Toyota Considering Plug-In Powertrains For Tundra and Tacoma
A top Toyota executive said Wednesday the company is considering expanding its lineup of plug-in hybrid models to its truck and SUV portfolio.
“We’re looking across the lineup to see where plug-in hybrid electric vehicles make sense,” said David Crist, Toyota group vice president and general manager for Toyota Motor North America. “We do have plans to add the plug-in hybrid model across the lineup.”
Speaking Wednesday at an Automotive Press Association event in suburban Detroit, Crist said the Tacoma and Tundra pickup trucks were “certainly an area” under consideration, as well as larger SUVs and its Sienna minivan.
The potential move could add another dimension to Toyota’s refreshed off-road lineup, including the Sequoia, 4Runner, Tacoma, Land Cruiser and Tundra, which have launched or are about to launch and have met generally positive receptions. They all offer traditional hybrid (non-plug-ins) under Toyota’s iForce brand. Toyota currently sells the RAV4 and Prius as plug-in modes— formerly under the Prime banner.
Dubbed the “Five Brothers,” Toyota has invested in these large trucks that use body-on-frame platforms in an effort to capitalize on consumers' thirst for rough, off-road-themed vehicles. Underscoring that mindset, the company also rolled out several adventured-themed concepts based on these models at the SEMA Show this week in Las Vegas.
“We looked at our customers and there’s a huge history and passion,” Crist said of long-running nameplates like the Land Cruiser and 4Runner. The Tacoma, long a popular model, faced a slower roll-out this year, contributing to an unexpected sales dip.
Toyota has been more bullish on hybrids even as the U.S. government incentivized full electric cars under the Biden administration. Crist’s comments came hours after former President Donald Trump’s victory in the U.S. election, which could spark changes in EV incentives and policy for automakers and consumers.
Crist, however, noted Toyota offers EVs, including the bZ4X, and has long also championed hybrids. “We kind of pick our race and [then] run our own race,” he said.
While Toyota would have less exposure to changes in the electric-vehicle landscape, Crist expressed concern of potential tariffs Trump has promised. While Toyota has nearly a dozen facilities in the United States, it still imports a sizable portion of vehicles sold in North America and leverages a global supply base.
“Our belief is free trade is the way to go,” Crist said. “The thing with tariffs is it’s not so much the car but the part. Tariffs can meaningfully change the price of the car.”
While Toyota’s hybrid strategy has helped insulate it from uncertainty surrounding EVs, the company Toyota announced its first quarterly profit and sales decline in two years Wednesday, in the face of decreasing demand in many markets, including North America.
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Greg Migliore is AutoGuide's Editorial Director. He has covered the auto industry for two decades, most recently as editor-in-chief of Autoblog. He's also been an editor at Automobile and Autoweek. He's a graduate of Eastern Michigan University, Michigan State University and the Yale Publishing course. Greg is a member of the North American Car, Truck and Utility Vehicle of the Year Awards jury.
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