Toyota Australia has confirmed its new fully electric Hilux will be priced from $74,990 before on-road costs, ahead of its expected arrival between April and June this year.
A staggeringly low sales target of just 500 units has been set for the new model branded Hilux BEV (battery electric vehicle) in 2026 – a drop in the bucket considering Toyota sold over 51,000 Hiluxes in Australia last year.
With an expected range of just 315km, a figure achieved using the lenient NEDC standard, sales from private buyers are essentially being treated as a bonus, with the real focus being on government fleets and mining operations.
The starting price is high, with even the base variant sitting above the top-spec diesel Rugged X ($71,990 before on-roads). For context, a plug-in hybrid Ford Ranger starts at $71,990 and the BYD Shark 6 just $57,900 with drive-away costs included.
Few fully electric ute options exist on the market at present, but the unibody KGM Musso EV wowed pundits late last year when it launched with a $60,000 driveaway price.
Dual-cab and AWD only at launch
For now, the Hilux BEV will only be sold in dual-cab, twin-motor AWD guise.
Combined outputs of 144kW and 468Nm fall slightly short of the 2.8-litre turbo-diesel’s 150kW/500Nm on equivalent automatic models, but the electric versions will likely be punchier off the line due to its instant torque delivery.
A 82kW/206Nm front motor and 129kW/269Nm rear motor are said to provide the Hilux BEV a more rear-biased handling balance.
Notably, the Hilux BEV features full-time four-wheel-drive, instead of part-time like in the current diesel. Being a Hilux, off-road prowess remains an important question mark but Toyota has equipped its electric ute with its Multi-Terrain Select function with six drive modes to boost capability in different situations.
Braked towing is rated at 2000kg, down on the 3500kg capacity of the core range.
SR and SR5 grades on offer
The Hilux BEV will be offered in a choice of two grades, the SR offered as both a cab-chassis ($74,990 before on-road costs), or a pickup ($76,490), while the SR5 is only available with the latter body style ($82,990).
The base SR largely mirrors its combustion counterpart in terms of equipment, with cloth seats, a plastic steering wheel and 17-inch wheels with a unique aero design. A combination of LED and halogen headlights are used for the entry-level grade.
Inside, the Hilux SR features twin 12.3-inch displays for the instrument cluster and the multimedia screen, along with a four-speaker sound system, dual-zone climate control and wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.
A full-size spare is also included across the range.
The electric SR5 packages in features normally found in the SR5 diesel’s Premium Pack as standard, including leather upholstery, heated front seats, heated leather steering wheel, carpeted flooring, eight-speaker sound system and a wireless phone charger.
Exterior changes include silver door handles and more advanced LED headlights.
Hilux BEV range and charging
A 59.2kWh lithium-ion battery is housed within the chassis to provide the estimated 315km of range (NEDC).
Moderate charging times of 30 minutes forecasted to top up the battery from 10-80 percent when using a 150kW DC fast charger.
A 10kW AC charger will top up the battery from 10-100 percent in 6.5 hours, says Toyota.
Toyota Hilux BEV: prices in Australia
All prices listed are before on-road costs.
- SR Cab-Chassis: $74,990
- SR Pickup: $76,490
- SR5: $82,990
