Toyota has demonstrated the toughness of its first electric pickup, the Hilux BEV, by dropping a 1,675-pound caravan onto it from a height of 30 feet. The stunt, carried out at Bentwaters airfield in Suffolk, was a recreation of a 2003 Top Gear challenge that famously failed to destroy a diesel Hilux. After the caravan crashed onto the roof, the electric truck powered up and drove off without issue, according to the company.
The test was chosen through a Reddit poll in which hundreds of users voted for the caravan drop. Toyota said the Hilux BEV is built on a body-on-frame platform and features a dual-motor all-wheel-drive powertrain producing 278 horsepower and 348 lb-ft of torque. It can tow more than 3,700 pounds and comes with five drive modes under Toyota's Multi-Terrain Select system.
The Hilux BEV is powered by a 59.2 kWh water-cooled lithium-ion battery, giving a WLTP range of up to 160 miles, or 236 miles on the city cycle. DC fast charging at up to 125 kW can take the battery from 10% to 80% in about 30 minutes. In the UK, the base model is priced from £42,170 excluding VAT.