Toyota is delaying the Highlander EV, but there’s a bigger problem brewing — SkimNews
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- Toyota pushed back the Highlander EV to at least Q1 2027, making it a 2028 model year, after a spokesperson confirmed the delay in July citing unspecified "additional adjustments to the vehicle prior to launch"
- Current Highlander production ends December 2025, and dealers held roughly a 20-day supply as of September 10, with Toyota telling Automotive News its suppliers are "working toward a set volume" — leaving an inventory gap likely
- Subaru Getaway, built on the same underpinnings at the same Georgetown, Kentucky plant, is also delayed until at least Q1 2027
- Toyota's US sales are up 0.4% through August, but dealers are already stretched thin on the new RAV4, and Kentucky's Steve Gates said not having the Highlander "will be difficult," even temporarily
- Highlander EV will launch in Limited or XLE trims with a 77 kWh battery (up to 287 miles) or 95.8 kWh pack (up to 320 miles FWD), becoming Toyota's fourth US EV alongside the bZ, C-HR, and bZ Woodland
- Electrek's take suggests Toyota is likely avoiding a repeat of the bZ4X launch debacle — the model recalled in 2022 over wheels potentially falling off — giving rivals like the Hyundai IONIQ 9 and Kia EV9 more time to capture the three-row EV segment
Why it matters: The delay may be self-protective after the bZ4X recall fiasco, but the gap is real: Toyota's 20-day dealer supply with no extension commitment means customers shopping for a three-row Toyota SUV could walk away empty-handed for months. Every quarter the Highlander EV sits on the sideline is market share Hyundai IONIQ 9 and Kia EV9 can bank.
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