Toyota South Africa has confirmed that the Fortuner SUV and Hilux pickup truck will get the hybrid treatment. While details are scant, Leon Theron, senior vice president of sales and marketing at Toyota South Africa, has confirmed that the two models will receive mild-hybrid powertrains globally in 2024. However, there is no clarity on when it will launch in India.
The current generation Fortuner and Hilux have been on sale for a while now and are based on the older IMV platform. The upcoming Fortuner and Hilux are likely to be based on Toyota’s advanced TNGA-F platform which also underpins the upcoming Tacoma, Land Cruiser 300 and Lexus LX 500d. The TNGA-F platform could incorporate both ICE and hybrid powertrains.
Toyota’s reason for choosing a hybrid system for the above models is that it believes that EVs are not the only option for carbon neutrality. While it showcased a BEV (battery electric vehicle) version of the Hilux, dubbed the Hilux Revo BEV, at the Carbon Neutrality Summit earlier this year, it won’t be the only alternative fuel option for the Hilux.
While the exact details of the hybrid powertrain are yet to be revealed, it is likely that Toyota will electrify the current powertrain for the hybrid versions of the Fortuner and Hilux. Expect it to get a 2.8-litre, turbocharged diesel engine that produces 204hp and 500Nm which will be mated to a mild-hybrid system.
It remains to be seen whether Toyota will launch the two hybrid models in India, and it is currently working on reducing the waiting period for the urban cruiser Haider, the Innova Highcross and the revamped Innova Crysta.