The e-TNGA platform is already in use in the all-electric bZ4X crossover SUV and is planned (for now) to support the upcoming 2023 Lexus RZ 450e.

However, according to the sources, Toyota is dealing with an EV production process that is too slow and expensive compared to other manufacturers, such as Tesla, who have been making electric cars for years. Reuters notes that Toyota partnered with Tesla to develop an all-electric version of its popular RAV4 SUV in 2012, but cites sources saying its engineers viewed the technology as a no-brainer. It sold its development stake to Tesla in 2017 before starting development of its own platform.

But while Toyota was content to rest on its laurels with the Prius, the rest of the industry has turned it around several times. Companies like Nissan, General Motors and Volkswagen have been selling pure battery-electric vehicles for years, while also revealing their plans to phase out gas-powered cars entirely. Toyota’s failure to embrace EVs is not a new concept; The New York Times so much noted in this 2009 article.