The Electric AE86 with a Stick Shift with Kenji Arai, Chief Engineer
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Car
Toyota Ae86
The Toyota Corolla is a small car that many people love because it's dependable and doesn't use a lot of gas. It's popular around the world, which means lots of people trust it to get them where they need to go.
Concept
86 life
'86 life' is about the love for the Toyota AE86, a fun and light car from the 1980s that people enjoy driving, especially in sports like drifting.
Term
inline four cylinder
An inline four cylinder engine is a common type of engine with four cylinders lined up in a row. It's often found in smaller cars and helps them be lighter and more fuel-efficient.
Term
kilowatt
A kilowatt is a way to measure how much power something uses or produces. For electric cars, it helps us understand how strong the motor is and how fast it can go.
Car
Toyota Tundra
The Toyota Tundra is a big truck that can carry heavy loads. Here, its hybrid engine is being put into a smaller car, the Corolla.
Part
six-speed manual transmission
A six-speed manual transmission is a type of gearbox that lets you change gears six different ways. It helps the car go faster and use less fuel compared to older models with fewer gears.
Part
lithium-ion battery
A lithium-ion battery is a type of battery that stores energy and is used in many electric and hybrid cars. They help the car run longer and charge faster.
Car
Lexus NX 450h
The Lexus NX 450h is a fancy small SUV that uses both gas and electricity to drive, making it more fuel-efficient.
Term
plug-in hybrid
A plug-in hybrid is a car that uses both gas and electricity. You can charge it by plugging it into a wall, which helps save fuel.
Term
horsepower
Horsepower is a way to measure how powerful an engine is. More horsepower means the car can go faster and do more work.
Term
power-to-weight ratio
Power-to-weight ratio tells you how much power a car has compared to how heavy it is. If a car is light and has a strong engine, it will usually be faster.
Car
Hoonatron
The Hoonatron is a special Audi car made for drifting, which is a type of driving where you slide the car around corners. It's electric and built for fun and performance.
Car
Audi Q7
The Audi Q7 is a big, fancy SUV that can carry a lot of people and stuff. It's known for being comfortable and having lots of tech features.
Term
right-hand drive vehicle
In a right-hand drive car, the steering wheel is on the right side, which means you drive on the left side of the road. This is different from most countries where the steering wheel is on the left side of the car.
Term
roll cage
A roll cage is a strong frame inside a car that helps keep people safe if the car flips over. It's like a protective skeleton that stops the car from crushing in on itself.
Term
diamond plate
Diamond plate is a tough metal floor that has a pattern that looks like diamonds. It helps people not slip and makes the floor very strong.
Term
stiff suspension
A stiff suspension means the car's springs and shocks are very firm. This helps the car handle better when turning, but it can make the ride feel bumpier.
Term
lightly assisted steering
Lightly assisted steering means the steering wheel is easier to turn, but not too much, so you still feel what the car is doing. It's common in older cars, making them feel more connected to the road.
Term
old sports cars
Old sports cars are cars made a long time ago that are built for speed and handling. They're usually lighter and have smaller engines, which makes them fun to drive.
Car
Chevrolet Camaro
The Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 is a fast sports car that is part of the Camaro lineup. It has a very powerful engine that helps it accelerate quickly and gives it a strong performance on the road.
Term
pound-feet of torque
Pound-feet of torque is a way to measure how much force an engine can produce to turn things, like the wheels. More torque means the car can accelerate faster and pull heavier loads.
Car
Tesla Semi
The Tesla Semi is a big electric truck made for transporting goods. It's designed to be better for the environment and cheaper to run than traditional diesel trucks.
Car
Lexus NX450
The Lexus NX450 is a type of luxury SUV that uses both gas and electric power to drive, making it more efficient. It's designed to be comfortable and has many high-tech features.
Car
Lexus SC400
The Lexus SC400 is a stylish two-door car from the 1990s that has a strong V8 engine. It's designed to be both fast and comfortable to drive.
Car
Lexus SC300
The Lexus SC300 is a two-door car similar to the SC400 but has a smaller engine. It's also made to be comfortable and stylish.
Car
Ferrari 488
The Ferrari 488 is a high-performance sports car made by Ferrari. It has a powerful engine and is designed for speed and agility, making it a favorite among car enthusiasts.
Car
Toyota GR86
The Toyota GR86 is a small sports car that is fun to drive and has a rear-wheel-drive system, which means the back wheels get the power from the engine.
Car
Lexus RZ
The Lexus RZ is an electric car made by Lexus. It's one of their new models that runs only on electricity, which is better for the environment compared to traditional gas cars.
Car
Hyundai Ioniq
The Hyundai Ioniq 5N is a sportier version of the Ioniq 5, which is an electric SUV. It's designed for people who want a fun driving experience while still being eco-friendly.
Car
Porsche 928S
The Porsche 928 is a type of sports car made by Porsche that was built from 1978 to 1995. It has a powerful engine in the front and is designed for both speed and comfort.
Car
Toyota Camry
The Toyota Camry is a medium-sized car that many people choose because it's comfortable and lasts a long time. It's a good option for families and people who drive a lot.
Car
Toyota Alphard
The Toyota Alphard is a fancy minivan that has a lot of room inside and nice features. It's great for families or anyone who wants to travel in comfort.
Car
Lexus Lm
The Lexus LM is a really nice minivan that is designed to be super comfortable and luxurious. It's perfect for people who want a fancy ride with lots of space.
Car
Buick Century
The Buick Century is a larger car that is known for being very comfortable to drive. It's a good choice for people who want a smooth ride and plenty of space inside.
LIVE
Internally, from their engineering standpoint, everybody said,
you don't need a transmission vated to an EV motor, right?
Are you crazy?
Yeah, it's so.
And again, before I drove it, 100% agree.
Why would you?
Why?
Yeah, but it just works.
This thing is great.
It just felt like I was driving a classic car with punch.
It's cool, like, to have something this small and old that has torque.
Yes.
Because I've driven lots of stuff like this in their Fumbi car.
And this is just.
Welcome to The Inevitable, a podcast by Motor Trend.
Hi there, and welcome to this episode of The Inevitable.
This is Motor Trends podcast, our podcast about the future of cars,
the future of transportation, where are we going and how are we going to get there?
I'm joined as always by my co-host, Ed Lowe.
I'm Johnny Lieberman.
Do you have a message?
I do.
The Inevitable podcast is brought to you by nobody right now.
We need a sponsor.
So if you want to sponsor us, please shoot me an email,
edward.loh at Hearst.com or slip into either of our Instagram DMs.
You want to do a one episode, the whole series.
Shoot us a note.
Today we're a very special location.
We are here at Bowles in Little Tokyo in downtown Los Angeles.
This is an iconic shop supporting motorsports in Los Angeles, the import scene.
They've been very kind to let us use their space to record and also the curb out front
because we have a very special episode here with Toyota and Lexus International.
Johnny and I just got to drive a very awesome Hachiroku AE86 Toyota.
This is an iconic vehicle known all across the Japanese motorsports scene.
It's from the toge from running in the mountains also in drifting.
It's a big here in LA too.
Big here in LA, big here in 86 life.
Yes, anybody who's into the import scene in the Japanese cars into classic 80s vehicles,
they know this vehicle, they love this vehicle.
But this vehicle we got to drive has a unique angle.
There's a twist.
There's a twist.
It's been electrified.
And some of you folks might groan and say, why did they electrify a classic that's a,
you know, inline four cylinder lightweight rear drive vehicle known for canyon carving
and for drifting?
Well, we just got to drive it.
Yeah, I would love to spoil it, but I felt the same way before I drive it.
Of all the cars to pick, why this one?
So we should talk just a little bit about the vehicle before we talk to our special guest.
Again, it is a AE86.
It's a Toyota Corolla GTS.
In this version, it's called, there are two versions.
One's a Triano and another one's called a Levin.
Those were only sold in Japan as under those name plates.
We knew it as a Corolla GTS.
But this one is a Levin because, and I'd known this car for like over 25 years,
I didn't know that Levin actually comes from Old English means lightning.
Yeah, I just learned that too.
Yes.
But it has EV in the name.
So they have EV in the name.
Like our podcast.
They like our podcast and they turn the EV into like a green color.
Very cute.
But why electrify it and how do they electrify it?
So we're going to talk to our guests about some of the reasons why,
but as far as we know, they put the motor 36 kilowatt
motor from a Tundra hybrid under the hood of this Corolla.
It literally bolted right on to the transmission.
Right.
The existing transmission, it just bolted right up.
Well, strangely, it has a transmission.
It's a six-speed manual transmission from a current generation 86,
which is also strange.
The original had a five-speed, so this is a six-speed.
It's a right-hand drive.
And then powering it is an 18.1 kilowatt hour lithium ion battery
that's positioned in the trunk where you would find the rear seat and the cargo area.
And from what we understand, the motor is out of a Tundra hybrid.
Yep.
And the battery is out of a Lexus NX.
NX 450H plug-in hybrid.
Plug-in hybrid, yeah.
Output is very similar to the original.
And of course, this is an 80s era vehicle.
So it's not up to modern-day power standards, but about 127 horsepower.
It only weighs about 2,300 pounds.
And 111 pound-feet of torque.
So yes, you skip to the plot.
The power-to-weight is also very similar to the original.
The original was around 2,100 pounds, 2,159 pounds.
And this one is just over 2,300 pounds.
So 2,300 and about 60 pounds.
So it's about 200 pounds heavier than the original,
but it has electric motor, big battery, and a six-speed manual.
And you know, I drove the Hoonatron, so the Audi electric, you know, chem block car.
And interesting, that was made up of four batteries out of the Q7 plug-in hybrid.
Right.
You know, much more powerful thing.
But it's interesting that both manufacturers, you know,
kind of approach it the same way.
Like, do we have a small compact battery?
Yeah, it's in our plug-in hybrid SUV.
Pull it out, stick it into a sports car.
So it's kind of interesting.
So this vehicle debuted at the, I think, the Tokyo Motor Show back in 2023.
It's here now.
We got to drive it somehow by some magic on the streets of little Tokyo.
I got to go first.
I only went up to second gear because I was sitting next to one of the engineers.
I was a little nervous.
I didn't.
It's awesome.
I remember my faster, and he was like, ah, good.
Yeah, OK.
Well, it's a right-hand drive vehicle.
So you're shifting with your left hand.
I thought it was awesome.
The steering, amazing.
It is set up like a race car.
So it has a cage.
Most of the interior has been stripped out.
So there's diamond plate on the floor.
Diamond plate on the floor is the best part.
Yeah.
Very cool.
It's the suspension is pretty stiff.
But I thought the steering was fantastic.
It's very lightly assisted.
I mean, look, here's what you want to know.
What all old cars are, they're very light.
They're very small.
And we miss that.
Modern cars are very big.
They're very heavy.
However, all old cars, especially old sports cars,
they're all small engines.
You got to rev them out to like 7,000, 8,000,
if anything happens.
This is instant punch.
You just get on it and it goes.
And that, I wasn't expecting that.
I mean, I should have thought about it.
But it was like, it felt so cool to shift it.
It felt like a miniature muscle car.
Like if you think about something like a Camaro Z01 manual,
like 650 pound-feet of torque, and you shift it with that much torque,
it's cool.
And this was similar on a smaller, lighter scale.
But I powered the weights not bad off.
And it was just, it was very cool.
Very surprising.
Very surprising.
I think we, EVs have been around for a long time.
People converting EVs, not a new thing.
People have been doing VW buses since the beginning.
And a lot of times you kind of look at it and you go,
what are they doing here?
They're taking an old chassis and they're putting,
you know, putting in this motor and battery combination.
And when I read the specs also, you know,
this thing is a little bit range limited.
It gets about 60 miles of range on the battery,
about 90 or so kilometers.
So there's some trade-off here.
But I think the most unique thing was that the power to weight matches up.
So you really get that, you get that old-school feeling.
We could talk forever about how it drove,
but we'd be ignoring our guests.
So why don't we bring in our guests?
The man who is responsible for this project.
This is Kenji Arai, the chief engineer.
So Araisan.
And with him is Toshi Hayama, who's going to act as his translator.
We should do a whole episode with Toshi.
Actually, Toshi has been in the import scene for a long time.
He knows a lot about this car as a naturally aspirated,
you know, JDM legend.
But this is a great combination to talk about this project.
So Araisan, welcome.
And thank you for coming.
And thank you for bringing this thing all the way from Japan.
And letting us drive it.
First question.
Is it in any way legal to drive here?
The only other vehicle we've ever driven on this podcast
was the Nikolai hydrogen semi truck.
Totally legal.
Drove it around Beverly Hills.
Oh yeah, Lucid just has it.
I have a question.
I have a lot of questions.
I just want to keep it illegal.
Yes.
Underground.
Why do this project?
Why do it for the 2023 Tokyo Motor Show?
So one of the main reasons is because you have your own,
you know, your Aisha, the car that you love
and you've driven it a long time.
We want to make sure that there's a future
for those cars moving forward
so that you can continue to keep driving those cars.
But why, why from Lexus?
You guys are both wearing Lexus shirts,
Lexus Electrified.
So one of the things we were thinking is what can we do
and how can we play our part moving forward
to try to keep these cars on the road?
Of course electrification is one of our core strengths
from the Lexus brand.
And so let's let's put infused more power.
Let's resurrect these older cars
using our electrification technology.
So did it start from this idea of making sure
these older cars have like a future
and then Lexus, did you start by looking
in what is available within the Lexus family
and that's how you arrive at the NX450 battery
and then you pick a motor?
Or how does that?
So from the brand, you start by looking for potential
and then you drop them in.
Yes, yes, yes.
Okay, what other...
Yeah, why not like, you know, SC400 or SC400?
SC300, yes, right?
Keep it all Lexus.
All of the Lexus.
All of the Lexus or...
So first as you know, starting in 1983 for 40 years,
the 86 has been, you know, the iconic car.
83 to 2040.
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
Okay, anniversary.
Very good.
It represents what an Aisha or what your car is supposed to be.
And so we decided let's start there.
Let's start with that car.
And that allowed you, because it was so light,
I'm going to assume...
That allowed you to use the tundra motor
rather than if you had used like a current 86,
you would have needed a more powerful motor.
And so right now, Lexus has a very strong performance
aspect to the brand and it gave us an opportunity
to showcase that.
Okay.
And so the fun of really throwing the car around,
the controller, and the dialogue, the communication
between the driver and the car, so...
And the 86 is the perfect match for that.
And so let's use this car.
Okay.
So then you were a powertrain engineer for 40,
almost 40 years with Toyota?
Since 1986.
Yes.
Yes.
He joined the company in 1986.
Wow.
And then did you own a Hatcheroot?
Yes.
Do you have one now?
Yes.
Okay.
How... why put a... the manual?
Why was it important to put a manual transmission in it?
So one thing... the reason why he really wanted to keep the manual
transmission is a manual transmission is a crucial element
into operating and really throwing the car around and handling it.
And so that was an element he didn't want to compromise.
I noticed... we were talking earlier, but I noticed like the...
When you were shifting, it was very intuitive.
I just... without even thinking about it.
I was listening to the electric motor and I knew when to
shift based on sound.
So you must have engineered that in.
Yes.
Could you tell us about...
Using your five senses, your senses, and to really throw the car around,
to operate the car.
And that's the flavor of the A86 itself.
And that we wanted to preserve that.
So it's real? All the motor, engine noise?
So we recorded audio from a real 488 engine and we used a sound generation to
include like obviously vibration and everything as well.
Oh, okay. Interesting. Okay.
And then... okay, so then how...
Lots of many questions.
How does it work with the motor?
You have the the Tundra Hybrid motor spinning at a certain RPM.
No. Connected to... no?
Right-wrenching.
Oh, so it's not obviously constantly rotating.
Okay.
Spinning like a motor, as if a motor.
So the RPMs will go up according to...
And then you have it connected to just a standard GR86.
And then you have on the... I noticed on the TAC,
you have an arrow at 6,000...
Shift point, right?
Is it... what is that actually?
It's not... it's not 6,000 RPM.
It is a true 6,000 RPM as a motor.
Oh, really?
Yeah, they limited it.
Ah, okay. How... what happens if you go...
Over rev.
Oh, it just stopped?
It'll just stop.
Yeah.
Oh, okay.
Software.
Okay. So there is a... there is a real...
It's not... there are some manufacturers who have put fake shifting in electric motor,
but this is genuine gear reduction.
This is not a virtual gear system that can be used for real gear.
No, no, no. Real transmission.
Real transmission.
Real transmission.
Real mechanical transmission.
Okay.
How many other motor and battery combinations did you consider before arriving at this one?
I'm only one.
Really?
Yeah.
You just look at the whole catalog as
Toyota likes this and so...
Oh, what?
This one?
Good thing.
Yeah, okay, okay.
But what have you considered since it's already a 86 transmission using electrifying an 86?
Would that... that's something that could happen?
Make a modern brother for this car.
Not currently, but of course we're looking at the feedback from today for instance
to see where we should go.
Yeah, you should do it.
More power, do it.
So you look... so you've got the Lexus NX450 battery, you've got a hybrid motor,
GR86, the battery, I saw some of this video that you can hot swap it,
you can pull it out and put another one in.
That's for like drifting, motor sport?
Yeah, as a motor sports option, so in a small amount of time,
when you have to run in a time period that's shorter than the appropriate charging time,
then you need to be able to swap it.
How long does it take to swap?
Yeah, 14 minutes.
Oh, 40 minutes.
Okay.
And how heavy is the battery?
140 kilograms.
So that's 345, 30 grams.
How long does it take to charge?
Empty to full, six hours.
Six hours on level two or level one charge?
And you can't... because it's a plug-in, there's no level three fast charge.
But you could obviously use a different battery.
Yes, yes, this is this particular prototype.
Right.
And then the... where's the inverter from?
The NX.
Also from the NX.
Okay.
And then anything else complicated from a BMS or any other controller?
So one of the big challenges, I asked Amino what were the challenges system-wise,
but he said really recreating the feel of the A86 itself was the biggest challenge.
Right.
I mean, I'm asking this question because we have some... we've had some guests on here,
we have some people listening.
That maybe would want to try to do this DIY.
We have tons of here.
We have NX.
I see.
I see.
Is it possible?
Or...
Do you think you can do it?
No.
There's no big deal.
I don't think you can do it.
Because you have to do it.
Of course, if you put your heart to it, then you could, obviously.
I think the hardware is easy.
Of course, software would be a challenge.
Maybe Arai-san wants to help and put a PDF.
I see, I see.
I mean, serious question, right?
I think the Gazoo Racing GR is starting to produce
old parts for vintage cars, right?
Could it ever be you would produce a kit?
A retrofit kit.
That's possible.
Yes, it's possible.
We'll be able to get feedback from you.
So, really, yeah, the planning would depend on instances like this
where we have the feedback and moving forward.
Right, right, right.
Well, let's talk a little bit about it.
Because I see the video of you here and our friend Ken Gushi.
So, I mean, did you get it?
How fast did you get it, do you think?
I have no idea.
But good, I mean, we lost the chase car.
Okay.
This car, I've seen it, I've seen Gushi drifting it.
So it's, it can, it's high performance, driving, possible.
Yeah.
No problem, like clutch kick.
Even with your clutch kick.
Kicking or hitting, rolling the rear.
It's OK, but since the body is old.
But the body is a little bit older.
So yeah.
Big damage is pretty much OK.
But the cage is attached.
Yeah, OK, it's OK.
It's OK.
Actually, what is the suspension?
What do you use for suspension?
For suspension, I use the Enna Petal,
though, Bilstein, a club over under.
Yeah, Bill Sainz, a shocker, just a ball.
OK, course.
Needs a big handbrake.
Oh, I see. You want a big side brake?
No, for drift.
What's the fastest you've taken at an undercarriage?
The fastest you've taken so far?
155 km.
Okay, so that's 100 miles an hour.
And you need to go all the way to 6-speed?
6-speed, 6-speed.
But with gear ratio...
Gear ratio limit.
And what would happen if you limited the motor to 6,000 rpm?
What if, you know, the electric motor can spend at 20,000 rpm?
What if you just, in six years, let it spend at 20,000 rpm?
What would happen?
Oh, we've blocked the transmission as well.
That's right.
You go to 7th? Like 86 goes to 7,000, right?
Yeah, same thing.
Unlock a little.
Okay, under development.
Yeah, special.
Nice.
When did you start?
So Lexus, I don't know if you're aware of,
initially had test pilot programs to see what would happen
if we made it on a manual transmission to an EV.
Oh, I didn't know that.
When did that start?
About 2021.
Okay.
Can you say what cars you were looking at with the manual?
So at that time, they didn't actually have a working prototype.
They were envisioning what it would be for a small compact sports car.
Got it, okay.
A project for the 40th anniversary.
It wasn't explicitly targeted at before it just happened.
So timing-wise?
Yes, yes.
What was the sort of response when it came out in 2023?
It was a very successful project at the time.
When it was first announced?
Oh, in 2023.
In 2023, right?
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
He was really getting through.
And everybody said, I want to drive it.
I want to test it, yeah.
So did everybody, did Akio, has Akio driven it?
Yes, yes, yes.
Yeah.
Yes.
That's the big boss.
Yes, Akio Toyota apparently has driven it
with his double thumbs up.
So why bring it to America now?
Yeah, why now?
Why now?
So actually up until now, the vehicle has made its rounds
and tours in Japan and so it's given an opportunity
for a lot of Japanese enthusiasts to drive.
And so at those Japanese events, there were American enthusiasts
and customers who attended saying, I know this car
and it's really famous and I want to drive it
and I'm really excited about it.
And so bring it to America, please.
And so they got a lot of feedback for that.
Okay, okay.
So it's now kind of doing a world tour?
Yes.
Just here.
First time overseas bringing the car.
And no plans yet.
It's just, this is the first step down.
Okay.
And for what?
To get feedback, you might...
Yeah, feedback regarding the whole concept itself.
Like just the vehicle as well,
as it stands, you know, everything.
Okay, because maybe there's a vehicle
that could come out of, a production vehicle
that could come out of this?
So everything inclusive, we're asking ourselves,
what else do we need to do?
What should be done?
What did we do correct by bringing the car here?
I mean, the challenge would be to,
in bringing something like this is going to be that weight.
And we don't drive vehicles
that weigh less than 4,000 pounds very often.
Driving something under 2,500 pounds
is super incredible, right?
And I think the range here at 60 miles
is pretty limited.
And if you were to add,
if you had three times the battery
and get to 180, it's still going to be
considerably heavier and then
everything changes.
So really focusing on crafting cars
that are fun, like just really fun to drive cars
is the whole purpose.
And also protecting your car, your tuning car
or your favorite car.
And so what technology do we at Lexus have?
We ask ourselves.
What are you looking like, you know,
so it's 2025 now.
Lexus has how many, like one
pure BEV on sale in the U.S.
Just the RZ.
But I assume that, you know,
you're working on future full BEVs.
And is like the sportiness of this
kind of informing the future Lexus?
So first, there's lots to be learned
from this exercise of how to craft a fun car.
And so we're taking experience from that.
Right.
And really trying to apply that.
Of course.
I want to talk a little bit about the sound.
So you recorded the
RPM from the 4AGE engine
all the way through the RPM range.
And then you match it to throttle position
to the foot.
So we have really detailed increments
of engine RPM.
So we have really detailed increments
of engine RPM.
When we're recording it.
And then of course we have throttle position
on a vertical axis to match it.
So we've mapped it all out.
We've mapped out the sound
according to throttle position.
And it comes through the speakers?
The door speaker?
Because we're here.
Yeah, it fooled me completely.
I just assumed it was here in the,
I don't know what I assumed.
But I just, I wasn't thinking about the sound.
Oh, of course.
I was just like realizing like,
I can just listen to the shift.
I don't have to look.
And it felt super natural.
When we were talking about the car,
there's a certain way they laid out speakers.
So that was speaker no ichi.
Ichi.
So one vibration was very important.
So they made the speakers
as close to the body,
the chassis itself as possible.
And let it sort of resonate.
If you had no sound,
what is it?
Like a train, he said.
Like riding on a normal train.
But only a little bit from the motor
and a little bit from the transmission.
But otherwise,
mostly silent, right?
It's like a train.
Yeah.
So it's more than, yeah.
Yeah.
Not fun.
Yeah.
Yeah.
Not fun.
Not fun.
But you don't know when to shift.
Yeah.
Yeah.
So it'll be only visual cue.
So is there a future world
where with everything you've learned from this
and how to do electric motors
where you live at the top speed
and it works fun.
It's fun with the manual.
Is there a future, is there a world
where there's a Lexus sports car
that would have a manual transmission?
Or is this only
the protectable cars?
Yeah.
So while we study,
once again, you heard the word feedback.
We're going to take that feedback
and if it's something that we feel the customers really
there's a demand, then of course we'll look at it.
Yeah.
I've tried a couple of these
with the fake shifts
and they just feel fake.
And there are fake.
And with the Hyundai Ioniq 5N
for instance
with the fake shift on
it's two seconds slower around a track.
So it just slows the car down.
It does nothing.
But this is the first time
I've experienced
an EV with a manual
where it totally makes sense.
It's just electric powertrains.
You know, and you've already
seen it before.
You've already seen it before.
And you've already
limited the motor anyways.
So, you know, you have to
use the transmission.
It just logically makes a note.
Thank you.
It's very impressive.
The weight balance is similar
to original Hachiroku
and a little bit
a little bit rear heavy.
Yes.
And the motor
plus inverter weighs
the same as
4AG.
4AG is a little lighter.
It's lighter than 4AG.
Lighter than the 4AG.
Slightly lighter.
Because I'm sure you probably
found a smaller motor
but you don't need to
You actually want
something.
You want a bigger motor.
So he says this was perfect.
Well, it fits.
Here's what I think.
My feedback is
this might be the future
of
enthusiasts
and luxury cars.
If you wait long enough
for the battery cell technology
to be where
it is
the higher output
more storage
in a same package
or lighter
faster charging
you might have a car
where enthusiasts
can drive it
almost daily.
In fact, if this battery
has the same output
but charged in 2 or 3 minutes
so we should just park
the vehicle
for 10, 20 years
and just plug in different batteries.
That's all.
That's all coming.
Everyone's talking
solid state
cut the weight in half
or double the size
but also
Mercedes just did a megawatt charging session
so
2 and a half minutes
Does Toyota have
any battery
breakthrough that's coming?
That might make this
better.
Take that as a maybe.
No, I mean I'm serious.
Do you think it's possible
where we would be able to
someday own a car like this
where
you can get to this level of
I've always said on this podcast
the last
the last barrier
for
EVs will be weight
so because of the battery
the weight of the battery
will be the last barrier
but when will the day
come?
The battery technology
will evolve
so battery technology is daily
evolving and progressing
and it just has to
cross with customer expectations
so those two have to
intersect.
It's got to be either
density or energy
that will be the barrier
at the current weight
right?
The problem
as you know is that
a modern
OEM can't really
sell 1983 crash technology
in America
that becomes
that becomes the issue
that becomes the issue
Would it have been
easier
or better
if you could have put the battery
in the floor
like a skateboard, Tessie?
Would it have been easier
to mount it down?
This car
doesn't have space
so this vehicle
just basically didn't have space for it
so we could not mount it
Why not put
the front
and motor at the rear?
Did you look at it?
Why didn't you look at the front?
This car
wanted to keep
the original condition
so we didn't want to cut into the vehicle
we wanted to keep it as original as possible
so that was one of the
You needed a transaxle
You needed a transmission in the back
but they did think about that
they did contemplate that
but when you do that
you have to first fabricate it
from scratch, remake it
and this one
we wanted to be able to use
already available items
Reuseability
and it's also lowers cost
and it's faster
but now we know what to do with
automatic Porsche 928s
and transaxle
so I wanted to give you a hint
He's never counted before
He's never added it up
Somebody asked this on the street
Where did you find
chassis?
Where did you find this car?
This is used car dealership
Used car dealership
Originally 11
or did you put 11 in front of it?
It was funny because
when I got out of the car
there was a guy walking by the street
and he goes
What does this cost?
A million bucks?
And I go
What do you think it is?
It's probably a million
that they spent
on the development cost
That's about it
A million
That's about it
But
it's cheaper because it's used
but of course the power units we reused
so that wasn't too much of a cost
I think it's more labor
Labor and knowledge
Knowledge cost
When I was driving
there was a guy on the street
He was like
This is also the neighborhood
for that
So where does the car go next?
Where is the next car?
Who else?
What kind of people are you going to meet?
Today we are going to have
cars and coffee
We'll take it to cars and coffee
We'll take it to cars and coffee
and also to the Japan car show
Oh, thank you
What is that?
October
11th
I think
Shout out to JCCS
Great car show
Anything else on
the car you want to tell us?
Do you want to ask us questions?
Thank you
for driving
When we go to the car
we don't need a transmission
So internally
from their engineering standpoint
everybody said you don't need a transmission
made into an EV model
Are you crazy?
And again, before I drove it
100% agree
But it just worked
It just felt like I was driving a classic car
with punch
Which is unlike any other
old 80s
anything
They're all high-revvers
This car is actually
an AE86
I love it
So actually we have
a bunch of coworkers
who love AE86
They came together
to do this project
So it was a really fun project
They said, let's do this
Let's try this
Surely some of them
said, don't do this
This is a curse
Or no, everybody was like
So actually let's take on a new challenge
so they were actually proactive
Or the boss said, no, you do it
The boss was just sort of watching
over us
I agree with Johnny
We have some cars in the industry
that have the fake shifting
and for this to have such a
unique and a real
fake shift need
I wasn't aware that that's how it works
I was talking to your test driver
I can just start this in any year
I didn't understand
So this is very
emblematic of
Lexus, right? The old tagline
was relentless pursuit of perfection
Sweated all the details
All the details
We're also just back to the driving for a second
You can't stall it, which is fun
And then
I accidentally, I was in a red light
I actually put it in third instead of first
There's enough torque to start in third
Where is
the one behind us
would have stalled
It's a perfect car for a
student driver
To learn how to drive manual
So we also added the
element of idling
I didn't notice that
I was wondering about that
So you also give it a little bit of a shock
once you start
and it feels like you're about to
stall but we also simulate that
We recreate that
So I thought it was funny because I reversed it
And I thought I stalled it
for a second
I don't know what's going
So
Awesome car
I just want to ask Ariesan a little bit about his 40 year
career
I don't know
And also
86 was sort of when
Lexus
became Lexus
But the year was founded
It's starting in 1986
And then
What was your first big project
First vehicle
When I entered
he was the first generation
No power train
4x4 system
And then
Anything
Any power train vehicles
come to the U.S
Like that came to the U.S
There were
things that came to the U.S.
In the past
The first Estima
And
The Hierarchs
Oh, like
Like what
It was a power train car
Almost all of them came
Because he was on the power train side
His work has matched
Most of the 4x4s that have come to the U.S.
Really? So I had like surf
Like forerunner
Reset the Camry
Camry
And then
When did you go to
Lexus
When did you go to Lexus?
2021
Oh, so recent
Did you work on
a hybrid power train?
No
mostly
RC
Direct 4
Direct 4
Do you have a favorite
Do you have a personal favorite Toyota
or Lexus car?
My favorite
Lexus
My car
Oh NX
And
RC
RC
Driving
Not Alphard
He loves Alphard
That's the one van I really like
Lexus LM
LM
Any classic
Toyota
Do you have a favorite
Toyota
Toyota
Toyota
I was just in Japan in April
And you know, obviously lots of
Japanese cars
Toyota's that never make it here
Alphard
Can you say
Is there a JDM product
that you'd like to see in the U.S.
Besides the Alphard
Do you have a car
that you'd like to drive in North America?
Lexus Group
If you're interested
Alphard
No
No Alphards over here
Alphard
So maybe he would choose Alphard
It'd be nice to see driving over here
I saw the Century SUV
Century
That might work here
That was pretty cool
Okay
We got one more question
We're going to put you on the spot
Because you're both wearing
Lexus shirts
This is a car
You saw an Angeles Crest
That was also at
Goodwood Festival of Speed
No, no, but then the one that was at
The quails in the car
And there was also a show at
Monterey Car Week
What was at the quail
Lexus Sports Complex
What is that?
Can you tell us anything about the car
Anything about the powertrain
Because the one
that I saw
Goodwood had tailpipes
And the one at the quail
No tailpipes
He's only in charge of that car
That's a good answer
That'd be good
Put the knife down
Okay
Well, this was awesome
So we want to thank Ariesan
For coming
And for the amazing Levin EV
And Toshi for translating
That was awesome
So thank you
Check out
I hope we were going to put a whole bunch of video shots of the car moving
If not, check out our social media
And Johnny's write-up
Because Johnny's going to write the first drive
Awesome
Thank you
See you on the next one
Thank you
About this episode
Kenji Arai, Chief Engineer at Toyota, discusses the electrification of the iconic AE86, transforming it into an electric vehicle with a manual transmission. The episode dives into the engineering decisions behind using a Tundra hybrid motor and a Lexus NX battery, maintaining the classic driving experience while adding modern electric torque. Arai shares insights on the challenges of preserving the AE86's spirit, the importance of manual shifting, and the vehicle's performance. The conversation also touches on future possibilities for electrifying classic cars and the feedback received from enthusiasts.
Original notes
In this episode of The InEVitable by MotorTrend, hosts Ed Loh and Jonny Lieberman go hands-on with one of the most surprising EV conversions ever attempted — the Toyota AE86 Levin BEV, an electric restomod created by Lexus Electrified Development Division. Joining them are Kenji Arai, Chief Engineer at Lexus Electrified, and Toshi Hayama, JDM legend and translator, to discuss why Lexus chose to electrify one of Japan’s most iconic lightweight sports cars and what it means for the future of driving fun. This isn’t a gimmick — it’s an EV with a *manual transmission*, real gear shifts, simulated 4A-GE engine sound, and the soul of the 1980s drifting icon. From the technical challenges of reusing Lexus hybrid parts to how feedback from this prototype could inform future BEV sports cars, this is an inside look at Toyota and Lexus’ electrified philosophy for enthusiasts.
The InEVitable
MotorTrend
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