Further electrification of the popular Toyota HiLux is on the cards, provided it "meets the needs" of buyers.
A future hybrid or plug-in hybrid version of the Toyota HiLux ute will be considered for Australia if the technology delivers what its buyers expect, the brand says.
Toyota has previously acknowledged the HiLux will eventually gain additional forms of electrification beyond the mild-hybrid diesel in showrooms now, and the battery-electric model due in May.
A plug-in hybrid will be of particular importance to counter the inroads made by the BYD Shark 6, Australia's top-selling plug-in hybrid, which reported more than 18,000 deliveries last year.
"We're always working with TMC [Toyota HQ in Japan] and our counterparts overseas on what that whole product roadmap looks like," Toyota Australia sales and marketing boss John Pappas told Drive.
"Having the diesel, knowing that it's fit for purpose in heartland Australia, that's the right powertrain to do the job for HiLux for now.
"Going forward, we know that we've got so many customer segments for HiLux; there's so many. Therefore, we're trying to cater to those customer requirements.
"If there's a PHEV or a hybrid HiLux that eventually becomes available that meets the needs of the customer under our multi-pathway strategy, because that's the benefit of Toyota, then we will be considering those powertrains for sure."
The president of Toyota's powertrains division, Takashi Uehara, told Australian media including Drive at the Tokyo motor show last year that the HiLux's decade-old platform can accomodate hybrid power.
"For the HiLux, we are now thinking about the hybrid system. It's possible for the HiLux," he said, adding both conventional and plug-in hybrid options are feasible.
Asked for his preference between the pair: "This, maybe, depends on the customer. My motivation is to respond to the many requests from the customer base."
Toyota has expressed mixed interest in diesel-hybrid technology, as the low-speed torque of electric motors is already a strength of a diesel engine, so it provides fewer benefits than a petrol-hybrid.
Chinese car brand Chery will offer both options in its new dual-cab ute, aided by plug-in technology to rival the Shark 6, GWM Cannon Alpha and other new PHEV utes.
The 150kW/500Nm 2.8-litre turbo-diesel four-cylinder engine in today's HiLux is already assisted by 48-volt 'mild-hybrid' technology, but it cannot drive the wheels on electric power alone.
A petrol-electric 'full hybrid' version of the Toyota Prado is sold in the US, but it can only tow 2.7 tonnes, down from the diesel's 3.5 tonnes.
Alex Misoyannis has been writing about cars since 2017, when he started his own website, Redline. He contributed for Drive in 2018, before joining CarAdvice in 2019, becoming a regular contributing journalist within the news team in 2020. Cars have played a central role throughout Alex’s life, from flicking through car magazines at a young age, to growing up around performance vehicles in a car-loving family. Highly Commended - Young Writer of the Year 2024 (Under 30) Rising Star Journalist, 2024 Winner Scoop of The Year - 2024 Winner
