Will it be an electric version of the new Tacoma? Or something else entirely?
Toyota has admitted that an electric pickup truck is in development. The logo announced plans to offer a pickup truck with a BEV powertrain when it unveiled the bZ4X SUV concept in 2021. Toyota introduced the EV Pickup concept later that year.
This turns out to be the most likely direction for Toyota to get into an electric pickup truck anytime soon. When Toyota unveiled the EV Pickup concept, our first thought was that it looked a lot like a next-generation electric Tacoma. Looking at the all-new 2024 Tacoma, we can verify that the EV truck definitely looks like an EV edition of the Tacoma.
Australian media outlet Drive has uncovered Japanese reports suggesting that the Compact Cruiser EV is delayed because Toyota is prioritizing the Tacoma’s powertrain readiness in North America.
Should Toyota choose the Tacoma EV route for its first electric pickup truck, it seems plenty of buyers will be on board. A recent survey of 3,600 car shoppers by Autolist, released in late November 2023, reveals that an electric Toyota Tacoma is the most popular EV pickup truck … even though it doesn’t exist. The (hypothetical) battery-powered Tacoma beat out the second-place Ford F-150 Lightning, third-place Chevy Silverado EV and fourth-place Tesla Cybertruck.
Toyota has unveiled the EPU concept (seen here and above) for the 2023 Japan Mobility Show. It’s called the “next-generation midsize pickup truck” concept. It runs on a unibody platform committed to vehicles. Dimensionally, it has a longer wheelbase than the 2023 Tacoma is even shorter in length and height.
The EPU has a sort of off-road tires, and Toyota claims it would have a flexible case and be used in applications. It’s more like a Ford Maverick competitor that could exist alongside an electric Tacoma (if it makes its way to the U. S. ). But it could also be Toyota’s first electric pickup truck if the logo chooses not to build a Tacoma EV on top of the existing platform.
Electric pickup trucks have proven to be well suited for off-road use. The weight of the battery gives them a low center of gravity, they offer a ton of instant torque to overcome obstacles, and you don’t have a gurgling combustion engine. while heading out to enjoy the wonderful outdoors.
We’d bet Toyota’s color selection for the EV Pickup concept was no coincidence. The white one screams “TRD Pro” to Toyota truck enthusiasts. The truck is supplied with studded all-terrain tires. And it doesn’t have the air barrier found in the more road-going 2024 Tacomas.
We don’t know yet. But there’s an explanation for optimism: A Toyota electric truck is coming soon. Toyota has announced plans to launch at least 15 electric cars by 2025. We’ve noticed Toyota moving forward with other cars shown in this first list of EV concepts. And a pickup truck would be a top priority on Toyota’s list.
Toyota said it plans to introduce electrification to its pickup truck lineup “in the near future” in 2021, adding hybrid and BEV powertrains. We’ve already noticed hybrids with the Tundra and Tacoma. An EV pickup truck would be the natural next step.
One thing that may also delay the launch may also be Toyota’s battery technology. Today’s Toyota electric cars have limited diversity compared to their competitors. And Toyota would likely need its next-generation batteries to properly force a pickup truck to tow and haul.