Toyota’s Best-Selling Car May Finally Go Electric: The Corolla EV Could Be a Game Changer

Oct 16

After decades of hybrids and cautious innovation, Toyota is finally taking a bold step — bringing its best-selling car, the Corolla, into the fully electric era. During a recent livestream event in Japan, Toyota previewed what appears to be a fully electric Corolla EV, set to make its official debut at the Japan Mobility Show 2025 later this month.

A Long Time Coming for Toyota

It’s been more than 50 years since the first Corolla rolled off the production line, becoming one of the most popular and reliable cars in history. In the late 1990s, the Corolla even overtook the Volkswagen Beetle to become the best-selling car in the world — a title it held for over two decades until the Tesla Model Y claimed the crown in 2023.

Despite Toyota’s dominance in hybrid technology with the Prius, the company has been slow to commit fully to electric vehicles. The bZ4X, Toyota’s first dedicated EV, launched with modest specs and a lukewarm reception. Many drivers (myself included) found it underwhelming compared to competitors like Tesla, Hyundai, and BYD.

That’s why this new Corolla EV feels like a turning point.

First Look at the Corolla EV

In Toyota’s teaser video, a sleek sedan appeared with a closed-off grille and what seems to be a charging port at the front, both clear indicators of a fully electric design. The rear end proudly displays the COROLLA badge, but the overall shape is far more futuristic than the familiar gas or hybrid versions on sale today.

Visually, it shares styling cues with the BYD-powered Toyota bZ3, an electric sedan already sold in China. The Corolla EV could be Toyota’s global answer to that model — an accessible, mass-market electric sedan positioned just below premium models like the Tesla Model 3.

Although Toyota hasn’t released specifications yet, the Corolla EV is expected to join a growing lineup of Toyota electrics that includes the bZ4X (soon renamed the “2026 bZ” in the US), the CH-R+ Electric, and the Urban Cruiser Electric.

What It Means for Toyota’s Future

Toyota has repeatedly said it will continue offering a mix of powertrains — from internal combustion engines to plug-in hybrids and full EVs. So it’s unlikely that the Corolla will drop its gasoline or hybrid versions anytime soon. But introducing a fully electric variant of its most iconic model sends a strong message: Toyota knows it can’t sit out the EV revolution forever.

If Toyota can deliver an affordable price point with solid range and charging support, the Corolla EV could become the company’s first real mass-market EV success — not just a compliance car or a niche experiment.

As someone who’s been following Japan’s EV scene closely, I find this especially interesting. Toyota isn’t exactly known for bold EVs — the bZ4X left many people (myself included) unimpressed — but this Corolla EV might finally be the car that changes that.

It’ll be fascinating to see the full reveal at the Japan Mobility Show 2025, kicking off October 30 in Tokyo.

Until then, one question remains:
Can Toyota’s legendary reliability meet the new electric standard — and win back the crown from Tesla?