Because it struggles to promote EVs within the US, Toyota is resorting to larger, gas-powered SUVs. That new Toyota electrical SUV we’re nonetheless ready on? It’s delayed once more, however there’s extra to it.
Toyota pushes to promote fuel SUVs as its EV gross sales hunch
Toyota offered 1,223 fashions of the bZ4X, its sole electrical SUV within the US, final month. That’s lower than the practically 1,400 it offered in June 2024 regardless of upgrading it for the 2025 mannequin 12 months.
By way of the primary half of 2025, Toyota has offered 9,249 bZ4X fashions within the US, down from the practically 9,500 offered in the identical interval final 12 months.
Its luxurious Lexus model can also be struggling to promote its electrical SUV, the RZ. Final month, Lexus RZ gross sales fell 30% to simply 763 items. By way of the primary half of 2025, RZ gross sales are down by a 3rd (-33%), with simply 3,779 items offered.
Because the struggles proceed, Toyota is now delaying extra EV fashions because it shifts its focus again to gas-powered SUVs.
Toyota plans to start producing a brand new electrical SUV at its Kentucky plant in 2028, a 12 months later than initially anticipated. The brand new EV was scheduled to be constructed on the automaker’s Princeton, Indiana, facility, following an extra $1.4 billion funding made final April.
Based on AutoNews, the sudden shift is to liberate capability for its huge gas-powered Grand Highlander SUV.
Toyota is consolidating EV manufacturing and can construct the brand new EV in Kentucky alongside a separate three-row electrical SUV. The bigger electrical SUV is ready for manufacturing in late 2026, relatively than earlier within the 12 months as initially deliberate.
“As beforehand introduced, Toyota plans to supply two all-new, three-row battery electrical SUVs within the US. Toyota will now assemble each automobiles at Toyota Kentucky,” Toyota mentioned in a press release.
Toyota will ramp up manufacturing of the Grand Highlander in Indiana with a brand new devoted meeting line. By way of the primary half of 2025, Toyota Grand Highlander gross sales are 20% with over 65,000 items offered.
Regardless of the delay, Toyota remains to be planning to launch seven new EVs within the US by mid-2027, together with underneath the Lexus model.
Later this 12 months, Toyota will introduce the brand new bZ electrical SUV (an upgraded bZ4X) with extra driving vary and an added NACS port to cost at Tesla Superchargers.
The smaller Toyota C-HR and rugged bZ Woodland electrical SUVs are anticipated to reach someday subsequent 12 months.
