Toyota Kluger to gain range-extender EV option in China
While Toyota was an early proponent of petrol-electric hybrid drivetrains, and does development for it in-house, it has been slower to embrace electric vehicles. Although Toyota is using its own technology on EVs like the bZ4X, bZ4X Touring, Lexus RZ, and the new Lexus ES, it has launched a number of China-only EV models based on platforms from partners GAC and FAW, and using battery technology from BYD.
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News.com.au
2 hours ago
- News.com.au
PM murky on Taiwan defence, says Australia committed to ‘peace and security' in the Pacific
Anthony Albanese says Australia will 'continue to play an important role in the Pacific' but has stopped short of committing to Taiwan's defence. The US earlier this month warned China was looking to move on the democratically self-governed island by 2027. Aside from torching the decades-long status quo, such a move would deal a major blow to global supply of semiconductors – crucial components in modern tech – and massively disrupt vital trade routes. The Prime Minister was on Monday (AEST) quizzed on how Australia would respond to an escalation in the Indo-Pacific ahead of his meeting with Donald Trump at the G7 summit in Canada this week. Mr Albanese said Australia was committed to 'peace and security in the region'. 'That's what we want and Australia is a trusted partner to promote peace and security in our region,' he told reporters in Calgary. 'We have been so forever. If you look at the role that Australia has played, we'll continue to play an important role in the Pacific.' Mr Albanese pointed to his stop in Fiji as 'a reminder of the fact that Australia is a trusted partner in the Pacific'. 'What that does is to add to security in our region,' he said. 'That is our job. That is what we do and we all want to see that advanced.' The Trump administration has been calling on Canberra to hike defence spending in response to China – a call the Albanese government has firmly pushed back on. US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth earlier this month warned Beijing posed an 'imminent' threat. 'Let me be clear, any attempt by Communist China to conquer Taiwan by force would result in devastating consequences for the Indo-Pacific and the world,' Mr Hegseth told the Shangri La Dialogue. 'There's no reason to sugar-coat it. The threat China poses is real and it could be imminent. 'We hope not but certainly could be.' He raised Australia's defence spending in a one-on-one with Deputy Prime Minister Richard Marles on the sidelines of the conference, saying it 'should' be 3.5 per cent of GDP. In a read out, the US Embassy said the two senior officials 'discussed aligning investment to the security environment in the Indo-Pacific, accelerating US force posture initiatives in Australia, advancing defence industrial base co-operation, and creating supply chain resilience'. 'On defence spending, Secretary Hegseth conveyed that Australia should increase its defence spending to 3.5 per cent of its GDP as soon as possible,' the embassy said. Australia's closest allies, including the UK, have committed to dramatically ramping up defence to at least 3 per cent, making the Albanese government a clear outlier. Mr Marles, who also serves as defence minister, again pushed back against Washington's request on Monday. He insisted Australia has been 'spending more on defence' under Labor. 'We have engaged in the last couple of years in the biggest peacetime increase in defence spending in Australia's history,' Mr Marles told the ABC. 'And that has been a function of the very complex strategic landscape that we face. 'In many ways, the threatening strategic landscape that we face.' He repeated Mr Albanese's lines that Labor would 'assess our strategic landscape, what are our needs, what's our national interest and then resource it'. 'I mean what we inherited obviously was a defence establishment which wasn't in great shape from the Coalition,' Mr Marles said. 'What we've given to it is strategic clarity. 'We have reprioritised tens of billions of dollars of expenditure but what we've also done is increased spending on defence in order to resource our needs, and we'll continue the process of assessing that and where there is a need resourcing it.' Labor has committed tens of billions more to defence since coming to power, but much of the funds are tied up in long-term projects, such as AUKUS. The Australian Strategic Policy Institute (ASPI) report warned late last month Australia must boost its immediate readiness to go to war or risk having a 'paper ADF'. ASPI said that while Labor was spending on longer-term projects it was not pumping nearly enough cash into keeping Australia combat-ready in the near term. The report, authored by former Home Affairs deputy secretary Marc Ablong, called for 'defence funding to be increased to reflect the reality of the threats facing Australia'. It said that while the Albanese government 'claims to have made a 'generational investment in Australia's defence', that investment has been put off for another generation', pointing out that the bulk of the billions pledged by Labor would not kick in until after 2029.
The Advertiser
8 hours ago
- The Advertiser
Toyota Kluger to gain range-extender EV option in China
The next-generation Toyota Highlander – which is sold in Australia as the Kluger – will be offered with a range-extender EV (EREV) drivetrain option, at least in China. At GAC Toyota's technology day event last week, Toyota said it would tailor core, globally-developed products for the Chinese market in concert with its local development team, local suppliers, and two joint-venture manufacturing partners, GAC and FAW. Up until now, Toyota's localisation efforts in China have been limited to revised front-end styling for some models. This has largely been done to differentiate versions of the same car sold by FAW and GAC. In addition to this, the automaker will offer range-extender EV drivetrains in its next-generation Highlander SUV and Sienna people mover. The Highlander and Sienna (below) are designed primarily with North American and China markets in mind, and are produced in both locations. No details about the EREV drivetrain were announced, and it's unclear if it will be offered in Highlander and Sienna models built in the States, where Australia-bound Klugers are built. Hundres of new car deals are available through CarExpert right now. Get the experts on your side and score a great deal. Browse now. The current-generation Highlander was launched in 2019, and is currently available with a 2.5-litre four-cylinder petrol engine, a 2.4-litre turbocharged four-pot, and a 2.5-litre four-cylinder hybrid. No plug-in hybrid variant is available. In Australia the Highlander is sold as the Kluger, and the popular seven-seat large SUV went hybrid-only in 2024, dropping the turbo option. With a typical life cycle of six to seven years, the Highlander/Kluger is due for renewal around 2026. A report last year indicated Toyota had pushed the launch of the Highlander EV back to 2026 due to lower-than-expected demand for electric cars, especially in the US. Given Toyota's latest model plan sees it adding pure-electric propulsion options to existing model lines, rather than developing distinct EV-only models to complement separate petrol/hybrid models – like the bZ4X and RAV4 (both below) – it's likely the fifth-generation Highlander will be offered with EV, hybrid and, possibly, petrol drivetrains, as well as EREV. Both the Highlander and Sienna are based on the TNGA-K platform, which also underpins the recently unveiled eighth-generation Lexus ES, which will be offered with a pair of hybrid and pure-electric options. The fourth-generation Sienna made its debut in 2020, and with the change over ditched the long-serving 3.5-litre V6 in favour of a 2.5-litre four-cylinder hybrid. Again, no plug-in hybrid option is available. It's less clear when the Sienna will be renewed, with the previous generation having an extended 10-year life. Unlike the Highlander/Kluger, the Sienna is only made in left-hand drive. In some right-hand drive markets Toyota offers other people movers like the Alphard/Vellfire, Voxy/Noah, and Sienta. Toyota hasn't stated whether it will be developing its own EREV system, or using technology and systems developed by manufacturing partners or Chinese suppliers. While Toyota was an early proponent of petrol-electric hybrid drivetrains, and does development for it in-house, it has been slower to embrace electric vehicles. Although Toyota is using its own technology in EVs like the bZ4X, bZ4X Touring, Lexus RZ, and the new Lexus ES, it has launched a number of China-only EV models based on platforms from partners GAC and FAW, and using battery technology from BYD. MORE: Everything Toyota Kluger Content originally sourced from: The next-generation Toyota Highlander – which is sold in Australia as the Kluger – will be offered with a range-extender EV (EREV) drivetrain option, at least in China. At GAC Toyota's technology day event last week, Toyota said it would tailor core, globally-developed products for the Chinese market in concert with its local development team, local suppliers, and two joint-venture manufacturing partners, GAC and FAW. Up until now, Toyota's localisation efforts in China have been limited to revised front-end styling for some models. This has largely been done to differentiate versions of the same car sold by FAW and GAC. In addition to this, the automaker will offer range-extender EV drivetrains in its next-generation Highlander SUV and Sienna people mover. The Highlander and Sienna (below) are designed primarily with North American and China markets in mind, and are produced in both locations. No details about the EREV drivetrain were announced, and it's unclear if it will be offered in Highlander and Sienna models built in the States, where Australia-bound Klugers are built. Hundres of new car deals are available through CarExpert right now. Get the experts on your side and score a great deal. Browse now. The current-generation Highlander was launched in 2019, and is currently available with a 2.5-litre four-cylinder petrol engine, a 2.4-litre turbocharged four-pot, and a 2.5-litre four-cylinder hybrid. No plug-in hybrid variant is available. In Australia the Highlander is sold as the Kluger, and the popular seven-seat large SUV went hybrid-only in 2024, dropping the turbo option. With a typical life cycle of six to seven years, the Highlander/Kluger is due for renewal around 2026. A report last year indicated Toyota had pushed the launch of the Highlander EV back to 2026 due to lower-than-expected demand for electric cars, especially in the US. Given Toyota's latest model plan sees it adding pure-electric propulsion options to existing model lines, rather than developing distinct EV-only models to complement separate petrol/hybrid models – like the bZ4X and RAV4 (both below) – it's likely the fifth-generation Highlander will be offered with EV, hybrid and, possibly, petrol drivetrains, as well as EREV. Both the Highlander and Sienna are based on the TNGA-K platform, which also underpins the recently unveiled eighth-generation Lexus ES, which will be offered with a pair of hybrid and pure-electric options. The fourth-generation Sienna made its debut in 2020, and with the change over ditched the long-serving 3.5-litre V6 in favour of a 2.5-litre four-cylinder hybrid. Again, no plug-in hybrid option is available. It's less clear when the Sienna will be renewed, with the previous generation having an extended 10-year life. Unlike the Highlander/Kluger, the Sienna is only made in left-hand drive. In some right-hand drive markets Toyota offers other people movers like the Alphard/Vellfire, Voxy/Noah, and Sienta. Toyota hasn't stated whether it will be developing its own EREV system, or using technology and systems developed by manufacturing partners or Chinese suppliers. While Toyota was an early proponent of petrol-electric hybrid drivetrains, and does development for it in-house, it has been slower to embrace electric vehicles. Although Toyota is using its own technology in EVs like the bZ4X, bZ4X Touring, Lexus RZ, and the new Lexus ES, it has launched a number of China-only EV models based on platforms from partners GAC and FAW, and using battery technology from BYD. MORE: Everything Toyota Kluger Content originally sourced from: The next-generation Toyota Highlander – which is sold in Australia as the Kluger – will be offered with a range-extender EV (EREV) drivetrain option, at least in China. At GAC Toyota's technology day event last week, Toyota said it would tailor core, globally-developed products for the Chinese market in concert with its local development team, local suppliers, and two joint-venture manufacturing partners, GAC and FAW. Up until now, Toyota's localisation efforts in China have been limited to revised front-end styling for some models. This has largely been done to differentiate versions of the same car sold by FAW and GAC. In addition to this, the automaker will offer range-extender EV drivetrains in its next-generation Highlander SUV and Sienna people mover. The Highlander and Sienna (below) are designed primarily with North American and China markets in mind, and are produced in both locations. No details about the EREV drivetrain were announced, and it's unclear if it will be offered in Highlander and Sienna models built in the States, where Australia-bound Klugers are built. Hundres of new car deals are available through CarExpert right now. Get the experts on your side and score a great deal. Browse now. The current-generation Highlander was launched in 2019, and is currently available with a 2.5-litre four-cylinder petrol engine, a 2.4-litre turbocharged four-pot, and a 2.5-litre four-cylinder hybrid. No plug-in hybrid variant is available. In Australia the Highlander is sold as the Kluger, and the popular seven-seat large SUV went hybrid-only in 2024, dropping the turbo option. With a typical life cycle of six to seven years, the Highlander/Kluger is due for renewal around 2026. A report last year indicated Toyota had pushed the launch of the Highlander EV back to 2026 due to lower-than-expected demand for electric cars, especially in the US. Given Toyota's latest model plan sees it adding pure-electric propulsion options to existing model lines, rather than developing distinct EV-only models to complement separate petrol/hybrid models – like the bZ4X and RAV4 (both below) – it's likely the fifth-generation Highlander will be offered with EV, hybrid and, possibly, petrol drivetrains, as well as EREV. Both the Highlander and Sienna are based on the TNGA-K platform, which also underpins the recently unveiled eighth-generation Lexus ES, which will be offered with a pair of hybrid and pure-electric options. The fourth-generation Sienna made its debut in 2020, and with the change over ditched the long-serving 3.5-litre V6 in favour of a 2.5-litre four-cylinder hybrid. Again, no plug-in hybrid option is available. It's less clear when the Sienna will be renewed, with the previous generation having an extended 10-year life. Unlike the Highlander/Kluger, the Sienna is only made in left-hand drive. In some right-hand drive markets Toyota offers other people movers like the Alphard/Vellfire, Voxy/Noah, and Sienta. Toyota hasn't stated whether it will be developing its own EREV system, or using technology and systems developed by manufacturing partners or Chinese suppliers. While Toyota was an early proponent of petrol-electric hybrid drivetrains, and does development for it in-house, it has been slower to embrace electric vehicles. Although Toyota is using its own technology in EVs like the bZ4X, bZ4X Touring, Lexus RZ, and the new Lexus ES, it has launched a number of China-only EV models based on platforms from partners GAC and FAW, and using battery technology from BYD. MORE: Everything Toyota Kluger Content originally sourced from: The next-generation Toyota Highlander – which is sold in Australia as the Kluger – will be offered with a range-extender EV (EREV) drivetrain option, at least in China. At GAC Toyota's technology day event last week, Toyota said it would tailor core, globally-developed products for the Chinese market in concert with its local development team, local suppliers, and two joint-venture manufacturing partners, GAC and FAW. Up until now, Toyota's localisation efforts in China have been limited to revised front-end styling for some models. This has largely been done to differentiate versions of the same car sold by FAW and GAC. In addition to this, the automaker will offer range-extender EV drivetrains in its next-generation Highlander SUV and Sienna people mover. The Highlander and Sienna (below) are designed primarily with North American and China markets in mind, and are produced in both locations. No details about the EREV drivetrain were announced, and it's unclear if it will be offered in Highlander and Sienna models built in the States, where Australia-bound Klugers are built. Hundres of new car deals are available through CarExpert right now. Get the experts on your side and score a great deal. Browse now. The current-generation Highlander was launched in 2019, and is currently available with a 2.5-litre four-cylinder petrol engine, a 2.4-litre turbocharged four-pot, and a 2.5-litre four-cylinder hybrid. No plug-in hybrid variant is available. In Australia the Highlander is sold as the Kluger, and the popular seven-seat large SUV went hybrid-only in 2024, dropping the turbo option. With a typical life cycle of six to seven years, the Highlander/Kluger is due for renewal around 2026. A report last year indicated Toyota had pushed the launch of the Highlander EV back to 2026 due to lower-than-expected demand for electric cars, especially in the US. Given Toyota's latest model plan sees it adding pure-electric propulsion options to existing model lines, rather than developing distinct EV-only models to complement separate petrol/hybrid models – like the bZ4X and RAV4 (both below) – it's likely the fifth-generation Highlander will be offered with EV, hybrid and, possibly, petrol drivetrains, as well as EREV. Both the Highlander and Sienna are based on the TNGA-K platform, which also underpins the recently unveiled eighth-generation Lexus ES, which will be offered with a pair of hybrid and pure-electric options. The fourth-generation Sienna made its debut in 2020, and with the change over ditched the long-serving 3.5-litre V6 in favour of a 2.5-litre four-cylinder hybrid. Again, no plug-in hybrid option is available. It's less clear when the Sienna will be renewed, with the previous generation having an extended 10-year life. Unlike the Highlander/Kluger, the Sienna is only made in left-hand drive. In some right-hand drive markets Toyota offers other people movers like the Alphard/Vellfire, Voxy/Noah, and Sienta. Toyota hasn't stated whether it will be developing its own EREV system, or using technology and systems developed by manufacturing partners or Chinese suppliers. While Toyota was an early proponent of petrol-electric hybrid drivetrains, and does development for it in-house, it has been slower to embrace electric vehicles. Although Toyota is using its own technology in EVs like the bZ4X, bZ4X Touring, Lexus RZ, and the new Lexus ES, it has launched a number of China-only EV models based on platforms from partners GAC and FAW, and using battery technology from BYD. MORE: Everything Toyota Kluger Content originally sourced from:
News.com.au
8 hours ago
- News.com.au
Defending Australia 2025 forum: Watch live as political, military and industry leaders discuss Trump, AUKUS, Iran and China
Welcome to News Corp's Defending Australia event for 2025, bringing together key leaders from major defence companies and government decision-makers to discuss our nation's defence future. It comes as tensions in the Middle East continue to rise, Australia's all-important $368bn AUKUS review remains under review by the Trump Administration and the threat from China's unprecedented military build-up intensifies. Australia's response to space warfare, the next major emerging threat, will be examined by experts, along with the accelerating preparation for the Adelaide-based nuclear-powered submarine construction and scramble to boost both our national security capability and workforce. Join us at the Great Hall in Parliament House from 10.30am AEST (10am central time). Follow in the live blog below or watch the event LIVE via the stream above Originally published as Defending Australia 2025 forum: Watch live as political, military and industry leaders discuss Trump, AUKUS, Iran and China
