Tag Archives: EVs

NEW CARS

Toyota Electrifies the Hilux While Keeping Its Work-Truck Roots

The Toyota Hilux has survived just about everything short of atmospheric reentry. It’s slogged through floods, clawed its way out of mud pits, and famously endured being dropped from a Top Gear crane—though, notably, not from a helicopter. Now Toyota is testing the Hilux with a far more existential challenge: staying relevant in a future where diesel is no longer king.

At this week’s Brussels Motor Show, Toyota unveiled the Euro-spec ninth-generation Hilux in two new flavors: a mild-hybrid diesel and the first-ever fully electric Hilux BEV. Both trucks debuted earlier in Asia, but their arrival in Europe signals something bigger. This isn’t just an update—it’s Toyota hedging its bets.

One Truck, Many Futures

Toyota calls it a “multipath strategy,” which is corporate shorthand for “we’re not betting everything on one powertrain.” And for many Hilux buyers, that means business as usual. The familiar 2.8-liter four-cylinder diesel lives on, now paired with a 48-volt mild-hybrid system. Output remains 201 horsepower (204 PS), and the truck retains its crucial stats: a 2,205-pound payload and a 7,720-pound tow rating.

In the UK and most of Europe, Toyota expects this mild-hybrid diesel to be the volume seller—even after the EV arrives. It’s smoother and slightly cleaner than before, but more importantly, it doesn’t ask loyal Hilux owners to rethink how they work.

Some markets will even get a non-hybrid diesel, proving that Toyota still understands where the Hilux earns its living.

The Electric Hilux: Tough, but Compromised

The real headline, of course, is the Hilux BEV. Powered by a 59.2-kWh battery and dual motors—one on each axle—it delivers permanent all-wheel drive and instant electric torque. The front motor produces 151 lb-ft of torque, while the rear contributes 198 lb-ft.

Range is quoted at 160 miles on the WLTP cycle, which sounds underwhelming until you realize this is a ladder-frame pickup, not a sleek crossover. In urban use, Toyota claims up to 236 miles, which makes the BEV Hilux plausible for city-based fleets and short-haul work.

There are trade-offs. Payload drops to 1,580 pounds, and towing capacity falls sharply to 3,530 pounds. That’s a big hit for traditional truck buyers, but Toyota is clearly aiming the electric Hilux at businesses focused on emissions, taxes, and running costs—not livestock trailers.

Crucially, the fundamentals remain intact. The BEV keeps the body-on-frame construction, 8.4 inches of ground clearance, and a genuinely impressive 27.6 inches of wading depth. There’s even a dedicated off-road drive mode tuned specifically for electric torque delivery and regenerative braking.

Not Just Electric—Hydrogen Is Coming Too

If that weren’t enough, Toyota has also confirmed that a hydrogen fuel-cell Hilux is in development—and already being tested publicly. Yes, the same truck once known for hauling bricks and sheep may soon carry a fuel-cell stack. Whether hydrogen pickups make sense at scale is still an open question, but Toyota clearly intends the Hilux to outlast whatever powertrain trends come and go.

Cyber Sumo Styling and a Modern Cabin

Both the mild-hybrid and BEV versions wear Toyota’s new “Cyber Sumo” design, reportedly developed by the brand’s Australian team. It’s more angular, flatter, and bolder than before, giving the Hilux a tougher, more modern presence—though not everyone will love the look.

The EV stands out with a blanked-off grille and a subtly redesigned silver bumper insert, but otherwise the two trucks are visually similar.

Inside the crew-cab-only cabin, the Hilux finally catches up to modern expectations. A 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster sits alongside a matching touchscreen, and the steering wheel comes straight from the new Land Cruiser. There’s smart storage, dashboard-mounted cupholders, and a full suite of safety tech—balanced, refreshingly, by plenty of physical buttons for things you actually use while wearing gloves.

When Can You Buy One?

UK sales begin in June, with prices expected to land in the coming months. Toyota has already hinted they’ll be higher than the outgoing model, which should surprise exactly no one.

Still, the bigger story isn’t the price—it’s longevity. By offering diesel, mild-hybrid, battery-electric, and eventually hydrogen power, Toyota is making sure the Hilux doesn’t just survive the electric transition. It adapts.

And if history tells us anything, betting against a Hilux is rarely a smart move.

Source: Toyota

NEW CARS

Kia Expands Its EV Lineup with Three New GT Performance Models

Kia is pushing its electric vehicle strategy into more performance-oriented territory, unveiling GT versions of the EV3 crossover, EV4 hatch and fastback, and EV5 SUV at the Brussels Motor Show. These newcomers join the existing EV6 and EV9 GT models, expanding Kia’s roster of high-performance electrics.

The trio shares a philosophy articulated by Alex Papapetropolous, Kia Europe’s planning boss, who told Autocar, “We don’t treat GT like a one-off, like some competitors. GT models are about more than just extra power. We have hardware to deliver everyday emotion – and we want to deliver that in a sophisticated way.”

The EV3 and EV4 GTs are built on the Hyundai Motor Group’s E-GMP platform and share a dual-motor all-wheel-drive setup that pairs a 194-hp front motor with a 94-hp rear unit, producing a combined 288 horsepower. Both draw energy from an 81.2-kWh battery, the same as the Long Range versions of their standard siblings. Official range figures haven’t been released, but performance is respectable: the EV3 GT hits 62 mph in 5.7 seconds, while the more aerodynamic EV4 GT clips that by a tenth of a second.

Kia has gone beyond raw numbers with these models. Bespoke chassis tuning, electronically controlled suspension with unique GT settings, cornering stability enhancements, and 20-inch performance tires are all part of the package. A dedicated GT drive mode further sharpens throttle response, steering, and suspension behavior for what Kia describes as a “more focused and immersive driving character.”

Inside, the EV3 GT features bucket-style seats inspired by the EV9 GT and neon-accented trim. The EV4 GT, offered in both hatch and fastback forms, adds a three-spoke steering wheel and other sporty interior touches. Both models also feature Kia’s virtual gearshift system, which uses active sound design to enhance the driving experience—a feature familiar from the Hyundai Ioniq 5 N and the forthcoming Genesis GV60 Magma.

Kia GT Performance EV Lineup

The EV5 GT, meanwhile, steps up with a slightly more powerful powertrain: a 208-hp front motor combines with a rear motor for a total output of 302 horsepower, enabling a 0-62 mph sprint in 6.2 seconds. While Kia hasn’t disclosed battery size or full performance specs, the standard EV5’s 88.1-kWh pack is a likely candidate. The SUV also benefits from electronically controlled suspension with a “road preview system” that adjusts automatically to upcoming bumps and curves, along with performance tires and bespoke sport interior elements.

Production of all three GT models is slated for the second quarter of 2026, though pricing and UK availability have not yet been announced.

With these additions, Kia is signaling that GT is no longer just a halo badge—it’s an ethos across its EV lineup, combining everyday usability with genuine driving excitement.

Source: Autocar

News

Ford Thinks It Can Build the World’s Cheapest EV Motors

Ford wants to sell you an electric pickup for $30,000. Not a “starting at” fantasy stripped of wheels and dignity, but a real, midsize electric truck you can actually buy when it arrives in 2027. The secret sauce, according to Ford, isn’t magic batteries, miracle chemistry, or government fairy dust—it’s an electric motor that costs less than anything on the planet, including those made in China.

That’s the claim from Doug Field, Ford’s head of EVs and a veteran of Tesla, Apple, and the Model 3 program, who told MotorTrend that Ford’s next-generation electric motors undercut every benchmark his team could find. Yes, even the Chinese units that benefit from massive scale, aggressive automation, and labor costs Western automakers can’t touch.

If Ford is right, this motor isn’t just a component—it’s the keystone holding up the entire Universal EV project, the internal codename for Ford’s next wave of affordable electric vehicles.

Rear-Drive, All-Wheel Drive, No Funny Business

Despite earlier comments from Ford CEO Jim Farley that suggested a rear-wheel-drive-only strategy, Field clarified that Ford’s upcoming electric pickup won’t be a one-trick pony. At launch, buyers will be able to choose between rear-wheel drive and a dual-motor all-wheel-drive setup, both wrapped in a single four-door crew-cab body style.

Rear-drive trucks will use a permanent-magnet motor, while AWD models will add an induction motor up front—an architecture straight out of the Tesla playbook and one Field knows intimately. Battery options will also vary, letting buyers decide whether they want to prioritize price or range. In other words, Ford is aiming for flexibility without complexity—an EV unicorn if they can pull it off.

The California Skunkworks That Built It

Here’s the twist: Ford says this motor could only have been developed outside Ford.

The Universal EV program is run by a roughly 500-person team operating out of a deliberately isolated office in Long Beach, California—about as far culturally and geographically from Dearborn as you can get without crossing an ocean. The idea, Field says, was to recruit “20x contributors”—engineers capable of delivering twenty times the output of an average employee.

That talent came from places like Tesla, Rivian, and Apple, not from traditional Detroit pipelines. And rather than relying on supplier squeeze tactics—Detroit’s historic strength—this team focused on designing the motor to be cheap from the start.

No exotic materials. No moonshot tech. Just ruthless simplification, aggressive integration, and fewer parts.

Cutting Cost by Deleting Stuff Entirely

The Universal EV philosophy goes well beyond motors. Ford is rethinking how vehicles are designed, assembled, and even conceptualized, with the explicit goal of deleting cost rather than negotiating it away.

The upcoming electric truck uses:

  • 25 percent fewer fasteners than a typical vehicle
  • A wiring harness 4,000 feet shorter and 22 pounds lighter than the Mustang Mach-E’s
  • Large aluminum unicastings that replace dozens of smaller structural parts
  • A battery pack whose top surface doubles as the cabin floor

This isn’t incremental improvement—it’s Tesla-style manufacturing logic filtered through Ford’s scale and truck experience.

Faster to Build Than an Escape

Ford says the new EV will roll off the line at its Louisville, Kentucky, plant 15 percent faster than the Ford Escape that previously occupied the space. And the gain doesn’t come from robot overload. Instead, it comes from removing steps entirely.

Workstations at the plant will be cut by 40 percent, not because humans are slow, but because unnecessary tasks are expensive. It’s manufacturing minimalism, and Ford is betting it’s the only way to make a truly affordable EV in the U.S.

The Clock Is Ticking

Field believes there’s a narrow window where this approach works—before EV motors become fully commoditized and suppliers lock in their advantage. If Ford gets there first, it gains a cost edge that could last years.

If it doesn’t? Then this $30,000 electric pickup becomes just another ambitious slide deck.

But if Ford actually delivers on its promises, the Universal EV won’t just be a cheaper truck. It’ll be proof that Detroit can still out-engineer the world—when it’s willing to forget how it’s always done things.

And that might be Ford’s boldest move yet.

Source: MotorTrend