The Toyota LandCruiser 300 will launch in Australia with a new diesel V6 as its sole engine, but the company has been quite clear in saying a hybrid will join it at some point.
We have no official confirmation around its specs, but today’s US reveal of the 2022 Toyota Tundra pickup offers some pretty solid clues as to what the first electrified LandCruiser might bring to the table.
See, the new Tundra shares a lot with the new LandCruiser, beyond their common use of Toyota’s stiffer and lighter ‘GA-F’ ladder-frame with different wheelbases.
They share a twin-turbo V6 petrol option (not for Australia’s LandCruiser) and a 10-speed automatic, suspension layouts, Adaptive Variable Suspension, and the Multi Terrain Select 4×4 system, for example.
So the fact the Toyota Tundra debuts a hybrid petrol V6 branded ‘i-FORCE MAX’ naturally points to this same setup going into the LandCruiser.
The Tundra’s hybrid pairs the 3.5-litre V6 petrol and 10-speed automatic with a motor generator, new Power Control Unit, and a sealed 288V nickel-metal hydride battery kept charged by brake-energy recuperation.
The motor offers low-speed EV driving, assists the petrol engine with rolling starts up to 30km/h, adds extra oomph when overtaking or towing, and allows the V6 to decouple when coasting to preserve fuel.
The headline figures are 326kW of total power at 5200rpm and 790Nm of torque at 2400rpm (US figures are 437hp and 583 lb.ft). The company also quotes a 12,000-pounds or 5.5-tonne peak towing capacity, for all the caravaners.
Fuel use? No confirmation yet, but clearly there’ll be savings over the non-hybrid V6 petrol.
Now, there’s no official confirmation of a LandCruiser 300 Series ‘i-FORCE MAX’ hybrid, but from a technical perspective it’s the simplest solution… Stay tuned.
MORE: Toyota LandCruiser, HiLux and Prado hybrids confirmed
MORE: Toyota LandCruiser 300 Series buyers could be waiting years
MORE: 2022 Toyota LandCruiser 300 price and specs
MORE: How legendary 80 Series inspired the new Toyota LandCruiser 300
