Toyota finally seems ready to give the people what they want—a compact pickup truck. However, there’s a bit of a twist because the one they’re getting will be electric. Alongside its electric Land Cruiser concept reveal, Toyota also revealed an electric pickup truck concept, similar in size to the Ford Maverick.
For years, both customers and dealers have been expressing their desires for a sub-Tacoma-sized pickup from Toyota. Those desires were fueled even further when Ford released its Maverick. The Maverick is selling so fast that Ford can’t keep up with demand, as it’s become one of America’s most popular trucks. So it’s no surprise that Toyota wants in on the action and its “EPU” (presumably “Electric Pickup”) concept is its preview of an electric version.
Like its electric Land Cruiser concept, the EPU is built on a monocoque chassis. There’s no word on whether it’s a bespoke electric chassis or an existing one but there were rumors recently of a Corolla Cross-based pickup, so I’m guessing the latter. It’s only shown as a four-door “Double Cab” model and Toyota claims that it will be just over five meters long, same as the Maverick.
Toyota revealed neither powertrain nor battery specs, so there’s no way of knowing how much power or range it will have just yet. However, expect two powertrain options—single-motor, two-wheel drive, and dual-motor, all-wheel drive options. No towing or payload capacity specs were revealed, either, but it wouldn’t be surprising to see Toyota benchmark the Maverick’s.
It’s a sharp-looking concept, too. The funky C-pillar, slanted nose, and muscular wheel arches give it a sporty, athletic look that separates it from the more rugged-looking Tacoma. It also has some neat features, like an extending tailgate, a steering yoke (hopefully one that works better than Tesla’s), and a dual-screen setup that has physical drive-select controls built into it.
Toyota hasn’t officially committed to building the EPU but it seems like an inevitability at this point. Not having a pickup to compete with the incredibly popular Maverick seems foolish and making it electric would put Toyota ahead of the game, as Ford will eventually have to do the same. Hopefully, we’ll see the Toyota EPU become a reality sooner than later.
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