Toyota delays Highlander BEV, extends gas model
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- Toyota confirmed to Cars.com that production of the 2027 Highlander BEV is delayed, citing 'additional adjustments to the vehicle prior to launch' and offering no new production start date.
- The 2026 Highlander (gas and hybrid) will keep rolling off the line through December and remain at dealerships into 2027, ensuring Toyota monetizes the nameplate while the EV version sits in limbo.
- Toyota sold over 100,000 Highlanders and Grand Highlanders in the US through June against just under 22,000 EVs total — a ratio Cars.com flags as the real reason for the delay: the ICE/hybrid trucks are the profit engine.
- The Highlander BEV was expected to launch alongside the electric Lexus TZ and Subaru Getaway on a shared modified TNGA-K platform, leaving open whether those siblings will also slip.
- When (or if) the 2027 Highlander BEV arrives, it will offer 77 kWh or 95.8 kWh batteries, FWD ranges up to 287–320 miles, and a Limited AWD grade rated at 338 hp and 323 lb-ft of torque.
- Competitors are not waiting: Kia EV9 sales are up 42% YTD through June, Hyundai IONIQ 9 up 380%, and the new Tesla Model Y L launched in the US last week starting at $61,990 — while the Highlander BEV was positioned to undercut all of them at around $50,000.
Why it matters: Toyota's delay hands momentum to surging three-row EV SUV rivals — Kia EV9 (sales up 42% YTD), Hyundai IONIQ 9 (up 380%), and Tesla Model Y L ($61,990) — in a segment the Highlander BEV was positioned to undercut at ~$50,000. Toyota keeps building gas and hybrid Highlanders that outsold its entire EV lineup over 4-to-1 through June.
