Toyota’s 100% electric Hilux pickup may be further away than expected

For those waiting on an all-electric Toyota Hilux pickup, you may have to wait a little longer. Toyota Europe’s light commercial vehicle sales head, Emmanuel Beaune, suggested that a 100% electric Hilux pickup was still just under investigation.

Is Toyota finally launching an electric Hilux pickup?

Although the Toyota Hilux is one of the top-selling pickups globally, a fully electric version may be further out than expected.

Toyota builds the Hilux in 6 nations, with sales spanning over 180 countries and regions globally.

Toyota unveiled the new Hilux Hybrid 48V, the first “electrified” version of the pickup, earlier this month. However, the small hybrid system is connected to a 2.8 L diesel engine. The improvements are minor, with up to 5% better fuel efficiency.

There was also the hydrogen fuel cell electric Hilux prototype, which was revealed in September. With Tesla launching its Cybertruck, many wonder when (or if) Toyota will release a real electric pickup of its own.

Beaune told Top Gear, “It’s really part of our multi pathway approach, to have different powertrains and solutions.” Despite many governments moving toward all-electric vehicles, Toyota has insisted on a hybrid strategy, including gas-powered HEVs, PHEVs, and EVs.

As for an electric Hilux, Beaune said It’s too early to comment,” adding, “There are some investigations.”

Toyota did show off its Hilux Revo BEV concept in Thailand last December, but that was a year ago. The EV pickup was spotted testing in Australia as part of development in October, but Toyota has yet to reveal any new details.

Despite Toyota’s hesitation, Beaune said the company accounts for 30% of the pickup market in Europe. He explained, “We can see that for some workers they will be interested in a BEV,” adding, “That’s the reason why we’re studying with TMC (Toyota Motor Corporation) in Japan in order to propose the right solution.”

Electrek’s Take

With only “some investigations” into an electric pickup at this point, Toyota is already falling behind.

Several Chinese EV makers, including BYD and Geely’s Radar, have launched electric trucks. Even Japanese rival Isuzu confirmed it’s launching an all-electric pickup in Thailand. BYD is already stealing market share in Thailand, which Toyota has long dominated.

After entering the market in July 2022, BYD already accounts for over a third of EV sales and around 4% of new vehicle sales. BYD has already topped several Japanese automakers, including Nissan, Mitsubishi, Mazda, and Suzuki, in total vehicle sales.

By sticking to its hybrid approach, Toyota is setting itself up for failure. BYD can develop a new EV from scratch to finish in 18 months. The automaker is already planning a new EV pickup that’s expected to launch shortly.

If Toyota wants to keep up, it will need to act with urgency. An electric pickup should already be a part of the automaker’s plans, not just under investigation.