'Plug-in hybrid is going to go gangbusters' said Toyota Australia, but it's waiting 'a few years' to go big on PHEVs

Toyota Australia has spruiked its ‘multi-pathway approach to decarbonisation’ for years now, in a bid to avoid putting all its emission-cutting eggs in one basket.

One of those pathways, plug-in hybrids (PHEVs), is starting to take in Australia — along with conventional hybrids (which Toyota is immensely well-versed in).

Toyota Australia's approach to PHEVs is, as the company’s Vice President of Sales, Marketing and Franchise Operations Sean Hanley said, slow so far.

“Well, at the moment, we don't have any in Australia, that's where we're sitting right now. But in the future, you'll definitely see plug-in hybrids, PHEVs, as part of our product portfolio.”

In the last couple of years, Hanley has told CarsGuide PHEVs are his expectation for the ‘next big rise’ in electrification, and the increase in uptake for the tech isn’t proving him wrong so far.

So, if PHEVs are the next big thing, where are Toyota’s? Certainly not in Australia, despite the company having some on offer globally — especially in the US where a PHEV version of the RAV4 and Prius are available.

While Toyota was happy to lead the way when it came to conventional hybrids more than 20 years ago, it seems like the brand’s local arm is waiting for the tech to mature a little more before locking it in for Australia.

“PHEV… it's going to go gangbusters, right?” Hanley told CarsGuide.

“Because especially in the later part of this decade, when I think you're going to find battery technology will have evolved to a point where you're going to get a fairly decent range on an EV charge.

“It's still not going to be 500kms, because you might as well go to BEV if you're going to do that.

“But if you can get a PHEV that gives 200 kilometres on a normal driving cycle, city driving and I'm not saying towing. BEVs and PHEVs, let's be clear, still have their anomalies. You tow, you turn the air conditioner on, all these things impact battery power.

“So I'm talking about a normal drive, but if you had 200kms [of EV range] from a PHEV, that's a very good technology for Australia. So I think PHEVs will rise.”

We asked if that means Toyota doesn’t see the tech as being quite right for the market just yet, but Hanley clarified: “No, no. It's an evolution.”

“I mean, we don't have that vehicle, as of right now.

“But what I'm saying in that comment is that if we can ever get to that point, and there's no doubt that battery technology will evolve to that point, that makes plug-in hybrid an incredibly engaging and appealing power train.”

When asked if that means the RAV4 Plug-in Hybrid (or Prime as it was previously known in the US) could become an option in Australia, Hanley said it might be some way down the line.

“We may in the future. But, you know, in the meantime you got a few years, I think, before that day is coming.

“But ideally, if you get to 200km that would be utopia.”

Hanley’s not personally averse to the idea of PHEVs, having spent quite some time behind the wheel of a plug-in from Toyota’s premium arm, Lexus.

“In the meantime, I was happy driving an NX450h, which gave me my 80 kilometres or thereabouts, you know, charge it every night. I was basically running EV, but if that had 200km, that would have been good.”

Globally, PHEVs are starting to be updated and improved with battery ranges well above 100km for EV driving, so over the next few years it could be worth watching the development of battery tech for hybrids to see just how suitable for Australia Toyota finds them before the end of the decade.