Toyota is finally putting a fully electric pickup on European roads, and it has chosen one of its most recognisable workhorses to do it. The new Toyota Hilux BEV arrives as a battery powered version of the brand’s best selling truck, aimed squarely at urban users who still need serious capability. The launch signals not just a new model, but the start of a broader electrified Hilux family that will stretch from mild hybrid to hydrogen.
Hilux BEV: A work truck reimagined for Europe
The all new Hilux BEV made its public debut at the Brussels Motor Show as Toyota’s first electric pickup for Europe, a strategic move that puts zero tailpipe emissions into one of its most important nameplates. The Toyota Hilux keeps its familiar body on frame toughness and double cab layout, but swaps diesel for a battery pack and dual motors tuned for city and suburban duty, a combination that is being positioned as the next big Hilux selling point in Europe. Toyota is targeting customers who want a truck that can haul and tow during the week, then slip quietly into low emission zones without the penalties that now shadow combustion pickups.
Under the skin, the Hilux BEV uses a 59.2kWh lithium ion battery feeding front and rear eAxles, which together provide permanent all wheel drive and instant torque for slippery job sites and tight city ramps. Official figures quote Two electric motors delivering all wheel drive and 473 Nm of torque, enough to support a 715 kg payload and towing of up to 1.6 tonnes, numbers that put the truck squarely in the working vehicle bracket rather than lifestyle only territory, according to detailed specs. The Hilux BEV is set to reach European customers from April 2026, giving fleets and small businesses a concrete timeline to plan their own transitions.
Design, tech and the expanding Hilux family
Visually, the electric pickup leans into a more modern, almost SUV like face, with a closed grille and cleaner surfacing that still reads instantly as The Hilux. Inside, the cabin adopts Toyota’s latest design language already seen in models like the Land Cruiser, with a digital instrument cluster, a large central touchscreen and a more horizontal dashboard that feels closer to a passenger car than a farm tool, details highlighted in early images. The interior has also drawn attention from enthusiasts, with a Top comment by Blake noting how the new layout finally brings the truck in line with Toyota’s latest generation of cabins, a reaction that underscores how overdue this redesign felt to long time fans.
Beyond the screens, Toyota has packed in practical driver aids that matter on crowded European streets and tight depots. A Panoramic View Monitor is available to support parking and precise on road manoeuvres, a feature that pairs with the truck’s compact overhangs to make it less intimidating in multi storey car parks, according to detailed technical notes. The Hilux BEV also benefits from Toyota’s long running policy of localisation in Europe, with the company stressing that its vehicles are adapted to meet the specific needs of Europe’s varied customers, a philosophy outlined in its broader European strategy.
“Just the beginning”: hybrids, hydrogen and market stakes
Toyota is not stopping at a single battery electric variant, instead it is rolling out an entire Hilux family that spans multiple powertrains to hedge against uneven charging infrastructure and diverse user needs. Alongside the Hilux BEV, the company is introducing the Hilux Hybrid 48V, plus updated diesel and petrol engines, a range that also includes plans for hydrogen fuel cell versions to follow, as outlined in early briefings. Toyota has already confirmed that the Hilux Hybrid 48V will enter production in spring, with the electrified system designed to improve efficiency and low speed control without sacrificing the ruggedness that has defined the Hilux name, according to its own announcement.
The broader rollout is being framed explicitly as “Just the Beginning” for Toyota’s electric pickups in the region, with company messaging around the Brussels debut stressing that the Hilux BEV is the first step in a longer zero emission strategy for work vehicles, a point underscored in coverage of how Toyota Introduces Electric Pickup for the European Market and labels it Just the Beginning at the Brussels Motor Show, as captured in one detailed report. The truck’s first European appearance at the Brussels Motor Show has been heavily promoted, with Toyota highlighting the All new Hilux as the First European outing for its ninth generation pickup and its first battery electric version, a milestone noted in both official materials and dealer channels. That spotlight reflects how central the Hilux for Europe has become to Toyota’s commercial lineup, with the company listing the model alongside its EV and HEV Vehicles in its latest brief.
Enthusiast and social media reaction has been swift, with clips of the 2026 Toyota Hilux and for the first time its fully electric and Diesel MHEV versions circulating widely, including a short reel that highlights how the Hilux family now spans BEV, hybrid and traditional engines for different markets, as seen in one viral clip. Video walkarounds have also stressed how the Nov era Hilux redesign finally drags the truck into the modern age, with one overview of the 2026 Hilux calling out its first electric model and big changes, and another focusing on how the Nov launch of the all new Hilux BEV caught many by surprise, both themes echoed in popular videos and separate coverage. Specialist EV reviewers have zeroed in on the technical package, noting that The Hilux BEV uses a 59 kWh class battery, offers payloads around 1,000kg and towing up to 3.5 tonnes in some configurations, and is clearly aimed at fleets that want electric power and zero tailpipe emissions without abandoning the pickup format, as one detailed analysis notes. Even early image galleries, which drew 89 Comments under a post by Peter Johnson describing how The Hilux has gone electric and how Toyota is finally fielding a battery powered pickup, underline the level of attention this truck is attracting across the EV community, as seen in the lively discussion.
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