Toyota recently added its all-electric offerings to the globally available bZ4x crossover with the China-only bZ3 sedan. As you may recall, it also teased a mysterious third model part of its Beyond Zero lineup of EVs. Starting today, the company’s green ambitions are being previewed with a shadowy teaser of a new eco-friendly model. This time, it’s a hybrid rather than a pure electric model, but what is it?
We’ll have a definitive answer a week from today as Toyota says the premiere is slated for November 16. The accompanying cryptic teasers were released on the company’s Japanese social media channels. A dedicated section on the automaker’s website for the domestic market is ready with zero details, except for the debut date. There’s no mention of what we’re seeing, but we do know it’s a hybrid rather than an EV.
Both the teasers above show the “Hybrid Reborn” lettering while the silhouette is of a souped-up sedan/liftback. Can we deal with the next-generation Prius? The use of the word “rebirth” indicates that this is a new addition to an existing model rather than a new addition to the lineup. The fourth-generation Prius has been around since 2015, so the timeline makes sense for the successor to go on sale next year. Although the profile of this teased BZ model was somewhat similar, it was a different car as the bZ-badged models would all be EVs.
It’s been a while since we last talked about the Prius. In December 2021, said Andrea Carlucci, Vice President of Product and Marketing Management at Toyota Europe Auto car: “This [Prius] There is a character to be maintained, and we have to make sure that it will always be at the forefront with this kind of technology, so – although I can’t reveal much – we don’t want to lose our icon, even That too for the future ” At this point, rumors pointed to a December 2022 reveal, which wouldn’t be too far from reality.
It is believed that the next-generation Prius will continue in hybrid and plug-in hybrid configurations, but there is an interesting rumor about a third flavor with a hydrogen-powered combustion engine in 2025.