Toyota to offer electric cars by 2025

TOYOTA has become the latest car giant to throw its full weight behind electric vehicles, saying every Toyota or Lexus model will come with an electric option by 2025.

The company stole a lead on rivals 20 years ago with the launch of its Prius hybrid, which uses a conventional engine and electric motor systems, but currently the Japanese business has no all-electric vehicles. As part of the strategy Toyota, which sold 10.2m vehicles last year, said that by 2030 it aimed to have annual sales of 5.5m “electrified vehicles”, which have either battery, fuel cell or hybrid power systems. Of these, 1m will be zero-emission.

Toyota has previously said that under its 2050 “environmental challenge” initiative, it has set itself a “mid to long-term” target of reducing CO2 emissions from new cars by 90pc from 2010 levels. Shigeki Terashi, executive vice-president, said the new electric vehicles would first go on sale in China. Last week Toyota announced a tie-up with Panasonic to develop batteries and Mr Terashi called this partnership “a crucial piece” of the electrification plans.

The company will invest 1.5 trillion yen (£10bn) to achieve its green goals.