√Toyota unveils small electric ute concept

The world’s largest car maker has debuted a smaller, battery-powered sibling to the top-selling Toyota HiLux – which could spawn a showroom rival for the Ford Maverick and Hyundai Santa Cruz lifestyle pick-ups.

Toyota has previewed an electric rival for the Ford Maverick and Hyundai Santa Cruz ‘compact’ car-derived pick-ups sold in the US with a new concept planned for display at the Tokyo motor show this week.

The Toyota EPU concept is a battery-powered vehicle underpinned by a dedicated electric-car platform shared with family SUVs – rather than the heavy-duty ladder-frame of a Toyota HiLux ute, which is about 25cm longer bumper to bumper.

Plans for a showroom version of the EPU concept are unclear.

Toyota has been rumoured to be working on a smaller pick-up for a variety of global markets – the US, South Africa and South-East Asia – that could revive the 1960s Stout badge, but it remains to be seen how the EPU concept translates to any of them.

It is the best fit for the US market, where sales of the Ford Maverick and Hyundai Santa Cruz ‘lifestyle’ utes are growing – offering slightly smaller bodies than a HiLux or Ford Ranger, but sitting on hatchback and SUV underpinnings with a lower payload and towing capacity.

More likely for the South African and South-East Asian markets – where lower safety standards apply – is a production version of the IMV 0 and Rangga concepts, which are stripped-back, low-cost workhorse utes designed to be fitted with cargo boxes, food truck-style extensions, and other specialised units.

The Toyota EPU concept has hints of US electric ute start-up Rivian in its design, with a distinct rear window pillar, a stubby bonnet, and short front and rear overhangs intended to reduce its footprint.

It is shorter bumper to bumper than a Toyota HiLux, but longer between the wheels – a benefit of its dedicated electric-vehicle underpinnings that allow the wheels to be pushed to the corners of the car, given the lack of a petrol or diesel engine.

It measures 5070mm long, 1910mm wide and 1710mm tall, riding on a 3350mm wheelbase – 255mm shorter in overall length and 155mm lower than a dual-cab HiLux, but 55mm wider and a considerable 265mm longer between the front and rear wheels.

Technical specifications have not been published, however the read-out on the instrument cluster – 320mi of driving range (515km) at 70 per cent charge – suggests Toyota expects the show car to offer up to 450 miles (725km) of range.

The interior is befitting of a concept car, with a futuristic aircraft-style ‘yoke’ steering control, a minimalist dashboard, and a pair of floating screens split by the toggle-switch gear selector and vehicle start button.

The instrument cluster shows an intersection in Newport Beach, California – the location of Toyota’s Calty design studio in the US, where much of the styling work on its US-market pick-ups is conducted, as well as other Toyota models including the latest Prado 4WD.

Toyota says “the rear of the cabin links boldly with the deck”, suggesting the rear panel of the cabin can retract to extend the load area – similar to other dedicated electric pick-ups including the Chevrolet Silverado EV.

The Japanese car giant claims “[electric-vehicle] quietness is accompanied by packaging with a low center of gravity for superior handling stability and ride comfort.”

The Toyota EPU concept is due to make its public debut at the Tokyo motor show later this week.

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