6th gen 4Runner patent filing for hybrid or electric drive battery?

I came across a news story about a recent Toyota U.S. patent application for the "framework structure of a body-on-frame vehicle" to hold a battery for an HEV (hybrid electric vehicle) or PHEV (plug-in hybrid electric vehicle). This patent would apply to the upcoming next gen 4Runner, maybe also the current gen 4Runner (see Future Product Pipeline below), and all Toyota/Lexus body-on-frame SUVs and pickup trucks.

There is a possibility that Toyota will not do a true 6th gen redesign of the 4Runner next year, and instead give us only a mild refresh of the 5th gen with hybrid and PHEV powertrains added to increase the EPA fuel economy rating and call it the 6th gen 4Runner. The new Multistage THS II transmission that Toyota developed for the low production, rear-wheel drive, powerful V6 hybrid Lexus LC 500h could be used in the 4Runner to help recoup development costs. It's a 4-speed automatic transmission with very wide mechanical gears, and the electric motor creating pseudo/virtual intermediate gears between the very wide mechanical gears so that the transmission acts and feels like a 10-speed transmission.

InsideEVs.com news story:
Toyota Hints At Electric Or Hybrid SUV In New Patent

U.S. Patent filing:
United States Patent Application: 0170217296

U.S. Patent filing images:
Patent Images

Toyota Multistage THS II - Toyota Hybrid System transmission for rear-wheel drive vehicles:
Advancement of Toyota Hybrid System II (THS-II) | TOYOTA Global Newsroom



Now for some bad news. AutomotiveNews, an auto-industry focused website like WardsAuto, recently updated their Future Product Pipeline for Toyota/Lexus vehicles. For the 4Runner, AutomotiveNews predicts that the 6th gen redesign will come in . . . [drumroll] . . . 2021 (2022 model year).

Future Product Pipeline chart for Toyota and Lexus:
Toyota and Lexus Future Plans -- Automotive News



Per AutomotiveNews:
"Toyota 4Runner"
"Redesign 2021"
"Despite its aging body-on-frame platform, Toyota’s midsize SUV is on a hot streak, with double-digit sales gains in the first half of the year on the strength of its chunky good looks and off-road capability. The only thing new for 2018 are a couple of trim packages to make it even more trucklike. Look for a redesign, possibly in 2021, but Toyota is in no hurry."
Future Product Pipeline -- Automotive News



Cue the sad trombone.
Whah, whah, whah, whaaaaaaaaah.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tKdcjJoXeEY

Personally, I don't think I would want an electric or a hybrid 4runner....

There's really not much I'd want to change that would go further than a refresh. I like the body styling. The frame and suspension is pretty well dialed in.

For me the upgrades I want are either drivetrain or interior updates. A 2019 refresh with an 8 speed AT, turbo 3.0L v6 or small v8, and a multimode center diff plus all the stuff a trail edition comes with would pretty much cover everything I would want. Maybe in a perfect world we'd get the Tacoma 8.7 rear axle but with disc brakes and the LC200 style KDSS if it would fit on the chassis. Neither of those are really necessary or likely to happen. Maybe the lite hybrid is a possible option just for stoplight starts or something. It's an awfully small battery for much more than that. But I bet it would run my fridge for quite a while!

If an electric 5th gen is coming out and preforms the same or better than the conventional gas, count me in provided the price isn't through the roof

It would be cool if there was a hybrid that would leverage the torque of electric motors while providing a boost to efficiency. Lots of kinks to work out I'm sure. 100% electric doesn't really make sense though. Hard to charge it in the backcountry.

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What would happen during a deep water crossing?

LandCruiser said:

What would happen during a deep water crossing?

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www.toasted-4runner.org

Maybe they'll make a cargo cover that...well...covers the cargo :doh:

I think the saddest news in all this is the Tundra isn't getting a full platform redesign until 2019. I want to see a Tundra that is better at competing against the "big 3" and has better IIHS ratings (current one has a marginal rating on small overlap - to be fair so does the 4Runner).

Solar car panels EVERYWHERE!

LandCruiser said:

What would happen during a deep water crossing?

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I'm hoping that the battery is properly sealed off the way other car manufacturers do it.

007Tacoma said:

I think the saddest news in all this is the Tundra isn't getting a full platform redesign until 2019. I want to see a Tundra that is better at competing against the "big 3" and has better IIHS ratings (current one has a marginal rating on small overlap - to be fair so does the 4Runner).

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I'm interested to see if the rumors that the Tundra was going to share the same 5.0L V8 Cummins Diesel found in the new Nissan Titan are going to come true.

:rofl:

CF_Machete said:

If an electric 5th gen is coming out and preforms the same or better than the conventional gas, count me in provided the price isn't through the roof

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Get back to us on using the charge station 200 miles offroad on some shit hill somewhere..

ELectric cars are for latte swilling metro ****ing tits that think the idea of offroad is driving over the grass at home depot in the parking lot..

They can take those Mongolian batteries...and shove em :toilet:

LandCruiser said:

What would happen during a deep water crossing?

Click to expand...

Probably have the option of all electric drive for short distance - no snorkel necessary. Think about almost all water crossings. Rarely would you ever need a snorkel if you could just put it in "water fording" mode and close a butterfly on the intake and run on electric drive for a few hundred feet. Integration of electric drive and generator could be a very nice addition to overland use. Especially the ability to have a powerful integrated generator and battery that could power other electric items. If Toyota did it right - it could be awesome. If they did it wrong... well...

I would like range extending battery along with auto start-stop option as long as it gives 35 mpg or better. Realistically getting around 27-30 mpg hybrid vs 21 gas only is just hauling bunch of battery and electro drive weight with minimal benefit and increased complexity which makes me want to say hell no to that option.

<<<< said:

I would like range extending battery along with auto start-stop option as long as it gives 35 mpg or better. Realistically getting around 27-30 mpg hybrid vs 21 gas only is just hauling bunch of battery and electro drive weight with minimal benefit and increased complexity which makes me want to say hell no to that option.

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You won't get more than maybe 1mpg better on the highway. It's just physics. Unless the shape is changed, the highway mpg will be about 21-22. The only way to get to 35mpg would be an improvement in thermal efficiency to about 65% - and so far no engine has ever achieved that, or anything close to it. What the hybrid could do is give you 22mpg in city driving. That would be a huge improvement. It could also make things like towing a trailer easier because you'd have a lot of torque at low speed. Especially if they decide to use a 4cyl turbo engine along with it that has limited torque.

Ryan1975 said:

I'm interested to see if the rumors that the Tundra was going to share the same 5.0L V8 Cummins Diesel found in the new Nissan Titan are going to come true.

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I like the idea, but I think the probability is low enough that I feel I am better off playing the lottery...

Grug556 said:

:rofl:

Get back to us on using the charge station 200 miles offroad on some shit hill somewhere..

ELectric cars are for latte swilling metro ****ing tits that think the idea of offroad is driving over the grass at home depot in the parking lot..

They can take those Mongolian batteries...and shove em :toilet:

Click to expand...

What are you on about?

He clearly stated that it would need to perform as good if not better than the current ICE offerings, which means an electric variant with ~400 miles of range and equivalent power. Additionally, you'd have the benefit of the full torque available to you instantly with an electric motor. Way better than the existing 4400rpm or whatever it takes to get full torque out of our 4.0L V6.

In reality, if anything we'd end up with a hybrid 4Runner that has a supplementary electric motor that's powered by a battery charged via regenerative braking. It'll probably bump up fuel economy 10-20% without any other perceived differences.

Grug556 said:

:rofl:

Get back to us on using the charge station 200 miles offroad on some shit hill somewhere..

ELectric cars are for latte swilling metro ****ing tits that think the idea of offroad is driving over the grass at home depot in the parking lot..

They can take those Mongolian batteries...and shove em :toilet:

Click to expand...

Edit, [MENTION=152226]engineeer[/MENTION] beat me to it.

Also, why would need a charging station if you could just have a solar panels on your roof rack? Seems that if you are out long enough and you might not need Jerry cans.