PHEV - Is this the heavy duty hybrid we've been waiting for?

I do feel like some of it is simply, the automakers don't want to figure out how to market it. I mean, look at the Highlander versus the Sienna.

Sienna AWD: 18 city, 20 combined, 24 highway
Highlander AWD: 19 city, 22 combined, 26 highway
Highlander Hybrid AWD: 29 city, 28 combined, 27 highway

You can't tell me that the Sienna wouldn't get a huge gain from non-plug-in hybridization. Sure, it'd mostly be in the city, but a lot of what family haulers do nowadays is shuttling kids around a suburb - to school and to after-school activities.

Sure, it needs a lot of engine to meet the market's power expectations, but even with a 3.5 liter V6 (and the efficiency hit of the old P310 technology), the Highlander Hybrid is damn near 30 EPA mpg nowadays. Something along the lines of 27-28 city, 25 highway would be attainable in a Sienna Hybrid, with just dropping the Highlander Hybrid's powertrain in.

Now, the advantage of a PHEV is, I'd argue, in regenerative braking - you can brake harder and still avoid using the friction brakes, because the bigger battery can take more power.

However, you still need a decently big engine for efficient charge sustaining operation - note that the Pacifica Hybrid still uses the same size engine (although Atkinsonized) as its non-hybrid counterpart. The Volt uses a 1.5 liter 4-cylinder, making about 50 hp less than the Cruze's 1.4T, but not that incredibly far off. The CT6 uses a 2.0T, same as the base model CT6. The Germans tend to use the same 2.0Ts that they'd use in a base model, unless it's so big that the base model would have a 2.9-3.0 forced induction 6-cylinder instead. That's because once the charge is depleted, hard acceleration needs quite a bit of engine, and even moderate acceleration is best if it's within the optimum BSFC of the engine.

Basically, sure, you can make a blended PHEV truck... but you've still gotta get the thing down the road with decent performance when the battery's dead, else you'll have the problems that the i3 REx has.

 

I'd say it was more about cost and price in the past. Earlier Highlander hybrids were pricey. I think many looking at them opting to just get the Lexus version. The fuel economy was good, but not good enough in MPG terms to be worth that extra cost alone to sway shoppers. Minivan buyers might be more frugal than SUV ones.

Costs have dropped enough that the hybrid premium is an easier sell, and the market is moving past the point were the hybrid version was special in need of further differentiation. Hybrids are sold in the same trims as the ICE models, including the base one in some cases. The Prius is the only hold out.

So a hybrid, w/o plug, minivan could work and sell. I don't think we'll see any right away as I expect Toyota and Honda to be slow to react to the Pacifica.

Pick ups and larger SUVs are expected to be able to work in towing and hauling. Even if most buyers don't use them as such, it helps in marketing. To date, hybrid systems have been lacking on that front when compared to ICE siblings. The larger battery of a PHEV alone isn't going to help. That HSD/4 speed auto mutant in the new Lexus might have been designed for trucks, and there are plans for a parallel hybrid F150, so a hybrid truck that can do what the ICE one can may arrive soon.

 

Back in 2006, the price difference between here the Highlanderh and RXh here might have been closer to what is seen in the Avalonh and ESh today.