The World’s Best-Selling Car Is Going Electric

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Electric cars have officially gone mainstream: even the Corolla is getting a plug. Toyota plans to offer a fully electric version of its best-seller for the first time in the next generation, as Car and Driver first reported. The new Corolla is expected to arrive in 2027 as a 2028 model, with four different powertrains to choose from, according to Electrek.

Four Powertrains for One Car

Toyota is sticking to its strategy of not betting on a single technology. The new Corolla is expected in these versions:

• Gasoline: The conventional combustion engine stays in the lineup, at around €21,500 ($25,000) in the United States.
• Hybrid: A new 1.5-liter four-cylinder engine paired with an electric motor delivers about 134 horsepower and is expected to be 10 to 20 percent more efficient than the current hybrid. Price: around €23,000 ($27,000).
• Plug-in hybrid: New to the lineup, with a longer electric range.
• Electric: Also new, with single- or dual-motor options and a range of at least 400 kilometers (250 miles). The plug-in hybrid and the EV are each expected to cost around €26,000 ($30,000) in the United States.

Toyota offered a first look at the design at the 2025 Japan Mobility Show, where a concept version showed a much sleeker body and a more futuristic interior. According to Gizmodo, sedan, hatchback, crossover and performance versions are possible.

57 Million Cars Sold

The move matters because the Corolla is anything but a niche model. Toyota has sold more than 57 million of them across 12 generations since 1966, making it the best-selling car in the world. In the United States alone, more than 248,000 buyers chose the Corolla in 2025.

Where the electric version will actually be sold is still unclear. Toyota has not confirmed whether the electric Corolla will come to the United States, and there is no information about Europe yet either. In Europe, the Corolla is currently sold only as a hybrid.

Toyota Plays Catch-Up

For Toyota, the electric Corolla is also a signal to its critics. The world’s largest carmaker was long seen as a laggard on electric vehicles, focusing on hybrids instead. At the same time, the company is working on solid-state batteries that are set to reach the market starting in 2027.

In the compact class, the electric Corolla will face tough competition: Volkswagen has an established model in the ID.3, Tesla has the Model 3, and Chinese carmakers like BYD are pushing prices down with affordable EVs such as the Dolphin. With a starting price of around €26,000, Toyota would be aiming squarely at this crowded segment.