2026 Toyota HiLux BEV SR5 Review

Toyota has finally built an electric HiLux for Australia, and yes, it feels strange writing that sentence. No tailpipe, no diesel clatter, and no pretending this is just a normal ute with a battery shoved somewhere convenient.

This is the 2026 Toyota HiLux BEV, driven here in SR5 double-cab pick-up form. It is Toyota’s first body-on-frame battery-electric vehicle, and it has been designed very clearly around fleets, mining sites, business users and government departments.

That matters, because if you judge it like a private buyer’s touring ute, it starts losing the argument very quickly. Judge it as a back-to-base work vehicle with zero tailpipe emissions, a proper tub, usable payload and Toyota’s durability testing behind it, and it makes much more sense.

We drove it on-road, on gravel and through some soft off-road sections, and we also performance tested it. Because apparently every fleet ute needs a 0–100km/h time.

There is no getting around the price. The HiLux BEV is expensive, and in SR5 form it carries a $17,000 premium over the equivalent diesel SR5. For a private buyer, that is hard to justify; for a fleet trying to decarbonise their fixed-route or back-to-base operations, the sums may look different.

All prices below exclude on-road costs, and premium paint adds $675.

2026 Toyota HiLux BEV Pricing

• SR double cab-chassis: $74,990 before on-road costs
• SR double-cab pick-up: $76,490 before on-road costs
• SR5 double-cab pick-up: $82,990 before on-road costs

The HiLux BEV does not scream electric ute, and that is probably the point. From a distance it still looks like a HiLux, only with the nose cleaned up and the grille largely blocked off for aero reasons.

I personally prefer this front end to the honeycomb-heavy look of the regular new HiLux. The Toyota script across the face still gives it some attitude, and on the SR5 there is a front camera integrated into the nose for the panoramic view monitor.

The 17-inch aero-style alloy wheels are unique to the BEV and look tougher than the word aero usually suggests. They are wrapped in 265/65 R17 tyres, and Toyota has wisely kept the stance practical rather than chasing some delicate EV fashion statement.

There are BEV badges, privacy glass on the SR5, black mirror caps and a charging port on the left-front guard. Colour choice is very fleet-minded, with Glacier White, Frosted White and Ash Slate available.

At the back, the SR5 gets LED tail-lights, although we did still spot halogen indicators. The damped tailgate is excellent: slow to drop, and very light to lift.

Inside, the HiLux BEV benefits from the latest-generation cabin updates, and the change is worthwhile. This is still a work ute, so do not expect luxury-car materials everywhere, but it is now far more modern than older HiLux cabins.

The BEV gets a slightly customised 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster with battery percentage, range, energy flow and EV-specific information. There is also a new electronic shift-by-wire selector, which takes a moment to learn but does not create any real drama once you are moving.

The 12.3-inch touchscreen is bright, responsive and simple. It is not overloaded with clever EV theatre, but it includes the basics such as charge scheduling, energy use information, embedded navigation, DAB radio, wireless Apple CarPlay and wireless Android Auto.

We are glad Toyota has kept proper physical climate controls. Too many EVs bury everyday functions in screens, and that is not what you want in a work vehicle when you are dusty, gloved-up or just trying to get moving.

Storage is properly useful, with dash-mounted cupholders, large door bins, a deep centre console and removable cupholders in the centre. The 220V/1500W three-pin AC outlet in the console is a genuinely good inclusion, especially for a fleet or site vehicle.

SR5 adds heated front comfort seats, an eight-way power driver’s seat with lumbar support, a heated leather-accented steering wheel, an electro-chromatic mirror, soft door trim and an eight-speaker audio system. It is not plush, but it is well judged for the job.

The rear seat is where you notice the battery packaging more clearly. It is still usable for adults, and by ute standards space is decent, but toe room and leg angle are not quite as relaxed as they are in a regular HiLux.

That is the reality of fitting a 59.2kWh lithium-ion battery under a body-on-frame ute. The floor and underbody packaging have consequences, and rear passengers are part of that compromise.

Headroom is fine, and the seat itself is comfortable enough for the kind of trips this ute is likely to do. We would not call it luxurious, but we also do not think the target buyer is expecting lounge-chair comfort in row two.

There are useful touches back there, including rear air vents, two USB-C ports, map pockets, a fold-down centre armrest with cupholders, bottle-friendly door bins and ISOFIX points on the outboard seats.

One rear seat base can be lifted to reveal some storage, useful for recovery gear or work items. We could not find the same arrangement on the other side, which is likely where some of the BEV hardware packaging is doing its thing.

The pick-up version keeps the familiar heavy-duty HiLux tub, and that is a big part of why this vehicle makes sense at all. Toyota has not turned it into a lifestyle EV experiment with a token load area.

The tub measures 1550mm long, 1520mm wide and 498mm deep, with 1100mm between the wheel arches. There are rear and side steps to help access it, which is handy because you cannot simply treat this exactly like a diesel ute underneath.

Payload is decent for an EV ute. The pick-up offers up to 725kg depending on grade, while the SR cab-chassis is rated at 855kg before a tray is fitted. Once a tray goes on, of course, that eats into the working payload.

Towing capacity is 2000kg braked and 750kg unbraked across the range. That is useful for fleet duties, but anyone thinking about heavy towing over long distances needs to be realistic about range loss.

The full-size spare tyre is a quiet win. Plenty of EVs make do with repair kits or awkward packaging compromises, so seeing a proper spare under an electric HiLux is exactly the sort of practical Toyota decision we like.

On tarmac, the HiLux BEV is quieter and smoother in its power delivery than the diesel. That is obvious, but it still changes the character of the ute in a meaningful way.

The electric power steering feels nicely weighted, and the low battery mass helps it corner with more confidence than you might expect from a 2455kg SR5 pick-up. It does not feel sporty, but it does feel planted.

The ride is the trade-off. Toyota has used front double wishbones with coil springs and a rear De Dion-type leaf-sprung arrangement, with the rear transaxle mounted to the chassis to reduce unsprung mass. Even so, it is firm.

On broken surfaces and gravel, you feel plenty through the chassis. With a few hundred kilos in the back it would probably settle down, but unladen it is still a stiff-riding work ute.

The brakes are serious on paper, with 338mm ventilated front discs and 335mm rear discs, and they feel up to the job. The transition between regeneration and friction braking is not something that jumped out as problematic on our drive.

Toyota says the HiLux BEV had to retain off-road capability, and it does - within limits. This is not a diesel HiLux with low range, a transfer case and proper diff locks.

Instead, it uses an electronically controlled all-wheel-drive system and a six-mode Multi-Terrain Select setup. The electric motors make it easy to meter torque smoothly, and that helps in loose or low-speed conditions.

On our soft-roading sections, it felt manageable and predictable. The instant torque is helpful, and the lack of driveline shock makes it easy to place the ute without needing to rev or slip anything.

The limitations are just as clear. Running ground clearance is 218mm, compared with 224mm for the diesel, and the battery protection underneath affects breakover confidence. Approach angle is 29 degrees and departure angle is 25 degrees for the pick-up.

The rear De Dion leaf setup is clever, but it does not give you the articulation of a more traditional hard-core off-road set-up. For mining sites, muddy access roads and fleet duties, fine. For private buyers planning remote touring and rock crawling, buy the diesel.

Toyota has loaded the HiLux BEV with a strong safety list, and importantly, much of it is fitted from the SR grade rather than being held back for the SR5.

Standard Toyota Safety Sense includes autonomous emergency braking with pedestrian, cyclist and oncoming vehicle detection, active cruise control with curve speed reduction, lane trace assist, lane departure alert and brake-actuated emergency steering assist.

You also get an emergency driving stop system, road-sign assist for speed signs, automatic high beam, blind-spot monitoring, safe exit assist, rear cross-traffic alert and rear parking support brake.

Parking sensors front and rear, a panoramic view monitor, tyre-pressure monitoring and downhill assist control are also included. The camera quality is decent and useful off-road or around tight worksites.

Passive safety includes eight airbags, including a front centre airbag and driver kneebag, plus two outboard rear ISOFIX points and two top-tether points.

The Toyota Hilux BEV earnt a maximum 5-star ANCAP safety rating. It scored 84% for Adult Occupant Protection, 89% for Child Occupant Protection, 82% for Vulnerable Road User Protection, and 82% for Safety Assist.

The HiLux BEV uses a dual-motor all-wheel-drive system with a front eAxle and rear eAxle. Total system power is 144kW, with the front motor producing 82.2kW and 205.5Nm, and the rear motor producing 129.3kW and 268.6Nm.

It feels much quicker off the line than any diesel HiLux we have driven. In our 0–100km/h test, the SR5 BEV recorded 8.85 seconds, which is not performance-EV quick, but it is very brisk for a HiLux.

The rear motor does most of the work when cruising to save energy, with the front motor joining in when traction or acceleration demand requires it. The system can vary torque distribution from 100:0 to 0:100 front-to-rear depending on conditions.

There is no conventional gearbox experience to manage and no diesel lag to work around. You press the accelerator and the ute gets on with it, which makes overtaking and low-speed manoeuvring feel easy.

Regenerative braking is available through a B mode, but this is not a one-pedal EV. It adds some retardation, yet it will not let you drive around town purely on the accelerator like some dedicated electric cars.

If there is one number that defines the HiLux BEV, it is not the 0–100km/h time. It is the range, because this is where private buyers and fleet buyers will split hard.

Toyota fits a 59.2kWh lithium-ion battery with water cooling and a heat pump. The pick-up grades are rated at 315km on the NEDC cycle, while the SR cab-chassis is rated at 245km. Toyota’s own notes make it clear those figures are laboratory results, not a real-world promise.

On our drive, we saw consumption sitting just over 25.5kWh/100km, and during off-road work it moved closer to 30kWh/100km. In simple terms, that means many users should expect something closer to 200–250km in the real world, depending on load, terrain, temperature and driving style.

Charging hardware is respectable. The HiLux BEV can DC fast charge at up to 150kW, with Toyota quoting about 30 minutes for a 10–80 per cent charge under suitable conditions.

AC charging is rated at 10kW, with a 10–100 per cent charge taking about 6.5 hours. For back-to-base fleets that can charge overnight, that is workable. For touring Australia with a load and a trailer, it is not the answer.

The HiLux BEV is covered by Toyota’s five-year, unlimited-kilometre Warranty Advantage. That is familiar Toyota territory, and for the fleet buyers this vehicle is aimed at, confidence in the badge will do a lot of work.

The traction battery has five years of coverage, which can be extended to ten years with an annual Traction Battery Health Check, provided operation, charging and maintenance requirements are met.

Toyota also provides an eight-year/160,000km battery capacity warranty if the battery falls below 70 per cent of its original energy storage capacity, again subject to the required checks and conditions.

Toyota says the HiLux BEV has undergone more than two years of testing with major mining companies, including site work in temperatures up to 50 degrees, with no downtime recorded. That is exactly the kind of durability claim fleet buyers will care about.

Servicing costs were not supplied in the material we had, so we will not invent them. The broader ownership case will depend heavily on depot charging, usage patterns and whether the vehicle can replace a diesel HiLux without disrupting the job.

SR

• Dual-motor all-wheel-drive battery-electric powertrain
• 59.2kWh lithium-ion battery
• 144kW total system power
• Front and rear eAxle transaxles
• Six-mode Multi-Terrain Select
• Independent front suspension and rear De Dion rigid axle with leaf springs
• 338mm ventilated front discs and 335mm rear discs
• Electric power steering
• 17-inch alloy wheels with 265/65 R17 tyres
• LED headlights with manual levelling
• Daytime running lights
• Power mirrors with integrated indicators
• Body-coloured solid front grille
• Side steps, rear bumper step and side tub steps
• Tailgate damper with lift assist
• Five-seat cabin
• Black fabric seat upholstery
• Six-way manual driver’s seat and four-way manual passenger seat
• 60:40 split-folding rear seatback
• 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster
• 12.3-inch touchscreen
• AM/FM/DAB+ radio
• Wireless Apple CarPlay and wireless Android Auto
• Embedded satellite navigation
• Four-speaker audio system
• Smart entry and start
• Dual-zone automatic climate control
• 220V/1500W inverter with three-pin AC outlet
• Two front and two rear USB-C ports
• Front 12V accessory outlet
• Toyota Connected services
• Toyota Safety Sense
• Autonomous emergency braking with pedestrian, cyclist and oncoming vehicle detection
• Active cruise control with curve speed reduction
• Lane trace assist and lane departure alert
• Emergency steering assist
• Emergency driving stop system
• Road-sign assist
• Automatic high beam
• Blind-spot monitor with safe exit assist
• Rear cross-traffic alert
• Rear parking support brake
• Front and rear parking sensors
• Tyre-pressure monitoring
• Panoramic view monitor
• Downhill assist control
• Eight airbags
• Two rear ISOFIX points and two top-tether points

SR5

• High-grade LED headlights with auto levelling
• LED tail-lights
• Front and rear fog lights
• Power-folding and heated exterior mirrors
• Rear side and back privacy glass
• Heated front comfort seats
• Eight-way power driver’s seat with lumbar support
• Leather-accented seat upholstery
• Heated leather-accented steering wheel
• Electro-chromatic rear-view mirror
• Carpet floor covering
• Soft door trim and armrests
• Eight-speaker audio system
• Wireless phone charger

The first electric HiLux is better to drive than we expected, and it is more practical than a lot of people will assume. It is quick off the line, quiet on-road, useful in the tub, capable enough for light off-road duties and backed by some serious Toyota durability work.

But we also need to be blunt: this is not the HiLux most Australians should buy. At $82,990 before on-road costs in SR5 form, with a $17,000 premium over the equivalent diesel and real-world range that can land closer to 200–250km, it is a very specific tool.

For mining operators, government fleets and businesses running predictable back-to-base routes, the HiLux BEV has a clear purpose. It can reduce tailpipe emissions without forcing those buyers into something that no longer feels like a work ute.

For private buyers who tow, tour, load up and head deep into regional Australia, the diesel HiLux remains the more sensible choice. Toyota has built a credible electric HiLux, but it has not built the universal electric ute answer just yet.