ALPHARD EV PLUS
2024.02.21(ALPHARD EV PLUS) by RAI STAR
TOKYO — The automotive world is buzzing after TOM’S, Toyota’s legendary official tuner, revealed the “ALPHARD EV PLUS” at Tokyo Auto Salon 2024. Built around the idea of “tuning all hybrid cars to higher performance,” the concept highlights TOM’S ambition to combine performance engineering with a more sustainable future.
Founded in 1974 by Toyota factory driver Nobuhide Tachi and Kiyoshi Oiwa, who led the sports division at a Toyota dealership, TOM’S has long been one of Japan’s most respected names in motorsports and vehicle tuning. Over the decades, the company has built a strong reputation across Asia’s racing circuits, turning motorsport experience into road-car performance expertise.
At Tokyo Auto Salon 2024, TOM’S presented the ALPHARD EV PLUS at the Autobacs booth, where it appeared alongside several electrified models, including the BYD Dolphin, Hyundai Ioniq 5, Tesla Model Y, and the battery-electric ASL Garaiya. The project, developed with Autobacs, reflects TOM’S growing focus on environmental solutions in the automotive space.
What makes the TOM’S EV+ especially interesting is its fresh approach to hybrid performance. Rather than following the more common path of converting gasoline-powered vehicles into full battery-electric vehicles by removing the engine, TOM’S wants to expand the existing hybrid system already built into hybrid models. In other words, instead of replacing the hybrid powertrain, the company aims to enhance it.
The version displayed at the show featured an additional hybrid battery designed to improve both EV driving range and fuel efficiency when operating in electric mode. According to TOM’S, the project was first conceived about six months before the event, with formal development beginning in January 2024. Even within that short timeframe, the Auto Salon display showed how quickly the concept had advanced.
The Alphard shown at the event served as a proof-of-concept example. TOM’S explained that an additional battery was mounted in parallel with the vehicle’s existing 5kWh battery, significantly boosting the practical range and usefulness of EV mode. While the displayed vehicle was still a mock-up, the company said it plans to continue development through the following year, with a target launch for the ALPHARD EV PLUS in 2025.
TOM’S selected the Alphard as its first application because of the model’s popularity as a shuttle vehicle, particularly for campuses and executive transport. Still, the company says it hopes to expand the EV+ concept to additional vehicles in the future. To address safety and compliance, TOM’S also intends to work with Japan’s Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism to ensure the system meets all inspection and regulatory requirements.
As TOM’S steps into new territory with this hybrid-tuning strategy, the company says it aims to offer the TOM’S EV+ at an appealing price that includes both installation and administrative costs. With commercial availability targeted for 2025, TOM’S is positioning the EV+ as a bridge between performance tuning and cleaner mobility.