Toyota’s first electric ute won’t be a HiLux

The first electric ute to come from Japanese automotive giant Toyota will not be a HiLux – the top-selling vehicle in its class globally and in Australia – but instead it will be a sleek, car-derived pick-up aimed at families.

Toyota has unveiled a new electric ute concept on the opening day of the 2023 Tokyo Motor Show, but it has futuristic looks rather than being designed as a HiLux-style workhorse.

Although it is not yet locked in for production – and executives for the company declined to comment on whether there would be a petrol-hybrid option as well – it is a chance to be in Toyota's Australian showrooms by 2030.

Taking aim at the high cost of the few electric pick-ups already on sale globally – including the $90,000-plus LDV eT60 from China which is the only vehicle of its type sold locally to date – Sean Hanley, the sales and marketing boss for Toyota Australia, told media: "Electric pick-up trucks ... are starting to emerge, but they're not ... affordable.

"Then here comes Toyota with a next-generation mid-sized ute concept, a practical yet stylish (electric car) with a (car-derived) body.

"I can't comment about how close these concepts might be to our dealer showrooms, but it sure looks to me at least when I look at these vehicles, it looks like it could go into production with minimal changes."

The Toyota Australia executive said the electric pick-up – with the code-name EPU (Electric Pick-Up) – is "just over five meters long with a double-cab design and a monocoque structure that allows for a versatile deck space and it caters to a wide range of mobile mobility lifestyles. 

"It's smaller than a Hilux overall, but sits on a longer wheelbase which is around 3350mm. This interior is a bit more futuristic featuring large display screens a minimalistic dashboard and a yoke styled steering wheel."

When asked if the unveiling of the Toyota EPU concept would rule out an electric version of the next-generation HiLux, Mr Hanley said: "Not necessarily. We'll talk about that future in due course, but we would not rule out any fundamental technological advancements at this time."