As the world moves inexorably towards an electric vehicle future, Toyota has some catching up to do. Only now is it launching its first electric car, but it’s put forward its impressive plan for the future – and that includes an electric pickup truck that could be the next Hilux.
Toyota chief executive Akio Toyoda has revealed 16 electric vehicles for the Toyota and Lexus brands, ranging from sensible city cars to exhilarating sports cars. These will be joined by further models, expanding the electric range to 30 models by 2030, thanks to an investment of 8 trillion yen (£53 billion/€62 billion.)
Tucked away in the far corner of the stage was a white pickup. Looking like a heavily modified version of the Tundra, it hints at what a future zero-emissions Hilux might look like.
The US-market Tundra is a larger model than the UK’s Hilux, but it’s expected that both will share a platform when the next-generation models arrive. However, with the current generation Hilux expected to survive for another five years, there’ll be no pure electric model in the immediate future.
As with the forthcoming 2023 Ford Ranger, the next Hilux will be available with Toyota’s hybrid technology, but a fully electrified version is certain to follow.
Switching a one-tonne pickup truck to electric power presents several challenges, especially in the UK. A fully-loaded pickup needs to remain under 3.5 tonnes to appeal to UK businesses and individuals and requires a one-tonne payload for businesses to reclaim the VAT. Some models run perilously close to those limits already, and adding at least 500kg of weight in the form of electric motors and hefty battery packs makes the equation difficult to solve.
Toyota is working on producing hydrogen-fueled combustion engines which could offer a viable alternative. The recent Lexus ROV UTV concept is powered by such an engine, which may be possible to scale to be suitable for commercial pickup use.
“People are increasingly confident in making their own choices to lead free and enjoyable lifestyles,” explains Simon Humphries, design senior general manager. “At Toyota we believe that truly good products create new experiences for the customer, enhancing their chosen lifestyle directions. From that point of view, each electric vehicle should be unique and special, not only those on dedicated platforms but also those related to existing models, whether that means building on Toyota’s off-road heritage to create new exciting recreational experiences or finding new ways to combine versatility with dynamic driving.”
While the future of an electric Hilux pickup is still speculation, Toyota is pushing forward in its bid to electrify its car range. The pure-electric bZ4X will arrive in the UK imminently, with Toyota also revealing saloon, small crossover, compact SUV, and large SUV bZ models. An electric sports car, city delivery vehicle and compact van were also on display, as well as a range of Lexus models that included a saloon, SUV and supercar-rivalling sports model.
“The future that we showed you today is by no means far away,” said Toyoda. “Most of the Toyota battery EVs that we introduced here are models that will be coming out in the next few years.
“We plan to roll out 30 battery EV models by 2030, globally offering a full lineup of battery EVs in the passenger and commercial segments.”
- Ford Ranger PHEV onboard power is cleaner and cheaper than a generator
- Pickup market slumps for ninth straight month after tax changes
- Ineos Grenadier and Quartermaster cleared for UK blue-light use
- JAC Hunter PHEV points to faster-moving electrified pickup market
- Urban builds the Defender pickup Land Rover won’t sell
