Toyota Crown PHEV is coming to the U.S.

After seeing the 2023 Toyota Crown for the primary time a number of months in the past, we wrote, “Its type would hit the bullseye as an electrical crossover, one other of the shapely, lifted lozenges balancing the dictates of aerodynamics, packaging, and market tastes. The Crown even has a flat underfloor, the grubby bits from the entrance bumper to the rear suspension hidden behind aero panels.” In response a query about that, Toyota informed us it had no plans to convey an electrical Crown to the U.S. The corporate is able to admit it is taking the halfway step, nevertheless. CEO Akio Toyoda informed Motor Development at a seller convention in Las Vegas that the U.S.-market Crown will get a plug-in hybrid type.

The step lends credence to a Reuters report from April of this yr, citing insiders as saying Toyota plans PHEV and battery-electric variations of the brand new crossover. Within the Reuters piece, although, the Crown PHEV was just for the Japanese market and would debut subsequent yr; the EV would arrive in early 2024. If the Reuters report was correct, it is unimaginable to know what’s occurred between then and now, simply as a lot because it’s unimaginable to know what is going on to happen over with a possible EV model in 18 months. Toyota will put the Crown on world markets each time it goes on sale, so it is potential the PHEV comes right here however an EV trim doesn’t.

The finer query a few Crown PHEV is what powertrain it would get. For the time being, the automaker dubs its PHEVs “Prime” and makes them probably the most highly effective trims of their respective mannequin lineups. The sportiest Crown we have been informed about for now could be the Hybrid Max variant, anticipated to make round 340 horsepower. The hitch is that Toyota’s U.S. lineup does not embody a Prime mannequin proper now that makes even that a lot energy, by no means thoughts making extra. The hybrid powertrain within the new Lexus RX 500h, which is similar as within the Crown Hybrid Max, produces 366 hp and 406 pound-feet of torque, however there isn’t any plug on the Lexus, both. The Lexus RX 450+ PHEV will get up 302 complete horsepower, the bottom Crown hybrid makes 236 hp, the Toyota RAV4 Prime makes 219 hp, placing numerous numbers on the bottom for a Crown PHEV to play hopscotch with.

As an alternative of capturing on the successful quantity, the Crown PHEV may deal with its mantle as Toyota’s historic know-how chief and debut the automaker’s solid-state batteries. The agency has been throwing cash on the superior battery tech and manufacturing amenities to fulfill demand, and earlier this yr mentioned the packs would go on sale in 2025 in a hybrid mannequin, not an electrical automobile. Keep tuned.