Toyota Tests Hilux Electric Pickup Trucks for Bus Services in Thai City; Company Aims for 2025 Sales Debut

By Takashi Itoda / Yomiuri Shimbun Correspondent

20:00 JST, April 29, 2024

BANGKOK — Toyota Motor Corp. has started using an electric model from its Hilux pickup truck series for bus services in the central Thai city of Pattaya as part of an experiment aimed at gathering passenger feedback and other data for developmental purposes. Toyota is considering selling Hilux EVs in Thailand in 2025.

In Thailand, buses called songthaew, which are essentially pickup trucks with seats and roofs installed on the back, are widely used for public transportation.

Toyota will run the experiment with 12 EVs until 2025, gathering data on such things as battery durability and mileage.