It’s been dragged into the sea, drafted into wars, hauled twice its weight, turned into RVs, and built into fire trucks, and now the pickup truck everyone thinks is indestructible is heading off on another adventure. The iconic Toyota Hilux pickup truck is getting an electric variant next year, and while you likely won’t see it in desert climates anytime soon, it could help Thailand electrify its commercial vehicle fleet.
Yes, the electric Hilux is expected to be built in Thailand, with Toyota Motor Asia executive vice president Pras Ganesh telling Reuters, “Our intention is to be producing the Hilux BEV over here.” Considering Thailand is a huge market for trucks, and that Isuzu is preparing a locally-built electric pickup truck, it makes a ton of sense to launch it there.
While we don’t know much about the truck’s specs, it likely won’t be the longest-range EV on the market. Toyota’s targeting 124 miles of range, and while that wouldn’t make sense for longer drives, it does make sense in denser areas. Plus, less range means fewer batteries, which could translate to higher payload capacities and lower prices, both critical things in markets like South East Asia.
At the same time, pickup trucks often do absolutely everything you can think of in Thailand. Heavy work, family duties, road trips, racing, off-roading … you name it. Thailand is the world’s second-largest market for pickup trucks by market share, and an electric Hilux won’t be able to do all of those things. Think of this truck a bit like Thailand’s F-150 Lightning, and you get the gist — it should be a thoroughly popular, largely conventional pickup truck that just happens to be electric.
However, like the F-150 Lightning, the electric Hilux won’t be the first electric pickup truck on sale in its market. Chinese automaker Geely has an electric pickup truck going on sale in Thailand next month called the Riddara RD6, pictured above. It’s a crew cab pickup truck with a claimed 282 miles of range, so it isn’t quite as utilitarian as a single cab setup. Still, it’s an option, and one that should give Toyota more competition.
While there’s a near-zero chance that the electric Hilux will make its way to North American showrooms, that doesn’t necessarily mean there’s no shot of a handful coming to North America for a very niche purpose. Although the 70-series Land Cruiser was discontinued in North America a long time ago, mines in Canada still import new examples for use in the mines. An electric Toyota pickup truck would cut down on emissions and reduce operating costs, so don’t rule this vehicle out for that purpose just yet. It’s still not likely, but it’s not off the table yet.
Needless to say, we’re excited to see the results next year, when the production-spec electric Toyota Hilux is set to be revealed. It’s certainly a new frontier for one of the world’s best-selling pickup trucks, and while it’s unlikely an electric version will ever be dropped off a high-rise building, it ought to embody the legendary durability the Hilux is known for.
(Photo credits: Toyota, Geely)
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That can’t be electric. It doesn’t have miles of superfluous LED lighting sucking up precious electrons.
I appreciate Autopian stories that touch on motoring around the world… I know it’s a big ask for a small outfit but it would be awesome to increase your stable of correspondents! I’m curious what Thai enthusiasts think of the development, especially since the versatility of the Hilux is such a selling point. Will the EV have the same flexibility? After-market support?
These are perfect for every pro sports stadium, every college and every large corporate campus, as well as any facility with a large, patrolled parking garage.
They’d probably be as good or better at mail delivery as the dedicated vehicles the Post Office was pressed into ordering by Congress, and they wouldn’t even have to move the driver’s seat to the other side.
There are a lot of uses, but almost certainly not enough demand to build them here.
If we were sensible about it, Congress would write an exemption for these and other niche vehicles that serve unique needs.
If a genie appeared in front of me right now, I’d wish for Thailand’s small truck culture to replace the brodozer bullshit we have in the USA.
would be a great idea, no big, apartment on wheels size of vehicles…
Toyota needs to hire better designers. The front end is hideous. Its like they could not decide if it should look like a normal truck or look like its electric (whatever that means). What they got was a horrible compromise of the two.
It’s the current Hilux with an aero grille — no need to reinvent the wheel.
It’s a shame we’ll never get it here. It would be such a great city truck.
One of the hallmarks of modern design is the ElectroLux. (look it up)
Toyota is known for making appliances.
Opportunity missed?
Anything by Dyson just looks astonishingly *overwrought* compared to the purposefulness of a vintage Electrolux vacuum. Arguably the Hilux has a similarly utilitarian aesthetic but lacks a certain wakaranai.
I inherited my Grandmother’s ElectroLux. It still works and the metal skids allow movement much better than casters. I smile every time I pick up the attachments that are made from this hard shiny material called aluminum.
Nice. Filter bags > bagless dust vessel all day.
My favorite part about my Electrolux is that I can take it to a shop 20 minutes away to get it serviced or buy parts for it.
Of course there’s a few fleet use cases here that this truck would appeal to, but exterminator companies immediately jumped to mind. They loved them some regular cab, base engine, low/standard suspension Tacomas, at least around me.
Can’t wait to see another wave of AI-based videos popping up announcing TOYOTA STOUT ELECTRIC PICKUP UNVEILED! or similar.
Did all that now what will kill it is becoming a useless unwanted EV.
Finally! A 2 door BEV pickup!
That Riddara looks cool.
Cool. We should buy a bunch of these and run EV technical battalions. Why let the terrorists have all the fun?
Its perfect for your tactical rsilgun.
This stripper should be called a NoLux. Not a bad thing, just its mission.
My thought exactly, It looks genuinely useful. My Land Rover series, umm , meccano set of vaguely related bits is getting covetous looks from lunatics with too much money, the Unimog is useful in extemis but not really a road going thing. This NoLux seems it would do most of the stuff that needs doing for the next couple of decades.
Her name is actually Jasmine
Sounds like a song.
I find it both hilarious and charming that it looks like they just repurposed the analog rev gauge and location for the battery charge gauge.
Northumberland farm calling, this looks brilliant. I generate more electricity than I could possibly use. For shifting sheep and tree stuff wearing clart encrusted wellies this would be just the ticket. (I wonder if I can get a grant?)
That’s pitiful. 120 miles? Come on. That’s bordering 1990’s lead acid battery range.
You want it to be cheap or not?
If GM can make a 250+ range EV for $25k then Toyota can too.
That’s absolutely plenty for the thousands of Hiluxes in Bangkok used as taxis, busses, delivery trucks etc. Traffic in the downtown area is notoriously bad, so you’ll never go more than 20-30mph, and 120miles of range is plenty for that.
Not to mention that Thailand’s EV charging infrastructure is growing rapidly. I saw lots of chargers around the major cities and at rest stops along the highways.
I can’t believe that I’m saying it, but I wish more automakers would takes notes from Stellantis and consider EREV pickups/utility vehicles
EREV is the way. I won’t buy a fully electric car, but I sure do love my Volt. I think EREVs make a ton of sense for pickups. Sort of like I am with my Volt, your average driver will do 90% of their driving in EV mode, but that gas sure is nice when you need it.
Even a Maverick sized truck with the RAV4 hybrid powertrain would be nice. I just want electric for around town errands, and gas for the long drives.
More so in a pickup truck set up as an emergency V2X power and heat generator.
Typical Toyota bare bone-ness. Look at all the blank switches and overall outdated feel of the whole package. I’m sure the electric motor would have at most 150hp to keep it slow-as-erosion too.
I mean, for reliability and simplicity that’s all a good thing, but my god Toyota, would it kill you to make something a bit more exciting?
I mean, sort of? Whole point of the Hilux is utility for utility purposes. They don’t need to jazz it up.
I said its simplicity is a good thing, but it doesn’t have to be the equivalent to car chloroform.
Toyota always does this. Go look at the newest Hi-Ace vs the Hyundai Staria. Both serve the same purpose (commercial vans) but the Hyundai is so much more interesting.
You need to understand the Thai market. The Hilux in Thailand is used for EVERYTHING: deliveries, farm vehicles, police, taxis, busses (large frames in the bed with benches and a tarp over it), food trucks, etc.
Compare it to a Leatherman multitool: flashy looks and creature comforts couldn’t be farther from the goal. If you want those features in a truck, you buy a Ranger Raptor (which is also EXTREMELY popular in Thailand).
This. Exactly this. It’s not a truck made for the export markets, but tailored exclusively for Thailand. Not to say that more upscale models won’t be built for Japan, UK, Australia or New Zealand a year later. You don’t make this kind of investment without thinking about other markets.
I’m shocked that this isn’t coming to the states.
The land of ‘uge and bigly trucks? I’m not. Even the Maverick isn’t exactly small.
I can’t even get a 24 Tacoma 2 door with a manual, what makes you think they’d go to the trouble of starting a whole new production line in the US to avoid the chicken tax?
If this is sarcasm my bad, but my point still stands.
It was more of an attempt at a pun
Ah, my bad
No worries, it was a pretty bad attempt 😉
With just 124 miles of range, this will be regulated to urban duty and courier jobs. It’s a fleeter.
Considering the Hilux in Thailand is used for everything from taxis, busses, couriers, food trucks, delivery trucks, etc in dense cities like Bangkok, that range is plenty. Inner city Thai traffic is atrociously slow, just creeping alone slower than walking pace in many cases. Perfect for an EV.