You’ve in all probability seen Toyota has copped a little bit of stick of late from the likes of Greenpeace for being an electric-vehicle recalcitrant.
There’s some justification for this. Globally, chairman Akio Toyoda has been constant in questioning a sole concentrate on battery electrical automobiles in relation to reducing car emissions.
Regionally, Toyota has but to even put a BEV on-sale and, after all, it makes a fortune out of CO2 and particulate-emitting diesel SUVs and utes.
READ MORE: Electrical Toyota HiLux corporations for Australia as Revo present automobile’s native keep prolonged for additional examine
READ MORE: Is Toyota’s BZ4X lease plan a stroke of genius, and are Tesla, Kia, Hyundai and others lacking a trick?
READ MORE: Toyota HiLux hydrogen gasoline cell prototype boasts lengthy vary and speedy
In response, Toyota factors to the 1000’s of petrol-electric hybrids it has offered right here and abroad. And it has confirmed the bZ4X BEV launches in early 2024 in Australia.
However that’s 2024. For now, to unfold the message it’s a BEV believer, Toyota has allowed Aussie media the possibility to drive the HiLux REVO BEV idea.
The What?
Initially developed in 2022 by Toyota in Thailand to mark its sixtieth anniversary (HiLuxes are additionally referred to as REVO in Thailand), the electrical HiLux has not too long ago spent a while in Australia for each inner analysis and exterior promotion functions.
As its title states, this can be a idea. There aren’t any concrete manufacturing plans and the one pricing being mooted is the $1 million it in all probability value to construct it.
Nevertheless, there may be life within the venture with additional testing about to kick off in Thailand the place a fleet of HiLux EVs are being pressed into service as share taxis.
It’s definitely an fascinating car contemplating how a lot Aussie love utes and the way, at some stage, electrical utes are going to need to be a factor right here.
For the time being solely LDV sells an ex-factory battery electrical ute in Australia, however many extra are probably coming.
The extraordinary Tesla Cybertruck and Ford F-150 Lightning are prime candidates and with their highly effective 4×4 powertrains they’re much extra superior than this HiLux EV idea.
Basically, the REVO BEV idea is a 4×2 single cab HiLux with a brand new filled-in fascia and CCS2 plug above the left-hand wheel.
The ICE drivetrain has been eliminated and as an alternative a battery pack has been secured between the longitudinal body rails and a drive unit comprising electrical motor, differential and single pace gear bolted to the rear-end driving the rear wheels by way of half shafts.
Rather than the stay rear axle is a De Dion axle nonetheless working with leaf springs. The front-end retains double wishbones. And effectively, um, past that particulars are scarce.
Toyota wasn’t capable of share motor sort or outputs, battery dimension, chemistry or recharging pace. The native product guys stated they didn’t know. Additionally they stated they have been forbidden from lifting the idea’s bonnet throughout its native keep.
They did estimate vary at about 200-230km – there’s no regen operate to increase that additional – and through our brief drive the 0-100km/h sprint got here up in about 11 seconds.
That implies a small motor and battery. Possibly the 80kW337Nkm motor from the bZ4X twin motor in addition to its 71kWh (gross) battery.
So What’s It Like To Drive?
The Toyota HiLux REVO BEV idea may look a bit like a HiLux, nevertheless it certain doesn’t drive like one.
That is so far as you may get from the standard go wherever, diesel sucking, load-towing, outback hauler that HiLux represents for Australians and has made it the nation’s top-selling car..
It whirrs quietly into motion, accelerating with some drive as much as about 60km/h. Past that it begins to sluggish its fee of progress to the pedestrian.
Our few laps have been carried out on the small take a look at course at a Toyota facility in Melbourne. Utterly flat and easy it meant discovering out how the HiLux EV coped with a hill or a bump was not likely attainable.
Rolling on 17-inch Dunlop Grandtrek rubber, it displayed benign highway manners, heeling over on to its exterior entrance nook and pushing its nostril extensive at average speeds in tight corners.
Toyota envisions a possible manufacturing model of the HiLux EV – if one ever comes – as an city fleet car appropriate for councils and companies intent on reducing their company CO2 common.
For personal consumers it’s too restricted to execute the a number of roles anticipated of HiLux. Absolutely, that must be twin motor and all-wheel drive – or hydrogen fuelled.
Maybe essentially the most spectacular a part of the idea was its inside presentation, which was very production-like.
A drive selector dial and electrical park brake are positioned on the centre console as a substitute of the same old gearshifter and guide pull-type handbrake lever.
Up within the instrument cluster the tacho is changed by a battery gauge and there may be additionally an influence meter, digital speedo and distance to empty estimate.
Last Ideas
The irritating factor concerning the Toyota HiLux REVO BEV idea is that it’s being wheeled out in late 2023 as proof of Toyota’s dedication to electrical automobiles.
5 years in the past perhaps. However doing it now underlines how far behind the sport Toyota is.
It’s an fascinating car, however not one which’s related to the huge bulk of native utes consumers.
Hopefully, it gained’t be too lengthy earlier than Toyota has a clear inexperienced ute to tempt them.