full-range Cruise Control, Lane Departure Alert (LDA), Automatic High Beam (AHB) and Road Sign Assist (RSA). Safety will also be enhanced with the availability of the front and rear parking sensors, 180-degree rear camera and, on higher grade models, a Blind Spot Monitor.