{"id":282,"date":"2025-05-28T23:21:00","date_gmt":"2025-05-28T23:21:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/chaduvu.com\/?p=282"},"modified":"2025-05-29T15:10:31","modified_gmt":"2025-05-29T15:10:31","slug":"the-car-giant-who-knew-evs-would-stall-is-betting-big-on-plug-in-hybrids","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/chaduvu.com\/index.php\/2025\/05\/28\/the-car-giant-who-knew-evs-would-stall-is-betting-big-on-plug-in-hybrids\/","title":{"rendered":"The Car Giant Who Knew EVs Would Stall Is Betting Big On Plug-In Hybrids"},"content":{"rendered":"<div><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"576\" src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw==\" class=\"attachment-large size-large wp-post-image lazyload\" alt=\"\" style=\"margin-bottom: 15px\" loading=\"lazy\" data-src=\"https:\/\/chaduvu.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/New-Toyota-RAV-4-2026-MY-1024x576-1.jpg\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"wp-block-columns is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-12 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\" style=\"flex-basis:100%\">\n<ul>\n<li>Toyota plans to expand its PHEV lineup as EV adoption has been slower than expected.<\/li>\n<li>The company reportedly wants 20% of US sales to come from plug-in hybrids by 2030.<\/li>\n<li>Toyota and Lexus currently offer plug-in hybrid versions of the Prius, RAV4, RX, NX, and TX.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>While many automakers were going all-in on electric vehicles, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.carscoops.com\/tag\/toyota\/\">Toyota<\/a> resisted the urge to put all its eggs in one basket. Instead, the company expanded its hybrid lineup, launched plug-in hybrids, and introduced a couple of EVs.<\/p>\n<div class=\"ad-placement\">\n<div id=\"82503191-e1d1-435a-874f-9c78a2a54a2f\" class=\"_ap_apex_ad\"><\/div>\n<div id=\"0f7e3106-c4d6-4db4-8135-c508879a76f8\" class=\"_ap_apex_ad\"><\/div>\n<p>\t\t\t\tvar adpushup = window.adpushup  = window.adpushup || {que:[]};<br \/>\n\t\t\t\tadpushup.que.push(function() {<br \/>\n\t\t\t\t\tif (adpushup.config.platform !== &#8220;DESKTOP&#8221;){<br \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\tadpushup.triggerAd(&#8220;0f7e3106-c4d6-4db4-8135-c508879a76f8&#8221;);<br \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t} else {<br \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\tadpushup.triggerAd(&#8220;82503191-e1d1-435a-874f-9c78a2a54a2f&#8221;);<br \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t}<br \/>\n\t\t\t\t});<\/p><\/div>\n<p>Toyota got a lot of flack for this, but their strategy turned out to be the right one as electric vehicle adoption has been much slower than some predicted. This has forced rivals to cancel expensive electric vehicle programs, delay others, and push back plans to go electric-only.<\/p>\n<p><strong>More: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.carscoops.com\/2025\/05\/2026-toyota-rav4-electrified-upgrades-sporty-design-tech-improvements\/\">2026 RAV4\u2019s Evolution Is More Than Meets The Eye<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Unsurprisingly, Toyota\u2019s next conservative move is a foray into plug-in hybrids. However, the company is no stranger to PHEVs as they already offer eco-friendly versions of the Prius and RAV4. Over at <a href=\"https:\/\/www.carscoops.com\/tag\/lexus\/\">Lexus<\/a>, there are RX, NX, and TX plug-in hybrids.<\/p>\n<div id=\"taboola-mid-article\"><\/div>\n<div id=\"taboola-mid-article-thumbnails-organic\"><\/div>\n<p>We can expect more on the horizon as Toyota\u2019s North American boss told <a href=\"https:\/\/www.cnbc.com\/2025\/05\/28\/toyota-plug-in-hybrid-evs-phev.html\">CNBC<\/a>, \u201cWe are going to grow our PHEV volume through the lineup over the next few years.\u201d David Christ added, \u201cWe\u2019re working to increase, perpetually increase, the amount of miles you can drive on EV-only range.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>        <a href=\"https:\/\/www.carscoops.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/2026-Toyota-RAV4-PHEV-528-1.jpg\" data-type=\"inarticle-image-block\"> <\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">\n<p>                    <img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"lazy \" src=\"\" alt=\" The Car Giant Who Knew EVs Would Stall Is Betting Big On Plug-In Hybrids\" width=\"2500\" height=\"1875\" data-src=\"https:\/\/www.carscoops.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/2026-Toyota-RAV4-PHEV-528-1-1024x768.jpg\" data-type=\"inarticle-image\" \/><\/p>\n<\/figure>\n<p>        <\/a>  <\/p>\n<p>Christ didn\u2019t say which models could gain a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.carscoops.com\/tag\/phev\/\">plug-in hybrid option<\/a>, but said they\u2019re looking \u201cacross the lineup.\u201d He added, \u201cIt\u2019s more a function of where can we build them, and what is the product strength versus the competition.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>One of the most obvious plug-in hybrid additions would be a version of the Toyota Grand Highlander as it could share its powertrain with the Lexus TX 550h+. It has a 3.5-liter V6 engine, two electric motors, and an 18.1 kWh battery pack. This gives the crossover 404 hp (301 kW \/ 410 PS) and 33 miles (53 km) of electric-only range.<\/p>\n<p>Despite making a lot of sense, Toyota officials <a href=\"https:\/\/www.carscoops.com\/2023\/05\/a-grand-highlander-prime-phev-is-unlikely-as-toyota-confident-in-existing-hybrid-options\/\">downplayed the possibility of a Grand Highlander PHEV<\/a> when we asked them in 2023. At the time, we were told the company was \u201cconfident\u201d in their two existing hybrid options.<\/p>\n<p>        <a href=\"https:\/\/www.carscoops.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/11\/2025-Toyota-Grand-Highlander-Nightshade-1104-8.jpg\" data-type=\"inarticle-image-block\"> <\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">\n<p>                    <img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"lazy \" src=\"\" alt=\" The Car Giant Who Knew EVs Would Stall Is Betting Big On Plug-In Hybrids\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1280\" data-src=\"https:\/\/www.carscoops.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/11\/2025-Toyota-Grand-Highlander-Nightshade-1104-8-1024x683.jpg\" data-type=\"inarticle-image\" \/><\/p>\n<\/figure>\n<p>        <\/a>  <\/p>\n<p>Plug-in hybrids only made up 2.4% of Toyota\u2019s US sales last year, but the publication cited insiders as saying the automaker wants to increase that number to around 20% by 2030. That would be a huge jump, but the target reportedly isn\u2019t set in stone as there are number of factors at play.<\/p>\n<div class=\"ad-placement\">\n<div id=\"9b1169d9-7a89-4971-a77f-1397f7588751\" class=\"_ap_apex_ad\"> <\/div>\n<div id=\"bb7964e9-07de-4b06-a83e-ead35079d53c\" class=\"_ap_apex_ad\"> <\/div>\n<p>\t\t\t\tvar adpushup = window.adpushup  = window.adpushup || {que:[]};<br \/>\n\t\t\t\tadpushup.que.push(function() {<br \/>\n\t\t\t\t\tif (adpushup.config.platform !== &#8220;DESKTOP&#8221;){<br \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\tadpushup.triggerAd(&#8220;bb7964e9-07de-4b06-a83e-ead35079d53c&#8221;);<br \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t} else {<br \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\tadpushup.triggerAd(&#8220;9b1169d9-7a89-4971-a77f-1397f7588751&#8221;);<br \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t}<br \/>\n\t\t\t\t});<\/p><\/div>\n<p>However, Toyota and Lexus customers seem to be embracing plug-in hybrids as sales climbed roughly 39% last year. That\u2019s good news, but there\u2019s an education gap that still needs to be overcome. <\/p>\n<p>This has been a common problem for Toyota\u2019s electrification efforts and, in 2021, the company told us studies showed <a href=\"https:\/\/www.carscoops.com\/2021\/11\/66-of-consumers-think-electric-vehicles-have-a-gas-engine\/\">75% of consumers thought hybrids had to be plugged in<\/a>. At the time, officials admitted that was a frustrating statistic as the automaker launched the Prius over two decades ago.<\/p>\n<div class=\"ad-placement\">\n<div id=\"9b1169d9-7a89-4971-a77f-1397f7588751\" class=\"_ap_apex_ad\"> <\/div>\n<div id=\"bb7964e9-07de-4b06-a83e-ead35079d53c\" class=\"_ap_apex_ad\"> <\/div>\n<p>\t\t\t\tvar adpushup = window.adpushup  = window.adpushup || {que:[]};<br \/>\n\t\t\t\tadpushup.que.push(function() {<br \/>\n\t\t\t\t\tif (adpushup.config.platform !== &#8220;DESKTOP&#8221;){<br \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\tadpushup.triggerAd(&#8220;bb7964e9-07de-4b06-a83e-ead35079d53c&#8221;);<br \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t} else {<br \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\tadpushup.triggerAd(&#8220;9b1169d9-7a89-4971-a77f-1397f7588751&#8221;);<br \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t}<br \/>\n\t\t\t\t});<\/p><\/div>\n<p>        <a href=\"https:\/\/www.carscoops.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/2025-Lexus-RX-821-205.jpg\" data-type=\"inarticle-image-block\"> <\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">\n<p>                    <img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"lazy \" src=\"\" alt=\" The Car Giant Who Knew EVs Would Stall Is Betting Big On Plug-In Hybrids\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1280\" data-src=\"https:\/\/www.carscoops.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/2025-Lexus-RX-821-205-1024x683.jpg\" data-type=\"inarticle-image\" \/><\/p>\n<\/figure>\n<p>        <\/a>  <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Toyota plans to expand its PHEV lineup as EV adoption has been slower than expected. The company reportedly wants 20% of US sales to come &hellip; <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":284,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[9],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/chaduvu.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/282"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/chaduvu.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/chaduvu.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/chaduvu.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/chaduvu.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=282"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/chaduvu.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/282\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":285,"href":"https:\/\/chaduvu.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/282\/revisions\/285"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/chaduvu.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/284"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/chaduvu.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=282"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/chaduvu.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=282"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/chaduvu.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=282"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}