Toyota has confirmed an entire bunch of EV ideas over the previous two years, however the actuality is its showrooms desperately want extra electrical automobiles. The automaker solely sells a handful of battery-electric automobiles globally for the time being: the bZ4X SUV, the China-exclusive bZ3 sedan, and the Lexus RZ and UX 300e. However a fourth one will quickly be added to the listing of manufacturing Toyota EVs, however solely in Thailand and solely in restricted numbers: an all-electric pickup truck.
The automaker mentioned it is going to quickly begin a trial with the brand new EV in Thailand, a market the place pickup vans make up nearly half of complete car gross sales. Pras Ganesh, government vp of Toyota Daihatsu Engineering & Manufacturing, informed Reuters that engineers are engaged on adapting Toyota electrical pickups to native circumstances. In response to Ganesh, a small batch of battery-electric pickups shall be deployed as taxis within the metropolis of Pattaya in early 2024.
“We’ll first begin taking a look at public transit,” Ganesh informed Reuters. Toyota can also be contemplating testing different EV pickups for deployments together with last-mile supply companies, he added. The corporate can also be increase EV R&D capability in Thailand, which is certainly one of Toyota’s 5 international R&D facilities.
![Toyota Hilux Revo BEV1](https://cdn.motor1.com/images/static/16x9-tr.png)
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Whereas Ganesh didn’t say which EV pickup would go on trial in Thailand, I can consider at the least two prospects. One is the Hilux Revo BEV Idea unveiled in Thailand late final yr; Toyota did not announce when industrial gross sales of mentioned mannequin would start. The second alternative may very well be the IMV 0 idea, which debuted on the identical occasion and was additionally on show on the Japan Mobility Present final month. The IMV 0 was described as a brand-new IMV modular gentle industrial pickup for Thailand that shall be “really reasonably priced and really revolutionary.” Toyota mentioned the manufacturing model was “over a yr away.” The IMV 0 appears to be powered with inside combustion, however maybe it may very well be tailored with batteries as properly.
Promoting an electrical Hilux and/or IMV in Thailand would assist Toyota counter Chinese language competitors within the Southeast Asian market. Toyota launched the bZ4X final yr in Thailand, however the electrical SUV has been to date outperformed in the marketplace by rivals from BYD and Nice Wall Motor.
Final month, Toyota flew a Hilux Revo to Australia for some extra testing and to get some enter from large-volume Hilux clients within the nation. This means that Toyota can also be contemplating Australia as a possible marketplace for the electrical Hilux.
What in regards to the U.S.? The Hilux Revo most likely has zero probability of creating it stateside for the reason that ICE-powered Hilux on which it is based mostly is just not bought in North America. However Toyota lately confirmed the production-ready EPU Idea at Japan Mobility Present, and a manufacturing mannequin based mostly on that research would possibly make an awesome rival for the Ford Maverick. Given the massively optimistic response to the EPU, Toyota would do properly to hearken to its clients and make {that a} actuality.