BYD, in targeting a major market, already sells EVs and plug-in electric hybrids in many smaller countries and regions, including Norway, New Zealand, Singapore, Brazil, Costa Rica and Colombia.

The SUV version of the Crown sedan, a staple in Japan for decades and the first Toyota exported to U.S., will be available as a hybrid, plug-in hybrid and EV, and sold in Japan, China and North America, sources tell Reuters.

The 2023 Toyota Crown, built in Japan, will feature a hybrid powertrain and replace the large Avalon sedan in the brand's U.S. lineup.

The Prius put Toyota on the map as green car hero No. 1 when the hybrid arrived in 1997. But with the fifth-generation redesign just around the corner, the Prius' hybrid drivetrain faces a test for relevance.

Lexus' only battery electric offering, the UX 300e, chipped in just 5,800 units, a long way from its target of 1 million EVs a year in 2030.

Honda has plans for a massive transition to all-electric. But for now, it's focusing its energy of rolling out hybrids.