Batteries and hydrogen power these cute Toyota AE86 factory restomods
Enlarge / On the left, the AE86 BEV Concept; on the right, the AE86 H2 Concept. (credit: Toyota)
I don't know about you, but I adore a good restomod. Restomodding is the practice of taking a classic car and restoring it—while modernizing it at the same time. In the past, that might have meant putting modern AMG powertrains in classic Mercedes-Benz Gullwing bodies, but these days, my attention is more drawn to electric conversions.
Sadly, the cost involved is still prohibitive for most of us, but that's less true if you're a car company like Ford, General Motors, or Jaguar. Or in today's case, Toyota, which surprised and delighted this year's Tokyo Auto Salon with a pair of restomodded AE86 coupes, a car best known for its starring role in Initial D.
The idea behind the project was to boost carbon-neutrality prospects "for protecting beloved cars," according to Toyota. The company says it worked with aftermarket suppliers to rejuvenate old stock and use recycled materials wherever possible.