Toyota Bold Move: Shifting Towards a Hybrid-Only Line-Up

Toyota, one of the world’s largest automakers, has been slower than some of its competitors in developing electric vehicles (EVs). However, the company might become the first to phase out cars powered solely by gasoline.

A Toyota Legacy of Hybrids:

Nearly three decades after introducing the Prius, the groundbreaking gasoline-electric hybrid, Toyota is now considering converting most, if not all, of its Toyota and Lexus models to hybrid-only vehicles. This strategic shift was revealed by two Toyota executives in an interview with Reuters.

Challenging the EV-Only Trend:

Toyota’s emphasis on hybrids over EVs stands in contrast to the automotive industry’s current trend and regulatory pressures, which lean heavily towards a fully electric future.

Despite this, Toyota remains committed to a “multi-pathway” strategy, incorporating not only EVs but also hybrids, hydrogen fuel-cell vehicles, green fuels, and potentially other emerging technologies. Toyota Chairman Akio Toyoda expressed his belief that EVs will only capture about 30% of the global market, reinforcing the company’s diversified approach.

David Christ, head of sales and marketing for Toyota in North America, mentioned that the company plans to evaluate each model, determining if a transition to an all-hybrid offering makes sense. These evaluations will occur with every model redesign or even sooner.

RAV4 and Beyond: Potential Hybrid-Only Models:

One of the models under consideration is the RAV4, America’s best-selling SUV. The RAV4 already has hybrid versions that account for approximately half of its sales.

While Toyota has not yet made a final decision, sources familiar with the company’s product planning indicated that the gasoline-only version might be phased out in North America.

The automaker has already made similar moves with other models, such as discontinuing the gasoline-only Camry for the 2025 model year. The Land Cruiser and Sienna minivan are also available only as hybrids.

The Future of Toyota’s Line-Up:

Many of these hybrid-only models may also feature plug-in hybrid options with larger batteries, according to insiders who preferred to remain anonymous. This push towards hybrid-only vehicles in North America has not been publicly disclosed until now.