Why the best Toyota RAV4 model could finally be on the cards for Australia as Toyota looks to bet big on plug-in hybrids

The awesome RAV4 Prime plug-in hybrid could be back on the agenda for Australia, with Toyota here seemingly about to bet big on PHEVs as a transition technology to fully electric vehicles in our market.

The Japanese giant has mostly focused on (and, in fact, instigated) conventional hybrid tech in this market, but hasn't moved the needle on plug-in hybrids, despite offering them in other countries.

But a shift seems now on the cards, with Toyota seemingly warming to the idea of PHEVs as a transition technology.

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"I think hybrids and plug-in hybrids are going to be the flavour of the month over the next two years," Toyota Australia's sales and marketing chief, Sean Hanley, told CarsGuide.

"If you had asked me five years ago, (I) probably would've been more apprehensive about plug-in hybrids, and still to some degree cautious.

"However the battery technology's evolving and moving so fast at the moment that. For example, if you could get possibly a plug-in hybrid that could give you maybe 200 kilometres on EV alone, and then you had the option of the hybrid drive engine, then all your range anxiety, all your infrastructure issues are gone, and you're still playing a good role in reducing your carbon footprint.

"There are some very good ones. But what we're looking for is that battery technology to continue evolving. And if we can get that to that point where there's a good EV-only component of range, I think that's when you start to think, well maybe that's an option for this country."

Asked directly whether that meant the brand was at last looking at the US-spec RAV4 Prime for our market, Mr Hanley replied:

"Not at this stage. But we're certainly keeping an eye on all the options. I mean we've got a fuel-emission standard coming in the future. We don't know when that'll be, but we know it's coming. That will largely determine a lot of product offerings in this country."

The RAV4 Prime pairs a 2.5-litre petrol engine with a 18.1kWh battery to deliver a total 225kW and a 67km all-electric driving range. It's also the fastest member of the RAV4 family, knocking off the sprint to 100km/h in under six seconds.

Will it come to Australia? We'll have to wait and see.