City RS beware, next-gen 2022 Toyota Vios could get e:Smart Hybrid powertrain

Electrification is the future and Toyota is well aware of that. The Japanese manufacturer is reportedly planning to electrify the next-generation Toyota Vios, codenamed D92A.

A recent report from Philippines media AutoIndustriya mentioned that Toyota has plans to fit the Daihatsu-developed e:Smart Hybrid powertrain into the next-generation Toyota Vios, as well as the equally-new Toyota Avanza.

Why Daihatsu’s e:Smart Hybrid and not Toyota’s THS?

The next-gen Toyota Vios will adopt the simpler, less complicated, series hybrid-type Daihatsu e:Smart Hybrid powertrain instead of the more sophisticated series-parallel-hybrid-type Toyota Hybrid System (THS).  

Why Daihatsu, and not Toyota?

The Daihatsu link to the Vios is via an internal Toyota-Daihasu company called Emerging-market Compact Car Company (EMCC). EMCC was formed between Toyota and Daihatsu back in 2016, with the aim of developing compact cars for the wider Toyota Motor group. This is where the D92A project comes in. 

Daihatsu’s local partner, Perodua, has confirmed that they will be the R&D hub for this region.

Also Read: Ready for hybrid? Next-gen 2022 Toyota Vios to get hybrid powertrain

What’s this e:Smart Hybrid supposed to be?

As a refresher, the e:Smart Hybrid powertrain pairs a newly-developed 1.2-litre, three-cylinder engine (codenamed WA-VEX) to an electric motor. Judging by the engine code, the base engine could be plucked from the Indonesian-spec Daihatsu Rocky. It's called the WA-VE there, and it makes 88 PS and 107 Nm of torque.

Descriptions thus far point to it being a full-hybrid (one-motor, series) system, which means it accelerates from standstill via electric power alone but the engine does not drive the wheels. Instead, the engine only serves as an on-board generator, similar to the Nissan e-Power hybrid system.