Electric Toyota Land Cruiser tipped for 2026 launch

Some car names come with such expectations, that it’s a given they’ll excel in a particular area. A Ferrari must always look incredible. A GTI must be fun to drive. And a Toyota Land Cruiser must be unstoppable off-road.

And by 2026, the Land Cruiser name will embark on its most difficult journey to-date – taking the muddy path to full electrification – and marking the 75th anniversary of the famous nameplate.

The first fully-electric Toyota Land Cruiser will be inspired by the Land Cruiser Se concept pictured here, and will form part of the firm’s electric car offensive, which kicked up a gear in March with the reveal of the revised Toyota bZ4X, C-HR+ and Urban Cruiser. 

The Land Cruiser EV will be joined by a pick-up, as well as an as-yet unknown SUV, possibly slightly larger than the bZ4X.

It’s highly likely the electric Land Cruiser will be sold alongside today’s model, which is powered in the UK by a diesel engine, and by petrol in other countries. That’s because the ability to get to the remotest locations – and back again – is at the heart of the large SUV’s appeal, and owners won’t be guaranteed access to a public EV charger after a day of tough off-roading.

Still, with no air intakes to get submerged, exhausts to get snagged on hidden rocks and the ability to precisely distribute power to the wheels which most need it, the off-road performance of an electric Land Cruiser could be sensational.

The current Land Cruiser uses a ladder chassis on which the body is bolted for ultimate toughness, but the electric version is likely to adopt the more commonly used monocoque approach. This combines the body and chassis in one unit, bringing improvements in refinement and on-road comfort.

Although it’s unknown the size of the production version, the Land Cruiser Se sits halfway between the Land Rover Defender 110 and the longest version, the 130, in terms of length. 

The Land Cruiser Se concept’s styling is less rugged than the regular car, and bears comparison with what the Range Rover Velar is to the flagship Range Rover. Yet the relationship with the diesel Land Cruiser is clear, with squared-off wheelarches and slim rear side windows.

Toyota bosses would not be drawn on any technical information, but its closest electric rival today is the Mercedes G580 – the electric G-Class – which has a vast 116kWh battery (usable capacity) and a range of 293 miles.

Toyota is yet to show a glimpse of the interior, although it hinted at the dashboard through an image of the likely closely-related EPU pick-up (below). The image shows a yoke-style steering wheel, similar to that fitted to versions of the 2026 Lexus RZ electric SUV. 

RZ models with the slimmed-down, rectangular steering wheel are mated to a ‘steer-by-wire’ system designed to reduce the steering movements to just 200 degrees lock-to-lock, whilst providing a natural steering feel. The system could be particularly well suited to off-road driving, which can require lots of fast steering inputs to maintain forward momentum on muddy, sandy, snowy or rutted surfaces.

The seven seat electric Land Cruiser will be joined by a five-seat, all-electric pick-up based on the Toyota EPU concept, originally shown alongside the Land Cruiser Se at the 2023 Japan Mobility Show. It's not yet known whether it will adopt the famous Toyota Hilux nameplate.

It’s approximately the same size as the electric SUV, and the monocoque chassis provides a versatile deck space which, according to Toyota, caters for a range of (unspecified) applications. Like the Land Cruiser Se, it will have four-wheel drive, and with its weight positioned low in the car, it should deliver impressive stability and ride comfort.

The launch of the Se, pick-up and another electric SUV could coincide with the launch of Land Cruiser as a brand in its own right, in a similar fashion to how Land Rover positions its Range Rover family.

Read more: Best and worst electric SUVs >>

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