Toyota to test new electric pickup as it looks to fend off BYD’s surge in Thailand
As Chinese automakers like BYD steal Toyota’s limelight in Thailand, the automaker is planning a counter-offensive. Toyota is set to test a new electric pickup to fend off the incoming competition.
Toyota unveiled its first electric pickup, the HiLux BEV, nearly a year ago for its 60th anniversary in Thailand.
Pickups are a critical part of Thailand’s auto industry, accounting for around 50% of all vehicles sold in 2022. According to research from MarkLines (via Reuters), Toyota claimed 39% of the one-ton pickup market through September.
Thailand is also Toyota’s fourth-highest production center behind Japan, China, and the US. However, the country is quickly going electric.
Although Toyota, Isuzu, and Honda are still the top-selling brands in Thailand, BYD and other Chinese EV makers are surging ahead.
BYD, which entered the market last July, already accounts for over a third of EV sales. It also surpassed Nissan, Mazda, and Mitsubishi to represent around 4% of new vehicle sales, according to AutoLife Thailand.
Toyota to counter BYD with electric pickup in Thailand
Toyota Thailand built the HiLux BEV and sent it to Australia last month for testing. The electric pickup was tested by local engineers and “large-volume” HiLux buyers to provide feedback.
Toyota Australia sales boss Sean Hanley, who drove the EV truck, said, “It’s clear the concept vehicle’s all-electric powertrain delivers the impressive torque you’d normally expect from a diesel engine.”
Pras Ganesh, executive vice president of Toyota Daihatsu Engineering & Manufacturing, said the company was adapting its electric pickup to local conditions. It’s also ramping up electric vehicle R&D in the nation to keep pace with incoming competition.
Ganesh told Reuters, “We will first start looking at public transit.” He added a few electric pickups will be tested in Pattaya next year as “songthaews,” or share taxis.
Toyota is also considering testing other electric trucks for different uses, such as last-mile delivery.
Meanwhile, BYD is working on its electric pickup truck. The EV truck was spotted last month during the final phases of testing earlier this year with a big “BYD” logo up front, rugged fenders, and four doors.
A leaked patent last month gave us a closer look at the Ford F-150 Lightning look-alike. Reports suggest the electric pickup will be around 209″ long, more in line with the Ford Ranger.
Toyota showed off another electric pickup concept at the Japan Mobility Show last month. The Toyota EPU, or Electric PickUp, could rival the Ford Maverick as a midsize EV pickup.
Other Chinese automakers, such as Geely’s Radar, have already begun shipping electric trucks to Thailand.
Electrek’s Take
With the HiLux being the best-selling vehicle over the past seven years, it only makes sense for an electric version.
Thailand’s government wants 30% of vehicles built in the country to be electric by the end of the decade. EVs account for over 10% of total car sales, up from 1% last year. Other automakers, including BYD, are taking advantage of the transition.
Toyota is feeling the urgency in a critical market to go electric. Another top Japanese automaker, Isuzu, plans to release an electric version of its D-Max pickup in the nation.
The electric HiLux BEV will likely do well in Thailand, but Toyota will need to get a move on.
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The BYD “Shenzhen” set sail on its first voyage overseas this week. With 9,200 parking spots, or about enough to fill 20 football fields, BYD’s new car transport ship is now the world’s largest.
BYD’s largest car carrier sets sail for Brazil
BYD’s Shenzhen is on its maiden voyage to Brazil after setting sail on April 27. The vessel is carrying over 7,000 new energy vehicles (NEVs), including electric vehicles (EVs) and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs). It’s the largest single batch of NEVs exported from China so far.
The new vessel is BYD’s fourth car transport ship and the world’s largest, capable of carrying 9,000 vehicles. According to the company, that’s enough to fill about 20 football fields.
BYD launched its first car carrier, the Explorer No 1, in January 2024. It has already completed several trips to Germany, Spain, and Brazil.
Its second, the BYD Changzhou, set sail in December 2024, followed by the Hefei earlier this year. All three vessels can carry up to 7,000 vehicles, making the Shenzhen the largest so far.
The Shenzhen is named after the automaker’s hometown and demonstrates “BYD’s firm determination to promote sustainable development in Brazil.”
BYD is preparing to launch two more vessels, the Changsha and Xi’an. The Changsha is expected to launch soon, while the Xi’an was introduced on April 2.
The new car carriers will help accelerate BYD’s aggressive overseas expansion. In the first three months of 2025, the company sold over 206,000 NEVs overseas, more than double the number it sold last year.
BYD sells a wide range of vehicles in Brazil, including the low-cost Dolphin Mini, starting at around $20,000 (99,800 BRL). In October, it launched its first hybrid pickup truck, the Shark, starting at 379,800 BTL ($66,900).
Brazil is only one overseas market that BYD is targeting. BYD’s sales are expected to double in Europe in 2025, with significant growth in other key regions like Southeast Asia, Japan, Mexico, and South Korea, to name a few.
Source: BYD
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‘Tesla homes’ in a Houston neighborhood where all the homes have Tesla solar roofs and Powerwalls went for sale.
7 out of the 11 homes have reportedly already sold.
Tesla neighborhood is a term that is being used for new developments where all the homes integrate all or part of Tesla’s power ecosystem, including the Powerwall home battery pack.
The best example is a giant new development project in Austin, Texas, by Brookfield Asset Management and Dacra in which up to 12,000 new homes are to be built and offering Tesla solar roofs and Powerwalls.
However, since the announcement, it looks like only some of the homes in the new neighborhood have Tesla energy systems.
In 2022, Tesla also announced a similar project in Las Vegas.
A year later, the company claimed to have deployed “over 600 solar neighborhoods” worldwide, with a total capacity exceeding 100 MW.
One such ‘Tesla neighborhood’ is a small block of 11 townhouse homes featuring Tesla solar roofs and Powerwalls in Houston, Texas.
The homes were recently completed and went on sale, starting at $544,900.
Here are some pictures from the listings:
Utopia Homes, the developer behind the project, described the properties (via Chron):
Step into modern elegance expertly crafted by Utopia Homes. This property showcases groundbreaking Tesla Solar Roof Shingles and Power Wall technology, ensuring 100% energy security and eliminating electric bills for a truly sustainable lifestyle.
The house has proved popular according to the real estate agents, with 7 out of 11 homes already sold.
As we recently reported, Tesla’s solar roofs have proven to be a more expensive and niche product than the company previously presented.
Tesla has largely stopped discussing it, but it is still being deployed through some third-party installers, such as in this case, on new homes.
However, its Powerwall product remains a very popular solution for homeowners seeking greater energy independence and protection against outages, which have been a frequent problem in Texas.
More homeowners are turning to generators, and alternatives like home battery packs are gaining popularity.
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Canadian electric propulsion specialist Vision Marine continues to graduate beyond advanced outboard motors into a provider of all-electric boats. This month, Vision introduced two new electric pontoon boats – the 12-passenger V24 and 15-passenger V30, each capable of a range up to 90 nautical miles.
Vision Marine Technologies ($VMAR) is a Canadian technology company with over 25 years of experience in the marine industry. The company made waves (literally) by introducing its E-Motion turnkey powertrain system, which it has since integrated into a catamaran speedboat, which set a speed record of 109 mph in 2022.
Since then, Vision has introduced six hp two-cruiser vessels – the Fantail 217 and Volt 180, each capable of transporting 10 passengers via its E-Motion technology. Most recently, Vision Marine has integrated the full power of its 180 hp electric powertrain technology into two additional vessels, both electric pontoon boats.
Earlier this month, the company officially began sales of the Vision V24 and V30, which you can view below.
Vision Marine brings power and range to electric pontoons
According to Vision Marine Technologies, orders for its two new electric pontoon boats are now open, and they are touting the same E-Motion technology that put the company on the map a few years ago.
The first model is the V24, a 12-passenger electric pontoon that is 24′ 8″ in length and has 180 hp. The ultra-quiet E-Motion powertrain is powered by a standard 43 kWh marine battery pack, offering 40 nautical miles (46 miles) of all-electric range on a single charge. For added range, Vision sells a version of the electric pontoon with a second battery pack, totaling 86 kWh and delivering up to 90 nautical miles (104 miles) of range.
While the V24 offers more of a classic attempt at the pontoon boat, Vision’s additional new vessel, the all-electric V30, is a tad sportier and provides room for more passengers aboard (15). This 30′ vessel features the same E-Motion powertrain options, complete with the same two battery configurations to offer the same ranges as the V24.
However, the V30 has additional features such as 4 x 6.5″ interior speakers and cool-touch seats. Both models feature an integrated onboard charger that supports both 120- 240V (30 to 50 amps) for seamless charging, no matter the dock plug while moored.
The Vision V24 starts at $99,995 for the standard battery pack version, while the V30 starts at a higher price of $139,995. As previously mentioned, both electric pontoon boats are available to order today.
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