Toyota opens orders for its first body-on-frame EV pickup, starting at under $60,000
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- Toyota has opened UK orders for the Hilux BEV at £42,170 (~$56,500) before VAT, while Australian sales launched last month at AUD $74,990 (~$51,500)
- The Hilux BEV is Toyota's first electric pickup and first body-on-frame EV, using a dual-motor AWD setup delivering 278 hp and 348 lb-ft of torque, with a towing capacity of more than 3,700 lbs
- A 59.2 kWh water-cooled lithium-ion battery with 80 cells in five modules delivers up to 160 miles (257 km) of WLTP range — or 236 miles on the city cycle — and supports 125 kW DC fast-charging from 10% to 80% in about 30 minutes
- The electric Hilux becomes Toyota's first EV equipped with Multi-Terrain Select, adding five drive modes and a 700mm (27-inch) wading depth, though ground clearance drops to 212mm due to the underfloor battery
- The cabin mirrors the new Land Cruiser with twin 12.3-inch displays, while Toyota's third-generation T-Mate adds blind-spot monitor, safe exit assist, parking support brake, and a first-time lane-assist function
- Toyota confirmed the Hilux BEV won't reach the US: the gas-powered Hilux isn't sold there, and the Trump Administration's import tariffs would compound the cost problem
- In the US market, Toyota already has three electric SUVs on sale, with a three-row Highlander BEV set to join as a fourth later this year
Why it matters: Toyota is finally putting an electric pickup on sale, but the 160-mile WLTP range at a ~$56,500 price is dwarfed by Chinese competitors reportedly delivering 600-mile EVs with sub-10-minute charging — a gap the top comment in the article explicitly calls out. US buyers are locked out entirely: the Hilux isn't sold stateside, and Trump-era tariffs make importing one cost-prohibitive, leaving American Toyota customers with SUVs like the upcoming Highlander BEV instead.
