Toyota Already Looking At Ways To Electrify The New Land Cruiser

Launchedless than a month ago, it seems Toyota is already looking at ways to improve the efficiency of the newLand Cruiser.

After a brief absence from the American market, the iconic nameplate has finally returned. It's not the exact modelsold in other markets, but it's a great SUV with plenty going for it, including an efficient hybrid powertrain - a first for the Land Cruiser lineup. However, a conventional hybrid setup won't cut it in the near future, so Toyota is considering plug-in hybrid, fully electric, and hydrogen fuel cell-powered variants.

According toAutomotive News, Land Cruiser chief engineer Keita Moritsu believes a fuel cell setup has many advantages, with a decent range for long-distance driving. The Land Cruiser has long been used as a work vehicle in the world's most challenging environments, so a substantial range is essential. However, there are drawbacks to a hydrogen fuel cell system.

The biggest issue would be fuelling. Hydrogen fuel infrastructure is nowhere near as developed as conventional gasoline or even electric vehicle charging stations, limiting where a potential fuel cell-powered Land Cruiser could be used or sold. Another issue would be the tanks required to store the hydrogen; these take up more space than necessary and would compromise occupant space.

So is the solution a plug-in hybrid? Toyota believeshybrids are the best approachto the climate crisis, but that won't cut it in a decade or so, especially as emissions legislation gets increasingly tougher. A Land CruiserPHEVwould be adept at towing and, thanks to the electric assistance, would have impressive range too.

Traversing into the jungle or desert wouldn't be a problem either. When the batteries are depleted, there's a good old gasoline engine the driver can still rely on. However, plug-in hybrids still spew out carbon emissions.