There is no way to accurately measure this outside of some bizarre internal company statistic, but we’re certain that there are likely thousands of people—if not more—who had their first driving experience on Disneyland’s Autopia attraction. For those who have never experienced it, Autopia is an attraction in Disneyland Park’s “Tomorrowland” featuring small cars that can be driven by kids and adults on a closed course. As you can imagine, these tiny open-top custom cars are more like karts with little gas engines, at least until now.
Update, April 22: In an update from the LA Times, Disneyland spokesperson Jessica Good confirmed that Autopia will switch to full electric—not hybrid—vehicles by 2026. Good clarified her original statement saying electrification means “fully electric — it does not mean hybrid or any other version of a gasoline combustion engine.”
She also clarified the timetable for the conversion saying Autopia will “no longer be using the current engines within the next 30 months.” This means by fall 2026 at the latest, but it could possibly be sooner. The Times suggested that Good clarified Disneyland’s stance on Autopia after getting pressured by EV activists after the first statement was originally made back in early April.
In August 2024, the Walt Disney Company will hold its bi-annual D23 Expo event in which it previews updates and upcoming rides to its theme parks. There’s a chance we may get a more specific timetable and further information about the future of Autopia at that event, so stay tuned.
Autopia is also the only existing attraction in Tomorrowland that dates back to Disneyland’s opening day back in 1955. The Autopia vehicles have changed since then, but some of the original cars have made their way into the hands of fans of the attraction like Peter Menotti. Menotti is among those who had their first taste of the open road behind the wheel of an Autopia car. He’s since bought one of the original shells from an auction and restored it to running condition.
Today, Autopia remains a fun experience and a great way to give young kids their first taste of driving. There’s even a photobooth at the attraction exit where folks can get their “Autopia driver’s license.” However, it’s not without its downsides. The cars are a bit loud due to the engine just behind the drivers, and when the vehicles get bunched up, the exhaust smell can get pungent. It looks like that may change in the near future as Disneyland has confirmed (via LA Times) that it is looking to switch Autopia vehicles to electrified drivetrains soon.
“Since opening with Disneyland park in 1955, Autopia has remained a guest-favorite most popular with young kids experiencing driving for the first time,” said Disneyland spokesperson Jessica Good in a statement. “As the industry moves toward alternative fuel sources, we have developed a roadmap to electrify this attraction and are evaluating technology that will enable us to convert from gas engines in the next few years.”
In 2016, Disneyland partnered with Honda to become a presenting sponsor of Autopia. Part of that sponsorship included replacing the old vehicle engines with Honda’s 8.5 horsepower iGX270 units which were quieter and cleaner. Considering the times we’re living in, it is not surprising that Disneyland is looking to make a change.
The ride is in Tomorrowland, and the future of the automotive industry is electrification, whether it’s BEVs, plug-in hybrids, or fuel cells. We reached out to Honda to ask if they will be staying on as a ride sponsor through the transition and what type of powertrain it might provide to Disneyland for the new Autopia vehicles: “Honda began its sponsorship of the Autopia attraction in 2016, which allowed Honda to replace the existing engines with cleaner, more efficient engines,” said Honda in a statement. “As part of our sponsorship, we continue to work with Disneyland Resort to tell inspirational stories that celebrate personal mobility and freedom, which are at the heart of the attraction and a good fit for Honda’s corporate slogan, ‘The Power of Dreams.’”
Consequently, it looks like Honda will be staying on as the Autopia sponsor but has not disclosed details about the new drivetrain. Later this year, The Walt Disney Company will be hosting a fan expo called D23. There’s a decent chance that Disneyland may be waiting for that event to provide more details about Autopia’s future, so we will be sure to follow up.
