Toyota unveiled a small electric pickup truck that could take on the F-150 Lightning and Ford Maverick
- Toyota revealed an electric pickup truck concept on Saturday ahead of the Japan auto show.
- The Toyota EPU is a small, battery-powered truck that's about the size of the Ford Maverick.
Unsatisfied with the current selection of electric pickup trucks out there? Toyota may have you covered.
The Japanese automaker just took the wraps off of a new battery-powered truck that's significantly smaller than hulking options from Ford, Rivian, and GMC. The EPU is just a concept for now, so there's no guarantee it'll go into production looking like this — if it ever gets the green light at all.
For purely selfish reasons, I hope the EPU actually goes on sale someday. The US is sorely lacking small pickups that are practical for city slickers like me. And it's especially short on small electric trucks, which would be cheaper and more efficient than expensive behemoths like the Ford F-150 Lightning and GMC Hummer EV.
Take a closer look at the EPU below:
Toyota didn't reveal many details about the EPU.
It said the EPU is roughly 199 inches long, so it's smaller than a Tacoma.
It's closer in size to the popular Ford Maverick and Hyundai Santa Cruz, the two compact pickups available in the US.
The truck looks pretty normal and doesn't exhibit the weird flourishes common in concept vehicles, indicating it may actually be close to production.
It looks markedly different from another electric pickup concept that Toyota showed off back in 2021.
The electric truck Toyota revealed a couple years ago looked a lot like a Tacoma.
Still, the EPU showcases some quirks, like a folding tailgate that doubles as a bed extender.
Pickup-truck makers constantly try to one-up each other with increasingly flashy tailgates. This could be the next entry.
Inside, the concept features overlapping displays and a steering yoke.
It's a lot like the yoke offered in the Lexus RZ 450e, the brand's first electric SUV.
The EV truck market is set to explode with new competitors in the next few years as established truck brands like Chevy and Ram — and newcomers like Fisker and Tesla — roll out new models.
After years of delays, the Tesla Cybertruck is set to hit the market in November.
Toyota is showing off the EPU at the Japan Mobility Show this week, so we may learn more about it soon.
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