Toyota puts EV plans on hold! New three-row electric SUV pushed back to 2028 as potential rival to 2026 Kia EV9 and Hyundai Ioniq makes way for petrol and hybrid production: report

Toyota isn’t quite ready to go full steam ahead with electric cars.

Bloomberg has reported the Japanese giant has pushed back plans for its new large electric SUV in the US to focus on petrol and hybrid production.

Toyota had planned to build an electric three-row SUV in the US from 2026, but it is now targeting 2028 for the first examples to roll off the production line.

This is due to booming sales of the petrol and hybrid versions of the Grand Highlander SUV, which are built at the same plant, and Toyota needs to free up production capacity to meet demand.

Toyota isn’t saying no to all electric cars, though.

Earlier this year it committed to six vehicles on sale by the end of 2026 via a presentation from Toyota Europe.

Three of the vehicles we have already seen, including the bZ4X mid-size SUV, Urban Cruiser little SUV and CH-R+ compact SUV.

The bZ4X is already on sale in Australia, but isn’t setting the sale charts on fire.

The Urban Cruiser is unlikely to make it to Australia anytime soon, but the CH-R+ is more likely.

Two of the other models teased in the presentation could prove more interesting, and could be the production version of the electric LandCruiser Se 4WD and EPU ute concepts shown at the 2023 Tokyo motor show.

At the unveiling back in 2023, Toyota Australia Head of Sales and Marketing Sean Hanley said the local division would put their hand up if they were available. If they make it to production, the chances of Australia getting them would be “extremely good”.

The final teaser looks like a large SUV, and could be the now delayed model that was salted for production in 2026.

Toyota has made no secret that it thinks going full EV is not the answer for the manufacturer, instead promoting its multi-pathway approach that includes a range of fuel choices from hybrid to hydrogen to battery electric.