√2024 Toyota HiLux and Fortuner to receive hybrid power next year

After years of speculation – and exclusive reporting by Drive – a senior Toyota executive overseas has reportedly confirmed there will be a hybrid HiLux and Fortuner from next year. But it will be mild-hybrid technology expected to deliver only minor fuel savings.

The 2024 Toyota HiLux and 2024 Toyota Fortuner are in line to get hybrid power, in plans confirmed by the company overseas – but it is not expected to deliver the same fuel savings as petrol-electric Toyota hybrid hatchbacks and SUVs.

According to a report from South Africa’s CarMag, a senior Toyota executive has confirmed the HiLux and Fortuner will receive a new engine with a mild-hybrid system from next year.

The report confirms top-secret plans exclusively revealed by Drive in February 2023, outlining development of a diesel engine with mild-hybrid assistance.

Unlike traditional hybrid vehicles such as the Toyota Prius or Camry Hybrid – which can be driven on purely-electric power at low speeds – mild-hybrid vehicles typically use a small electric motor to provide additional thrust to the engine.

Like a tailwind, the electric-motor’s mild-hybrid assistance allows the conventional engine to accelerate using less power, reducing both fuel consumption and tailpipe emissions.

But it means fuel savings will be minimal compared to the hybrid technology in other Toyota hybrid vehicles.

MORE: Top-secret Toyota HiLux hybrid plan revealed, with a shock twist

According to the report, a Senior Vice President of Sales and Marketing at Toyota South Africa told a media roundtable the mild-hybrid system was coming for both HiLux and Fortuner.

However, Drive understands there are concerns within Toyota Australia about whether a mild-hybrid system will deliver enough fuel and emissions savings compared with other traditional hybrid models, as reported in February.

“We are considering all of (types of electric technology) for HiLux,” Toyota Australia’s Vice President of Sales and Marketing Sean Hanley told Drive earlier this year.

“Obviously hybrid is the easy solution for us, because we’re already doing it on other cars, but we don’t discount other technologies that may be more suitable for that car,” Mr Hanley said.

“We have a number of really exciting things happening on HiLux. There are electrification prototypes we’re looking at.”

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It’s not clear whether the mild-hybrid system will be mated to the 2.8-litre turbo-diesel four-cylinder engine found in the HiLux and its SUV counterpart, the Fortuner, or whether the vehicles will get a long-rumoured 2.4-litre turbo-diesel four-cylinder with the technology.

A Toyota HiLux Hybrid and Fortuner Hybrid have yet to be confirmed for Australia, however there’s a good chance they will be added to the company’s local line-up, given the likely interest from fleet buyers.

A spokesperson for the brand’s local arm has told Drive today: “Toyota is always considering exciting new models as they become available for our market, but we have no announcements to make today.”

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