Toyota Electrified Vehicles

A plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV) synergistically combines the power of a gasoline engine with the efficiency of electric motors. Although the hybrid battery recharges while driving, to take full advantage of the benefits of a plug-in vehicle, such as extended range in all-electric mode, it needs to be recharged by connecting it to the electrical grid.

A battery electric vehicle (BEV) is completely powered by a battery and one or two electric motors. As with all electric vehicles, a BEV can also recover part of its charge through regenerative braking. For a full charge, however, it must be plugged in.

A fuel cell electric vehicle (FCEV) works by using an integrated fuel cell to generate electricity from hydrogen and oxygen, powering an electric motor. It takes just 5 minutes to refuel an FCEV such as the Toyota Mirai XLE, which emits only water through its exhaust and offers a range of up to 647 km on a full tank*.

Hydrogen refueling time varies according to refueling pressure and ambient temperature. *Range of up to 647 km (Mirai XLE 2023) and up to 602 km (Mirai Limited 2023) based on Government of Canada-approved test methodology for fuel cell electric vehicles. This range estimate is based on fully-filled hydrogen tanks. Actual mileage depends on factors such as traffic, road and weather conditions, vehicle maintenance, refueling habits, speed and driving style, fuel cell age, battery age and charge weight.

Toyota's hybrid electric vehicle systems are specifically designed and tested for the Canadian context. Like all other Toyota vehicles, they comply with Canadian Motor Vehicle Safety Standards. In the event of a collision, there is no increased risk to occupants or rescue workers compared with non-hybrid vehicles. The battery is protected by a watertight metal casing that isolates it from the vehicle body. What's more, the battery cable sheaths on hybrid electric vehicles are bright orange to alert first-aiders, and Toyota works closely with them, providing information and training on the operation of hybrid electric vehicles.

Toyota's hybrid electric vehicles not only follow the same maintenance schedule as gasoline-powered models, i.e. every 6 months or 8,000 km, whichever comes first, but the operation of the hybrid electric system can also reduce the maintenance frequency of certain other vehicle components. In a hybrid electric vehicle, the gasoline engine is inactive part of the time (depending on driving style), the brakes are regenerative (extending pad and disc life), there is no transmission fluid under load, and no starter, alternator or belt needs replacing.

Driving a Toyota hybrid electric vehicle is similar to driving one with a conventional engine. Toyota's efficient hybrid system operates seamlessly in the background, optimizing the use of both the gasoline engine and the electric motor. Refuelling a Toyota hybrid electric vehicle is carried out in the same way as a conventional gasoline-powered vehicle, without the need for a plug-in. A plug-in hybrid electric vehicle offers all the advantages of a hybrid electric vehicle, while allowing plug-in to extend its range in all-electric mode.