Potential for 2022 Toyota Tundra Prime. Plug-in Hybrid Could Happen
Toyota does like surprises.
Remember it was just last year that Toyota shocked many fans by revealing the creation of a RAV4 Prime plug-in hybrid electric vehicle. Most people did not see that one coming.
An SUV that offers up 302 horsepower. Electric-only range of up to 42 miles. Estimated fuel ratings of 94MPGe. And it has low-end torque and acceleration power capable of reaching 0-60 in just 5.7 seconds.
Highlander XSE was another recent surprise in the automotive community for 2021 that caught us off-guard.
Yes, Toyota does enjoy a good blindside.
2022 Toyota Tundra
Toyota announced just last week that they are launching two new Battery Electric Vehicles (BEV) and one new Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicle (PHEV) in 2021. I assume these will be 2022 models.
Not many Toyota fans saw this announcement coming. Frankly, it ramped up speculation from about a two to about a nine.
What will these new BEV and PHEV vehicles be?
I had guesses myself. A Camry electric perhaps. An all-electric Toyota Venza possibly. Maybe a new Corolla / SUV crossover. Or a Sienna.
But there was one vehicle I only flippantly mentioned. At face value, it really did not make a lot of sense.
Toyota Tundra. A Toyota Tundra plug-in hybrid electric vehicle.
2022 Tundra Plug-in?
Again, this is just personal speculation. I know no specifics or details about the next-gen Toyota Tundra.
Rumors seem to point heavily toward a twin-turbo 3.5-liter V6 engine for 2022 Tundra. They also lean into the idea of an alternate option – a Tundra hybrid power plant.
It is good to have choices after all, right?
One of the main areas for improvement according to Tundra owners would be a nice increase in fuel economy.
Current posted estimates for 2021 Tundra are 13 in the city and 17 on the highway.
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The ability of a truck to plug-in, charge, and run for a short distance purely on electric power could be appealing to some truck owners.
RAV4 Prime gives drivers 40mpg city / 36mpg highway / 38mpg combined when operating solely in hybrid mode without any electric power assist. But remember, this jumps up significantly to 94MPGe when using a combination of electric and hybrid.
Plus, up to 42 miles on one full electric charge. And it produces 302 horsepower compared to 219 with traditional RAV4 Hybrid.
Potential of a 2022 Tundra PHEV
Since we are hoping and daydreaming here, what would a next-gen Tundra plug-in offer owners?
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Maybe it would give drivers around 20 miles on an electric charge before kicking into hybrid mode? Could it also provide more horsepower than a Tundra hybrid in similar fashion as RAV4 Prime?
This is all watch and wait and see for now. All will be revealed soon. When Toyota is ready.
Time for your Toyota Tundra thoughts
Are you waiting to hear a next-gen 2022 Tundra announcement? What types of features, specs are you hoping for?
This is just my opinion. I cannot wait until we learn all. This new Tundra is going to be a game changer I feel.
We should all find out sooner than later, though. Until then, enjoy your week.
Thanks for reading everyone. See you next story when I discuss Toyota Hybrid reliability from owner feedback.
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