Toyota reveals prices for its first EV pickup will not be cheap

Toyota’s first purely electric pickup, the Hilux BEV, is on its way to dealerships, but prices are slightly higher than expected.

Toyota Hilux electric pickup prices and specs

Although it’s not sold in the US, the Hilux consistently ranks among the most popular pickup trucks globally, alongside the Ford Ranger.

Since it first launched over 50 years ago, Toyota has sold over 27 million Hilux models worldwide. For the first time, Toyota is introducing an all-electric version of its ninth generation.

After unveiling the Hilux BEV last November, Toyota said it’s bringing the “legendary pickup into a new era of electrified power.”

Toyota announced that Hilux BEV prices in Australia will start at AUD $74,990 ($51,500), plus on-road costs, when it goes on sale in May. It will be available in three variants: SR double-cab chassis, SR double-cab pickup, and SR5 double-cab pickup.

To put that into perspective, the equivalent diesel Hilux starts at around AUD $54,900 ($37,700), or AUD $20,000 less than the EV version.

“Offering both Australian businesses and private buyers the choice of a HiLux with zero tailpipe emissions is a crucial step forward in providing consumers the right powertrain for the right application, at the right time,” Toyota Australia Vice President Sales, Marketing and Franchise Operations John Pappas said on Tuesday.

Toyota has been testing the electric pickup “for months” at mine sites across Australia, in temperatures near 50°C (122°F), to ensure it’s up to the task.

You can clearly tell it’s still a Hilux, but Toyota updated the design with a new “tough and agile” look, featuring slim LED headlights and a closed-off grille. It will be available exclusively in Double Cab body style with all-wheel-drive (AWD) powertrain.

Inside, the Hilux BEV features Toyota’s new interior design with dual 12.3″ multi-information and central touchscreen displays that include wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.

The dual-motor AWD powertrain delivers a combined 193 hp (144 kW) and 350 lb-ft (475 Nm) of torque, enabling it to tow up to 4,400 lbs (2,000 kg).

Powered by a 59.2 kWh battery, the NEDC driving range for the pickup is 315 km (196 miles), while the SR cab-chassis is rated at 245 km (152 miles).

With 150 kW DC charging, Toyota said the electric Hilux BEV can recharge from 10% to 80% in as little as 30 minutes.

The electric version shares the body-on-frame design with the other Hilux models, but the electric powertrain offers a unique driving experience and adds more off-road capability.

For off-roading, the Hilux BEV includes Toyota’s Multi-Terrain Select traction control system with six different drive modes.

It also features a new suspension system with frame reinforcements and a “beefed-up” MacPherson strut front suspension.

Toyota’s electric pickup (the Hilux Travo-e) is now on sale in Thailand, starting at 1,491,000 Baht, or around $45,700. The Hilux BEV will continue launching throughout the year across global markets, including Europe, Japan, Southeast Asia, and Central and South America.

Will Toyota bring the EV pickup to the US? Don’t get your hopes up. Toyota doesn’t already sell the current gas-powered Hilux in the US, and the Trump Administration’s import tariffs will make it even more expensive. Toyota does, however, have three new electric SUVs on sale in the US, with the three-row Highlander BEV joining as a fourth later this year.