Toyota delays electric Highlander by at least eight weeks
Toyota needs more time to put the finishing touches to the new electric Highlander. A delay of at least eight weeks will push back production of the large seven-seat SUV and shift an even greater share of initial customer deliveries into 2027. For now, the model remains off-limits to European buyers.
Toyota leaves the revised launch date open
In a statement to Autoblog, Toyota confirmed that it is making further adjustments to the vehicle ahead of its market launch. The delay will last at least eight weeks, but the company has not announced a revised date for the start of production or sales. Toyota says it will provide an updated timetable once production timing has been confirmed.
The original schedule, announced in February, called for the first vehicles to reach US dealerships in late 2026, with further deliveries following in early 2027. An eight-week delay now makes deliveries this year unlikely, although 2027 was already part of Toyota’s launch plan when the model was unveiled.
Toyota will continue building the existing combustion-engined and hybrid Highlander until at least December 2026. That will prevent a gap in the range and allow the company to meet continuing US demand while the electric version goes through its final validation and development work.
Highlander swaps hybrid power for a fully electric drivetrain
The fifth-generation Highlander represents a fundamental departure from its predecessor. Toyota has dropped petrol and hybrid powertrains altogether, developing the new model as a fully electric vehicle for North America.
The SUV uses a unibody version of the TNGA-K platform adapted for electric propulsion. It measures 5,050 mm long, 1,989 mm wide and 1,709 mm tall. The wheelbase has grown by around 200 mm to 3,051 mm. That extra length allows Toyota to package a large traction battery beneath the floor while retaining three rows of seats and room for up to seven occupants.
With the third row in use, the boot holds around 450 litres. Folding it increases capacity to approximately 1,290 litres. The Highlander also gets a 14-inch central touchscreen, a 12.3-inch instrument display and physical controls for the climate system. The latter sets it apart from many rivals that have moved almost every function onto a screen.
Two battery options and up to 252 kW
The front-wheel-drive XLE uses a 76.96 kWh battery and a single 165 kW electric motor producing 268 Nm. Toyota estimates an EPA range of 462 kilometres.
The all-wheel-drive model combines two electric motors for a total system output of 252 kW. The front motor produces 268 Nm and the rear unit 169 Nm. With the smaller battery, the AWD version is expected to deliver an EPA range of up to 435 kilometres.
XLE AWD and Limited AWD versions fitted with the larger 95.82 kWh battery are expected to travel up to 515 kilometres on the EPA cycle. Toyota has yet to publish acceleration figures, top speed, energy consumption or gross vehicle weight.
Every version comes with an 11 kW onboard charger. The US-market model uses a NACS charging port and supports Plug & Charge as well as battery preconditioning. Toyota’s development target is a 10–80% charge in around 30 minutes, even at -10°C, when using a 150 kW, 350 A DC charger.
That wording matters because Toyota has not disclosed the Highlander’s actual peak charging rate. The company quotes a charging time achieved with a particular charger rather than stating the vehicle’s maximum DC input.
Korean rivals charge faster
The Kia EV9 uses a 99.8 kWh battery, offers up to 563 kilometres of WLTP range in rear-wheel-drive form and can charge from 10% to 80% in 24 minutes. The all-wheel-drive EV9 develops 283 kW and covers up to 505 kilometres on the WLTP cycle.
The Hyundai Ioniq 9 raises the bar further. Its 110.3 kWh battery gives the rear-wheel-drive model a WLTP range of up to 620 kilometres. Hyundai’s 800-volt electrical architecture also enables a 10–80% charge in 24 minutes.
EPA and WLTP figures are not directly comparable, but the charging times provide a clearer indication of Toyota’s starting point. The Highlander’s roughly 30-minute charging time is respectable, particularly in cold conditions, but Kia and Hyundai’s 800-volt models complete the same charging window around six minutes sooner.
The Highlander will need to make up that difference with competitive pricing, reliability, efficient packaging and Toyota’s substantial base of existing hybrid customers. Pricing has yet to be announced.
European launch not confirmed
Toyota unveiled the new Highlander specifically as a North American model. It will be built in Kentucky, with battery modules sourced from Toyota’s new North Carolina battery plant and a US-based partner. Toyota has not announced a European version, a CCS2 charging port or WLTP range figures.
Highlander sales in Europe were marginal in 2025. Toyota Motor Europe sold 1,757 examples across the region, 1,414 of them hybrids. By comparison, the RAV4 found 91,277 buyers over the same period, while the bZ4X recorded 27,191 sales. Those figures explain why Toyota is prioritising the US market for the electric Highlander.
