Toyota has confirmed that it works on an all-electric pickup truck, along with hybrid and plug-in hybrid versions of the same.
Toyota might be late to the EV party, but the electrification plan it introduced at the Shanghai Motor Show sounds very convincing. Apart from the bZ4X, its first EV, Toyota announced it would launch 15 battery-electric vehicles by 2025. What makes matters even more interesting is that the Japanese brand also announced an all-electric pickup truck to compete with the Tesla Cybertruck, Ford F-150 Electric, Hummer EV, and the Chevy Silverado EV.
Toyota currently has the Tundra and the Tacoma in its pickup truck lineup in the US. The battery-electric truck will probably be based on one of those trucks and not a standalone model. If we had to guess, it would be the all-new Tundra, which would also feature hybrid and plug-in hybrid powertrains.
Hence, Toyota will directly compete with Chevy and Ford, and the electric versions of the Silverado and F-150. Like Ram and GMC, other automakers might also join the party with electric models of their own full-size trucks. However, the Tundra will also compete with the Tesla Cybertruck scheduled to go on sale this year, and the Rivian R1T, another popular pickup truck hitting the market soon.
Toyota might use the DIRECT4 drivetrain in its first electric pickup truck. The system features two electric motors at each axle and supports full torque vectoring for better cornering. Furthermore, the system should help with the off-road capabilities of Toyota’s battery truck.
Toyota has plans to bring out 15 brand-new electric vehicles and 70 electrified models by 2025. The Tacoma and Tundra are scheduled for a refresh soon, and we reckon both will receive some electrification. However, there is still no information on which model will be the first to receive an all-electric version.
