Toyota LandCruiser set to go electric
A bold plan to transform this iconic four-wheel-drive looks set to make it relevant to a wider range of motoring enthusiasts.
Toyota is edging closer to introducing a green LandCruiser as part of a sub-brand for the Japanese giant.
In the same way that Ford’s Mustang line-up includes a conventional V8-powered coupe and convertible, a four-door electric SUV and a $500,000 track weapon, Toyota is looking to grow the LandCruiser brand to include electric and hybrid options.
The LandCruiser family is tipped to expand from the current 300 Series wagon, old-school 70 Series and chunky new Toyota Prado trio to include a compact urban model similar in size to a Subaru Forester, and a luxury flagship to take on the likes of Range Rover.
UK motoring outlet Autocar reports that the “LandCruiser” sub-brand will take on Land Rover’s “Defender”, which is also becoming a distinct entity.
Autocar quotes Toyota chief branding officer Simon Humphries as saying the company is “exploring new approaches to mobility that not only enhance the Land Cruiser experience but also further people’s freedom in motion”, adding “our customers trust in us to keep Land Cruiser relevant and thriving toward the future”.
Which suggests the next LandCruiser additions will be electrified.
Toyota unveiled a luxury electric LandCruiser SE concept at the Tokyo motor show in 2023.
That car could follow the upcoming bZ4X electric SUV into showrooms in coming years.
Toyota flirted with a blocky, retro-look compact electric LandCruiser in 2021, when company chairman Akio Toyoda unveiled 16 electric car concepts to prove the brand was not lagging behind competitors on the road to electrification.
Toyoda said at the time that “we will not only add battery EV options to existing vehicle models but will also offer a full line-up of reasonably priced mass-production models, such as the bZ series, to meet the needs of all kinds of customers,” he said.
“By doing so, we hope to deliver to customers around the world the unique and beautiful styling as well as fun-to-drive aspects of battery EVs, and the experience of a life with battery EVs.”
Humphries, then senior general manager for design, said in 2021 that the EV era presented an opportunity for “building on Toyota’s off-road heritage to create new exciting recreational experiences”.
Originally published as Toyota LandCruiser set to go electric
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