The recently unveiled 2024 Land Cruiser Prado will arrive early next year in New Zealand carrying a 2.4-litre turbo diesel hybrid engine. But that powertrain could eventually be outmoded by a new range of electrified options.
As Automotive News reports, Toyota is contemplating producing plug-in hybrid (PHEV), fuel-cell (FCEV), and battery-electric (BEV) versions of the large SUV.
Prado Chief Engineer Keita Moritsu has said any changes to the vehicle's powertrain options under the TNGA-F platform will have benefits and drawbacks. But preliminary work has already begun on making this a reality.
Toyota, a notable leader in fuel-cell technology, would have little trouble developing a Prado FCEV. This configuration would lend itself well to long-range driving, although still limited infrastructure in the United States and elsewhere would present significant hurdles in adoption.
Another challenge is the platform itself, which Toyota did not purposefully design to accommodate PHEV and BEV versions. The Japanese company would have to modify Prado's architecture to give it proper electric power.
As it stands, the mild-hybrid diesel Prado model will come equipped with a 48V electric motor housed in the new eight-speed automatic transmission. Combined with the inline-four engine, it will deliver about 150 kW and 500 Nm of torque. The addition of a small electric motor should translate to marginally better fuel economy, but Toyota New Zealand has yet to confirm the numbers.
Would you buy a PHEV, FCEV, or BEV version of the all-new Prado? Or would the mild hybrid engine suffice for your needs? In any case, more details about the Prado will emerge before its launch in early 2024.