The new Toyota SUV will follow the more luxurious Lexus RX 400h to market, with both featuring a new version of Toyota's Hybrid Synergy Drive. The SUVs will feature a new battery that will deliver twice the power of a Prius. And their all-new electric motor (actually, 2x4 models will feature two electric motors while the all-wheel drive version will have a third electric motor in the back) can operate at up to 12,000 rpms, about twice the speed of the Prius' motor, delivering a peak output of about 270 hp.
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| The Highlander will feature a new battery that will deliver twice the power of a Prius. (Photo: Toyota Canada) |
"Amazingly, the 400h [and Highlander Hybrid] will also deliver combined-fuel-efficiency that will be significantly better than the current-EPA-average for a four-cylinder compact sedan (about 8.6 L/100 km or 27.4 mpg)," Clements said, adding that the SUV's driving range should exceed 966 km (600 miles) on a tank of gasoline."
A normal V6-powered Lexus RX 330 or Toyota Highlander with all-wheel or four-wheel drive can achieve 12.4 L/100 km (19 mpg) city and 9.0 L/100 km (26 mpg) on the highway.
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| A real surprise is the Highlander Hybrid's acceleration times, reported to be under eight seconds. (Photo: Toyota Canada) |
The Highlander Hybrid will also be rated as a super ultra low emissions vehicle (SULEV), the best rating given to vehicles under U.S. federal government standards.
"The real story about our hybrid drive is the acceleration; the 0-30 and 30-50 is extremely quick," Clements added. "We don't have final numbers, but I can tell you that our 0-60 (mph) acceleration is under eight seconds."