Toyota has pulled the plug on plug-in hybrids, telling CarsGuide the market was demanding conventional hybrid drivetrains rather than a vehicle they can plug in at home.
Toyota has long been a leader in hybrid technology, which it has offered in Australia for the better part of two decades. But as its competitors rush to introduce plug-in hybrids and full EVs, Toyota says it clamouring to join them.
"It's not that we can't bring plug-in hybrids to market. We can, at some point. It's whether or not the market will accept it," says Toyota's vice president of sales and marketing, Sean Hanley.
"Right now, Australian consumers are clearly, in my opinion, voting for hybrid electric. I don't know why anyone else isn't seeing that. It's certainly what we're seeing."
The stance puts Toyota's global plug-in hybrid vehicles on the back-burner in Australia, including the just-revealed RAV4 Prime, which is the brand's second-fastest vehicle behind only the GR Supra.
The Prime has a plug-in petrol-electric powertrain that outputs 225kW of power for a zero to 60mph (96.5km/h) time of just 5.8 seconds.
Sadly, Toyota in Australia has confirmed it has "no plan" to introduce that vehicle to Australia.
Andrew Chesterton
Contributing Journalist
Andrew Chesterton should probably hate cars. From his hail-damaged Camira that looked like it had spent a hard life parked at the end of Tiger Woods' personal driving range, to the Nissan Pulsar Reebok that shook like it was possessed by a particularly mean-spirited demon every time he dared push past 40km/h, his personal car history isn't exactly littered with gold.
But that seemingly endless procession of rust-savaged hate machines taught him something even more important; that cars are more than a collection of nuts, bolts and petrol. They're your ticket to freedom, a way to unlock incredible experiences, rolling invitations to incredible adventures. They have soul.
And so, somehow, the car bug still bit. And it bit hard.
When "Chesto" started his journalism career with News Ltd's Sunday and Daily Telegraph newspapers, he covered just about everything, from business to real estate, courts to crime, before settling into state political reporting at NSW Parliament House.
But the automotive world's siren song soon sounded again, and he begged anyone who would listen for the opportunity to write about cars. Eventually they listened, and his career since has seen him filing car news, reviews and features for TopGear, Wheels, Motor and, of course, CarsGuide, as well as many, many others.
More than a decade later, and the car bug is yet to relinquish its toothy grip. And if you ask Chesto, he thinks it never will.
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