What we know about Toyota’s Hilux electric ute concept

Japanese car giant Toyota has finally unveiled its all-electric Hilux ute concept in Australia, which the company plans to test in the local market – although it is yet to confirm that it will actual bring the electric ute to the market here.

At Toyota’s Melbourne unveiling event, limited details about this ute were revealed. The focus appeared mainly on the delays to Toyota’s first passenger car, and is continued push into hybrid products.

But the main takeaway of what Toyota calls the “Hilux Revo BEV concept”, is that it would be available for drivers looking at making short journeys, and that it would be offered with a two-wheel drive powertrain. 

The Hilux Revo BEV was unveiled earlier this year at the 44th Bangkok Motorshow. According to reports

, it’s built on the same platform as the internal combustion engine (ICE) platform and the concept shares similar dimensions to a single-cab Hilux ute. Locally the single cab ute comes with a length of 5,265 mm and an overall width of 1,800 mm.

From the front, in place of the regular grille which accommodates a radiator in the ICE variant, the BEV concept has a closed grille. 

Moving onto the wheels, they are coated in black giving them a matte look. Dunlop tyres are also seen on the ute on show. There are also side steps to help get in and out of the high-riding vehicle.

Underneath the vehicle, leaf spring suspension can be spotted at the rear. From the rear, a rear-mounted motor can be seen along with a black bar to protect the outer housing of the motor, especially when taking the ute off-roading.

The charge port is located on the front-left side of the ute towards the passenger seat. The concept vehicle on the showcase was equipped with the CCS2 port.

No official specification of the drivetrain seems to have been revealed in Thailand and Toyota remains tight-lipped about it locally too. The local press release from the company stated “the HiLux Revo BEV Concept is an urban-focused two-wheel drive pick-up designed for short-range use, featuring a wealth of proprietary technologies under the skin.”.

Toyota Hilux is consistently one of the best-selling vehicles in Australia, often the best selling vehicle. In 2023 alone, FCAI data until July shows that 32,763 Hilux utes have been sold. 7,178 of these have been the 4×2 variants which form the basis of the Revo BEV Concept. 

Similarly, the Ford Ranger has sold 31,884 vehicles this year, making it a popular choice amongst many drivers.

With the popularity of utes remaining high, electric utes will be in high demand. Given Toyota’s lack of commitment to bringing the Hilux Revo BEV Concept or any other pure BEVs into the market, other brands are likely to bring EV models that could fill this gap.

Video from Thailand showcasing the Toyota Hilux Revo BEV Concept