The Disney Legend who designed the first Autopia cars says the new electric version won’t use batteries in the cars. Disney hasn’t confirmed it, and his rep reportedly wants the comment pulled.
Disneyland’s Autopia has been burning gasoline since 1955, and its exit from the gas pump is getting closer. Now one of the people who built the original ride says the new version won’t work the way most people picture an electric car.
Bob Gurr, the Disney Legend who designed Autopia’s early cars, told The New York Times the new Autopia vehicles will be electric but won’t carry a battery. Instead, the track itself will be electrified, according to WDW News Today and the California Post, which both quoted the interview on Monday.
“It will be electric, but not the conventional idea of a battery in a car. It’s very different,” Gurr said, as quoted by both outlets.
What did Bob Gurr say about Autopia?
Gurr said Disney executives invited him to see the new Autopia vehicle, according to the reports. He said the cars would get their power from the track rather than from batteries, and that Honda would stay on as the ride’s sponsor.
He also didn’t hide how long he’s wanted the gas gone. “For 26 years, I’ve been arguing, ‘When are you going to do anything to get rid of that gasoline?’” Gurr said, per WDWNT and the California Post.
The California Post also quoted him with a sharper line, calling Autopia “the dirtiest place on Earth.” Only the Post carried that one.
Here’s a full Autopia ride-through from DocumentDisney, filmed earlier this year:
Did Disney confirm the electrified Autopia track?
No. Disney hasn’t confirmed how the new cars will be powered. And there’s a twist. WDWNT reports that Gurr’s representative asked for his statement to be retracted, saying “Disney had requested Mr. Gurr stop doing interviews about the ride he designed.”
So treat the track detail as Gurr’s account, not an official announcement. Some sites ran it as confirmed. It isn’t, at least not yet.
When is Autopia going electric?
Disney has been working toward this for a while. Back in April 2024, Disneyland spokesperson Jessica Good talked to the Los Angeles Times about it. She said the resort had “developed a roadmap to electrify this attraction and are evaluating technology,” as reported by Disney Tourist Blog.
Then in May 2026, the Orange County Register reported a new deal. Disneyland agreed with the California Air Resources Board to retire Autopia’s gas engines in early 2027, according to Laughing Place and Disney Tourist Blog. Resort officials said Imagineering was “developing, engineering, and testing a prototype for a fully electric Autopia vehicle.”
Laughing Place noted the 2024 plan had aimed to finish the switch by fall 2026, so the timeline has slipped a bit.
When will Autopia close for the electric conversion?
Disney hasn’t announced a closure date or a reopening date. Disney Tourist Blog has guessed at a closure after the holiday crowds clear in early 2027, with a possible reopening around summer 2027. That’s speculation from the blog, not a Disney plan.
If you’ve never driven the gas cars, though, this holiday season might be your last good shot.
Is Honda still sponsoring Autopia?
For now. Honda has sponsored Autopia since 2016, when a refurbishment added ASIMO and other Honda touches, according to Laughing Place and Disney Tourist Blog. Today’s cars run on 8.5-horsepower Honda four-stroke engines, WDWNT reports.
Gurr said Honda will remain. A Honda spokesperson told the California Post that its current agreement runs through early 2027 and that talks about the future are ongoing. That’s a little softer than a done deal.
How old is Disneyland’s Autopia?
Autopia opened with Disneyland on July 17, 1955, which makes it one of the park’s few opening-day rides still running. Gurr designed the early cars, and he went on to work on the Disneyland Monorail and the Matterhorn bobsleds. Disney named him a Disney Legend in 2004.
The ride has changed cars and routes over the years, but the basic idea has stayed the same. Kids get a steering wheel, a lane with a guide rail and the illusion of total freedom. Parents get a whiff of exhaust.
What about Tomorrowland at Disneyland?
At D23 in August, Disney Experiences shared plans for a reimagined Tomorrowland at Disneyland, according to The Walt Disney Company’s recap. That recap didn’t mention Autopia or give a timeline, so it’s not clear yet how the new cars fit into the bigger plan.
For now, the gas cars are still putting around Tomorrowland. If Gurr is right, the next version will be quieter, cleaner and powered from the ground up. We’ll find out when Disney finally says so.
Article compiled and written by Kambrea Pratt (editor-in-chief), Derek Gibbs (beat editor) and the Pirates & Princesses newsroom. Pirates & Princesses is part of WebReef Media.
Pirates and Princesses is your destination for Disney news, theme park updates, and the pop culture you love. From Disney cruises and travel tips to Disney fashion, food, collectibles, and movie news, PNP covers it all. Visit us at piratesandprincesses.net for daily coverage. Follow PNP on Facebook and Instagram, and listen to the Pirates & Princesses podcast on Apple Podcasts and YouTube.
Hat Tips:
WDW News Today (Nov. 2, 2026), Gurr’s quotes and the retraction request
California Post via Yahoo (Nov. 3, 2026), Gurr quotes and Honda’s statement
Laughing Place (May 6, 2026), the CARB agreement and Honda history
Disney Tourist Blog (May 6, 2026), the 2024 roadmap quote and closure guess
DocumentDisney, Autopia ride-through
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