Toyota wants RAV4 plug-in hybrid & other PHEVs in Australia

Toyota could soon crash the party for plug-in hybrids in Australia, with a high-ranking company exec revealing the brand is reevaluating its position on PHEV powertrains.

Toyota Australia has long been a pioneer of petrol-hybrid technology – it sells more hybrids here than any other brand – yet it currently doesn’t have a single plug-in offering across its broad product portfolio.

That could be about to change, however, with Toyota Australia’s vice president for sales and marketing, Sean Hanley, telling Wheels he thinks the potential for PHEVs is on the rise.

3

"I’m watching the market, not just for Toyota, I’m looking at it more broadly speaking and I think hybrid and plug-in hybrids in the next five years are going to come back into their own again,” he said. “I really do; I can see it a mile away.

“I’m even seeing it from other brands now that are suddenly bringing all these hybrids in, and plug-in hybrids. And all these stories about EV production being cut. I think there’s a bit of a correction happening.”

Hanley said the small-to-medium SUV segment — which includes the hugely popular Toyota RAV4 — is where he sees the most potential for PHEVs in Australia.

“Small SUVs, small-to-medium SUVs. Maybe RAV,” said Hanley.

Toyota currently only sells a small number of plug-in hybrids globally, though it does offer the RAV4 Prime in America which combines an 18.1kWh battery pack with a 2.5-litre petrol engine. It produces a combined output of 225kW, can travel 67km on electricity alone, and can hit 0-100km/h in 5.7 seconds.

When asked why Toyota was suddenly feeling more positive about PHEV powertrains, Hanley replied:

“I think the technology has moved on. I mean, if you had asked me five years ago, I might have said, I think plug-ins would be a difficult challenge at that time. I don't hide from that comment because I think at that time, that was correct.

3

“But five years later, the technology's moved on and it has accelerated. I think the technology's moved on and I think [PHEVs] have something to offer.

“We believe we're seeing a resurgence in hybrid and I think plug-in hybrids will be part of that. To what extent, I don't know sitting here, but I think they'll play a role and we should definitely be part of that given that we are the leaders in hybrid.”

As for when Toyota might add its first PHEV in Australia, Hanley suggested we could see one join the range in the next few years.

“Probably between 2025 and 2030,” he said, “because I've already made some pretty ambitious targets that 90 percent of our range will have some sort of electrification in the next couple of years.”