Toyota thoroughly polishes up its commercial vehicle range
Toyota wants to expand its position on the European commercial vehicle market and become one of the top 6 commercial vehicle manufacturers in Europe. The Japanese car manufacturer is now sprucing up its model range - and expanding it in key areas.
Toyota is modernizing its commercial vehicle range. The Proace family is being expanded and given a facelift, while the Hilux pick-up is being given a mild hybrid drive. And a hydrogen version of the platform truck could also be coming.
The Proace Max is a completely new addition to the brand's commercial customer range. Like its smaller siblings Proace and Procae City, the van in the 3.5-ton class comes from the cooperation with Stellantis and is therefore largely identical in construction to the Fiat Ducato, Opel Movano, Peugeot Boxer and Citroen Jumper.
The Toyota is available as a panel van, estate, chassis, tipper or flatbed. Propulsion is provided by diesel engines with outputs ranging from 88 kW/120 hp to 121 kW/161 hp. A 200 kW/270 hp electric variant is also available. It has a standard range of 420 kilometers and, at 17 cubic meters, offers the same load volume as the conventional version. At 1.5 tons, the payload is even 75 kilograms higher than the diesel version. The market launch of the Proace Max is planned for fall 2024.
Battery-electric variants go further than before
The refreshed Proace and Proace City models will be launched in spring. Like their respective Stellantis Group siblings, the medium-sized and compact vans will be given a modified front with chrome and silver-colored trim parts on the radiator grille, among other things. Inside, there is a new infotainment system.
The battery-electric variants also go further than before. The larger Proace Electric achieves a range of up to 350 kilometers in combination with the 75 kWh battery, an increase of 20 kilometers. The smaller Proace City Electric can travel up to 330 kilometers per battery charge, which is 50 kilometers further than before. The load compartment volume is on a par with the combustion engine variants, while the payload can be reduced by 110 (Proace) to 220 kilograms (Proace City).
A new feature of the Hilux pick-up is a 48-volt variant, which will be offered alongside the familiar diesel models from next year. The mild hybrid drive is based on the 2.8-liter four-cylinder diesel engine with 150 kW/204 hp, which should be around 10 percent more economical thanks to the electric assistance.
Fuel cell version under test
In addition, Toyota developers in England are currently testing a fuel cell version of the commercial vehicle, which is designed to travel a good 600 kilometers on 7.8 kilograms of hydrogen gas. However, one of the tanks has to be placed on the loading area, which limits its practicality. If the drive system proves its worth, series production is conceivable, at least in small numbers.
All model measures together should help Toyota to become one of the top 6 commercial vehicle manufacturers in Europe. Last year, the Japanese company's Professional division achieved around 119,000 new registrations on the continent; in 2023 this figure is expected to reach 140,000 and in 2025 around 180,000.
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Toyota's commercial vehicle range expansion isn't limited to passenger models, as they're also considering adding a hydrogen version of their platform truck to the lineup, demonstrating their commitment to diverse automotive technologies.
In the vast world of automotive manufacturing, Toyota's goal is to secure a top 6 position in Europe's commercial vehicle market, and their extensive range of Toyota models plays a crucial role in this strategic mission.
Source: www.ntv.de
