Final December, Toyota revealed a one-off electrical pickup truck idea in Thailand known as the Hilux Revo BEV Idea, based mostly on the globally ultra-popular gas- and diesel-powered Hilux. Evidently, it is not carried out with that idea fairly but, and it has me questioning what Toyota is likely to be as much as on the electrical truck entrance.
Final week, Toyota flew that very same mannequin to Australia for some further testing, and to get some enter from native large-volume Hilux fleet prospects. “Our analysis engineers and business companions have confirmed that this city-focused Hilux BEV – whereas very a lot an idea automobile – appears to be like, feels, and drives like a manufacturing mannequin,” Sean Hanley, Toyota Australia’s VP of gross sales, advertising and marketing & franchise operations, mentioned in a press release.
In case you missed the preliminary announcement, the electrical truck appears to be like similar to the gas-powered Hilux, apart from a couple of key variations: it has a closed-off grille with slim air vents, a charging port on the entrance left fender, and BEV badging all-around. It doesn’t scream that it’s a BEV (and in reality, looks like one thing akin to the previous RAV4 EV moderately than one thing totally new) however look carefully and you’ll discover that it’s certainly one.
It is sensible for Toyota to deal with these markets. The Hilux, in any case, has been the best-selling pickup truck in Australia for the previous seven years with greater than 64,000 items bought in 2022 alone. In Thailand, the place it’s wildly in style, Toyota bought a whopping 145,000 items in 2022.
![Toyota Hilux Revo BEV1](https://cdn.motor1.com/images/static/16x9-tr.png)
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What does this point out about Toyota’s electrical truck plans for the U.S.? That is definitely unclear. The Japanese automaker is likely to be taking part in catch-up within the BEV race, however that doesn’t imply {that a} new electrical truck isn’t on its method.
“We should be reasonable about when society will be capable to absolutely undertake BEVs and when our infrastructure can assist them at scale. Similar to the absolutely autonomous vehicles that we have been all purported to be driving by now, BEVs are simply going to take longer to develop into mainstream,” former Toyota president and present chairman Akio Toyoda mentioned final 12 months.
Going by the present electrical pickup truck tendencies within the U.S., or lack thereof, it looks like Toyota isn’t essentially lacking out on rather a lot. The electrical vans presently out there are costly, and demand isn’t nice. Common Motors delayed the beginning of manufacturing of the Chevrolet Silverado EV and GMC Sierra EV to 2025, indicating a scarcity of demand and the necessity for engineering upgrades. Ford has raved in regards to the F-150 Lightning’s rising manufacturing capability earlier this 12 months, stating “an annualized [production] fee of 150,000 items by this fall.” Nonetheless, it bought solely about 3,500 items in Q3 2023 (down 46 p.c year-over-year) and just lately introduced non permanent layoffs in a shift on the Rouge Electrical Automobile Middle on account of provide chain points. Many individuals appear to be probably the most excited in regards to the Tesla Cybertruck, but it surely’s not even actually on sale. And we nonetheless do not understand how a lot it can value.
In 2021, Toyota flaunted a “Pickup EV” idea that seemed like an electrical Tacoma – the U.S.’ hottest midsize truck. That very same 12 months, the model additionally confirmed that battery electrical powertrains would lengthen to the pickup truck line-ups as properly. It has since added hybrid to the Tacoma and full-size Tundra.
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Toyota Tacoma EV.
Now, Toyota did briefly showcase an EV truck idea that is fairly clearly a Tacoma in late 2021. And despite the fact that it would not even exist, it proved in style in a survey involving over a dozen EVs, the place it ranked second. Toyota has additionally confirmed 10 new BEVs by 2026, and one in all them will seemingly be a US-bound truck.
We additionally know that the Japanese automaker is investing closely in battery applied sciences to remedy vary nervousness and superior manufacturing processes to rationalize prices and streamline manufacturing. One can argue that prospects would moderately anticipate a well-rounded and inexpensive providing, as an alternative of inserting their bets on EVs that have been initially promised to be inexpensive, didn’t find yourself being so, and received pushed again by a couple of years.