Toyota's Best-Selling Car in Europe Goes Electric

Toyota just gave Europe's most popular compact car a green light for an electric future.

The Yaris, Toyota's second best-selling vehicle across Europe with 167,019 units sold in 2024, will get a fully electric version in the coming years. The announcement follows Toyota's reveal of an electric Corolla concept, signaling the automaker's shift toward offering customers every powertrain option imaginable.

Andrea Carlucci, vice president of Toyota Motor Europe, confirmed the move during a recent interview. "If electrification is the direction, I think we cannot avoid having a fully electrified version," he told Auto Express.

The electric Yaris won't replace its gas and hybrid siblings. Instead, Toyota plans to offer the next generation model in electric, hybrid, and traditional combustion engine versions, all sharing the same sleek exterior design and interior features.

This multi-powertrain approach gives drivers real choice. Whether someone needs the long road trip flexibility of a hybrid or the zero-emissions driving of a full EV, they'll get the same stylish Yaris package.

The Ripple Effect

Toyota's decision to electrify its most popular European models signals a major shift in the mainstream auto market. When a carmaker commits to offering affordable EVs alongside traditional options, it makes electric driving accessible to millions more families.

The Yaris EV will compete directly with newcomers like the Renault 5 and Volkswagen's upcoming ID. Polo. To stay competitive, Toyota's aiming for at least 250 miles of driving range, enough for most daily commutes and weekend adventures without range anxiety.

The timing matters too. The electric Yaris is expected to arrive in late 2027 or 2028, following the next-generation Corolla's debut later this year. That puts affordable electric options in European driveways right when many drivers are ready to make the switch.

Toyota CEO Koji Sato summed up the philosophy at the Japan Mobility Show: "Let's make good-looking cars that everyone will want to drive." The future Yaris, with design cues borrowed from Toyota's sleek new "hammerhead" front end, promises to deliver on that vision across every powertrain.

Europe's love affair with the Yaris shows no signs of slowing down, and soon that relationship will have a zero-emissions option.