Any inside info. on this vehicle's debut date and if a plug in version will be offered or is currently in production? 2018 Toyota C-HR | An Unexpected Next Step
There is a hybrid version (using the Prius 1.8 liter engine) available in Europe but only the 2.0 liter conventional drivetrain has been announced for the U.S. No plug in version has been announced anywhere but you never know. My opinion: Toyota is the leader in Hybrids but nowhere near in plug in vehicles and not working very hard to catch up. Next month Toyota will debut the next gen (2018) Camry, presumably including an upgraded hybrid. They could add a plug in version but I doubt it. The next possibility would be the next gen Rav4 which should be announced in about a year or so as a 2019 model, again presumably with an upgraded hybrid. Maybe by then they will be motivated to include a plug in version of that.
Considering it was destined to be a Scion, I'd say no. We'd be lucky if we even see the hybrid model for its midlife update.
How would "catch up" be measured? I see far too much emphasis on range and little regard for high-volume profitable sales. There's a huge difference with the approach for achieving each.
The thing is, a low-range vehicle won't sell at all unless it's far, far cheaper, at which point it's even less profitable than a high-range, big battery vehicle. A PHEV can break out of that, but you've still got a very thin line between "why bother, it has to fire up the gas engine too often" and "it costs too much".
What I meant is that Toyota has one plug in model, the Prime, and none announced to be released in the next couple of years. Who knows what they are considering after that. Personally, I'm mostly interested in seeing Toyota bring more non-plug hybrids to the U.S. like the C-HR drivetrain that is being released in Europe and the U.K.
Got the small SUV covered with the Rav4 hybrid. A minivan would be a better investment for the US market.
C-HR isn't a SUV like RAV4. It lacks AWD and had a smaller engine, which will lower cost and increase efficiency. That better price for higher seating is what some have been looking for.
