Toyota unveiled its all-hybrid seventh-generation ‘widebody’ Camry final week, internally referred to as XV80, which is able to completely be powered by a hybrid powertrain as its signature long-selling V6 possibility will not be obtainable. This is arguably as essential a transfer for the model within the U.S. market because the introduction of the primary Prius in 2001. Hybrids have come a great distance within the final 22 years, and Toyota continues to outline them for the mainstream market.
As many different automakers have utterly shut down their sedan lineups, Toyota continues to dominate the (admittedly shrinking) market with its Camry. The considerably bland household sedan was the fifth-best-selling car within the U.S. final yr, promoting 295,201 examples. At that sort of quantity, any important enchancment in gas financial system goes so as to add up quick.
I needed to determine precisely how a lot gas can be saved by changing Camry to a hybrid-only lineup, so I did some math. Maybe this may show to different automakers that turning regular automobiles into no-nonsense gas financial system misers is an effective way to enhance company common gas financial system numbers with out resorting to sometimes costly and slow-to-adopt electrical automobiles. Maybe Toyota was proper all alongside concerning the transition to EVs.
Let’s Do Some Math!
Of these 295,201 Camry bought within the U.S. in 2022, Toyota says 7 % of them have been the V6-powered XSE mannequin (20,664 models), 11 % of patrons opted for the hybrid (32,472 models), and the remainder have been the usual four-cylinder mannequin.
Using gas financial system knowledge from the EPA and assuming the annual driving mileage of the common American is 13,476 miles, I calculated {that a} Camry V6 driver would eat 518.3 gallons of gasoline per yr, a four-cylinder Camry driver would burn 434.7 gallons, and a Camry Hybrid driver would get by means of one thing like 276.05 gallons in a yr. There are a pair totally different Camry Hybrid fashions obtainable, getting between 46 and 52 miles per gallon relying on spec, so I met them within the center.
Multiply that common gas consumption quantity by the variety of that number of Camry bought, and also you’ll get a consumption determine for all Camrys bought in a yr. All of the 2022 Camry V6s burn 10,710,151.2 gallons of fuel per yr, the entire Camry Hybrids burn 8,963,895.6 gallons of fuel in a yr, and the remaining non-hybrid and non-V6 Camrys eat a large 105,225,655.5 gallons yearly. If you’ve a 2022 Camry, you’re contributing to a complete of 124,899,702.3 gallons burned yearly.
What About The New Car?
Obviously Toyota hasn’t launched the entire details about the next-gen Camry but, and the EPA doesn’t have gas consumption numbers obtainable both. We can assume that the brand new hybrid-only Camry can be not less than as gas environment friendly as its predecessor, however that’s not adequate for Toyota. Between the last-gen Prius and the brand new Prius, the engineering workforce managed to make the brand new automobile 9 % extra gas environment friendly regardless of transferring to a bigger and extra highly effective drivetrain. You can just about wager that the brand new Camry will do the identical.
I’m going to wager that the usual Camry Hybrid can be not less than 9 % extra environment friendly than the present 48-MPG-average Camry Hybrid. And that doesn’t even have in mind the possible availability of an AWD mannequin with electrical motors on the rear axle, or a Camry Prime plug-in hybrid mannequin, which might pump these numbers up even increased. I’m going to conservatively estimate that the common 2025 Camry will obtain 52 MPG mixed. Considering the present Camry Hybrid LE already will get 52 mixed, that shouldn’t be too farfetched.
While Camry gross sales have been declining steadily for the reason that early 2000s, I’m going to wager this new mannequin will drive a little bit of a gross sales spike in its first full yr on sale, not less than matching the 2022 gross sales quantity. I’m certain a number of the patrons can be stepping up from a Prius, however hopefully an equal quantity can be coming from a bigger truck or SUV, in search of improved gas financial system to steadiness it out.
Okay, so if the identical 295,201 individuals buy model new 2025 Camry Hybrids, and get a mixed common of 52 miles per gallon, they’ll eat 259.2 gallons per yr individually and 76,516,099.2 gallons mixed.
That provides as much as a very wild 48,383.603.1 gallons saved yearly, simply by Camry drivers upgrading from an previous Camry to a brand new Camry. Toyota will dramatically enhance the variety of prospects experiencing the thrill of hybrid driving and improved gas financial system. Toyota has a possibility right here to do for hybrids what Audi and Subaru did for all-wheel drive.
Source: jalopnik.com