Could a Toyota EV Truck Be Just around the Corner?

• Toyota brings the Hilux REVO BEV Concept to Australia for testing, ahead of a possible market launch in the future.

• The Hilux REVO BEV Concept was built by engineers at Toyota Thailand, where the gas- and diesel-powered Hilux trucks are produced, as a one-off using Toyota EV components.

• The automaker previewed an electric Tacoma in 2021, but has not indicated when North America could see such a model arrive in production form.

All eyes this fall are on the Cybertruck, as Tesla prepares to start production of its long-delayed electric pickup. But Toyota isn't ignoring this segment either, even if remains a bit of an EV skeptic.

Earlier this month the Japanese automaker commenced testing of the Hilux BEV Revo Concept in Australia, after the concept's debut in December 2022. The latest round of trials with industry partners and local engineers is thought to have been a method of testing the waters with dealers and fleets, ahead of production launch of a similar model down the road.

The Hilux BEV Revo Concept itself is based on the gas- and diesel-powered version of the truck produced in Thailand for the Australia and Oceania markets, and was built as a one-off. It maintains the looks of the production model, though it sports a closed-off grille and a charging port on the front left fender.

The truck itself is more of a ute than anything else (in keeping with the original Australian definition), with Toyota noting that Thailand is the "ute capital of the world," with 145,000 Hilux sales in that country in 2022 alone. Australia a bit further back with 64,000 sales last year—enough to make it Australia's best-selling vehicle.

"Our evaluation engineers and industry partners have confirmed that this city-focused HiLux BEV—while very much a concept vehicle—looks, feels and drives like a production model," said Sean Hanley, Toyota Australia vice president of sales, marketing & franchise operations.

Could such a model be offered in the US at some point?

The Chicken Tax would certainly require that any electric truck model for the US be produced here as well, so a Hilux probably isn't in the cards.