Toyota Instills Mild-Hybrid Technology On Hilux, Exhibited On WRC Kenya

The Toyota Hilux MHEV demonstration round at the Kenyan rally. (Doc. Toyota South Africa)

JAKARTA - In recent years, Toyota, a Japanese manufacturer, has won an amazing reputation at the world rally championship, WRC. Their achievements have inspired the use of rally car technology on their highway vehicles.

Recently, Toyota introduced a Hilux prototype, a hybrid mid-powered pickup, at a Kenyan rally event.

Toyota Hilux is a medium-end pickup truck produced by Japanese manufacturers. In the midst of the Kenyan rally, this pickup performs a demonstration round on a barren terrain.

The pilots are Juha Kankkunen, four-time WRC world title winner, and co-driver Jimmi Gathu. According to Kankkunen, the use of hybrid mid-tech increases the performance of this truck compared to the non-hybrid model.

"I love driving various Toyota models, from full electric cars, hybrids, to hydrogen. This car proves that this model is much faster than the standard model," Kankkunen said on the CarBuzz page on Sunday, July 2.

Since the demonstration was carried out on a barren terrain in Kenya, this pickup has proven to be very suitable for conditions on the African continent. The MHEV (Mild Hybrid Electric Vehicle) technology used helps reduce carbon emissions through electric motors.

The MHEV Toyota Hilux is equipped with a 2.8 liter engine paired with a small electric motor generator. With a 48V battery, Toyota claims this Hilux increases fuel efficiency by 10 percent.

In addition to increasing fuel efficiency and reducing emissions, this configuration also increases driving ability and reduces noise and vibration in cars.

However, Toyota will likely not use the term "mild-hybrid" for this Hilux technology. As a replacement, they used the term "Toyota Kinetic Assist".

In 2026, Toyota plans to introduce a next-generation powertrain that can reduce its carbon footprint. The next electric car is promised to have an impressive range of up to 1,000 km.