Toyota’s plug-in hybrid RAV4 will be the most powerful version of the ever-popular SUV to be produced by the Japanese manufacturer.

Boasting a whopping 302bhp on tap the five-door RAV4 Plug-in can power its way to 60mph from a standstill in just 6.0 seconds – that’s two seconds faster than the regular hybrid model.

Toyota says that the plug-in is 38 per cent more powerful than the hybrid and will be rated at 282.5mpg on paper. Emissions of 22g/km will bring plenty of financial benefits too.

When in full electric mode, this RAV4 can reach 84mph and has a driving range of up to 46 miles. That EV distance increases to about 60 miles in urban driving on a full battery charge which is easily more than the average daily commute.

Toyota has developed a more powerful hybrid system for RAV4 Plug-in, making changes to the components in the fourth-generation hybrid technology featured in the current RAV4 Hybrid model.

The 2.5-litre petrol engine stays, but the plug-in features a new lithium-ion battery, with energy capacity increased to 18kW/h and voltage rated at 355.2V, giving significantly higher output.

The power control unit has also been adjusted with the addition of a boost converter to that more power can be drawn from the battery. The front electric motor’s output is also increased, by 46kW to 134kW. Charging the battery takes 2.5 hours using a 230V/32A connection.