EV News: An Electric Pickup From Toyota, Two Electric Sports Cars From Longbow

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The EV revolution is still happening, despite headwinds in various countries, particularly the US. At a reveal in the UK last week, Toyota teased three new electric models, one of which is clearly a pickup truck. At the press event, Toyota said by the end of 2025, Toyota will have “all-new and enhanced products competing at the heart of the key B, C and D-SUV segments, the principal categories of the European automotive market. All benefit from core Toyota BEV DNA qualities — genuine SUV character and practicality; distinctive contemporary design; energy efficient performance; and the availability of true all wheel drive performance.”

In a graphic showing the three electric SUVs, the company displayed shadowy representations of other electric vehicles coming in the near future. The one in the middle is clearly a pickup truck. Car and Driver notes that Toyota has hinted at its desire to launch an electric truck multiple times. In 2023, Toyota showed the EPU concept, but that compact truck’s stubby shape doesn’t match this teaser. Instead, it is likely an electric version of the Hilux, Toyota’s global midsize truck offering. The United States has its own midsize truck — the Tacoma — and Toyota showed an electric truck concept back in 2021 that ultimately previewed the styling of the current Tacoma. No one would be surprised if the underpinnings of an electric Hilux ended up being shared with an electric Tacoma to minimize costs, Car and Driver says.

Toyota Electric Pickup Truck Rumors

For its part, Toyota has claimed the EPU concept “is a next generation midsize pickup truck concept, with a monocoque body delivering high durability to create a practical yet stylish BEV. At just over five meters long with a double cab design, the EPU’s monocoque structure also allows for a versatile deck space that caters to a broader range of user applications. The rear of the cabin links boldly with the deck to accommodate diverse user preferences, supporting a wide range of mobility lifestyles, including outdoor activities. BEV quietness is accompanied by packaging with a low center of gravity for superior handling stability and ride comfort.” That is all well and good, but the gestation period for the battery electric pickemup from Toyota is almost as long as it is for new models from Tesla. That is not a compliment, by the way.

The other two cars in the shadows appear to be the Toyota Land Cruiser Se. The boxy profile and a distinctive dip in the roofline is nearly identical to the Land Cruiser Se concept revealed in 2023. Toyota has released minimal information about that car other than to say it will have three rows of seats, will have an electric powertrain, and is about 10 inches longer than the Land Cruiser Hybrid. The outline of the vehicle on the left suggests a sleeker front end and lower, wagon-like roofline reminiscent of the current Crown Signia. This could be a production version of the bZ Large SUV concept shown in 2021, Car and Driver says.

Longbow Debuts Two Electric Sports Cars

Also from the UK last week came news of a new electric car startup called Longbow that claims it will soon begin production of two new battery-electric sports cars — one a droptop two-seater called the Speedster and the other a sport coupe called the Roadster. The name is said to be a not so subtle dig at Tesla, which hinted at a second generation Roadster in 2017 and has had very little to say about it since. 8 years is a long time for people to wait, Elon. The company says it wants to bring the British tradition of building lightweight sports cars like the Caterham Seven and the Ariel Atom forward into the electric age. That tradition was best captured by Colin Chapman, the founder of Lotus, who said, “Horsepower makes you faster on the straights. Lightness makes you faster everywhere.” Longbow says its vehicles are the “spiritual successors” to the Lotus Elise and Jaguar E-Type.

We have one quibble. A roadster does not have a fixed roof. The classic explanation of the difference between a roadster and a convertible is that a convertible has a top you put down under ideal conditions. A roadster has a top you put up under dreadful conditions. It’s a subtle but important distinction.

Before we get into the details of the two cars from Longbow, you should know it is not being run by a group of part-time bicycle mechanics from Surrey. Car and Driver says the people behind the company have an impressive resume. The founders have worked in the EV space for decades and have held senior positions at Lucid and BYD. The team also features people who have worked at Tesla, Formula E, Lotus, Aston Martin, and Ariel. The company itself is located in the Midlands area of Britain where many Formula One and Formula E teams have their headquarters. According to Top Gear, many of the mechanical pieces such as the batteries, motors, and brakes will be sourced from other companies and will work together via a bespoke software system.

The emphasis on lightweight is no joke. The company says both models will be built on a bespoke aluminum chassis and feature a sleek design made from composite panels. Both are two-seaters with a single 321 horsepower (240 kW) electric motor driving the rear wheels, although dual motor variants may be offered in the future. The Speedster will weigh just 1973 pounds, scoot from zero to 100 km/h in just 3.5 seconds, and have a range of 275 miles WLTP. Only 150 will be manufactured, and they will sell for around $110,000 (£85,760). The Roadster weighs 2194 pounds and takes one tenth of a second longer to reach 100 km/h. The starting price will be somewhat more wallet friendly at $84,000 (£65,000). No range has been quoted for the Roadster, which will not be limited in production.

The company says it is now accepting reservations for both the Speedster and Roadster, which are designed and engineered in the UK where they will also be assembled by hand. It expects to have prototypes running this summer, with production starting in 2026. It also claims to have “good relationships with all the major Chinese semi-state-owned businesses and suppliers.”

The Takeaway

Is there a message that can be drawn from these two stories? We think there is. Businesses run by adults are starting to ignore the US market. Just as water simply flows around rocks in a river bed, companies are reacting to the chaos created by the idiotic policies of the government by simply looking elsewhere. Soon the US will exist in splendid isolation, because of the antics of a drug-addled lunatic and the ravings of a man-child who behaves like a two-year-old with a full diaper. Between the two of them, they are making America irrelevant — a sorry epitaph for a once great nation.