Toyota: Leading the Charge in Electrified Driving

If you’ve ever associated Toyota with electric vehicles, there’s a good reason why. Australia’s number one retail automotive brand has a proud history of innovation, putting hybrid-electric technology on the map and building a reputation for reliability that extends to every vehicle in its range, including electric.

In 2001, Toyota became the first brand in Australia to launch a mainstream hybrid, the Toyota Prius. What began as a curiosity quickly became a popular choice, especially as fuel prices began to rise. As Toyota’s hybrid technology advanced, it was introduced across many of the brand’s most popular passenger and SUV models, including the Camry, RAV4, Kluger, Corolla, C-HR and Yaris Cross. Australians embraced hybrids for their proven reliability, impressive fuel savings and low-maintenance service plans, a combination that made Toyota’s hybrid electric vehicles a standout choice.

By mid-2021, Toyota had sold over 200,000 hybrid-electric vehicles in Australia, driven by the success of favourites like the RAV4, Corolla and Camry.

Their EV journey reached a new milestone in 2024 with the launch of Toyota’s first fully battery-electric vehicle, the bZ4X. With performance, range and charging upgrades due in late 2025, the bZ4X is positioned to become an even stronger contender in Australia’s growing EV market.

Today, Toyota’s commitment to lowering emissions is stronger than ever. Their multi-pathway strategy means that while continuing to develop advanced battery-electric drivetrains, they’re also improving hybrid efficiency, introducing new plug-in hybrid models (such as the RAV4 Plug-in Hybrid arriving in 2026), optimising battery-electric vehicles, expanding hydrogen fuel-cell technology (including the Toyota Mirai) and rolling out 48-Volt V-Active technology across select 4x4 models.

By the end of 2025, more than half of Toyota’s Australian sales are expected to come from electrified vehicles, consisting of a mix of hybrid-electric, battery-electric and V-Active equipped models.

And Toyota isn’t stopping there. From pioneering hydrogen-powered vehicles to refining hybrid and battery-electric options, Toyota remains committed to delivering cleaner, smarter mobility for all Australians, now and well into the future.