Toyota over the weekend revealed in concept form a fully electric compact pickup that’s about the same size overall as the Ford Maverick hybrid pickup.
The Toyota EPU concept, which is due to be shown this week at the Tokyo auto show, is about 200 inches long—within an inch of the Maverick in length and about as short as U.S.-spec double-cab designs get today (the Tacoma is about a foot longer in this form, with a five-foot bed). There’s space for five plus a “versatile deck space” that likely adds a few inches at the tailgate for some items or opens the cabin up to the bed for longer cargo and gear-carrying purposes.
Toyota EPU concept
Toyota EPU concept
Toyota EPU concept
The company doesn’t give a top-level view of the dimensions or volume of the cargo bed, but looking at the overall length and proportions of the truck it’s likely around five feet long. The EPU rides on a long 131.9-inch wheelbase—10 inches longer than that of the Maverick. Its 75-inch width and 67-inch height is right on par with that of the Maverick.
Toyota points to the quietness afforded by electric propulsion and the low center of gravity of the vehicle, resulting in good stability and ride comfort. Like the Ford Maverick, the EPU rides on a unibody layout, unlike the body-on-frame setup of other Toyota pickups. That likely signals a skateboard platform, with the potential for some added frunk space under the hoodline.
Toyota EPU concept
None of the EPU’s interior details were discussed, yet it was the only one among a batch of Tokyo-bound concepts to present with a cabin that looks production-ready. Its dash gets a horizontally oriented, utilitarian look, with a dual-layer layout containing tray storage and a less upright look versus current gasoline trucks as the Tacoma.
The addition of a hybrid headlines the 2024 Toyota Tacoma lineup, although the Tacoma hybrid’s i-Force Max system prioritizes towing and hauling over maximum mpg. That might make it a good companion with a model like the EPU, if it emphasized efficiency.
Toyota made clear in April 2021 that there would be a U.S.-bound electric pickup in “the near future.” Just earlier this month it revealed plans for an extended fleet test of the Toyota HiLux Revo BEV Concept, which adds a cost-conscious battery pack and propulsion system good for a range up to 143 miles and 0-60 mph acceleration in the 10-second range. But it’s reasonable to suspect that range and performance would be far better than that with a production truck based on the EPU.
