Aussie plan for electric Toyota HiLux and Ford Ranger

A localised electric vehicle conversion for top-selling utes such as the Toyota HiLux and Ford Ranger could soon be offered by the Australian automotive product developer Premcar.

Best known for the development and assembly of the Nissan Navara Warrior 4x4 off-road ute, Melbourne-based Premcar is essentially an evolution of the old Ford Performance Vehicles (FPV) and Prodrive engineering business.

While the Nissan business, which also includes the development of a Nissan Patrol Warrior expected in 2022, is the client it is most publicly associated with, Premcar retains links with Ford and other automotive brands and also defence industry development.

It has had previous EV development experience contracting to a Chinese automotive brand. It also developed an electrified Ford Territory SUV in 2010 for the Australian arm of long-defunct battery replacement business Better Place.

The EV ute project envisages offering a battery-electric 4x2 and 4x4 drivetrain conversion to predominantly fleet customers.

“I think electrified utes are a real opportunity and I think it’s going to be a while before one reaches the market here,” said Premcar engineering director Bernie Quinn.

“I think there is an opportunity to do some conversion work … we are having some really positive discussions with a group that are in Australia about a conversion kit and I think it has genuine legs.”

The impetus for the project is the tremendous sales popularity of utes in Australia and the pressure on businesses and government bodies that buy them in large numbers to cut emissions.

The Toyota HiLux and Ford Ranger are the top two sellers in the overall new vehicle market and the 4x4 ute segment is the biggest in the country.

Because these utes are based on ladder-frame construction, Quinn says conversion task can be completed on its own assembly line.

“We can take out the engine, transmission, transfer case, driveshaft, exhaust system and fuel tank and there is a great space for a battery,”  he said.

A conversion would also remove the usual ute beam rear axle and replace it with an independent rear suspension, avoiding unwanted movement of the electric motor driving the rear wheels.

Utes usually run an independent double wishbone front-end, negating the movement issue for an e-motor driving the front wheels.

Quinn said the key to developing a viable business was making the component set generic enough to suit many applications.

“Anyone can hot-rod a Navara or HiLux and turn it into an EV. But can you make it generic enough at a cost that is acceptable to the market?” he asked.

“The big cost in all this is the battery. The battery management system and the integration is difficult, but not insurmountable.”

Quinn described the project as being “in its early days” and confirmed discussions were underway with a potential investment partner.

“It’s still a concept, there’s not a prototype yet. We are doing the business case analysis at the moment.”

Related: WATCH: Nissan Navara PRO-4X Warrior comes to life