Toyota has confirmed that the Hilux pickup will get an electrified version that will enter production in Thailand by the end of 2025. Toyota Thailand’s head Noriaki Yamashita announced plans for the Electric Hilux recently, Reuters reports, confirming the development over a year after the concept version was showcased in 2022. The announcement also comes just days after Isuzu announced its plans to build the electrified D-Max pickup in 2025.
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While Toyota has been slow in transitioning to electric vehicles, the company has been taking its time to select and develop models that need the electric push. The Toyota Hilux Electric concept previewed the same and was initially showcased as a celebration of the brand’s 60th anniversary in Thailand. Given that Toyota Thailand is the manufacturing hub for Hilux in this region, the prototype was partially developed in the country.
The report further states that Yamashita confirmed that the Hilux Electric will first undergo extensive testing in the resort town of Pattaya in Thailand. The town is expected to receive a dozen electric Hilux pickups next month, which will be used as public vehicles. The move should help figure out the Electric Hilux’s capabilities and limits before the model enters mass production for global markets.
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Toyota presently commands a 30 per cent market share in the pickup segment in Europe, which would make the electric Hilux a crucial product in the future. More recently, Emmanuel Beaune, Head of Toyota’s commercial vehicle division in the continent, also stated that the automaker received inquiries regarding its all-electric pickup. He further revealed that the company was testing the prospects of introducing the Hilux Electric in Europe, although the timeline remains under wraps.
The Toyota Hilux is one of the most capable pickups on sale globally, and an electrified version will be in line with different market needs across the globe. The current version uses brutish diesel under its bonnet, but changing emission regulations and a slowdown in demand for diesel could make the adoption of the electric version more viable. There’s no word on whether the Hilux Electric will make its way to India, at least in the short term.
