E push restricts to Jazz, but initiatives are not being ignored

Government’s push to promote electric cars could be music to the local Honda distributor’s ears.

Honda’s push with the fourth-generation Jazz (seen here in Japan, as a Fit) will centre on the hybrid, arriving in May.

NO thought yet about whether Honda’s cute ‘E’ electric car could end up on the same play list as the new Jazz incoming soon, but the brand’s local agent says the Government’s clean car initiatives that give clear support to pure battery models are being followed with interest. 

For now, though, the only model being locally represented with any level of ohm drive ability will be a hybrid, landing in May, that seems set to be sold under a ‘Honda e technology’ push.

It’s a tag with potential to cause some confusion about the potential official availability of the retro-styled ‘Honda E’ electric car that, while not represented by the distributor, is nonetheless starting to proliferate as a grey import, in used and as-new parallel product.

Matt Woodburn, marketing and product manager at Honda New Zealand, says his Auckland-domiciled operation is excited to have the hybrid Jazz as a choice within the 2021 line-up that appears set to include several wholly fossil-fuelled variants.

Clarity about this will only avail when details about the range, pricing and specification relating to the fourth-generation model are released.

Honda NZ likely has plenty of options; the car avails in Japan in five different versions. The entry car is the Basic, there's a Home for urban use, a more vibrant Ness (as in Fit Ness), a crossover version called Crosstar and a leather-trimmed Luxe flagship. 

No official availability in New Zealand has not kept the Honda E from arriving.

How those trims correlate to the hybrid drivetrain availability is not clear. 

Jazz is the first Honda to get the new e:Technology branding that will eventually feature on all the firm’s electrified products. 

The Jazz system employs a system similar to the ‘intelligent Multi-Mode Drive’ (i-MMD) set-up used by the CR-V in other markets.

In typical driving situations, rather than driving the wheels directly, the engine acts a generator, sending charge to an electric motor, which tops up a small battery. When more performance is needed, the 1.5-litre petrol engine can drive the wheels directly via a fixed-ratio gearbox. 

While stopping short of expressing exact volume hopes, Woodburn has made clear that he believes the hybrid model will be a winner and “a strong seller”.

“We are excited to be introducing Honda e: Technology … we are sure Kiwis across the country will be impressed by the new model. It’s the biggest change to the Jazz since the first generation launched in 2002,” he asserted.

As for potential to see proper representation of the Honda ‘E’? The model which operates with a rear-mounted electric motor making 315Nm of torque, and up to 113kW, with a claimed range from the 35.5kWh lithium-ion battery pack of 220km – so, the same as the MINI Cooper SE electric – is definitely a head-turner and has become a highly-talked about brand icon.

Woodburn agrees is “a very exciting and interesting product.”

However, it seems the pathway that have allowed its introduction by independent distributors is a much easier route than the brand’s actual representative must follow.

Head office insistence expressed when the production E first showed, in October 2019, that this model is just for Europe (including the United Kingdom) and Japan seems still to be firm policy.

Woodburn hasn’t shared how his own operation feels about seeing the car here nonetheless and has been guarded in relating, when pressed, what the situation is in respect to it having any involvement should there be servicing or warranty issues with those privately-delivered examples.

“Regarding support for grey imported models, there are many challenges in this space,” he acknowledged. “… but, as with all customers, we strive to support them as best we can.”

In respect to whether last week’s Government announcements might help Honda NZ make a case for including a fully electric product, he offered: “We are closely following the Clean Car announcements and are communicating with Honda Motors to discuss the future.”

Meantime, Honda NZ has also released a heavily revised version of the Odyssey people carrier, in eight-seater Touring and seven chair Premium, respectively priced at $49,990 and $59,990.

The car is based on the same underpinnings as the outgoing version, but takes a comprehensive exterior and interior redesign and new technology, spanning from Apple CarPlay and Android Auto audio integration to dual one-touch power sliding doors, walk away automatic locking, and the Honda Sensing Advanced Safety suite — which avails blind-spot monitoring, cross traffic warning, radar cruise control.

The Premium delivers with leather trim and features additional to those on the Touring include a hands-free kick-to-open power tailgate, gesture control for the sliding doors, memory seating, a climate control screen for second-row passengers, increased interior lighting.

The powertrain for both continues to be a 2.4-litre i-VTEC four cylinder, producing an unchanged 129kW of power and 225Nm of torque and paired to a paddle-shift CVT. There is no talk of the hybrid that sells in Japan being availed for export.

Honda’s baby crossover on battery charge

The next version of the HR-V will be a hybrid.

THE smallest crossover Honda sells here will ditch pure petrol power for an electrified drivetrain.

The change for comes with the third generation of the HR-V, which will be unveiled to the world in mid-February.

 The new model delivers with a bigger badge; it’ll be tagged the HR-V e:HEV.

In delivering this news, Honda has also released some teaser preview images – none showing the entire car, however, with focus instead on detailing.

Today’s announcement has yet to be followed up by comment from the brand’s New Zealand distributor.

Honda Japan says focussing on a hybrid powertrain from launch is in line with its latest corporate strategy.

One specific ambition is to electrify its entire European line-up by 2022. 

Technical details remain unconfirmed, but it is conjected HR-V will likely use a variation of a 158kW/315Nm 2.0-litre hybrid powertrain Honda already has in place in the larger CR-V, though not in New Zealand, or alternately pick up a technically similar system, married to a 1.5-litre and producing 80kW/253Nm, that features in the latest Jazz supermini. That car has also not availed here.

It's possible that, like the electrified CR-V, the HR-V will be available with a choice of front- or four-wheel-drive configurations, the website for motoring magazine Autocar has surmised. 

Honda claims it will pair "high efficiency with refined, fun-to-drive performance".

It’s thought the HR-V to follow the lead of the next Civic hatchback and so feature a minimalist dashboard with a 9.0in touchscreen infotainment system and a raft of new driver aids. 

The HR-V’s full unveiling will occur on February 18.

 The current car has been in production since 2013.

Hybrid engines outlined for Qashqai

The next generation of the Qashqai crossover is gaining electric assistance.

 HYBRID powertrains will feature in the next-generation of Nissan’s Qashqai crossover. 

Even though the car’s official release is still a year away, Nissan has decided now is the right time to share information about the new option, the most advanced version of which is intended to be offered under the e-Power branding.

Nissan New Zealand has not offered any insight as to whether this market will be in line for the new units, the top version of which combines a 1.5-litre petrol engine with an electric motor to drive the front wheels.

Also offering is a 1.3-litre turbocharged petrol related to that of the current car, but with its own internal improvements to reduce fuel consumption. This unit is now mated to an uprated 12-volt electrical system, known as Advanced Lithium-ion battery System. 

 Hybrid drive appears to be set to be the sole choice for the car in Europe, however that does not discount that other engines could be provisioned elsewhere.

The 1.5-litre set-up differs from many other hybrids in that the 115kW petrol engine doesn’t ever drive the wheels directly - instead it charges the battery which supplies an electric motor producing 140kW and 330Nm of torque.

The advantages? There are several, the brand claims. Primarily, though, with the electric motor driving the wheels alone, the Qashqai will benefit from the driving characteristics of an EV, not least more instantaneous throttle response.

The car will not only accelerate quicker than its hybrid rivals but does so with a lower engine rpm, which should mean that it doesn’t suffer from the much-criticized rubber-band effect under acceleration of other parallel hybrids with CVT transmissions, the maker suggests.  

Lower CO2 emissions also result and the arrangement also means that Nissan has been able to tune the 1.5 petrol unit to operate at its most efficient when topping up the battery, meaning that it has the potential to deliver strong fuel economy. 

The e-Pedal system that features on the Leaf also enacts on the five-door crossover, meaning drivers can make use of one pedal driving. Stepping off the throttle can provide up to 0.2G of regenerative deceleration without any need to touch the brake.

Recuperated energy is deployed in the form of a modest 6Nm torque boost under acceleration for up to 20 seconds at a time. Combined with a stop/start system that cuts the engine from 17kmh when coasting to a halt. 

The revised 1.3 turbo comes in two states of tune, 102kW and 116kW. The more powerful avails with a CVT automatic gearbox and four-wheel drive; the other with a manual six-speed.

As Nissan has previously confirmed, diesel will no longer feature in the Qashqai’s engine family.

Surprisingly, a plug-in hybrid won’t be coming, either, with Nissan instead prioritising e-Power tech and all-electric vehicles such as the new Ariya, the Qashqai’s slightly larger electric sibling.

The car has yet to be fully unveiled – that happens soon – but some carefully-considered images of some interior highlights have been issued. Also, the car’s general dimensions has been revealed. It is known that the new car is 35mm longer and 30mm wider than its predecessor. The interior gains 22mm extra knee room for rear seat passengers and 28mm more shoulder room for those up front. Front and rear headroom has also improved by around 15mm, thanks to the redesign.

Big power play from Volvo this year

Diesel is departing and battery-influenced drivetrains are the future for the Swedish premium make here in 2021; including their first fully electric car.

The XC40 Recharge is the first Volvo electric for New Zealand.

WITHIN eight months Volvo here will release the first of a family of cars on which its future depends and have farewelled a fuel type that presently accounts for 50 percent of sales of a core popular sports utility.

The newcomer is – obviously – the make’s first full electric model, a version of the XC40 compact crossover.

Already available in its priority right-hand-drive market, the United Kingdom, but likely to come here around August-September, the XC40 Recharge packs 300kW from two motors that will power all four wheels.  

A 78kWh battery that can charge to 80 percent on a fast charger in 40 minutes is expected to deliver 350-400kms in the real world. 

The model is the only fully electric Volvo set to be available here this year, but assuredly the Geely-owned Swedish brand’s local range is in for a series of shock treatments as the distributor comes up to speed with the make’s global electrification strategy.

Volvo Cars was the first established car maker to commit to all-out electrification and is the only brand to offer a plug-in hybrid variant on every model in its line-up.

By 2025 the company aims to have sold one million electrified cars and it will launch five fully electric models between 2021 and 2025.

For New Zealand, this means additional mild hybrids and plug-in hybrids with the make’s latest efficiency-oriented battery-supported petrol engines are to roll in. Some would already be here, had not it been for delays in stock delivery caused by Covid-19.

Anyway, as Volvo NZ increases this battery push, it will also decrease its count of vehicles that are wholly fossil fuel-reliant; the ultimate aim being to expunge these entirely in favour of powertrains that will feature some form of electrification.

First to depart will be diesel models; all going to plan, says Volvo New Zealand boss Coby Duggan, combustion ignition powertrains will be removed from all Volvo models offered in NZ from as early as mid-2021, replaced by MY2022 mild hybrid petrols.

 It’s a determination the brand acknowledges carries some risk locally, because diesel has been a popular choice, not least in its largest sports utility, the XC90.

In 2020, half of all examples of this seven-seater sold were with diesel. That powertrain choice also offers in the next-size down XC60 and the V90 Crosscountry wagon. Diesel has never offered in the XC40.

However, the XC90 is by far the strongest diesel performer. Volvo NZ is confident it can achieve consumer swing away from the black stuff, however, and has already started this hearts and minds campaign by introducing an XC90 petrol in the same spec, and for the same money, as the XC90 diesel that has been doing well.

“Once we can offer MY2022 mild hybrid XC60 and XC90 (we will no longer offer any diesel in the range. That’s quite a significant shift for us. 

“I’m relaxed about phasing it out in XC60 product as it is has not accounted for much there but it’s different with XC90, as it has generated quite a lot of volume. This year, it has given us, in round terms, around 50 percent of XC90 volume.”

He wonders if a lot of that interest comes down diesel being at an entry level price point. The new petrol tests this.

“What we’ve started doing now is to introduce a T6 petrol at the same price point, and thus create a petrol entry point we have not had before. It’s a way for use to test whether the loyalty to diesel has been about torque, and economy and towing and all the things Kiwis say they love about diesels or whether the price point is also a key contributor.”

Volvo’s ultimate plan, at least until it can create more fully electric models, is to increasingly proliferate the hybrid powertrains it has in readiness that supersede those it has offered in the past.

The mild-hybrid technology pairs a turbocharged petrol engine to a 48-volt battery and an integrated starter-generator (ISG) unit – a compact electric motor replacing a car's traditional starter motor and alternator – to both sharpen engine response at low speeds thanks to a boost from the electrical system, while also, crucially, improving fuel economy. 

Volvo has struggled to build enough mild hybrid, PHEV and full electric cars in 2020

The battery is then recharged through regenerative braking, which recuperates energy 'lost' under deceleration, and not requiring the system to be externally recharged via a plug. 

The ISG also allows for quicker activation of the start-stop system when taking off from a standstill.

Above that option will be a range of improved plug-in hybrid (PHEV) powertrains – also badged under the Recharge sub-brand that identifies full electrics – which pair a turbo petrol engine with a larger lithium-ion battery pack and a more powerful electric motor, enabling them to drive on electric power alone for distances up to 50km.

Volvo already offers a plug-in hybrid option on the S60 and V60, plus the XC90 Recharge, but additional PHEV options at different price points and performance levels are anticipated for introduction, the next arriving being a PHEV XC40. Whereas the other PHEV cars have a T8 designation, this one will be a T5.

“The XC40 plug-in will be here in the first half of the year, with a 1.5-litre three-cylinder engine with an electric motor, and that will complete the plug-in hybrid lineup.

“The mild hybrid lineup will start to come in the second part of the year, as Model Year 2022 cars, with the 48 volt system. This will be in the 60s and 90s models but not in the 40s until the following model year.”

“The tricky thing for us has been around timing,” Duggan says. “It has taken longer than I personally expected for this technology to get to this part of the world.”

Is this entirely due to Covid-19? There’s no doubt coronavirus has hurt the entire car industry and Volvo hasn’t been immune by any means in 2020.

Says Duggan: “Supply and meeting demand has been incredibly difficult for everyone in every industry, but the plug-in product has been the most difficult for us to lay hands on and it’s likely that will continue into 2021.”

 What also hurts NZ is its size and geographic location – we’re very much at the far end of the supply chain – our modest volume requirement and that other markets in which emissions regulations are more rigorously enforced, and where penalties and rewards apply, have been given higher priority.

“We’re hoping that as production capacity ramps up again we can secure as many (vehicles) as we need … at the moment the only thing that will hold us back in respect to plug-in volumes in particular is ability to supply; the demand is there.”

Volvo Sweden’s electric motivation has also been reinforced by the factory announcing that it will invest around $NZ110 million to set up its own in-house manufacturing of motors for electric cars. 

This programme will see it equip its existing powertrain plant in Skovde, Sweden, to assemble and eventually manufacture e-motors before the middle of the decade.

While other car companies rely on outsourcing parts for electric powertrains, Volvo will follow in the footsteps of Tesla by bringing at least some of these operations in-house.

The new chapter of change for Volvo here also affects its management. Duggan is leaving the brand on January 15, to start a new role with Toyota New Zealand that’ll keep him in Auckland; a return to a familiar territory as he has held a previous role with Lexus. His replacement is Ben Montgomery, who has been with Volvo briefly previously and has subsequently held roles with Renault, Jaguar and Land Rover.

Yaris subject to two recalls

Seatbelt issue, hybrid drivetrain fault affects hundreds of cars.

TWO unrelated recalls within a week have befallen a recently-released Toyota model that was in the running for the country’s top motoring award. 

Subject to the actions is the latest Yaris, in a hatchback form that was under consideration for New Zealand Car of the Year 2020, an award that subsequently went to the Mercedes EQC, and an elevated crossover version, called Yaris Cross, that has just followed it into the showroom. 

A recall notified today requires replacement of rear centre seatbelts in 392 examples of the Yaris Cross.

This follows an action notified two days ago that dedicates to the Yaris hatch and Yaris Cross with a mild hybrid drivetrain and centres on a transmission issue that might cause affected cars to stop suddenly. 

The latter action involves some 513 cars. 

Both faults require dealership repair but the latter is particularly time consuming.

The brand has identified that the remedy requires a repair estimated to take nine hours’ workshop time, because it entails removing the engine in order to reach the affected component, an input damper within the transmission.

The fault raises as a potential for abnormal slippage of the transaxle damper when the driver accelerates rapidly. If this occurs, the vehicle’s warning lights will turn on and there is potential for the hybrid system to enter a ‘fail safe’ mode, Toyota says, that curtails the electric involvement.  

The affected models were manufactured from October 2019 to September 2020. A remedy has been implemented on models manufactured since.

Electric Toyota, Lexus just a year away?

A line drawing and a shadowy image are the latest elements of an information rollout about the new platform-sharing products.

The Toyota BZ series (above) and the as yet unnamed Lexus base off a common platform.

TOYOTA and upmarket spin-off, Lexus, have released additional clues about their first bespoke electric cars, developed off a common platform for potential release next year. 

The brands have each released shadowy images giving a hint of how the Toyota BZ - for ‘beyond zero’ – series and the as-yet-unnamed Lexus will look on release, with industry experts immediately seeing some styling connection between the latter and the LF-30, a concept Lexus displayed at the 2019 Tokyo motor show.

Toyota’s been slow to join the electric car field and for a long time was historically disparaging of the technology, saying it was an unnecessary stop on the journey between the mild-hybrid (so, non-mains replenishable) tech that kicked off with the first Pruis and now proliferates its family and is Kiwi-favoured, to the ultimate future of hydrogen fuel cell motivation.

However, that sentiment ceased when new boss Akio Toyoda took the reins; these brands now have more plug-in hybrid cars – which do rate as EVs – and also have developed the NX300e, a fully battery-reliant version of the smallest Lexus crossover, coming on sale in New Zealand next year. 

The latest announcement from Toyota overnight represents further confirmation of a bigger investment into battery driving.

 Even though the platform they build upon appears related to the new TNGA underpinning now used by many popular Toyotas, these are not conversions of existing products but new cars designed from the get-go to only be compelled by batteries. In short, they’re bespoke. 

Overseas’ reports suggest the BZ series and Lexus are timed to make their public emergences at a common time, but no-one yet quite knows when that will be.

However, 2021 is looking good. Toyota says that it will announce final details on the BZ “in the coming months” and that the model “has already been developed and is being readied for production”. 

Toyota New Zealand’s boss Neeraj Lala, in an interview in June on his first day as chief executive, promised “we’ll have an EV here within the next 18 to 24 months. Just in time for demand.”  

He would not be drawn into saying which badge that tech would sit behind. In hindsight, it’d surely have to be both. 

the LF-30 concept was revealed last year.

A strong styling feature of the Lexus concept is an aggressive bonnet lip over what seems to be a typically complex ‘spindle’ front grille. 

The BZ, meantime, is are expected to roughly the same size as the RAV4 SUV - although the wheelbase is almost certainly likely to be longer than that of the conventionally-powered vehicle, and the front and rear overhangs should be shorter. 

There’s another string to the BZ bow in that it is likely to also be the basis for an electric Subaru; the brands are, of course, partners already with the current and new 86/BRZ – only the latter coming to NZ, next year, as the GR86 (because it’ll be part of the Gazoo Racing tribe).

Onlookers say panel creases highlighted in the BZ sketch make it clear that it and Subaru’s effort, which has been spoken of in the past, are going to share more than their underpinnings.

Says Britain’s AutoExpress: “The lines should translate into a distinctive-looking model with an image unlike anything else in the Toyota range - much as the Prius hybrids have their own identity.”

Toyota calls its new EV platform e-TNGA, and says it is designed to support a wide range of vehicles, since only a few areas of the architecture - notably the space between the front axle and the base of the windscreen - are fixed.

Toyota claims this allows difference widths, lengths, wheelbases and heights - and also says e-TNGA can be fitted with front-, rear- or four-wheel drive, and a range of battery and electric motor capacities. Some of the trademarks registered by Toyota - including BZ4X and BZ5X - would sit easily on a four-wheel-drive vehicle.

Lexus is reportedly hoping that its defined styling and a sophisticated new four-wheel drive system, called DIRECT4, will lend enough distinction between its model and the Toyotas.

The new Lexus set-up uses a motor on each axle and features sophisticated computer hardware and software that can split power and torque depending on the dynamic experience required.

As all this unfolds, Toyota has also stated intention to build another conventional – so petrol and petrol hybrid – SUV to slot between the C-HR and the RAV4.

toyota has displayed various electric car design studies over recent years, including this one from 2018.

Toyota NZ urges Government to rev up climate stance

Country’s top car seller says a feebate a must to get wheels moving

Neeraj Lala.

NEW Zealand risks becoming the “Cuba of the South Pacific”, a dumping ground of Europe’s dirty diesels and high carbon-emitting petrol-fuelled cars.

That’s the view of Toyota New Zealand’s chief executive officer, Neeraj Lal, reacting to recent occurrences of political shift toward encouraging a shift from fossil fuels and toward more environmental motoring solutions, including battery-motivated products.

His comments come in the wake of two big headline actions: The move by the United Kingdom to ban sale of new fossil-fuelled cars after 2030 and our own Government’s determination this week to formally joined 32 other countries around the world in declaring a state of climate emergency for New Zealand. 

The NZ initiative brings with it a revitalised focus on electrifying its public service vehicle fleet, thorough prioritising fully electric and hybrid cars, and plans to become carbon neutral by 2025. 

That’s conceivably a switch Toyota NZ cannot leverage to advantage as much as some other brands as even though Toyota hybrid cars are highly favoured by private and fleet buyers, they are not considered electric models, because they lack facility to recharge off the mains.

The Government’s climate response decision has been welcomed by not-for-profit pressure group Drive Electric, though this organisation - which involves 17 new car brands, including TNZ - says the move still doesn’t go far enough.

Mr Lala says the UK’s move is both an encouragement to New Zealand policy-makers and a danger sign that this country could be flooded with used internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles at the end of this decade.
 
New Zealand needs to work urgently on the right policy settings that encourage much higher take up of electrified vehicles through meaningful financial incentives, he said today. 

“We also need to make sure that we do not end up importing vast numbers of ICE passenger vehicles. Otherwise there is no hope of meeting the Paris Agreement’s 2050 net-zero carbon target.”

A push by new vehicle distributors, via their representative body, the Motor Industry Association, to introduce the ‘feebate’ that incentivises purchase of low and no-emissions cars has TNZ’s support. Mr Lala said the scheme, proposed in the last Parliamentary term by kyboshed by the Government’s then-partner, NZ First, has much merit.

The core element of the scheme is that it incentivises private and fleet buyers of low-emitting vehicles by adding a levy to high-emitting vehicles and using that revenue to reduce the price of low-emitting vehicles costing less than $80,000.

Mr Lala also reminds that the era of Covid-19 has affected car makers ability to produce and ship vehicles.

“As the worldwide supply of hybrid and battery electric vehicles becomes stretched due to global demand, New Zealand will find it harder and harder to access stock without a financial incentive.

“Essentially, we need to get our hybrid and EV numbers up to get higher stock allocations.  

“The feebate scheme should be back on the table, urgently. Toyota New Zealand has opened a dialogue with the Minister of Transport, Michael Wood, and will continue to advocate for financial incentives for electrified vehicles.”

TNZ is easily the biggest seller of mild hybrid vehicles in this country – and is now seeing hybrid editions of popular models outselling their fully fossil-fuelled equivalents. However none will conceivably be considered when Government weans off fossil-fuelled cars in public service use and into electric models, as proposed.

the rav4 hybrid has become massively popular and outsells the fully fossil-fuel alternates.

The market leader has just one plug-in hybrid car, a version of the Prius, but will add another, in the form of a PHEV edition of its most model of the moment, the RAV4. It has plans to deliver an electric car in 2021.

Mr Lala has applauded Government for confronting environmental issues, but says it needs to put financial resources behind its policy.

“Companies such as Toyota (NZ) would be willing to supply the public sector with low-emitting vehicles, but not at cost – it needs to be a win-win for both parties.
 
“With transport emissions accounting for nearly 20 percent of all carbon output, we have a large influence on how New Zealand will progress to a zero-carbon economy. The transition to a low emissions transport market comes with a price tag, but the cost of not enabling a greater uptake of low emissions vehicle could cost Aotearoa/New Zealand and the planet a lot more.”
 

Thanks but no thanks for the hybrid

OPINION: These vehicles are helping clean up New Zealand’s emissions act – but bureaucracy won’t recognise them. Why?

Toyota has led the way with hybrid systems … and has reaped reward as result.

PITY the poor petrol-electric hybrid. You know – the vehicle that is electrified but doesn’t need to be plugged-in to be charged. Yeah that’s the one – the vehicle that’s currently selling like the proverbial hot cakes in New Zealand.

So why pity the hybrid? Its because as a vehicle type, it’s stuck in a sort of environmental no-man’s land.

On one hand, the Government refuses to recognise them. Its Ministry of Transport says hybrids cannot be considered electric vehicles because their batteries cannot be charged from an external electric source. So hybrids are not included in Government statistics on the size of this country’s EV fleet.

But on the other hand, the motor industry does recognise them. The Motor Industry Association says the Government view is too narrow and ignores technologies which are achieving fuel consumption the equivalent or better than plug-in hybrids.

That includes hydrogen by the way, because vehicles carrying that new technology can’t be plugged-in either, despite the fact the so-called ‘green’ hydrogen is 100 per cent emissions-free.

But through all of this, the hybrid itself probably doesn’t care. That’s because it is selling in far greater numbers than EVs. Last month, for example, 1045 hybrids were registered new in New Zealand.

As an aside, within that statistic there’s another statistic that dramatically underlines the current popularity of hybrids. Of those 1045 registrations, 641 of them were Toyota RAV4 hybrids – which represented 80.5 per cent of all RAV4s registered last month.

RAV4 hybrid has become a strong seller in 2020.

The overall story of Toyota hybrids is impressive. In 2017 the brand sold 1337 of them, this increased to 5159 last year, and to July this year there have been 3627 sold. And the hybrid sales growth will surely continue next year following the recent launch of the new Yaris hybrid, and scheduled future launches of hybrid versions of the Highlander SUV and possibly even Hilux ute.

Not only that, but we’ve also now got Suzuki in the game with the new Swift hybrid, and Subaru with the e-Boxer models.    

Meanwhile, while hybrid sales are going great guns, EV sales aren’t. Last month a measly 90 EV and 69 PHEV vehicle were registered new, and 317 registered used. All this goes to show that despite the Government’s push to encourage kiwi motorists to buy EVs, the change isn’t happening anywhere near as quickly as anticipated.

Back in 2016 the Government introduced its Electric Vehicles Programme, which among other things exempted owners of EVs from paying Road User Charges until the end of 2021 or until EVs made up 2 per cent of the national vehicle fleet, whichever came first.

The aim was to have at least 64,000 EVs on our roads by the end of next year. It’s now obvious that’s not going to happen – as of July this year the national EV fleet size (both those purchased new and imported used from Japan) was 21,568 vehicles, which represented about 0.5 per cent of the total national light vehicle fleet which has just moved past 4 million.

Prius introduced New Zealand to petrol-electric drivetrains and thousands roam our roads. But consumer tastes have moved on.

It’s a pity, because it is a given that action must be taken to protect New Zealand’s climate by reducing greenhouse gas emissions. The light vehicles we drive are a vital part of this action, as transport accounts for nearly 20 per cent of all this country’s CO2 emissions – and light vehicles account for 70 per cent of that.

But the reality is that at this stage EVs are simply too expensive to buy, and range anxiety remains a big issue, particularly in regional New Zealand. And remember, while they are impressively inexpensive to run now, from December next year EVs will be hit with RUCs of $76 per 1000 km, which will add an average of close to $900 to their annual operating costs.

So what’s a motorist with an environmental conscience to do? The obvious economical answer is to buy hybrid until the market has finally reached the stage where full EVs are fully affordable, with better range on a single charge, and there is a comprehensive nation-wide charging network properly up and running.

That way, the motorists concerned can at least make some contribution to reducing the nation’s exhaust emissions. That’s because while hybrids still run on the dreaded fossil fuel (aka petrol), they are generally far more economical than standard petrol models – for example, whereas a 2.5-litre all-wheel drive petrol-engined RAV4 has average exhaust emissions of 156g/km, the hybrid version’s emissions are 112 g/km.

Adding to this scenario is the matter of what the Government – whichever one it is in the wake of the September election – is going to do next.

Subaru and Suzuki both joined the hybrid club this year. Will that effort pay off?

Last year the current Government proposed its Clean Car Initiative which contains some very good ideas. It envisages a Clean Car Standard (a fuel efficiency standard) and a Clean Car Discount (a feebate scheme that would apply a rebate or penalty depending on exhaust emissions), all to financially discourage motorists away from gas guzzlers and towards smaller, more fuel efficient cars – and in particular, EVs.

Trouble is, a few weeks ago Government coalition partner New Zealand First put a stop to that plan, and the Greens responded by promising they would make the feebate proposal an election issue. The re-emergence of Covid-19 has prevented this from happening yet, but it is most likely it will happen.

Meanwhile, we have the transport and environmental bureaucrats desperately hoping kiwi motorists will join the EV cause. Truth be told, many would love to – but a lack of financial incentive other than not having to pay RUCs for a further 16 months, presents as a major barrier to this happening.

Let’s hope then that the incoming Government is quick off the mark in introducing fresh incentive, preferably the proposed Clean Car Initiative. Meanwhile, there are tens of thousands of motorists throughout New Zealand who are doing their environmental bit by opting for vehicles with obvious clean credentials but which the bureaucrats won’t officially recognise: hybrids.

TNZ boasts market-beating emissions counts

The market leader and its luxury offshoot are cleaning up among car brands when it comes to CO2 emissions.

RAV4 hybrid has been a huge success for TNZ

COMBINED average fleet emissions from Toyota and Lexus product sold here are already below the national standing and should fall even more in coming months. 

This contention comes from the brands in a spruik relating how its hybrid models are achieving increasing popularity, in part driven by enhanced fleet interest.

Toyota and Lexus say their combined carbon dioxide emissions profile year to date stands at an average of 167.5 grams per kilometre. The industry average across all manufacturers is sitting at 175.9g/km year to date, the makes claim.

 Toyota New Zealand says introduction this month of the new Yaris in its hybrid state will further reduce Toyota’s fleet emissions profile. The car is claimed to deliver fuel efficiency of 3.3 litres per 100km and emissions of just 76g/km in optimal test conditions.

The Palmerston North-based market leader says it is selling, on average, 15 hybrid models a day.

It also states that it has gone from selling 1337 hybrids in 2017 to 5159 in 2019 and is on track to increase further in 2020, with 3627 petrol-electric cars sold by the end of July.

Neeraj Lala, chief executive officer for Toyota and Lexus here, says parent Toyota Motor Compnay in Japan is on a mission to reduce greenhouse gases.

Neeraj Lala is pleased with his brands’ increasing petrol-electric presence.

“It’s satisfying to report that the high number of hybrids sold is helping Toyota achieve two objectives – reducing our overall emissions as a brand and helping us support the New Zealand Government’s target to reduce gross carbon emissions by 30 percent by 2030.”

“CO2 reductions are a journey for Toyota and our customers,” he says. 

“This is why hybrids help us achieve reductions as we transition to alternatives when supply, infrastructure, and demand is ready.

“The customer transition has been more evident as the new generation of hybrid have the capability to outperform traditional petrol alternatives.” 

One particular hybrid hit has been the RAV4, with demand outstripping supply. Forty-nine percent of the 8313 examples sold since the model released in March 2019 have been with the hybrid drivetrain and interest has grown this year to the point where those types accounted for 81 percent of RAV sales in July. That translates to 2141 units.

TNZ cited an example of one customer, beverage supplier Frucor Suntory, being so convinced by hybrid technology it is transferring its entire Australasian fleet to the battery-electric RAVs.

The Griffin’s Food Company has also adopted a Toyota hybrid fleet for its vehicle eligible employees while Silver Fern Farms has a fleet of 39 Toyota RAV4 Hybrids. 

Lala says that while the extra technology required for a hybrid vehicle makes the car more expensive to build, but Toyota has intentionally kept the price differential between a petrol and hybrid versions of vehicles minimal.

“We deliberately keep the price difference down as we genuinely want people to access our fantastic hybrid options,” says Lala.

“We have seen through customer demand for hybrids that our pricing strategy has paid off.”

Yaris hybrid is expected to be influential for the remainder of the year.

Extra electric-involved product for TNZ

A plug-in version of the RAV4 and a fully electric car have been cited to join more mild hybrids heading into Toyota’s local showroom.

is one of these concepts shown last year destined to become toyota’s first electric car sold in new zealand?

FIVE more mild hybrids, a plug-in replenished battery-assisted model and a fully electric car are on Toyota’s national agenda, though sign-off for several – including the EV – has yet to be fully sorted. 

What’s being sought and when it might arrive, all going to plan, has been shared by Toyota New Zealand.

Aside from the Yaris Hybrid covered extensively this week, the roll-out starts with another hybrid CH-R, but in a sportier-looking format that leverages the GR (Gazoo Racing) pitch that TNZ continues to develop. It’ll be here before the end of the year.

Following, apparently in the first half of 2021, are two vital volume products. The heavily revised Camry and a new Highlander, are also primarily – if not wholly – running battery-fed petrol drivetrains next year. So, if you still prefer a petrol V6, act fast. That choice will not transfer to the new lines.

Also tied down for New Zealand introduction, but with time yet to be fully sorted, is a hybrid Hilux. Toyota New Zealand’s chief executive, Neeraj Lala, says he hopes to see it in the latter part of next year, but accepts release could yet spill into 2022.

So that’s five: What else is in the thought stream? Two potential big-hitters that draw off mains power.

There’s the RAV4 PHEV/Prime, which replenishes its plug-in petrol-electric drivetrain off the grid. After debuting in North America last year, it’s now being built in right-hand-drive in Japan, but only for sale there at this time.

the rav4 prime was introduced to North America last year but has now entered right hand drive production, but just for Japan. TNZ has pitched for it. The car’s drivetrain (below) delivers around 90kms’ pure electric operation. It’s also designed to give a performance edge.

In this variant the front motor and inverter achieve more powerful output than the RAV4 hybrid system, the maximum system output cited at 225kW, which Toyota says, facilitates a 0-100kmh time of six seconds and “sporty, powerful driving”. 

The make also claims a wholly electric driving range of 95 kilometres. That’s well above the cited range for Japan’s only logical competitor already sold here, the Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV. The EV range, and the car’s claimed total range of 1300km, is a calculation based on Japan domestic market processes.

Lala is keen to see it and says introduction as a domestic Japan model is a good thing.

“We’ve asked Toyota Motor Corporation if that car can be made available to New Zealand. We have not had confirmation yet but it is a car we would definitely like to have in our market. 

For 2021? He hopes so. One alternate option for TNZ is to introduce it as a brand-backed used import, via the Signature Class channel, but Lala’s preference would be to represent it as a brand-new product.

But that can take time. “Introducing a new car isn’t easy … there has to be a lot of testing and compliance to ensure it meets our conditions. But generally, if something has been available as Japanese domestic it has been pretty much a safe choice for NZ compliance so we’re hoping there won’t be too many hoops to jump through.”

And then the ultimate step …  a fully electric product. Which is what exactly; a completely new model or something based off an existing product?

No help here, from Lala. He’s sworn to absolute secrecy. “I cannot tell you anything about it.”

Highlander hybrid has already been confirmed for 2021 launch.So has Camry (below)

That doesn’t mean nothing is known. Toyota’s determination to branch away from being the global kingpin in hybrid drivetrains and start plugging into the zero emissions EV-sphere was announced 14 months ago, when it announced intention to create pure electrics not only for itself but also for other Japanese marques in which it has tech agreements.

Toyota then unveiled a new platform with enough flexibility to entertain what could be a very wide span of different kinds of vehicle – from small city cars to large sports utilities – using a "next step" solid state battery it also racing to get into production.

The starter project is an all-electric platform for midsize and large vehicles jointly developed with Subaru. Those brands are also working together to produce an electric crossover far more advanced than the mild hybrid Forester and XV recently launched here.

That vehicle, which will be sold separately under each brand, will debut in the early 2020s and, though the US is cited as a main target market, other countries where Subaru performs well (and that’s NZ) are expected to stand a chance.

Toyota is also working with Suzuki and Daihatsu to jointly develop a compact EV.

It revealed last year that its new platform would initially underpin six variations in all - a large SUV, a medium SUV, a medium crossover, a medium minivan, a medium sedan and the compact. Styling concepts of these proposals were presented at a forum on June 7.

TNZ’s intention to take an EV is an acknowledgement, after years of denial, that nothing less than a fully electric car with actual external recharging functionality has become a must-have in this market.

Even though it has long delivered battery-involved cars across the Toyota and Lexus line-ups that have a degree of regenerative capability, presently only one product in the showroom – Prius Prime PHEV – even counts as an EV.

That’s why Government departments and companies looking to include EVs in their fleets have had to bypass the Camry, Corolla, RAV4 and Prius mild (non mains-replenished) hybrids.

plug-in capability is a requirement to achieve electric vehicle status.

Toyota Motor Corporation has said its EV deployment plans will not slow down its hybrid imprint; hence why TNZ – which has 17 already, just two less than Lexus – is able and keen add more.

Yet Japan headquarters has also acknowledged a "sudden surge" of international EV popularisation – and the repercussion of increasingly stringent emissions requirements in China and Europe - has meant it has to reconsider its thinking, which until now has been that electrics are an unnecessary step between its petrol-electric hybrids and the hydrogen fuel cell vehicles it still sees as being the ultimate cars of the future.

Accordingly, it cites that of the 5.5 million battery-assisted vehicles it aims to build by 2025, almost one million might well be pure EVs.

TMC had intended to showcase unveil a solid-state battery for electrified vehicles ahead of the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo, which were to have begun this week but instead have been delayed until 2021, assuming the world is by then on top of the coronavirus crisis that has caused so much disruption since March.

Solid state technology promises lighter, more powerful and safer batteries and could well be a breakthrough in popularising EVs.

Toyota is still forging ahead with a plan to start making EVs in China, purely for sale in that country. The first was expected to be a variant of the CH-R.

The new dedicated EV platform it has developed with partners is dubbed e-TNGA, a play on the company's new-generation Toyota New Global Architecture modular platform used by Corolla, Camry, RAV4 and the latest Yaris, also about to come on sale here, including in a mild hybrid form.

Toyota’s decision to also give Hilux a hybrid drivetrain was announced some months ago. Lala ‘s enthusiasm for this product is very high; he sees a big potential. Some others in the sector are looking to going all-electric – just this week the New Zealand importer for the LDV brand reckoned it will have a purely battery-compelled edition of the current T60 ute here next year. Production is set to kick off in the second quarter, with NZ market arrivals stated to start in the third quarter. Detail about the potential range, outputs and price ate still under wraps. LDV already has an electric van in the market with another on the way.

It’s far from clear whether a Hilux hybrid will be petrol-electric or diesel-electric. The latter would be a first for Toyota, which favours petrol-electric hybrid technology over diesel in its passenger car line-up.

Red blood buys into Green St

Who’d have thought they’d ever see this powerplant behind a trident badge?

THINK Maserati and what type of engine do you imagine?

Traditionally, something thumping, multi-cylindered, in recent times, touched by Ferrari.

And now …?

A 2.0-litre turbo four-cylinder petrol engine, with 48-volt mild-hybrid assistance, placed in the Ghibli sedan to provide what Maserati claims is the performance of a V6 petrol with the economy of a V6 diesel.

Keen on this formula? It’s an unavoidable acknowledgement of the way the world is heading. Emissions, economy, European Union regs for both. Every brand must comply.

So, for Maserati, the double-header of not only its first hybrid but also it’s first ever four-cylinder try-out.

The whole shebang is at least being kept Italian. The engine is basically the same used by Alfa Romeo in the Stelvio sports utility and Giulia sedan, but has been given a small 'eBooster' electric motor, and a compact battery, that brings power up to 246kW and torque up to 450Nm.

The Ghibli Hybrid's top speed is 255kmh and it'll hit 100kmh in 5.7 seconds. 

Speaking of pace, how long before it hits New Zealand? Interestingly, that information has yet to be shared by the marque’s local market distributor, which operates from Australia. However, production for right hand drive will be under way from early next year, so …

As you might have gathered, this is the mildest form of hybrid system the Fiat-owned luxury sports brand could have conceivably chosen. So why not something a little more advanced or stronger?

Maserati is quite upfront about this. It says adding a full hybrid, or plug-in hybrid, would have made the car too heavy. As is, the Ghibli Hybrid weighes around 80kg less than an equivalent model running the diesel engine which has been at the forefront of the brand’s economy run previously but has now been retired.

 The brand reckons this new approach provisions the "perfect trade-off between performance, efficiency and driving pleasure." Fans will ultimately decide, of course, but at least it does hit the nail for economy, with a claimed 8.5 litres per 100km from the WLTP test.

Style-wise, you'll pick a Ghibli Hybrid from the little flashes of bright blue scattered around. It's on the brake calipers, in the little 'portholes' on the front wings, in the headrests, and in the seat stitching. The trident badge, mounted on the rear pillar, also gets a little blue flash below the fork. There are new tail-lights too, with a 'boomerang' profile said to be inspired by the 3200 GT model of the early 2000s.

To further enhance the appeal, the Ghibli Hybrid also gets to debut a new infotainment system, with a bigger 10.1-inch screen, and some software input from Google's Android Automotive software arm. It gets the new Maserati Connect online connectivity package, and the screen's menus and layout are fully customisable by the driver.

One of the big treats of an encounter with a petrol Maserati is sensory - the exhaust note is awesome. How doe the four-cylinder match up? Well, they’ve done some work there, as well. It won’t roar and burble like a V8, but does get a specially designed exhaust system to try and capture as much as possible of the traditional Maserati aural experience, the brand says.

Hybrid Swift nabs Yaris pitch

And the cheapest new hybrid in the country is ….?

TWO small cars popular with Kiwis seem set to go head-to-head in the hybrid sector.

 The baby bash is between market-fresh versions of the Suzuki Swift and Toyota Yaris, the first in updated form and the second as a brand-new car, and effectively pitches the country’s smallest distributor of mainstream Japanese product against the largest.

 It’s a stoush between neighbours, too, as Suzuki New Zealand bases in Whanganui, just 73km and a 57-minute drive from Toyota New Zealand’s headquarters in Palmerston North.

 Suzuki’s announcement today that it intends to add a petrol-electric version of the Swift, in two levels of trim, is not in itself a shock – the distributor has been trying to achieve this edition since it went into production four years ago.

 It knows there is plenty of demand here as hundreds have already been sold here. However, those cars were not represented by the brand; they’re Japanese domestic market fare brought in as used imports. Suzuki NZ’s attempt to convince the factory in Japan to facilitate the model as an export product has always been unsuccessful – until now, of course.

Now that it can be delivered as a brand-new car, Suzuki NZ is wasting no time to achieve maximum potential, by presenting the car as the country’s ‘most affordable’ (meaning cheapest) battery-assisted brand-new choice.

It’s a claim that stands scrutiny yet will cause Toyota marketing execs’ ears to burn nonetheless: They would have confidently expected to reserve the same claim for the Yaris, releasing on August 1. 

However, Suzuki has it gazumped.

The Swift places at $26,500 for the base GLX version and $28,500 for the LTD, whereas Toyota intends the Yaris to achieve a $27,990 buy-in in its entry format and $33,490 in a plusher ZR trim. 

There are still some face-savings for the market leader.

Toyota will still be able to assert its car is the more frugal, at least in factory testing – which often provisions figures that are challenging to achieve in real life.

Suzuki today said the new Swift derivative will achieve 4.1 litres per 100km, a 15 percent improvement over the conventionally-powered edition.  That makes it the most economical Swift model sold here.

Yet it’s still not in the same league as the Yaris, which Toyota asserts has potential for 3.3 litres per 100km optimal – an outcome that presents 0.6L/km and 0.1L/100km improvements over its previous hybrid heroes, the Prius C and the larger Prius hatch. It also presents a 1.6L/100km advantage over the best a pure petrol new-gen Yaris will achieve.

The Toyota also has a performance edge – the Yaris hybrid packs 67kW of power and 120Nm torque against the Swift’s 61kW/107Nm – produces lower emissions, has a slightly more powerful lithium ion battery, have a stronger specification and its hybrids carry a lower premium over the equivalent standard versions. 

In general terms, both operate in the same manner, with a parallel (aka mild hybrid) set-up that favours the electric motor for start offs and very low speed driving, but never driving wholly on battery impetus for a sustained duration as a full electric car does. 

The Suzuki combines a belt-driven integrated starter generator (ISG) and the 10Ah lithium-ion battery with the ISG acting as both a generator and starter motor. It recharges the battery with electricity generated by deceleration, stops unnecessary power generation during cruising and reduces engine load during fuel-consuming standing starts and acceleration by providing motor assist. 

During acceleration the ISG uses stored power to drive the motor and further improves fuel efficiency.  The long-life lithium-ion battery stores electrical energy recovered from deceleration and braking while the integrated starter generator operates the idle stop/stop function. 

The hybrid’s engine has a high compression ratio (13.0 to 1) that asks for 95RON octane petrol or greater.

Suzuki locates the hybrid battery and its control unit under the front passenger’s seat, for better weight distribution. Besides assisting the engine, the battery powers various electric parts, including engine electronics, the speedometer, air conditioning, audio and Bluetooth and smartphone connectivity.

Specific instrument cluster displays allow drivers to observe the changes between electric assistance and petrol operation. These also show the amount of fuel saved, how much idle stop time has amassed, instant and average fuel consumption.

The Swift Hybrid has a bespoke grille pattern to signal its status. Adaptive cruise control, LED projector and auto levelling headlamps, advanced forward detection system, front fog lamps, reverse camera, speed limiter, hill hold control, brake override system, heated mirrors and tyre pressure monitoring are standard and both model grades run on 16-inch wheels.

Whereas the GLX is equipped with Radar Brake Support, the LTD grade adds lane departure warning and prevention, door mirror blind spot monitor indicator, Dual-Sensor Brake Support, rear parking sensors and rear cross traffic alert.

Suzuki expects half of all Swift Hybrid sales will be to fleet and business customers. It also considers it likely that 24 percent of all new Swift sales are likely to be Hybrid models.

 The Hybrids are additional to the full range of Swift variants although the 1.2 GLX petrol model is being phased out.

Prius no hit but still a stayer

Latest sales returns remind Kiwi love for hybrids is cemented .. except when it comes to the car that introduced the world to this tech. The Prius’s battery charge is all but depleted.

No question about the rav4 hybrid … Toyota’s most popular model in may, when the market was down overall, is still subject to a waiting list.

IS time just about up for the Toyota Prius?

Actually, it’s a not a new question. This poser has been relevant since at least 2015.

That’s really the first year when it became obvious that the hatchback that 25 years ago introduced motorists to the bright new world of electrified motoring was not doing at all well, at least in New Zealand-new form.

Which might seem crazy because, of course, as much as Prius appreciation has been falling away, our hybrid penetration has been ramping up, and quite considerably. And when it comes to favourite battery-assisted products, they’re all from the same brand: Toyota.

So, really, as much as the Prius has been on losing streak, the fact is that Toyota New Zealand has been winning. Really, then, the original hybrid car from Japan’s No.1 looks to be a victim of its own success. It has simply spawned development  of so many other Toyota hybrids at its own expense..

New Zealand new vehicle registration figures for May show that just two Prius and 10 of the smaller Prius Cs were sold during the month, way down on sales achieved by other Toyota hybrids – 413 RAV4s, 127 Corollas, 85 C-HRs, and 20 Camrys.

And year-to-date hybrid registration figures make just as depressing reading for the model. They show just 96 Prius and Prius C have been sold so far in 2020. Compare that to 1239 RAV4s, 431 Corollas, 246 C-HRs and 152 Camrys. Not only that, but various ‘H’ versions offered by Toyota’s luxury cousin Lexus have achieve a combined total of 187 registrations so far this year.

current prius has struggled since launch in 2016 and its predecessor was a falling star, too.

How does that compare to back in 2015 and prior? Well, it was a slightly different structure then, when Prius was a bigger family, including the V people carrier then. By chance, MotoringNZ owner Richard Bosselman happened to have written  ‘a what chance for Prius?’ story back in 2016, in which the data was presented.

According to the NZTA information cache from that period, in 2015 the C achieved 367 sales – whereas Prius hatch took just 30 (and the V 11). The preceding year was stronger for the hatch, with 121 units (against 287 C and 3 V), 549 in 2013 (no count for C, 55 for V) and 473 in 2012, a period when only the hatch was available. The was all collated because Toyota at that time was about to launch not only the fourth generation (aka ‘4G’) hatch we have now but also a car that seemed to do all Prius could, but in more acceptable form: Corolla hybrid. And, yet, five years on, the Corolla and Prius co-exist still. Who’d have picked that scenario?

Given all latest statistics continue to add up to a sad time for the iconic Prius, which earlier in its career was so new-age that it was the green vehicle of choice for everyone from Hollywood movie stars to politicians., the question obviously still seems reasonable. But TNZ is steadfastly true.

The hatch’s story began back in the early 1990s when Toyota Motor Corporation decided to attempt to develop a car that would have up to twice the fuel economy of its big-selling Corolla. The project culminated in the the brand’s first petrol-electric hybrid, a prototype Prius unveiled at the 1995 Tokyo Motor Show – the name, appropriately, a Latin word for “first” or “to go before”.

The model sure was a first.  With its Hybrid Synergy Drive system and battery pack that combined forces with a conventional petrol engine to achieve vastly improved fuel economy, it opened the way for electrified motoring well before fully electric motoring could begin to become economically possible.

The first-generation Prius, a four-door sedan, was launched in Japan in 1997. Toyota New Zealand introduced the second-generation model, a slightly geeky-looking five-door hatch, in 2003. Since then close to 6000 of them have been sold new here, their owners appreciating the superior fuel economy and reduced exhaust emissions that come from combining the self-charging electric motor and petrol engine.

arrival of Corolla in hybrid format could have been the end of Prius … but it wasn’t.

But now it seems the Prius’ job is done, leaving it up to more conventional-looking Toyota models to further the career of the hybrid passenger vehicle.

Those models – RAV4, Corolla, C-HR and Camry – are doing very well, too. Last month the hybrids accounted for 77.4 percent of all RAV4 sales, 68.6 percent of Corolla, 70.2 percent of C-HR and a remarkable 90.2 percent of all Camry sales.

The overall Toyota performance led the way in a stellar month for hybrids,  which saw them jump from around 4.3 percent of all new vehicle registrations in the opening four months of the year, to 13.3 percent in May. Compare that with the penetration achieved by electric vehicles – the models that mains-replenish – which was 0.94 percent for plug-in hybrids and 1.07 percent for full electrics.

While other hybrid product such as the Kia Niro and Hyundai Ioniq, have contributed to all of this, by far the biggest contribution has been from the Toyotas. 

But obviously the Prius, the model that started it all for hybrids, hasn’t figured much at all in this success. So what does this mean for the future of the car? Will it be retired?

Internationally, one opinion among the international media is that the Prius name is too iconic to be completely retired, so it may be saved by TMC for use on a future battery electric vehicle.

TNZ chief operating officer Neeraj Lala says he hasn’t heard any official word relating to the future of Prius.  That doesn’t worry him; he’s happy to see the model continue to remain on sale in New Zealand for those who want it – and he reminds that it is very popular as a taxi.

“More to the point is that Prius is the Toyota model that introduced hybrid motoring to New Zealand, and in that regard it has been a success,” he says.

“Look where Toyota is now. We have hybrid versions of almost all our passenger vehicles, and we will soon be adding to that – hybrid versions of the new Yaris and Yaris Cross, the Highlander larger SUV, and in around 18 months we’ll also get a hybrid version of the Hilux ute.”

CH-R in hybrid form would seem to provision a better kind of Prius … that it is also tracking strongly suggests the market recognises this.

TNZ confirms Highlander in hybrid only

The V6 has served its purpose, but from now on petrol-electric efficiency makes more sense, distributor says.

EVERYTHING hinges on hybrid – that’s from Toyota New Zealand, in confirming today that the just-revealed next-generation Highlander will divest its V6 here and devote to petrol-electric purity.

Total commitment from TNZ to a new-to-type drivetrain that bumps a petrol V6 that continues in other markets and has been a mainstay here in the current and previous models is a safe call at the right time, local chief operating officer Neeraj Lala says. 

Pointing out that hybrids now account for one in three sales of new Toyota cars here, he said: “The introduction of another hybrid to our line-up further complements our focus on moving towards a low emission economy, while delivering our customers with a fuel-efficient large SUV.”

And that’s the whole point of the exercise. While the V6 models have been popular for their impressive power output, the engine has been increasingly tested to come up to speed in respect to economy.

That the current car has maintained healthy volume here has been increasingly due to its popularity as a rental car – where the seven-seat configuration lends favourability.

At same token, it has slipped in status with private buyers, to the point where Toyota and its fleet customers have found moving ex-rental stock into the used car forum a challenging exercise. All the more so, perhaps, now that the coronavirus crisis has destroyed tourism and thus forced operators into selling off stock.

“Toyota has now sold more than 15 million hybrid vehicles globally, including in excess of 17,000 in New Zealand,” Lala said.

"The all-new hybrid Highlander is the beneficiary of Toyota's global hybrid leadership, extensive experience in SUVs, and unrivalled reputation for quality, durability and reliability,"

On arrival in early 2021 the model will achieve immediate status as the first seven-seater hybrid SUV has had here with a Toyota badge – a distinction that separates it from the brand’s Lexus RX, which added a third row two years ago.
Married to a 2.5-litre petrol engine, it is of course a mild system – plug-in recharging has yet to enter the Toyota lexicon – and the cited total hybrid system power output is expected to be 179kW (whereas the new V6 has 218kW).  

The hybrid drivetrain marries to an intelligent AWD system that incorporates front and rear electric motors. The hybrid battery is located under the second-row seats.

The fourth-generation Highlander sits on the Toyota New Global Architecture GA-K platform, providing multiple benefits for dynamics, safety and styling, Lala says.

“The new Highlander is brand new from the ground up; a new platform for improved stability and handling, a new engine with class leading efficiency, new levels of safety and with a dynamic styling package.”

He says it will appeal as being “a significant improvement on the outgoing model, with improved efficiency and flexibility for families.”
Toyota says this has enabled engineers to develop a lightweight and highly rigid bodyshell with a low centre of gravity - features that provide the new SUV with nimble handling and comfortable driving around town and on the highway.

The new generation has advanced Toyota Safety Sense active safety technologies designed to help prevent or mitigate collisions across a wide range of traffic situations.

The new platform has also allowed designers to craft a longer, more distinctive body that delivers a more flexible interior with expanded cargo space and a more tailored ambience.

Toyota has sold more than 15 million hybrid vehicles globally.

Hybrid XV, Forester running lean

Those long-promised thrift-minded hybrid Subarus are finally here …just not in strength.

CONFIRMATION that the first Subaru cars with a hybrid drivetrain have finally arrived has come with caveat of limited supply.

The national allocation of e-Boxer versions of the XV small crossover and Forester medium sports utility editions is a trickle; just 10-20 units a month.

 Also confirmed is pricing, with the XV Sport at $42,490 and Forester Sport and Premium respectively at $47,490 and $54,990 – all therefore $5000 more expensive than respective existing petrol versions in equivalent specification and trim.

As per non-hybrid editions, the new models are all-wheel-drive and have a continuously variable automatic transmission. 

The limited availability excludes demonstrators, with dealerships from June 1. IT’s highly probable those cars might be sought by customers, as first stock for general sale won’t come until September at the earliest.

Subaru Japan’s inability to supply the models to this market until now has been a massive issue for the national distributor.

The addition of an electric motor and lithium-ion battery to abet the car’s classic Subaru 2.0-litre petrol engine was seen by Subaru New Zealand as the perfect tool to ease lingering consumer perception that the marque’s trademark horizontally-opposed engines fall short as economy or emissions champs.

 Subaru NZ began spruiking the technology three years ago and initially thought it would have it in early 2019. It then reset that timeframe, with thought NZ might piggyback on the introduction to Australia, which occurred last December.

The reduced count might not be a factory inability to provision more.

It could also be that, with the car market expected to be down by around 40 percent year-on-year as result of the initial and ongoing impact of the coronavirus, Subaru NZ has chosen to keep the national allocation under closer control.

Certainly, it has broken from convention in deciding that it will take direct control of e-Boxer allocation. General inquiries and sales arrangements are directed through a bespoke website, www.subaru.co.nz/eboxer, and customer-bound cars will apparently allocate from its Auckland head office.

Even so, it definitely wants to stir up interest. It has also come up with a finance deal that secures the models for $99 per week (over an unspecified period) through Subaru’s Accelerator Programme via Heartland Bank. Additional information will be available about this offer and will be emailed to those that have registered to find out more on June 1. 

The models use the same e-Boxer powertrain, a 2.0-litre horizontally opposed four-cylinder engine developing 110kW at 6000rpm and 196Nm at 4000rpm (5kW shy of its petrol counterpart in the XV) mated to a synchronous electric motor good for 12kW/66Nm.

Subaru has cited that the XV Hybrid has potential to deliver a 14 percent improvement in fuel efficiency over the equivalent petrol model on the urban cycle and a seven percent improvement on the combined cycle. The Forester Hybrid will offer improvements of 19 and nine percent respectively compared to 2.5-litre petrol variants. 

The hybrid tech comes from Toyota, which has shareholding in Subaru and is a technology partner in Fuji’s electric drive programme that positions the hybrids as a stepping stone to plug-in electric fare.

Only with PHEV – or full electric – can Subaru achieve status as an electric car maker. The hybrids don’t qualify for that status. As in Toyota hybrids, the aim isn’t about allow any particular electric-only urge.

While three driving modes are available - Motor Assist EV, Motor Assist electric plus petrol engine and petrol engine only – and the system has capability of swapping between configurations depending on driving conditions, it will only enable pure electric at under 40kmh and range is limited to several kilometres. 

Subaru NZ managing director Wallis Dumper has enforced that the derivatives have the same DNA as all the NZ-new Subarus launched before them - with no compromise in their performance or their capability.

“Forester and XV have both been huge successes in our range and we know there is pent-up demand for hybrid variants among our Subaru owners, who are some of the most loyal customers in the industry.

“We are not letting COVID-19 get in the way of letting them access these new models - we just need to do things differently.”

“We believe the e-Boxer Hybrids are worth the wait as they are perfect for New Zealand. Sure, global demand and production constraints have tested our patience, however it’s more relevant than ever to have a hybrid in our model line-up.”

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New Highlander hybrid revealed

Here’s the new Toyota Highlander – but you won’t see it in the metal for a little while yet.

DETAILS about the hybrid system set to drive the next-generation Highlander have been revealed.

In giving insight into the new-to-type drivetrain that Toyota New Zealand has previously affirmed will be a sole choice, thus bumping a petrol V6 that continues in other markets, the brand has also provisioned a first look at the new styling.

The Palmerston North-based brand has yet to offer any comment on the car and its timing. Toyota Australia, whose launch timings general chime with ours, has said it is set to land in the first half of 2021.

This will be the first time a hybrid powertrain has been offered on new Highlander here. Married to a 2.5-litre petrol engine, it is of course a mild system – plug-in recharging has yet to enter the Toyota lexicon – and the cited total hybrid system power output is expected to be 179kW (whereas the new V6 has 218kW). 

Toyota also cites “excellent fuel economy and low emissions” without being too specific. The hybrid battery is located under the second-row seats.

The hybrid drivetrain marries to an intelligent AWD system that incorporates front and rear electric motors.

The fourth-generation Highlander sits on the Toyota New Global Architecture GA-K platform, providing multiple benefits for dynamics, safety and styling.

Toyota says this has enabled engineers to develop a lightweight and highly rigid bodyshell with a low centre of gravity - features that provide the new SUV with nimble handling and comfortable driving around town and on the highway.

The new generation has advanced Toyota Safety Sense active safety technologies designed to help prevent or mitigate collisions across a wide range of traffic situations.

The new platform has also allowed designers to craft a longer, more distinctive body that delivers a more flexible interior with expanded cargo space and a more tailored ambience.

Toyota has sold more than 15 million hybrid vehicles globally.