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Electric Toyota Land Cruiser Se ditches rugged roots alongside Hilux-like EPU pickup for Japan Mobility Show reveal

Toyota reimagines the Land Cruiser as a luxury seven-seater for the electric era. (Image source: Toyota)
Toyota reimagines the Land Cruiser as a luxury seven-seater for the electric era. (Image source: Toyota)
Toyota has provided a sneak peek at what to expect from the Japan Mobility Show, but the highlights of the show are sure to be the electric Land Cruiser and EPU pickup truck concepts. The Land Cruiser, however, changes significantly from its rugged roots, taking shape as a seven-seater crossover instead of a hardcore off-roader.
E-Mobility Launch Business

Toyota has been a bit sower than other traditional carmakers to adopt electric vehicles, but the electric Land Cruiser Se and EPU concepts it is showing off at this year's Japan Mobility Show reveal that Toyota is finally taking the new industry seriously.

Toyota hasn't unveiled much about the car concepts, beyond images and a few bullet points, but there's a lot to be gleaned from the designs. The Toyota Land Cruiser Se, for one, sees the utilitarian design of former Land Cruiser models ditched for a more futuristic, luxury design.

What few details Toyota has revealed about the Land Cruiser Se include a 3050-mm (120 in.) wheelbase that has grown by roughly 200 mm from the 2024 ICE Land Cruiser's 2849 mm (112.2 in.). While the Land Cruiser Se sees significant design changes that abandon the rugged, off-road-ready visuals, the electric SUV still looks decently muscular and surprisingly down-to-earth, for a concept. 

Images of the Toyota EPU electric pickup truck, on the other hand, reveal a vehicle that seems slightly more practical design elements. Even the concept — supposedly the most pie-in-the sky version of the vehicle — has traditional door handles instead of the minimalist, touch-enabled slats that many EVs feature nowadays.

The rest of the design is equally practical, with a short front-end, compact-seeming dimensions, and a collapsible midgate that effectively extends the loading space and should allow for more versatile use of the bed.

Toyota will share more details about its latest electric ventures at the Japan Mobility Show later this week.

Buy a Toyota Hilux FMS 1/18 RC Crawler K10 4WD Remote Control Model on Amazon.

The Toyota Land Cruiser Se concept features a much more futuristic design with some rather muscular visuals. (Image source: Toyota)
The Toyota Land Cruiser Se concept features a much more futuristic design with some rather muscular visuals. (Image source: Toyota)
Despite the disappointing move away from the Land Cruiser's typically rugged designs, the reimagined concept does look rather sleek and modern. (Image source: Toyota)
Despite the disappointing move away from the Land Cruiser's typically rugged designs, the reimagined concept does look rather sleek and modern. (Image source: Toyota)
The long, seven-seater body of the Land Cruiser Se has longer overhangs than previous Land Cruiser designs. (Image source: Toyota)
The long, seven-seater body of the Land Cruiser Se has longer overhangs than previous Land Cruiser designs. (Image source: Toyota)
The Toyota EPU concept has a much more utilitarian design than the Land Cruiser Se, thanks to its double-cab body and expandible bed. (Image source: Toyota)
The Toyota EPU concept has a much more utilitarian design than the Land Cruiser Se, thanks to its double-cab body and expandible bed. (Image source: Toyota)
Toyota seems to have taken inspiration from Tesla for the design of the EPU concept, although it will likely inherit the yoke steering from the Lexus RZ450e. (Image source: Toyota)
Toyota seems to have taken inspiration from Tesla for the design of the EPU concept, although it will likely inherit the yoke steering from the Lexus RZ450e. (Image source: Toyota)
Short overhangs, a low centre of gravity, and balanced weight distribution as a result of the floor-mounted battery pack should all help the EPU in off-road situations. (Image source: Toyota)
Short overhangs, a low centre of gravity, and balanced weight distribution as a result of the floor-mounted battery pack should all help the EPU in off-road situations. (Image source: Toyota)
Aside from a lack of tactile inputs, the interior of the EPU seems spacious and practical. (Image source: Toyota)
Aside from a lack of tactile inputs, the interior of the EPU seems spacious and practical. (Image source: Toyota)
The compact Toyota EPU concept is over 200 mm shorter than the 2021 Toyota Hilux. (Image source: Toyota)
The compact Toyota EPU concept is over 200 mm shorter than the 2021 Toyota Hilux. (Image source: Toyota)
The Toyota EPU looks distinctly like an EV from the front. (Image source: Toyota)
The Toyota EPU looks distinctly like an EV from the front. (Image source: Toyota)
 

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> Expert Reviews and News on Laptops, Smartphones and Tech Innovations > News > News Archive > Newsarchive 2023 10 > Electric Toyota Land Cruiser Se ditches rugged roots alongside Hilux-like EPU pickup for Japan Mobility Show reveal
Julian van der Merwe, 2023-10-23 (Update: 2023-10-23)