Toyota Australia seems sure so as to add a petrol-electric hybrid to the new-generation Prado 250 Sequence SUV line-up as quickly as this 12 months.
The eagerly anticipated new heavy-duty massive off-roader launches mid-2024 with an up to date gentle hybrid model of its predecessor 150 Sequence’ 2.8-litre turbo-diesel engine.
The two.4-litre ‘i-FORCE MAX’ petrol-electric hybrid was initially placed on the backburner for Australia, however that now seems to have modified.
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Toyota Australia gross sales and advertising chief Sean Hanley advised motoring media this week it may be anticipated on-sale right here “sooner reasonably than later”.
“We don’t have a [launch] date, we’re simply investigating the potential of whether or not that powertrain can be appropriate for our market.
“It’s a part of our total decarbonisation and multi-pathway technique. It might be an outstandingly good attribute for our product line-up.
![2024 Toyota Prado.](https://evcentral.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/Toyota-Pressroom-3e0cb666-8837-47db-be00-a82cf3832aeb-1024x642.jpeg)
“Speculatively, we want to do it sooner reasonably than later, however we don’t have a date.”
When it does get right here it is going to be the primary hybrid (versus 48v gentle hybrid) added to Toyota’s line-up of top-selling line-up of utes and huge SUVs.
Nevertheless it received’t be the final. Gas consumption and emissions has turn into a vital focus for Toyota Australia because the federal authorities’s new CO2 discount commonplace looms with substantial fines for polluting automobiles comparable to massive SUVs and utes.
![2024 Toyota Prado.](https://evcentral.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/Toyota-Pressroom-99101276-e6cc-4a92-8159-7fb543949926-1024x673.jpeg)
The high-performance hybrid makes 243km/630Nm in comparison with the diesel engine’s 150kW/500Nm.
In US spec it averages 23mpg, which interprets to 10.2L/100km and 236g CO2/km.
The present diesel Prado 150’s diesel engine averages 7.9L/100km and emissions of 228g CO2/km. Gas figures for the Prado 250 have but to be introduced.
![2024 Toyota Prado.](https://evcentral.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/Toyota-Pressroom-099e78e0-8299-4710-aa92-7169f9975460-1024x750.jpeg)
The hybrid will probably be dearer than the diesel, though pricing has but to be introduced for the 5 mannequin Prado 250 vary.
Nonetheless, between the diesel and the hybrid there’s little doubt the re-designed Prado 250 will carry-on the 150’s dominance of the massive SUV phase.
There are prone to be substantial ready lists for the 250 Sequence, as per different fashionable Toyota fashions just like the RAV4 hybrid and Toyota Camry hybrid.
![2024 Toyota Prado.](https://evcentral.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/Toyota-Pressroom-34f4b8e1-b95f-4d6c-86e6-a5b84ebc3f6d-1024x1021.jpeg)
“No matter it’s [Prado 250 supply] it received’t be sufficient,” Hanley mentioned.
“There are going to be 1000’s of individuals lined as much as purchase [Prado 250],” mentioned Hanley.
Due to battery manufacturing limitations Toyota has a world provide restriction on hybrids. Nonetheless, native gross sales share of hybrids retains going up, with nearly 40 per cent of the market chief’s January gross sales accounted for by petrol-electric powertrains.
That Prado 250’s hybrid system has already been seen with the HiLux-sized US-spec Toyota Tacoma ute and is anticipated to finally come right here within the Prado 250’s sibling, the Lexus GX.
The system features a 35kW electrical motor built-in inside its eight-speed computerized transmission and a 1.87kWh NiMH battery pack to cost it.