Celine Nolan

The Toyota Prado-essentially essentially based mostly Lexus GX four-wheel power will almost definitely be on hand only with a twin-turbo V6 petrol engine when it is released in Australia in the autumn of 2024.

Whereas the confirmed GX550 mannequin’s outputs of 260kW of energy and 650Nm of torque from its power-fed zigzag-six are comparatively ample, a tantalising hybrid mannequin has been developed – nevertheless it is no longer on hand to Lexus Australia yet.

A petroleum-electric hybrid GX is in model and has already been confirmed for patrons in the US, with the variant – likely badged GX500h – more likely to be released in the American market in unhurried 2024.

That engine, furthermore feeble in the RX500h SUV, pairs a turbocharged 2.4-litre petrol four-cylinder with front and rear electric motors fed by a compact excessive-voltage lithium-ion battery mounted near the rear axle.

Nonetheless extra strengthening work and durability testing is being performed to ranking definite that the hybrid GX is ready for heavier-responsibility markets – at the side of Australia – with a issue focal level on waterproofing the hybrid’s excessive-voltage battery.

Waterproofing of hybrid battery is a piece-in-progress

Talking with Chasing Autos at the worldwide first power of the petrol-only GX550, the mannequin’s chief engineer Koji Tsukasaki explained what’s required to safe the GX hybrid to Australia.

“[We are working on] the water resistance, in particular the lithium-ion battery, because it rains a lot in Australia and folks are inclined to power a GX in water,” Tsukasaki acknowledged.

“We are making certain the waterproofness of the [hybrid] battery.”

The petrol V6-outfitted GX550 Overtrail grade, seen above, has ground clearance of 270mm – and it’s expected to match or exceed the 700mm wading depth restrict of the outdated-gen GX.

Tsukasaki wouldn’t be drawn on precisely when the waterproofing work on the GX hybrid could well be performed, making the electrified GX ready for an Australian free up.

“I can’t acknowledge exactly how a protracted time [it will take], however we must free up an adapted GX for regional desires as early as that you’d recall to mind,” he acknowledged.

Half of of the Lexus vehicles sold in Australia final year had hybrid engines.

The Eastern marque says this could merely provide an electrified possibility for every of its fashions in Australia by 2030, and Lexus has a global purpose to promote only fleshy EVs by 2035.

Lessons will almost definitely be feeble in making ready TNGA-F to transfer fully electric

Chasing Autos understands that the work being performed to water-resistant the GX hybrid’s excessive-voltage battery for Australian prerequisites is well-known to the Toyota Motor Company’s preparations for introducing fully-electric off-road vehicles.

The GX chief engineer acknowledged that the TNGA-F physique-on-frame platform utilised by the unique GX and Prado – plus the novel LX and Land Cruiser – is being readied for fleshy electrification.

“We constructed this platform so that our drivers can use it for a extremely long time length – so we are emphasising utilizing the similar platform for added electrification at Lexus,” acknowledged Tsukasaki.

“We could well be taking a count on to the adoption of hybrid, jog-in hybrid and doubtlessly a battery EV.”

Lexus will exhaust October’s 2023 Tokyo motor impress to instruct that it intends to introduce a truly-electrical sedan that’s anticipated to utilise a original Toyota Motor Corporation EV platform and batteries – plus gigacasting manufacturing ideas.

A Lexus Electrified Sedan notion was as soon as revealed in December 2021, and it’s understood that a truly-electrical model in accordance with this notion – and similar to a Lexus IS successor – will seemingly be establish into manufacturing in 2026.

Ample SUVs, time to focal level on sedans: Lexus

“We continue to sight a market and search data from for sedans into the long bustle,” Lexus Global president Takashi Watanabe suggested Chasing Vehicles and Australian media earlier this week.

“Whilst you sight on the area market, the fragment of the sedan in the final car trade is step by step coming down, but there is soundless quite sizable search data from for sedans.

“As an instance, 50 p.c of Lexus gross sales in China are the ES sedan, so we sight a market which continues to feature importance and focal level on sedans,” Watanabe acknowledged.

“We’ve been reasonably prioritised on SUVs, and we possess an enriched lineup of SUV objects. We are able to now must sight into the sedan and resolve what to form.”

Subsequent-gen batteries to provide bigger than 800km vary

Lexus is anticipated to instruct that its electrical sedan model will provide one or two of the next-technology EV batteries currently in construction by Toyota.

Scheduled for begin in 2026 are two original batteries. There’s a ‘performance’ lithium-ion pack with a target of bigger than 800km vary – this would perhaps presumably perchance underpin a sporty version of the original Lexus electrical sedan.

“There is a need for a fun-to-drive, factual performance cars, and that’s going to happen even after we shift to battery EVs. We desire such objects in our portfolio,” Watanabe acknowledged.

But Toyota and Lexus are additionally growing a more reasonably priced lithium iron phosphate battery targetting bigger than 600km vary – and this pack might presumably perchance simply be old for much less powerful grades of the sedan model.

In novel years, electrical automobiles possess the Tesla Model 3 and Polestar 2 in specific possess led a resurgence in gross sales for sedan objects in a market towards the grain of excessive SUV search data from.

Sedans and other low-utilizing EVs possess an income. Their vary is on the final noticeably superior to electrical SUVs on story of aerodynamics affect EV effectivity to a increased stage than it does with combustion automobiles.

More reasonably priced, stronger, sooner gigacasting car-making to be adopted

In a extra construction, it is far seemingly that the Lexus electrical sedan model will seemingly be amongst the principle Toyota community objects to undertake radical original manufacturing ideas, plus a original EV platform offering long-vary and performance battery choices.

Toyota is in the course of executing a swift – and rare – trade to its automobile manufacturing ideas because it prepares to make exhaust of so-known as gigacasting ideas in its car factories.

Gigacasting is a time duration popularised by Tesla, referring to that note’s exhaust of single-section aluminium casting processes. Different carmakers, alongside side Geely and now Toyota, are adopting the time-saving and automobile-strengthening approach.

A house-sized die-forged machine constructs total front, center or rear chassis parts in single objects, in precisely minutes – reworking the old route of that saw 86 objects require 33 welds over a form of hours, in conserving with a Nikkei fable.

Indispensable portions of time and sources are saved during – advantages which decrease costs for carmakers and can simply produce future Toyota EVs more reasonably priced.

“[At] the Tokyo motor impress next month, we’re going to have the option to be making more announcements referring to the important system of what you’ve got factual mentioned,” Watanabe suggested Chasing Vehicles.

“One thing we are able to claim is that as soon as we sight into the construction of next-technology battery EVs, we desire to enormously renovate the module for the structure of the automobile.

“That goes to require technological innovation possess [gigacasting]. We are able to be essentially altering the structure and manufacturing approach of our next-gen EVs,” the Lexus chief acknowledged.

Volkswagen is yet to verify whether or no longer this may possibly elevate a trail-in hybrid Volkswagen Amarok ute, even after Ford has on the present time officially revealed its very-great linked Ranger with trail-in hybrid strength.

Announced on the present time with a 45km electrical-simplest fluctuate, the Ford Ranger PHEV is living to be launched in Australia by early 2025.

It’s constructed upon the 2.3-litre turbocharged four-cylinder engine stumbled on in the new Aventura grade of the Amarok.

While it’s absolutely doable that Volkswagen may possibly presumably presumably note in the footsteps of the linked Ford Ranger and offer a PHEV variant as neatly, insiders in discovering previously described the Ranger’s PHEV electrical fluctuate as unsatisfactory.

The guidelines comes because the European market begins to poke in direction of a PHEV taxation machine that requires an electrical-simplest fluctuate of on the least 100 kilometres to be eligible for distinct incentives.

Volkswagen has previously conveyed interest in bringing a fully-electrical e-Amarok to the Australian market as soon because it becomes available.

The originate date of the e-Amarok can also very neatly be as soon as mid-2025 if Europe sticks to its aggressive timeline to introduce Euro 7 emissions rules that year.

Volkswagen Australia’s public family manager, Daniel Degasperi, knowledgeable Chasing Autos that “Volkswagen remains committed to the electrification of a monumental assortment of its models, initiating for commercial autos with the ID Buzz in 2024.

“We are currently working via critical orders on the tip discontinue of the Amarok fluctuate, and peep ahead to any evolution of the model fluctuate in due route,” he stated.

Ford this evening confirmed that a poke-in hybrid Ranger twin-cab ute will breeze on sale in early 2025.

The Ranger PHEV guarantees capabilities in conjunction with an electric riding vary “in excess of” Forty five kilometres, and a 3.5-tonne towing capability with the engine in operation.

Listed here:

• Hybrid mannequin could dangle very top torque of any Ranger
• Four EV modes confirmed
• Car-to-load energy confirmed
• No be conscious yet on Everest PHEV SUV
• Jury remains out on Amarok PHEV

Pairing an electric motor with a turbocharged 2.3-litre petrol inline four-cylinder engine, Ford acknowledged its poke-in hybrid electric automotive (PHEV) Ranger will “put its payload” capacities despite the added weight – which wasn’t published.

The “reasonably colossal” electric motor will drive straight away during the Ranger’s 10-bustle transmission, offering electric-most effective four-wheel-drive capability.

A small battery is mounted under the tray. Ford acknowledged the Ranger PHEV can tow “as a lot as” 3.5 tonnes (braked), though most effective with petrol four-cylinder and electric motor working in unison.

Engineers confirmed towing capability could perchance be critical lower in “EV-most effective” modes.

Most a amount of technical particulars dwell secret for now – comparable to gasoline economy, energy and torque – on the opposite hand Ford promised the Ranger PHEV would dangle “extra torque than any a amount of record Ranger variant”.

Hybrid mannequin could dangle very top torque of any Ranger

At record, the Ranger powertrain with presumably the most torque is the 600Nm turbodiesel 3.0-litre V6. Total combined outputs for the Ranger PHEV would be in excess of 250kW/650Nm.

The Volkswagen Amarok – which shares its platform and engines with the Ford Ranger – is available with a Ford-sourced turbo EcoBoost 2.3-litre petrol inline-four. In non-hybrid guise, it produces 222kW/452Nm.

Developed in Australia, Ford’s engineers acknowledged discovering out for the Ranger PHEV used to be performed at Ford’s You Yangs proving ground in Victoria.

To just catch the heavy battery, engineers reinforced the Ranger’s ladder chassis, added “heavy duty” suspension, retuned the guidance and “calibrated the interior combustion engine particular to the PHEV application,” acknowledged chief engineer Rob Sharples.

Production will birth “quarter four, 2023” with first Ranger PHEVs reaching dealerships as quickly because the tip of this twelve months, or early next twelve months.

Pricing is yet to be confirmed, and Ford Australia declined questions about whether Ranger PHEV could perchance be constructed in Thailand or South Africa.

Australia maintains a free trade settlement with Thailand nonetheless not with South Africa, so pricing would be sharper if the electrified Ranger is sourced from the used.

Photos launched of the Ranger PHEV demonstrate the hybrid automotive in Ranger Wildtrak specification.

It’s imaginable that the Ranger hybrid will additionally be launched in extra inexpensive Ranger Sport and additional top charge Ranger Platinum guises.

Ford will promote the Ranger PHEV with a seven-metre charging wire, supposed to be plugged into any common 240-volt home outlet. The charging port is located straight away beside the gasoline filler.

Four EV modes confirmed

The contemporary poke-in hybrid Ranger will reach with four selectable EV modes – Auto, Now, Later and Payment. Auto mode is the default.

“The automotive will quietly method again and drive as an EV, nonetheless then the EcoBoost engine will seamlessly have interaction when the driver calls for the tubby efficiency, or the battery has change into depleted,” explained chief engineer Sharples.

Now mode provides prompt all-electric motoring for “greater than” 45km, struggling with the engine from initiating. Later preserves 50 percent battery capability for later within the outing, or if the driver wishes to employ the battery for automotive-to-load functions later.

Payment will fill up the battery utilizing the petrol motor on the breeze, so it’s absolutely topped up on arrival – at hand, again, for these wishing to employ the automotive-to-load.

The internal combustion engine can additionally recharge the battery when stationary, making it nearly a huge generator.

Ford acknowledged the Ranger PHEV could perchance be geared up with geofencing EV capability, which method when entering so-known as designated ultra-low-emission “inexperienced zones” in regions such because the European Union, it will maybe perchance perchance additionally robotically switch to electric-most effective mode, allowing entry.

No jurisdiction in Australia on the second uses low-emission city zones or diminutive-entry inexperienced-zones.

Car-to-load energy confirmed

In its shows, Ford Australia used to be sparing on particulars comparable to specs and worth, nonetheless eagerly highlighted the Ranger PHEV’s automotive-to-load capabilities.

Car-to-load method your automotive has one or extra 240-volt wall shops, the sort you’d fetch for your space. You’ll want to perchance poke in day to day appliances and energy them utilizing the automotive’s battery.

Ford calls the Ranger PHEV’s automotive-to-load “Skilled-Vitality Onboard” and promised it will maybe perchance perchance additionally energy multiple heavy appliances concurrently, comparable to a circular seen and welder.

“There will likely be energy shops within the cabin, moreover to on the load box,” acknowledged chief engineer Sharples.

No be conscious yet on Everest PHEV SUV

Ford Australia dodged questions a few poke-in hybrid Everest, the colossal SUV version of the Ranger.

At record the Everest is available in 2.0-litre biturbo four-cylinder or 3.0-litre turbodiesel V6 iterations – each powertrains stumbled on identically within the Ranger.

“We dangle got nothing to share lately about any switch to powertrain [with Everest],” acknowledged CEO of Ford Australia Andrew Birkic.

Birkic additionally refused questions about an all-electric Ranger, nonetheless acknowledged there used to be “demand” and cited the success of the electrical F-150 Lightning in america. “We’re not going to offer a explicit timeframe on that,” he acknowledged.

Jury remains out on Amarok PHEV

Chasing Cars understands that a closing decision has not been made by Volkswagen on whether it goes to introduce a PHEV version of its Amarok – a ute which shares the Ranger’s T6.2 platform toolkit.

Volkswagen Commercial Autos insiders dangle previously expressed dissatisfaction with the Ranger PHEV’s electric-most effective riding vary, published lately to be 45km.

As an replacement, Volkswagen is working carefully on the enchancment of a absolutely-electric e-Amarok variant that would be launched as quickly as 2025.

Nonetheless Volkswagen Australia remained birth to the likelihood of an Amarok PHEV when asked.

“Volkswagen remains dedicated to the electrification of a predominant series of its items, initiating for commercial vehicles with the ID Buzz in 2024,” acknowledged Volkswagen Australia public relatives manager Daniel DeGasperi.

“We’re on the second working through predominant orders on the tip pause of the Amarok vary, and evaluate forward to any evolution of the mannequin vary within the kill.”

Hyundai Australia has officially unveiled its facelifted i30 Sedan N, which is made up our minds to originate in Australia early in 2024.

As an instantaneous competitor to the likes of the Skoda Octavia RS, the upcoming refreshed i30 Sedan N will don a brand sleek face to put it more in accordance with the assemble of assorted sleek Hyundai merchandise, such because the sleek-sight Kona minute SUV.

Core output figures remain unchanged for the i30 Sedan N, which ability that the sedan tranquil produces 206kW/392Nm as a consequence of its 2.0-litre turbocharged four-cylinder petrol engine.

The news comes correct after the Hyundai i30 N hatch and more sensible i20 N hatch went abet on sale in Australia after orders had been temporarily paused to allow Hyundai to get up with the search recordsdata from for its N vehicles.

Up to the moment pricing and the corpulent specification for the i30 Sedan N in Australia is anticipated almost in the present day.

What exactly has changed for the Hyundai i30 Sedan N for 2024?

On the assemble entrance, the i30 Sedan N now points a brand sleek-sight entrance stop, with an constructed-in LED light bar that spans the total face of the auto.

The accelerate and handling has been improved in accordance with Hyundai, who says that the engine mounts had been bolstered and sleek rear suspension dampening improved with itsy-bitsy adjustments to componentry.

The guidance blueprint has furthermore been revised, which Hyundai says supplies better feedback and “order feeling”.

Cooling has furthermore considered enhancements, with a brand sleek duct-vogue air guard guiding air circulate to “maximise lope, toughen aerodynamics, gasoline efficiency and cooling ability in low stipulations.”

Is the i30 Sedan N quicker than before?

Rather presumably, on the opposite hand Hyundai gain no longer released performance numbers for the 2024 i30 Sedan N correct yet.
We might presumably gaze a itsy-bitsy amplify in 0-100km/h time, nonetheless we can gain to support and gaze to envision the auto in a future Chasing Vehicles review!

The most fresh-period Toyota Hilux has been on sale since 2015 nonetheless is determined to preserve in the headspace of customers as Australia’s reigning perfect-promoting car approaches its twilight years.

Talking at the launch event of the unique flagship Hilux GR Sport variant, Toyota Australia vp of gross sales and marketing Sean Hanley promised extra used to be yet to come.

“The appearance of the forty eight-volt battery will likely be the third predominant replace for Hilux since October final yr,” he acknowledged, adding that “we set up no longer maintain any lower than one extra Hilux shock in store for next yr.”

The wording “no lower than” perhaps indicates no longer acceptable that shall we soundless request one extra replace in 2024, nonetheless that extra plans are brewing for 2025 that will most definitely be brought ahead.

Since October, Toyota has launched a critically updated Rogue variant, ushering in updates equivalent to four-wheel disc brakes and a unparalleled broader monitor, sooner than later introducing forty eight-volt expertise on make a choice grades – the first time a hybrid system has been seen on a Hilux.

Staying trustworthy to its ‘many eggs, many baskets’ capability to pursuing a zero emissions future, Toyota has also no longer too long ago proven off an awfully-electrical idea of the Hilux identified because the Revo BEV, while in the UK the native division is producing a hydrogen-electrical model with a focused riding differ of 590km of differ.

Earlier this yr, Toyota unveiled its all-unique Tacoma pick-up in The States, a car the same in size to the Hilux nonetheless designed for the left-hand-force North American market. The Hilux is expected to monitor swimsuit with its next-period replace due in both dull 2024 or 2025.

It’s fully unclear what the future ‘surprises’ will likely be nonetheless a novel variant primarily based entirely totally on the most modern period is the presumably addition, as Toyota will understandably gape to sustain its gross sales momentum.

One thing else planned for 2025 or beyond is extra likely to be piece of an all-unique period.

While the Hilux maintained its set up because the very best-promoting car in Australia in 2022, more fresh opponents such because the Ford Ranger backed by strong present to our market tag a in actuality proper possibility to this outright gross sales dominance.

Peugeot has revealed its fresh E-3008 electric ‘fastback’ SUV with up to 700km differ, all-wheel-pressure and 240kW – and confirmed it’s coming to Australia.

Unveiled globally this week, the E-3008 is a brand fresh C-section SUV built on the Stellantis STLA electric platform and piece of Peugeot’s international conception to sell handiest EVs by “as shortly as” 2025.

The E-3008’s short overhangs, long wheelbase and tapering ‘fastback’ develop allow a unfold-friendly 0.28Cd aerodynamic walk coefficient, whereas 19- or 20-race wheels total the gaze reckoning on the grade chosen.

As nicely as to hybrid and fling-in hybrid items, Peugeot will provide three electric powertrain solutions for the E-3008 cut up over single- and dual-motor variants.

Two single-motor, entrance-pressure E-3008s will be readily available in either 157kW fashioned differ or 170kW long-differ guises, with a 240kW dual-motor differ-topper offering all-wheel-pressure. Peugeot is yet to delivery 0-100km/h figures.

WLTP claimed differ for the E-3008 varies from 525km in the entry-level 73kWh variant, to 525km in the all-wheel-pressure mannequin with the similar battery; and up to 700km in 170kW, long-differ guise, thanks to a nice 98kWh nickel-manganese-cobalt (NMC) battery.

For recharging, the E-3008 can settle for a maximum of 11kW AC as fashioned, with 22kW to be optional in a foreign country. Most DC mercurial-charging functionality is 160kW, allowing the battery to be juiced from 20 to 80 p.c in half-hour or much less – including the 98kWh pack.

No crucial aspects bask in yet been released on the hybrid and fling-in hybrid items.

Interior, the dashboard of the greater-spec GT is dominated by a large 21-race panoramic touchscreen displaying each devices and infotainment; whereas an additional, smaller touchscreen handles HVAC controls.

Sustainable affords are extinct for the length of, with up to 500kg of “inexperienced affords” extinct in the E-3008, said Peugeot. Boot situation is a legitimate 520 litres, or 71 litres decrease than its 3008 predecessor.

Local pricing and specification will be launched nearer to on-sale, Peugeot Australia said. Arriving unhurried next one year, the E-3008 will join the electrical E-Associate van, E-2008 electric SUV and E-208 hatch as Peugeot continues to remodel its native line-up to completely battery-electric vehicles (BEVs).

The E-3008 will rob on electric opponents such because the BMW iX1, Genesis GV60, Mercedes-Benz EQA and Volvo XC40 Recharge.