Disneyland’s Autopia is on track to trade its gas engines for electric power in 2027, and a new report from The New York Times offers a first hint at how the new cars will work. According to the attraction’s original designer, the next generation of Autopia will draw power from the track itself. In sponsorship news, Honda says talks are ongoing. Here’s the latest.
Disneyland’s Autopia to Receive Electrified Track
IN THIS ARTICLE:
- How the new electric Autopia cars may get their power, according to original designer Bob Gurr.
- Where Honda’s sponsorship of Autopia stands heading into 2027.
- What the change means for Tomorrowland Speedway at Magic Kingdom.
Autopia has been part of Tomorrowland since Disneyland opened in 1955, giving generations of young drivers their first turn behind the wheel. That experience is set for its biggest change in decades early next year, when the gas-powered fleet retires. The Times report adds new detail on what the replacement could look like.
Disneyland first confirmed plans to replace the gas cars at Autopia in April 2024. A few weeks later, it committed to an all-electric fleet by fall 2026.
Bob Gurr Previews the New Design
Bob Gurr is the Disney Legend who designed the original Autopia cars for Walt Disney. He told the Times that Disney executives invited him to a facility earlier this year to see a model of the new attraction. According to Gurr, Disney will electrify the track itself, so each car won’t need its own battery. He described the new Autopia as electric, but “not the conventional idea of a battery in a car.”
That would be a big shift for an attraction that has put a gas engine in every car since 1955, and it should also make for a quieter, cleaner drive through Tomorrowland. Gurr, now 94, also said he has pushed Disney for years to get rid of the gasoline engines. After the interview, his representative asked the Times to retract, saying Disney had asked Gurr to stop giving interviews about the ride. The Times published the interview, noting that Gurr had not asked to speak off the record.
According to what Gurr heard, Honda will continue as Autopia’s sponsor. Honda declined to discuss its plans, but Honda spokesman Matt Howells said the current sponsorship agreement with Disneyland Resort ends in early 2027. According to Howells, discussions about the future of the partnership “are currently ongoing.”
Tomorrowland Speedway Keeps Its Gas Engines for Now
Closer to home, Magic Kingdom’s Tomorrowland Speedway still uses gas-powered cars, and there are no known plans to convert it. Back in 2024, Walt Disney World had not responded to requests for comment about the Florida attraction.
The Speedway has seen smaller updates over the years, including a shorter track in 2019 to make room for TRON Lightcycle Run. More recently, Disney installed new concrete along turn one to keep cars from jumping their lanes. If the electrified track proves itself in Anaheim, a similar approach could make sense for Magic Kingdom someday. However, many fans have argued for the Speedway’s complete removal, noting how much space it takes up. For now, that all remains speculation. Disney has operated an electric version of the attraction before, at Hong Kong Disneyland, where Autopia closed in 2016.
Story So Far
- April 2, 2024: Disneyland confirmed it was developing plans to replace Autopia’s gas cars.
- April 18, 2024: Disneyland committed to an all-electric Autopia fleet by fall 2026.
- 2024: Disney paid a $56,250 settlement to the California Air Resources Board and agreed to retire the gas-powered fleet by early 2027.
- May 2026: Disneyland confirmed the gas engines will retire in early 2027 and said electric prototype vehicles were in testing.
- November 2026: The New York Times reported that the new Autopia will use an electrified track, with Honda’s sponsorship still under discussion.
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