THIS IS WHAT THE 2024 TOYOTA TACOMA I-FORCE MAX LOOKS LIKE WITHOUT ITS BODY

It's frequent that carmakers exhibit cutaway displays of their models and sometimes even their engines at launch events, but I find they too often don't get the attention they deserve.

This latest one shows the 2024 Toyota Tacoma i-Force Max without a body. It was exposed at a massive Toyota event in San Diego earlier this week, where we drove a whole set of new models. We'll get back to you soon with those reviews.

The display caught my attention as it truly explains how Toyota's hybrid setup has been tailored for its lineup of body-on frame trucks and SUVs, notably the 2024 Tacoma and Land Cruiser, as well as the recently revealed 2025 4Runner. This system is not used for the Tundra as it employs a different setup based on a twin-turbocharged V6. Here's the full rundown on how Toyota's four-cylinder-based i-Force Max hybrid system works.

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Still A True Body On Frame 4X4

The cutaway does a very good job of showing how Toyota engineered its hybrid compact pickup truck. It's basically a 2024 Tacoma without its body. The first thing we can clearly see is how it still rides on an actual frame. Except, this time around, it's fully boxed from front to rear and fitted with double wishbone coilover suspension up front and a multi-link coil spring setup in the rear.

Since it's based on Toyota's TNGA-F platform, it's also modular, meaning it can be adapted to different types of vehicles, such as the Land Cruiser and 4Runner, but also the Tundra and Sequoia, as well as the Lexus GX and LX.

But it's really how the hybrid system was packaged that impresses the most due to its simplicity and downright common sense. This is not the same hybrid system that Toyota uses in its unibody cars and SUVs. It also doesn't allow the Tacoma i-Force Max to run in full electric vehicle (EV) mode.

Rather, see the hybrid system as a way to add horsepower and torque to the turbocharged 2.4-liter four-cylinder without increasing fuel consumption and greenhouse emissions. The total combined output for this system is rated at 326 horsepower and 465 lb-ft of torque.

What you see in orange illustrates the hybrid system itself, basically everything that was added to the standard turbocharged model. Up front, on the passenger side of the engine, there's an inverter. It controls the electric AC motor's direction and speed. The motor itself, which mostly acts as a generator since it never drives the wheels per se, is a 48-horsepower unit squeezed between the eight-speed automatic transmission and the gasoline engine.

This allowed Toyota engineers to still fit the truck with the traditional components of a true off-road-dedicated machine. In other words, there's still a transfer case, a driveshaft that connects the transmission to the rear wheels and a mechanical, rear locking differential. It's very different from, say, a RAV4 hybrid which relies on a rear-mounted electric motor for all-wheel drive.

Nestled further back, at the very center of the frame for weight distribution, but also for protection from water and debris, is a tiny-capacity 1.87-kWh Nickel Metal Hydride (NiMH) battery. It automatically recharges itself as you drive along. The entire system is therefore autonomous and never requires to be plugged in.

Differences Between Toyota i-Force Max And Jeep 4xe Hybrid Technology

Now, this is nothing new. It's a very similar setup to what Jeep employs in the Wrangler 4xe. Except the Jeep's battery and electric motor can run the vehicle in full electric mode for up to 21 miles on a full charge. That's mostly thanks to the Jeep's battery chemistry and capacity. It's a 17.3-kWh water-cooled, lithium-ion type.

The 4xe is also a plug-in hybrid, meaning that the traction battery absolutely needs to be physically charged in order to be replenished. However, just like Toyota's system, Jeep's technology still allows the vehicle to be equipped with a transfer case, driveshaft and rear lockers.

The Jeep 4xe also relies on two electric motors, a small, 44-horsepower unit that acts mostly as a generator to power accessories and a second traction motor - also nestled inside the transmission - good for 134-horsepower. The fact that it produces more horsepower and powered by a stronger battery is what allows it to move the vehicle around in EV mode.

Toyota's system is therefore simpler and less sophisticated, but could prove to be more reliable in the long run. For starters, there are fewer components than on Jeep's 4xe setup. NiMH batteries also have a longer lifespan than lithium-ion ones, with fewer risks of early degradation, as we've witnessed in old Toyota Priuses packed with high mileage.

It's definitely interesting to see how Toyota electrifies its trucks and SUVs. As for the 2024 Tacoma i-Force Max, we'll be back soon with our full review to see how it performs out there in the real world.