Here is a good news for Toyota’s fans. Now the brand says its egg-shaped minivan, the Previa is officially going to be electric. This will be the first all-electric Minivan of the Toyota to the market. With its quirky design now electrified, will this funky minivan be able to capture the market’s attention as an EV?
Although Toyota introduced Japan’s first “electrified” PHEV models just under two weeks ago, we’re already hearing that a fully electric minivan is on the way.
Toyota has launched the Alphard and Vellfire PHEV minivans on December 20, in both the gas and hybrid versions. The new PHEV system provides up to 45 miles (73 km) of all-electric driving range, while the interior features “the quietness of a BEV.” Meanwhile, Toyota has bigger plans to enter the electric minivan market.
As per a recent report from a Japan’s leading auto magazine, Best Car (via Forbes), the Toyota Previa will be revived in 2026.
The Toyota Previa is recognized for its distinctive egg-shaped design, and was sold in the US and other markets during the early 1990s. However, faced with tough competition from models like the Chrysler Town and Country and Dodge Caravan, it was discontinued in 1997. In its final sales year, only 3,780 units were sold, a sharp decline from its peak of around 52,000 units in 1991.
The upcoming Previa was replaced by the Sienna, which has a much more toned-down design and is still sold primarily in the North American market.
Although Toyota was initially expected to use the e-TNGA platform, which supports the bZ4X electric SUV, a Toyota insider revealed that the Previa EV will instead utilize the GA-K platform. This platform is currently used for models like the Crown, Camry, and RAV4.
The new Minivan will be available in both electric (EV) and plug-in hybrid (PHEV) options. Just like its predecessors, the electric minivan is expected to feature a similar egg-like design for aerodynamics.
The revived Previa was originally developed as a hydrogen fuel cell vehicle (FCEV), but Toyota shifted its plans due to low demand and limited charging infrastructure. The FCEV version was first previewed as the “Fine-Comfort Ride” Concept in 2017.
