Toyota on Monday teased a plug-in hybrid version of its C-HR subcompact crossover and confirmed more all-electric bZ models for Europe.
The Toyota C-HR Prologue Concept shown Monday previews a next-generation model scheduled to debut in the near future. Toyota said in a press release that this new model is engineered to support a plug-in hybrid powertrain, in addition to the hybrid powertrain already available on the current model in some markets.
The concept is a product of Toyota’s European design studio located in the south of France, which also designed the current C-HR. Batteries for the production C-HR plug-in hybrid will originate in Europe as well, for models sold in that market, at least. Toyota hasn’t said whether the C-HR plug-in hybrid will be sold in the U.S.
Toyota C-HR Prologue concept
Toyota also announced plans for five more European-market bZ EVs alongside the current bZ4X, bringing the total to six, which feeds into a goal of making the automaker’s European operations carbon neutral by 2040.
The new models for Europe could include a production version of the bZ Compact SUV Concept that debuted at the 2022 Los Angeles Auto Show. The bZ3 sedan
Toyota C-HR Prologue concept
With development of EVs recently reportedly paused, Toyota appears to have opted to largely continue its all-of-the-above approach—Europe included.
“Owing to the current short supply and high costs of battery materials and lack of infrastructure,” Gill Pratt, head of the Toyota Research Institute, said in a statement, “it is better to use a combination of battery electric, plug-in hybrid electric and hybrid electric vehicles to reduce CO2 emissions over the next 10-15 years.”
While the C-HR plug-in hybrid hasn’t been confirmed for the U.S., we know Toyota aims to take a similar approach here. It’s hinted that more plug-in hybrids are coming to the U.S. market—with a PHEV version of the Crown