Toyota HiLux EV vs Ford Ranger PHEV: Which is the right electric car tech for Australia's most popular utes?

With the automotive industry well down the path to the all-electric future, workhorses like the Toyota HiLux and Ford Ranger are sure to follow, but what is the best powertrain technology for utes?

At Toyota, the brand has recently brought in the HiLux Revo Concept from Thailand for local-market evaluation, but keep in mind this is still strictly a prototype and not yet ready for mass-market production.

Details on the battery electric HiLux are still unknown, so power/torque outputs and battery size are big question marks.

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The driving range however, is around 200km, so we can assume a fairly-small kilowatt-hour battery capacity.

Toyota is aware of its limitations, and bills it as a city-focused EV with a fleet set for trials in the high-density urban streets of Thailand – where the HiLux is currently produced for Australia, and where the HiLux Revo Concept was built and debuted.

And after driving the concept at Toyota’s headquarters in Melbourne on a closed road, battery electric power has not drastically changed the HiLux in a meaningful way.

It has more pick-up and go compared to a diesel-powered HiLux, thanks to the instant power and torque afforded by the electric motor, but ride and handling characteristics felt largely similar to the existing car in the very limited time we had.

Toyota has recently brought in the HiLux Revo Concept from Thailand for local-market evaluation.

Toyota Australia Vice President Sales, Marketing and Franchise Operations Sean Hanley highlighted the benefits of the EV powertrain.

"Our evaluation engineers and industry partners have confirmed that this city-focused HiLux BEV – while very much a concept vehicle – looks, feels and drives like a production model,” he said.

“I’ve also had the opportunity to drive it – and it’s clear the concept vehicle’s all-electric powertrain delivers the impressive torque you’d normally expect from a diesel engine."

However, the HiLux Revo will be used as a testbed for a future electric ute, and Toyota is not necessarily wedded to the idea of a battery EV for this model.

Toyota is aware of the electric Hilux and bills it as a city-focused EV.

In fact, Toyota UK has put together its own HiLux prototype using hydrogen fuel-cell technology to explore the benefits of that particular powertrain in a ute application.

Toyota could even be testing other options, like a plug-in hybrid or a plugless hybrid as seen on its current crop Corollas, Camrys, RAV4s and more.

Toyota has stated it will remain technology agnostic as it strives towards reducing carbon emissions – even investing in synthetic fuels alongside EVs – and will ultimately let the market decide the best powertrains.

In the end, Toyota likely won’t have an electric version of its HiLux ready until at least 2027, and it is expected the maturity of new technologies like solid-state batteries will unlock the ability for longer driving range and faster recharge times.

Toyota wants the electric HiLux to retain its rugged appeal and capability.

A hydrogen HiLux is then expected around the end of the decade, but whether one or both of these options comes to fruition in Australia is still yet to be determined.

What is known however, is that Toyota wants the electric HiLux to retain its rugged appeal and capability.

Speaking to media earlier this year, Hanley said: “What I’m really hanging out for is exactly the same thing that everybody’s asking the question about, and that is load-carrying, trailer-towing, remote area off-road HiLux four by four with zero tailpipe emissions.

“Rest assured Toyota is working on it,” he said.

Toyota likely won’t have an electric version of its HiLux ready until at least 2027.

Meanwhile, Ford has already confirmed a plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV) version of its Ranger will land in Australian showrooms from 2025, pairing a 2.3-litre turbo-petrol engine with an electric motor.

Ford Australia and New Zealand CEO Andrew Birkic said the new model “gives Australians a pick-up that enables them to embrace electrification without compromising anything they love about their Ranger”.

“The electrified Ranger gives customers everything they expect from a Ranger and more,” he said. “It’s a no-compromise solution for Australian customers to bring the benefits of electrification to their lives in the way only Ranger can.

“It brings the ability to drive with zero tailpipe emissions capability, go to the campsite, power the worksite, two your boat or caravan and take you wherever you want to go.”

Toyota is being patient about its electric HiLux, opting to wait for technology to advance.

Ford is quick to tout the Ranger PHEV’s 3.5-tonne towing capability, but is yet to detail exactly how much it can tow when running exclusively on electricity.

The battery size is also unknown for now, but the Ranger PHEV should hit around 45km of all-electric driving range before needing a recharge.

Exact outputs for this powertrain are also currently unknown, but Ford promises the most torque out of any current Ranger, which is 600Nm from a 3.0-litre turbo-diesel V6.

It’s obvious with a backup 2.3-litre petrol engine, the Ranger PHEV will be as capable as any other diesel-powered Ford ute, but pricing will likely keep the eco-friendlier model relegated to site managers and not apprentice tradies.

Keep in mind this is still strictly a prototype and not yet ready for mass-market production.

So where does this leave the customer?

It’s clear that an electric ute with today’s technology has some compromises – as seen with the 4x2 LDV eT60 that is priced at $92,990 before on-road costs and features a 130kW/310Nm electric motor and 330km of driving range.

Toyota then, is being patient about its electric HiLux, opting to wait for technology to advance to the point where it can offer the same benefits as the current diesel-powered model.

Ford is using PHEV technology as a stepping stone or bridge until such a time where it can deliver an all-electric Ranger that will appeal to the mass market.

Details on the battery electric HiLux are still unknown.

Just this week, Isuzu also confirmed an electric version of the D-Max ute is being worked on, which could also give the twin-under-the-skin Mazda BT-50 access to the same powertrain.

And with new-generation product like the Triton and Navara on the horizon, electric power is expected to come to the fore for the Mitsubishi and Nissan pair too.

So, you better enjoy the internal-combustion-engined ute while you still can, because it’s obvious that the future pick-up – just like the car – will be going electric.