All-electric Toyota HiLux EV revealed

An all-electric Toyota HiLux EV and an all-new affordable ute have been unveiled by the world’s biggest car-maker at an overnight event to mark 60 years of Toyota operations in Thailand.

Pulling the drapes off the Toyota HiLux Revo BEV and the IMV 0 in front of 1500 people in Bangkok was none other than Toyota president Akio Toyoda.

The battery-powered HiLux Revo BEV – based on the current model – and the IMV 0 were designed and engineered in partnership with the Japanese giant’s Thai design and R&D hub.

Both vehicles are concepts at this stage and no details of either model were revealed, but Toyoda did confirm a production version of the IMV 0 concept was at least a year away.

He described the latter as “a brand new IMV pick-up truck for Thailand, something truly affordable and truly innovative.

“Internally we call it the IMV 0 concept. Its official launch is actually over a year away, but I wanted all of you to be the first to see it!”

It’s thought the IMV 0 could preview an all-new sub-HiLux ute, given its codename references the ‘IMV’ platform that underpins the current HiLux, suggesting the rugged, boxy and Suzuki Jimny-aping ute could share many components with its bigger sibling.

A new Toyota HiLux is due by 2025 and is expected to adopt a version of the new TNGA-F ladder frame under the new LandCruiser and Tundra.

US Toyota officials said earlier this year they were investigating how to fill the white space beneath North America’s version of the HiLux, the Tacoma, with a smaller and more affordable pick-up.

And in October it emerged Toyota has trademarked the Stout name in Argentina. The Toyota Stout name also remains registered in Australia, where it was last seen on a heavy-duty truck positioned above the HiLux in the 1960s and 1970s.

There’s no word on when we should expect a zero-emissions HiLux to arrive, but it’s unlikely to be based on the existing eighth-generation model and Toyoda reiterated Toyota’s reticence to fully embrace all-electric vehicles.

“I am often criticised in the press because I won’t declare that the automotive industry should commit 100 per cent to BEV. I believe we need to be realistic about when society will be able to fully adopt battery-electric vehicles and when our infrastructure can support them at scale,” said Toyoda.

“Because just like the fully autonomous cars that we were all supposed to be driving by now, I think BEVs are just going to take longer to become mainstream than the media would like us to believe.

“And frankly, BEVs are not the only way to achieve the world’s carbon neutrality goals. Personally, I would rather pursue every option, not just one option, such as emission-free synthetic fuels and hydrogen.”

It’s already been announced that work is underway on the development of a hydrogen fuel-cell powered HiLux after Toyota successfully won funding from the British government, while Australian start-up Roev has announced plans to release battery-powered HiLux and Ford Ranger vehicles as early as 2023.

It’s thought Toyota’s HiLux FCEV employs a modified version of the fuel-cell technology from the current Mirai, with the hydrogen tanks stored beneath the cab and the fuel stack relocated to under the bonnet.

Toyota Australia has promised to release electrified (hybrid, plug-in hybrid, EV or FCEV) versions of all the models it sells – including both the HiLux and LandCruiser, but high-performance GR models – by 2030.

And its parent company continues to develop hydrogen powertrain technologies – both fuel-cell and internal combustion – as alternatives to battery-electric power and they could eventually power the LandCruiser.

“I still believe hydrogen is as promising a technology for our future as BEV,” said Toyota. “In fact, a few months ago I was in Belgium for the WRC race and I drove our new Hydrogen-powered Yaris for the press and public. This was my first time driving it and I was blown away by its performance.

“At Toyota we believe in creating a full portfolio of carbon reducing choices for our customers from hybrid electric vehicles like this Camry to plug-in electric vehicles like our Prius Prime to full, battery-electric cars like our new bZ4X.

“But we're not stopping there. That's why we've introduced fuel cell vehicles like our Toyota Mirai and are pursuing hydrogen fuel options like these GR Yaris and Corolla Cross hydrogen powered concept cars.

“We must remember that carbon is the real enemy not a particular powertrain and that we can't reach carbon neutrality on our own. It must be a group effort and include other industries beyond automotive.”

More than 10 million Toyota have been made at the company’s three Thai plants since 1964, of which seven million have been IMV-based vehicles.

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