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The truck wars are already hot, but they’re about to escalate in the area of alternative proposition systems. Ford is working on a hybrid F-150 and battery-electric version; GM has confirmed the same. While Toyota has been mum about the next-generation Tundra, a new report suggest it will get a hybrid powertrain option as well.
Citing anonymous sources, TFL Truck reports high-end versions of the 2021 Toyota Tundra will feature a V-6 hybrid engine option. Specifically, the powertrain is expected to be similar to the current Lexus LS 500h hybrid, which utilizes Toyota’s well-known 3.6-liter V-6 engine with 295 horsepower and pairs it with two electric motors.
In the Lexus, the combination yields 354 horsepower and a 33 mpg highway rating. The report, though, suggests the 2021 Tundra will through two turbochargers on the 3.6-liter V-6 to generate 450 horsepower and 500 pound-feet of torque. The report also alleges that Toyota wants to see 30 mpg out of this powertrain, which would be quite impressive, to say the least.
The 2021 Tundra is expected to be built on an all-new architecture that will eventually be shared with the Tacoma. Toyota has been quiet regarding the next-generation Tundra, but it is expected to be revealed sometime next year.
When revealed will it feature a beastly twin-turbo V-6 hybrid? Tough to say, but at least one source suggests that will be the case. Given Toyota’s extensive hybrid technology and confirmed hybrid half-ton competitors, it seems almost a given Toyota will have a hybrid Tundra.
