Toyota considers Aussie EV plans
Global acceleration of EV sales and product launches could pull forward local timelineToyota Australia has hinted it could accelerate its plans for battery-electric vehicles in Australia.
The nation’s dominant brand in terms of sales had previously stated it did not expect to have an EV on sale in Australia until at least 2025.
Instead, it has focused on hybrid vehicles with great success, selling a record 54,335 in 2020.
But after displaying some resistance in recent years, Toyota has recently confirmed an aggressive global rollout of battery-electric vehicles starting in 2021.
This will include the just-unveiled Toyota C+Pod ultra-compact vehicle (pictured above) and, more in line with Australian buyer preferences, a soon-to-be-revealed SUV developed in a fresh joint-venture partnership with Subaru.
These first EVs follow up Toyota’s 2017 commitment to offer electrified assistance to every model in its range by 2025.
Toyota Australia’s sales and marketing chief Sean Hanley – who provided the 2025 local BEV timeline in late 2019 – told carsales this week that the company’s electrification strategy was under review.
“We are always evaluating our electrification strategy and products that become available globally,” he said.
“We are in a very fortunate position with Toyota where we do have quite a significant line-up we can draw down from other markets, particularly when they are right-hand drive.
“So while 2025 is a benchmark year for us, we are always looking at reviewing when and where, whether we need to pull forward models, whether we delay models, these are normal model cycle revisions we do.
“We don’t have any announcements on a battery-electric vehicle to make today, but as we said we never rule it out.”
One of Hanley’s proudest boasts to motoring media is that he was involved in the launch of the first-generation Toyota Prius hybrid in Australia in the early 2000s.
Toyota’s expanding range of orthodox hybrids do provide some fuel and emissions savings, but don’t have the ability to plug in to recharge the battery and run for extended time on electricity alone.
“Some would say, ‘Are we [Toyota] progressing quick enough in Australia?’ But that question was asked 20 years ago when we launched hybrid. In fact people were saying the opposite,” said Hanley.
“Toyota will get it right and will do it in a way that is sustainable and in a way that engages the market.
“Toyota Australia has always maintained we have never ruled out plug-in hybrids or plug-in electric vehicles, we have never done that.
“What we have said is we have seen hybrid technology that’s taken off and we’ve seen Australians really engage in that technology.”
Hanley argued Toyota’s decision to import the new-generation Toyota Mirai hydrogen fuel-cell electric vehicle (FCEV) into Australia proves its electrification strategy is progressing.
However, the Mirai’s opportunities will be limited by the tiny Australian hydrogen refuelling infrastructure to business and fleet sales only.
Toyota has also just announced a trial of a battery-electric Toyota LandCruiser 70 Series on a BHP mine site in Western Australia.
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