With the new Highlander EV arriving later this year, Toyota will have a full lineup of electric SUVs. Toyota believes the new EVs fill a key gap in its lineup and will help it gain a bigger share of the market.
Can four new EVs spark Toyota’s comeback?
Toyota has been one of the most outspoken, if not the most, about going all-in on EVs. Instead, the world’s largest car maker has stuck to a “multi-pathway” approach, selling battery-electric (BEV), hybrid (HEV), plug-in hybrid (PHEV), and fuel-cell electric vehicles (FCEV).
After unveiling the 2027 Highlander BEV this week, Toyota said it would be exclusively available as an electric vehicle.
Even with many automakers reporting slower EV sales after the $7,500 tax credit expired at the end of September, Toyota believes the three-row electric SUV will be a hit.
“This is not a niche product. There will be volume,” Toyota Motor North America’s vice president, David Christ, told Automotive News.
The Highlander EV arrives at what could be a key turning point, as many other brands have left the door wide open for the taking.
Ford abandoned plans for its three-row electric SUV in 2024, and last month, Tesla announced it would discontinue the Model X, with production set to end by the end of the second quarter.
Will Toyota take advantage of the opportunity? Christ believes it will. “Other [mass-market] brands have been selling EVs in higher volume than us for several years, and we think we felt one of our portfolio holes was not having EV options in the showroom,” he explained.
The Highlander is one of four new Toyota electric SUVs that will go on sale by the end of 2026. Toyota already opened orders for the new 2026 bZ, C-HR, and bZ Woodland, and the Highlander EV will be available later this year.
Although “Yes, [EV sales are] down after the federal incentives went away,” Christ admitted, “we think that we deserve our fair share of the EV market that’s there, and these four cars will help us do that.”
Electrek’s Take
As someone who has covered the company for years now, it almost feels unnatural to say this, but Toyota has the opportunity to play a bigger role in the US EV market.
Toyota will soon offer a full lineup of all-electric SUVs, including the smaller crossover-like C-HR, mid-size bZ, off-road focused bZ Woodland, and the three-row Highlander EV.
The updated 2026 bZ fixed some of the biggest issues with the outgoing bZ4X, delivering a 25% improvement in driving range (now up to 314 miles), a refined interior and exterior, and a built-in NACS port to recharge at Tesla Superchargers across the US.
So far, the improvements seem to be paying off. The new bZ was among the top-selling EVs in the US last month, outpacing the Hyundai IONIQ 5, Ford Mustang Mach-E, Kia EV9, and Honda Prologue.
Will its other electric SUVs have the same effect? Brand loyalty could work in its favor. According to the JD Power 2025 US Automotive Brand Loyalty Study, Toyota ranked first among mass-market brands for the fourth straight year with a 62% loyalty rate. Honda was second at 55.5%.
Starting at under $35,000, the 2026 bZ is one of the most affordable EVs in the US. The 2026 C-HR is slightly more at $37,000, but it comes with standard all-wheel drive (AWD) while the bZ Wooland starts at about $40,000.
Prices for the 2027 Highlander EV will be announced later this year, but it is expected to start at around $50,000 to $55,000. At that price, it will be about the same as the Kia EV9 ($54,900).
Toyota now has EV options in its showrooms. The question is: Will they sell? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.
With the new electric SUVs now at dealerships, Toyota is already offering a $5,000 customer cash bonus and 0% financing to kick things off. You can use the links below to see what deals are available in your area.
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