Latest news with #C-HR
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Toyota to Dramatically Increase Plug-In Hybrids by 2030: Will Shoppers Go for It?
PCMag editors select and review products independently. If you buy through affiliate links, we may earn commissions, which help support our testing. Toyota is leaning into plug-in hybrids (PHEVs) and aims to grow US sales of this category from last year's 2.4% to 20% by 2030. PHEVs sit between a traditional hybrid and a full EV. They can drive a certain number of miles on pure electricity, typically between 20 and 50, and also have a gas tank for longer trips. The small but mighty battery recharges with an external cord. "We are going to grow our PHEV volume through the lineup over the next few years,' David Christ, head of the Toyota brand in North America, tells CNBC. "We love the PHEV powertrain." PHEVs are the least popular form of EV, with sales far below hybrids and full EVs. One main reason is their price. Building a car with two powertrains, a battery, and a gas engine isn't cheap. It could also mean more complex maintenance. For example, the gas-powered 2025 Kia Sportage starts at $28,690, and the hybrid version is just $100 more at $28,790. However, the plug-in hybrid is over $10,000 more than that at $39,890. Toyota offers a PHEV version of the Prius ($28,350), called the Prius Prime ($33,375). It earned a PCMag Editors' Choice award for its top-tier, 44-mile battery range and relatively affordable starting price of $33,375. The Jeep Wrangler 4xe ($50,695) is another popular PHEV. But the car industry has not scratched the surface of these vehicles' potential. If they could go, say, 150 miles on pure electricity before switching to gas, they might be a serious competitor to full EVs. Christ tells CNBC the company is "working increase the amount of miles you can drive on EV-only range." It remains to be seen how lofty its ambitions are here. Toyota has been slower to adopt EVs than other automakers, instead embracing its signature hybrid-forward strategy. It expects hybrids, including PHEVs, to be more than 50% of US sales in 2025. That's up from 46% in 2024 and 30% in 2023, a steady and significant increase. However, the brand is making moves toward strengthening its EV-only lineup. Its first model, the bZ4X, is getting a range boost for 2026 (and a name change to just bZ). Toyota also debuted a brand-new model, the 2026 C-HR compact SUV. "We've got ICE [internal combustion engine]. We've got hybrid. We got plug-in hybrid. We got EV," Christ says. "So, our chances of being successful in scoring runs is just a lot better than if you're really overly committed to any one of those power trains." EV sales grew 11.4% in Q1 2025 in the US, according to Cox Automotive. Toyota's EV sales increased nearly 200% compared to Q1 2024, and that was before it made much-needed improvements to the bZ4X and introduced the C-HR. Next year could be big for its EV business. However, the auto industry overall is struggling to navigate the sharp policy differences between former President Biden and President Trump. The Department of Transportation is no longer releasing planned funds for a nationwide charging network. One in five CEOs at automotive companies has stepped down in the past year, the Financial Times reports, as the companies struggle to navigate tariffs. Toyota might be in "throw everything at the wall and see what sticks" mode, and perhaps targeting a wealthier customer with the shift to PHEVs.
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Toyota Gets More Comfortable With EVs, Adds Compact 2026 C-HR SUV to Lineup
PCMag editors select and review products independently. If you buy through affiliate links, we may earn commissions, which help support our testing. Toyota unveiled a new electric car today, signaling more commitment to pure EVs after taking a bit longer than its competitors to warm up to the idea. The C-HR hits dealers in 2026 and joins Toyota's first EV, the newly renamed bZ, in the Japanese automaker's slim electric lineup. Toyota hasn't revealed the price yet, but a few signs point to it being an affordable pick. The C-HR has up to a 290-mile range, which is solid for everyday driving but below the bZ's 314 miles. It's also a compact crossover, compared to the bZ's larger body. The C-HR also has a smaller trunk, at 25.4 cubic feet of cargo space compared with the bZ's 27.7 cubic feet. Like the bZ, the C-HR runs on Toyota's e-TNG battery platform and features a NACS charge port, which is compatible with Tesla Superchargers without an adapter. The two cars both have 338 horsepower and charge from 10% to 80% in 30 minutes on a public fast charger "under ideal conditions," meaning drivers will likely experience slower speeds as well. Tech-wise, the C-HR features the same 14-inch touch screen and customizable ambient lighting as the bZ. It comes with two wireless smartphone chargers and rear-cabin USB ports. It supports wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. When considered as a whole, the specs for the C-HR and bZ are so similar—and revealed one day apart—that we reached out to Toyota for clarification on the main differences. A spokesperson confirmed: "[The] primary difference comes down to size, it's a bit shorter in length and height. The styling cues are slightly different on the front and rear quarters as well. From a handling perspective, the smaller form will impact overall feel and there will also be some differences in the suspension components, with additional details shared closer to on-sale date." This isn't necessarily a bad thing. It actually points to Toyota trying to create a cohesive EV lineup that it could grow. Most brands standardize the "design language" for vehicles in a similar class, though they have more standard naming conventions than Toyota is offering here. The Volvo EX90, for example, is Volvo's flagship electric SUV, and informs the more affordable EX30. The C-HR will come in two trim options, the SE and XSE. Both have the same 290-mile range, but the top-of-the-line XSE has the option to add on nicer interior and exterior finishes, an 8-way power passenger seat, driver memory seat, digital rearview mirror, traffic jam assist, and lane change assist. It also features a suite of self-driving features, such as pre-collision warnings, pedestrian detection, dynamic cruise control, lane departure alert with steering assist, and automatic high beams. Although Toyota doesn't offer hands-free driving like some others do, the C-HR comes with Proactive Driving Assist. It uses "the vehicle's camera and radar, when system operating conditions are met, to provide gentle braking and/or steering to support driving tasks," Toyota says.
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Toyota to Dramatically Increase Plug-In Hybrids by 2030: Will Shoppers Go for It?
PCMag editors select and review products independently. If you buy through affiliate links, we may earn commissions, which help support our testing. Toyota is leaning into plug-in hybrids (PHEVs) and aims to grow US sales of this category from last year's 2.4% to 20% by 2030. PHEVs sit between a traditional hybrid and a full EV. They can drive a certain number of miles on pure electricity, typically between 20 and 50, and also have a gas tank for longer trips. The small but mighty battery recharges with an external cord. "We are going to grow our PHEV volume through the lineup over the next few years,' David Christ, head of the Toyota brand in North America, tells CNBC. "We love the PHEV powertrain." PHEVs are the least popular form of EV, with sales far below hybrids and full EVs. One main reason is their price. Building a car with two powertrains, a battery, and a gas engine isn't cheap. It could also mean more complex maintenance. For example, the gas-powered 2025 Kia Sportage starts at $28,690, and the hybrid version is just $100 more at $28,790. However, the plug-in hybrid is over $10,000 more than that at $39,890. Toyota offers a PHEV version of the Prius ($28,350), called the Prius Prime ($33,375). It earned a PCMag Editors' Choice award for its top-tier, 44-mile battery range and relatively affordable starting price of $33,375. The Jeep Wrangler 4xe ($50,695) is another popular PHEV. But the car industry has not scratched the surface of these vehicles' potential. If they could go, say, 150 miles on pure electricity before switching to gas, they might be a serious competitor to full EVs. Christ tells CNBC the company is "working increase the amount of miles you can drive on EV-only range." It remains to be seen how lofty its ambitions are here. Toyota has been slower to adopt EVs than other automakers, instead embracing its signature hybrid-forward strategy. It expects hybrids, including PHEVs, to be more than 50% of US sales in 2025. That's up from 46% in 2024 and 30% in 2023, a steady and significant increase. However, the brand is making moves toward strengthening its EV-only lineup. Its first model, the bZ4X, is getting a range boost for 2026 (and a name change to just bZ). Toyota also debuted a brand-new model, the 2026 C-HR compact SUV. "We've got ICE [internal combustion engine]. We've got hybrid. We got plug-in hybrid. We got EV," Christ says. "So, our chances of being successful in scoring runs is just a lot better than if you're really overly committed to any one of those power trains." EV sales grew 11.4% in Q1 2025 in the US, according to Cox Automotive. Toyota's EV sales increased nearly 200% compared to Q1 2024, and that was before it made much-needed improvements to the bZ4X and introduced the C-HR. Next year could be big for its EV business. However, the auto industry overall is struggling to navigate the sharp policy differences between former President Biden and President Trump. The Department of Transportation is no longer releasing planned funds for a nationwide charging network. One in five CEOs at automotive companies has stepped down in the past year, the Financial Times reports, as the companies struggle to navigate tariffs. Toyota might be in "throw everything at the wall and see what sticks" mode, and perhaps targeting a wealthier customer with the shift to PHEVs.
Yomiuri Shimbun
23-05-2025
- Automotive
- Yomiuri Shimbun
Toyota to Release New EV in U.S., Japan; Bz Woodland Sales to Begin in 2026
Courtesy of Toyota Motor Corp. Toyota Motor Corp.'s new electric vehicle bZ Woodland NEW YORK — Toyota Motor Corp. announced the company is set to launch a new electric SUV model in the United States and Japan in 2026. Together with the bZ and C-HR, a total of three Toyota-brand electric vehicle models will be sold in the United States. Toyota will be expanding its lineup of EVs alongside its best-selling hybrid vehicles. The upcoming bZ Woodland is as large as the bZ4X but offers a more spacious luggage area. The four-wheel drive car will boast a high power rating of 375 horsepower. The EV will be able to run about 420 kilometers fully charged and the battery can be charged from 10% to 80% in approximately 30 minutes. The car will be produced at Subaru Corp.'s Yajima Plant in Gunma Prefecture. The price remains unknown. The EV will be released as the bZ4X Touring in Japan in March 2026.
The Citizen
21-05-2025
- Automotive
- The Citizen
Wait over: Say hello to the all-new generation Toyota RAV4
The first new RAV4 in seven years sees the conventional petrol engine bow-out completely, and the GR Sport become a global plug-in hybrid-only variant. Teased selectively over the last two weeks, Toyota, in the early hours of Wednesday morning (21 May), finally debuted the all-new RAV4 in both North America and Japan as one of its most important new models to date. The replacement for the current fifth generation that went on-sale back in 2018, the sixth generation of Toyota's Recreational Actively Vehicle with 4-Wheel-Drive debuts as a near ground new product more compact in appearance than its predecessor, and solely motivated by electrified powertrains consisting of hybrid and plug-in hybrid options. Styled to resemble not only the current Camry, but also certain Lexus models as well as its junior sibling, the C-HR, the RAV4 again rides on the TNGA-K platform, but with revised frame mounts and suspensions joints, plus improved structural rigidity to the body itself. Dimensionally, and despite appearing smaller than its predecessor, the RAV4 retains the same measurements as before, but with a slight clearance of 13 mm when specified with the optional off-road tyres. Mounted on alloy wheels ranging from 17 to 20-inches, boot space, with the rear seats up, increases from 733-litres to 749-litres, while for only second time in the RAV4's 31-year history, a GR Sport once again tops the range, this time not only exclusive to Europe or Japan as the case has been. Equally as dramatic as its exterior redesign, the RAV4's interior, as hinted by previous teaser images, adopts a design derived not only from the Camry, but also the all-electric bZ4X and in some areas, the Tacoma bakkie. Based around what Toyota calls an island architecture concept, the integrated infotainment system makes way for a new freestanding 10.5-inch or optional 12.9-inch display, both with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, while the instrument cluster measures 12.3-inches and comes in a box-type binnacle whose top surface has been lowered by 40 mm. Besides the bZ4X-style steering wheel with physical buttons, the centre console also renounces touch-sensitive buttons by also sporting two recesses, one for the wireless smartphone charger, a further storage box that doubles-up as an armrest, and type-C USB ports. Gone, however, is the conventional gear lever that makes for a toggle switch selector as part of the new shift-by-wire setup, as well as the normal climate control, whose interface now resides within the pair of infotainment systems. In the United States, where the RAV4 upstaged the Ford F-150 to become the country's best-selling new model last year with sales of 475 193 versus 460 915 units, specification consists of a new Head-Up Display, imitation leather upholstery and heated front seats. Depending on the grade, which in the States consists of LE, SE, XLE, XSE, Limited, Woodland and GR Sport, the RAV4 will come standard with a six-speaker sound system, or on higher-end versions, a nine-speaker JBL audio. Toyota's latest Safety Sense 4.0 array of safety and driver assistance system also comes standard, however, no exact details about the various systems was divulged. As mentioned, the biggest change is the choice of the engines where are 31 years, the RAV4 no longer comes with the optional of an electrically unassisted internal combustion engine. Instead, so-called Core (LE, XLE and Limited) and Sport models (SE, XSE and GR Sport) in the US are motivated by the familiar 2.5-litre normally aspirated petrol engine combined with a single electric motor and battery pack. Official Toyota North America power figures suggest 226 horsepower or 166 kW, which increases to 236 horsepower or 174 kW with the addition of a second electric motor on the E-Four all-wheel-drive derivatives. For reference, the current RAV4 E-Four's setup develops 163 kW in South Africa. Whereas the latter powertrain comes standard on the Woodland that Toyota classifies under the Rugged banner, the option involves the plug-in hybrid configuration that becomes the sole choice for the GR Sport. Using the same 2.5-litre engine, the electric hardware consists of the pair of electric motors being powered by a new 22.7-kWh battery pack. In total, the combined output amounts to 320 horsepower or 235 kW, which represents an uptake of eight kilowatts over the previous plug-in hybrid. The claimed all-electric range is a projected 80 km with 30 a minute wait set to apply from 10-80%. Reportedly, the plug-in hybrid GR Sport will get from 0-100 km/h in 5.8 seconds. Confirmed for arrival in the States later this year priced from $35 000, Toyota South Africa Motors has so far not approved the RAV4 for the local market. However, expect sales to possibly only start next year as the firm's Australia division has confirmed its allocation only from early 2026. As a reminder, the now outgoing RAV4 range consists of six models priced from R712 700 for the base 2.0 GX-R, to R989 800 for the unbadged plug-in hybrid E-Four. ALSO READ: Toyota starts teasing new SUV rumoured to be the all-new RAV4
