In 2022, Toyota revolutionized the hybrid market by introducing the Tundra’s iForce Max engine. Toyota’s engineers went out on a limb with this innovative hybrid design, and by doing so, successfully created an engine capable of providing the power and performance that truck drivers have come to expect. This powertrain deviates from the traditional parallel hybrid engine system and uses a series system instead. The result is an engine that produces an impressive 437 horsepower and 583 lb-ft of torque. This powertrain is a great reason to take a closer look at the Toyota Tundra.
What Is the iForce Max?
The iForce Max is the hybrid engine that was first introduced on select Tundra models in 2022 and continues to be used in the 2023 models. Toyota knows a thing or two about electric vehicles and hybrids. After all, the company has been producing hybrid engines for over 20 years and dominates the hybrid market — five of the top 10 best-selling hybrid vehicles are Toyotas, including all the top three. However, with the 2022 Toyota Tundra, engineers completely transformed the hybrid engine design to create something brand new.
The design of the iForce Max differs from traditional hybrid engines, as it uses a series system rather than the traditional parallel system. In the traditional parallel system, a gasoline engine and two electric motor generators are connected to a planetary gearset transmission. The first motor works to take power from the engine and converts it to the battery to produce the electrical power for which a hybrid is known. The second motor is connected to the wheels to give them power and torque. The result is a highly fuel-efficient vehicle with slight limitations on power and torque.
With the iForce Max, engineers deviated from the parallel system to use a series system instead. With the series system, a single electric motor is sandwiched using bell housing between the 3.4-liter twin-turbo V-6 engine and the 10-speed automatic transmission. The clutch is situated between the motor and the engine, and when it’s open, the engine can turn off, which allows the electric motor to take over and send power to the wheels. When the clutch is closed, the twin-turbo V-6 engine takes over to power the wheels.
This series system allows both the gasoline engine and the electric motor to send all their available torque directly to the wheels as opposed to the parallel system, which has to send some of its power to a motor generator that’s not connected to the wheels. The result is a hybrid engine with exceptional torque — a quality that’s in high demand for pickup truck drivers.
How Does the iForce Max Perform?
The iForce Max has great performance ratings. In fact, if you’re looking for the Tundra with the most horsepower and torque, you’ll want to look at one of the hybrid models. The iForce Max achieves 437 horsepower at 5,200 rpm. In contrast, the traditional iForce powertrain achieves 389 horsepower at 5,200 rpm or 358 horsepower for the base model. The iForce Max generates 583 lb-ft of torque at 2,400 rpm compared to 479 lb-ft of torque at 2,400 rpm for the traditional engine (406 lb-ft at 2,000 rpm for the base model).
If you’re interested in towing, the iForce Max produces plenty of power for your towing needs. While the highest towing capacity for a Tundra is 12,000 pounds and belongs to the traditionally powered SR5 model, all of the hybrid models of the Tundra are capable of towing very close to this capacity. The lowest towing capacity for the iForce Max belongs to the four-wheel-drive crew cab Capstone trim with a 5.5-foot bed, coming in at 10,340 pounds. The highest towing capacity for the iForce Max is the two-wheel-drive crew cab Limited trim with the 5.5-foot bed, reaching 11,450 pounds.
One perk of having a hybrid engine is improved gas mileage, and the iForce Max is no exception. With the iForce Max, you’re not only getting the Tundra with the most power, but in most cases, you’re also getting the most fuel-efficient Tundra.
The EPA estimated fuel rating for the two-wheel-drive iForce Max is 20/24/22 (city/highway/combined mpg). This is an improvement on the 18/24/20 mpg and 18/23/20 mpg for estimated fuel ratings for city/highway/combined found on the traditionally powered two-wheel-drive models. For the four-wheel-drive models, the iForce Max achieves 19/22/21 mpg on some models and 18/20/19 mpg on another for city/highway/combined, generally beating the 17/23/19 mpg for city/highway/combined rating of the traditional four-wheel drive.
Which Tundra Models Have the iForce Max?
While Toyota has expanded the availability of the iForce Max by utilizing them in the 2023 Sequoia, the Tundra will always be known for being the first vehicle to receive this engine. In 2023, the iForce Max hybrid engine is available with five trim levels and configurations, all with a crew cab. The first trim with the iForce Max engine availability is the Limited, and you have the option of rear-wheel drive or four-wheel drive and either a 5.5-foot bed or a 6.5-foot bed. The Platinum and 1794 Edition trim levels have the same configuration options.
Both the TRD Pro and the Capstone trim levels come in just one configuration — a 5.5-foot bed four-wheel drive. The iForce Max engine is the only engine option for these models.
Truck drivers in Dublin, California, who are looking for both power and fuel efficiency can look no further than the Tundra’s iForce Max hybrid engine. With a revolutionary design that differs from Toyota’s other hybrid vehicles, the iForce Max is capable of producing more horsepower and torque than its traditionally powered counterparts and has better fuel economy to boot.
Be sure to check our latest inventory of iForce Max-powered Tundras, and feel free to come in to take one for a test drive. We think you’ll be impressed with the performance and handling of these innovative pickups. In fact, you might even forget you’re driving a hybrid. Feel free to reach out if you have any further questions about the Toyota Tundra iForce Max.
Image by Ravis Razgals is licensed with Unsplash License
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