Toyota expands its hybrid vehicle strategy

TOYOTA Australia has announced that it will split its hybrid strategy in two, offering efficiency- and power-focused petrol-electric drivetrains for varied applications.

The plan will see efficient hybrid technology offered in passenger and SUV models, continuing the importer’s commitment to offering petrol-electric drivetrains solely across that portion of its range.

Elsewhere – including on Tundra and LandCruiser models – it will offer what it refers to as a ‘power-focused’ hybrid system, delivering the payload and towing capabilities buyers in the segment expect.

While little more than a differential in branding, the strategy continues to broaden Toyota’s multi-pathway emissions masterplan offering buyers a range of drivetrain types best suited to the specific usage scenarios of Australian buyers – irrespective of where they live.

“Toyota has long been a pioneer in developing hybrid technology and we have driven its adoption in Australia for the past 24 years since we first launched the Prius here in 2001,” reiterated Toyota Australia vice president of sales, marketing and franchise operations Sean Hanley.

“Australian customers have fully embraced our efficiency hybrid system for its smooth refinement, substantial fuel savings, and lower CO2 tailpipe emissions, with sales of more than 570,000 Toyota hybrids since we launched the original Prius.

“With nine model ranges from the Yaris hatch to the seven-seat Kluger SUV now exclusively offered with our efficiency hybrid system, hybrids accounted for a record 48.9 per cent of our total 2024 sales.”

That figure represents over 118,000 hybrid vehicle sales in 2024 alone, highlighting Australian buyer’s preference for self-charging hybrid technology as a stepping stone toward plug-in hybrid and battery electric drivetrains.

In providing the choice of a petrol-electric offering in larger vehicles, Mr Hanley said it was evident Toyota’s approach to delivering the right powertrain for the right vehicle and its use would ensure buyers had a greener alternative available from within the local portfolio – currently excluding only those from its GR (sports) line-up and others like the Coaster, Fortuner, HiAce, HiLux*, LandCruiser 70 Series, and LandCruiser Prado*.

“Now, with our performance hybrid system already powering the Tundra and soon, available in the LandCruiser 300 Series, Toyota is continuing to offer customers a hybrid solution that perfectly suits their needs and vehicle choice,” he added.

Mr Hanley said the two hybrid systems now offered by Toyota feature distinct differences with the efficiency hybrid that is now standard in Toyota’s entire passenger car and urban-oriented SUV range being a (fifth generation) Series-Parallel Hybrid System, while the performance hybrid is a Parallel Hybrid System.

Toyota’s performance hybrid system is a parallel hybrid system that combines a petrol engine with a single electric motor-generator that can run in combination, “capitalising on the instant torque and strong output of the electric motor to deliver increased performance, or individually, using the petrol engine or electric motor to drive the wheels”.

With two power sources that can operate in tandem or individually, the performance hybrid system is able to deliver what Toyota says is powerful, responsive and linear acceleration, high-speed cruising, and the strong torque needed under heavy load or when towing.

The single motor-generator is connected to a clutch that manages switching between power sources depending on the load and driver input, with the petrol engine constantly in operation at speeds over 30km/h.

Under 30km/h, the performance hybrid can operate on electric power alone, which is also used to enhance acceleration at higher speeds or under heavy load – even in off-road scenarios.

Drive torque, whether generated from the electric motor generator or petrol engine or both, is delivered to the driveline via a standard automatic transmission, which in the case of Tundra and the new LandCruiser 300 Series is a 10-speed unit with a lock-up torque converter.

Toyota’s efficiency hybrid system is a series-parallel hybrid system that like the performance hybrid system can operate using the combination of the petrol engine and electric motor generators working in tandem or individually to provide drive torque to the wheels.

The efficiency hybrid system consists of a petrol engine, two sets of planetary gears, two electric motor-generators, and a counter gear to drive the differential.

All-wheel drive efficiency hybrid models add a third electric motor-generator to drive the rear axle.

The first motor generator acts primarily as a generator to convert excess petrol engine power into electrical energy which is stored in the hybrid battery, as well as acting as a starter motor for the petrol engine.

The second electric motor generator is largely employed as a drive motor for the front wheels and also acts as a generator to capture kinetic energy during regenerative braking that is then fed into the hybrid battery.

The two planetary gear sets are integrated with the motor generators and act as a power split device to direct and blend power from the petrol engine and electric motor-generators to achieve the greatest efficiency based on load.

They also act as an electronically controlled continuously variable transmission.

By varying the rotational speed of the two planetary gear sets, the hybrid system mimics the operation of a traditional belt and pulley-type CVT providing seamless shifts in transmission ratios for the optimum performance, driveability and fuel economy.

Toyota says it will continue to offer new hybrid technologies alongside battery electric, plug-in hybrid electric, fuel cell hydrogen, combustion hydrogen, and traditional petrol and diesel offerings to ensure “no customer is left behind”.

*The HiLux and LandCrusier Prado are currently available only with 48-volt mild hybrid technology.