Toyota’s plug-in hybrid system wins 2026 AJAC Best Green Innovation Award
Today at the Vancouver International Auto Show, the Automobile Journalists Association of Canada (AJAC) honoured Toyota’s 6th generation plug-in hybrid system with its 2026 Best Green Innovation Award.
“Innovation comes in many forms – including in repeated cycles of incremental, meaningful improvement. So it is with Toyota’s 6th Generation PHEV Powertrain, which makes its debut in the 2026 RAV4 PHEV,” said Graham Heeps, chair, AJAC Innovation Awards. “The AJAC Innovation Awards jurors noted the numerous detail changes and clever refinements to the plug-in hybrid system. These changes deliver substantial, real-world benefits – including in performance, fuel consumption, electric range and towing capacity – all of which are available in a popular family vehicle.”
This new powertrain debuts on the all-new 2026 RAV4 Plug-in Hybrid, delivering increased electric-only driving range, improved fuel efficiency, and faster charging times - making plug-in hybrid vehicles even more appealing for Canadian drivers.
“This is the third time in five years that Toyota has won this important award and we are grateful to the members of AJAC for continuing to recognize Toyota’s industry leadership in environmental excellence,” said Robert Tsang, Vice President, Toyota Canada Inc. “Significantly, each of our three awards has been for a different electrification technology – highlighting our commitment to offering Canadian drivers a choice of effective and practical technologies that are easy to embrace, all engineered to reduce their fuel consumption and improve their environmental footprint.”
When Toyota engineers began developing the 6th generation PHEV system, they identified several key goals: increasing electric driving range to at least 80 kilometres, boosting overall fuel efficiency, integrating a DC fast-charging system to improve charging times, and reducing the system’s overall to allow for a more flexible vehicle design.
To achieve these goals, Toyota:
- Developed a new, high-capacity lithium-ion battery pack, increasing battery output by 8% and battery capacity by 30% compared with the previous system
- Designed a lighter, more powerful transaxle to enhance performance
- Revised the power control unit to reduce both size and weight
- Engineered a new gear train and drive motor, which is 18% smaller and 12% more powerful
- Developed a new, more compact inverter
- Enhanced heat management through improved cooling performance
- Created a new charging system that enables faster Level 1 and Level 2 charging times, and adding Level 3 charging capability
In addition to this year’s award, Toyota previously received the AJAC Best Green Innovation Award in 2023 for its 5th generation hybrid system and in 2022 for its zero-emissions hydrogen fuel cell system.
For more information on Toyota’s multi-pathway approach to reducing vehicle emissions, visit toyota.ca/electrified
Experience the 6th generation system in the 2026 Toyota RAV4 Plug-in Hybrid
The first application of this new system is in the redesigned 2026 RAV4 Plug-in Hybrid. Compared with the previous generation RAV4 PHEV, this new model is faster, more powerful with an increased towing rating, more fuel-efficient, and offers a 24% increase in electric driving range.
Available in four grades – including the first-ever GAZOO Racing model – the 2026 RAV4 Plug-in Hybrid also features next-generation connectivity and safety technologies, along with upgraded style, comfort, and versatility.
The 2026 RAV4 Plug-in Hybrid goes on sale in Canada next month. For complete and up to date details and specifications, visit toyota.ca/rav4-plug-in-hybrid
