Toyota Hilux hybrid skipped in favour of battery-electric work truck, beating Isuzu D-Max and Mitsubishi Triton to Australia

Toyota Australia has announced paunchy specifications and little print for one in every of its foremost launches — the Hilux ute.

The 2026 Toyota Hilux will approach in Australia subsequent month with a familiar, mildly electrified diesel powerplant, but there would possibly be not one of these thing as a hybrid on the horizon.

As a replacement, Toyota Australia vice chairman of sales and marketing Sean Hanley announced the battery electrical model is within the product thought for subsequent 300 and sixty five days.

“Our multipathway device has consistently been about offering autos with the explicit powertrain for buyer use and we procure now seen a increasing ask for BEVs within the ute situation, in particular amongst rapid investors, “ he mentioned.

“These are autos that would possibly be dilapidated largely in temporary-distance operations that need the payload and passenger capacity and are in a situation to be recharged with out disaster and economically.”

“The original double cab 4×4 would possibly be readily available for anybody who pushes to buy one but we’re essentially concentrating on fleets and metropolis change users that can income most from the advantages that a BEV offers.”

It’s a obvious tactic to a couple rivals, alongside with the Ford Ranger, BYD Shark 6 and GWM Cannon Alpha, which procure all chosen skedaddle-in hybrid energy to diminish emissions.

Called simply Hilux BEV, the original electrical Hilux isn’t geared in direction of the increasing interior most buyer and ABN holder ute market, as an different it’s about mountainous mining fleets looking out for to meet ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) targets.

This is able to presumably presumably be succesful, we’re promised, with twin electrical motors offering four-wheel force. Payload will must be round 1000kg, and braked towing has to hit the 3500kg expectation.

Specifics remain a thriller. The 4×2 Revo theory used to be fitted with a circa-70kWh battery pack that equipped about 250km of riding vary. The original Hilux BEV’s key rival in Europe, the Isuzu D-Max EV, hits identical numbers with a 66.9kWh battery for 283km WLTP riding vary with 50kW DC rapid-charging.

In Australia, a battery-electrical Hilux isn’t exactly original, both. ROEV is an organization that specialises in battery versions of the sizzling Hilux and Ranger. It offers a Hilux kit with a 96kWh pack for a instructed 360km riding vary.

Toyota says this is able to presumably presumably provide the Hilux BEV in two trims, the mining/rapid particular glum which is a combination of Workmate and SR trim ranges, while a flagship loaded up SR5-level ute would possibly be geared in direction of interior most, metropolis ute investors.

Toyota utterly sells one electrical vehicle in Australia at the second, the bZ4X midsize SUV. A increased Touring model is confirmed for 2026, though sales expectations aren’t wide for these electrical SUVs.