Toyota trucks have the largest following outside of Detroit's Big Three—depending on where you're at, their fanbase may be even bigger than Ford's, GM's, or Ram's. They're loved for their reliability and relative simplicity, so much that Toyota has hardly changed the recipe for the Tacoma and Tundra in more than a decade. Plenty of new powertrain tech is on its way, though, as Toyota says every model it sells will be offered with an electrified variant by 2025, and that includes trucks.
The automaker made this announcement alongside the reveal of its bZ4X electric crossover concept, specifically mentioning hybrid and battery-electric power. The Drive reached out to Toyota, asking if these innovations would roll out with existing models or all-new ones, and a spokesperson declined to comment. Still, there's enough context here thanks to previous reports for us to draw some conclusions.
A couple of months ago, Toyota dealers got a look at the first new Tundra in 14 years. They had plenty of praise for what they saw, which is sure to be a departure from the standard V8 fare we've come to expect from the pickup. Several scoops, including one of our own, credit inside sources who revealed the development of turbo V6s that will displace V8s across the entire brand. It's likely that these will feature battery assist in the very least for high-performance work applications like the Tundra.
Toyota National Dealer Advisory Council Chairman Robby Findlay told Automotive News in February:
"The new Tundra is the most exciting thing we've had in the last five-plus years. I mean, we've been waiting so long for a new Tundra; we know the potential of that full-size-truck market. And from everything that they're telling us, we're going to have best in class. I mean, we're going to have a world beater, and it's going to be fun to really go toe-to-toe with the domestic trucks."
Regarding the Tacoma, a hybrid version seems most likely with a fully electric variant coming down the line. It'd be less surprising for Toyota to experiment with BEV trucks via the Tacoma, which focuses more on light work and lifestyle activities than all-out towing and payload like its big brother. No matter which comes first, though it'll almost definitely be a hybrid, it could provide Toyota the chance to leapfrog its competitors in the midsize truck segment it's remained comfy in for years.
These new powertrain options, which include plug-in hybrid and fuel cell technology as well, are bound to spread across Toyota's SUV range, too. That means a hybrid or BEV 4Runner, Sequoia, and Land Cruiser—if that last one sticks around for another generation, of course.
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