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Toyota, which presently instructions a large 34% share of the brand new automotive gross sales market in Thailand, is getting ready to conduct trials of an electrical pickup truck within the nation. This transfer is available in response to the introduction of a number of new electrical autos by Chinese language automakers, signaling Toyota‘s strategic response to rising market traits.

Roughly half of all autos offered in Thailand in 2022 have been pickup vehicles so there may be clearly plenty of untapped potential on this planet of electrical pickups. Whereas not too long ago talking with Reuters, the manager vp of Toyota Daihatsu Engineering & Manufacturing, Pras Ganesh, confirmed work is underway on an area electrical pickup. He added that Toyota is build up its EV analysis and growth capability throughout the nation.

Learn: Toyota Showcases Electrical Hilux Idea In Thailand

Eleven months in the past, Toyota unveiled an all-electric pickup truck idea primarily based across the Hilux. That unveiling fittingly happened in Thailand and it’s this automobile that’s quickly anticipated to hit the street. Ganesh says Toyota will trial a small fleet of its electrical pickups within the metropolis of Pattaya from early 2024 the place they are going to be used as taxis with bench seats put in of their beds, or as Thais name them, ‘songthaews.’

Analysis agency MarkLines tells Reuters that Toyota had a 39% market share of the one-ton pickup truck market in Thailand by the primary 9 months of this yr. Whereas electrical pickups haven’t but began to achieve native shores, a plethora of compelling new EVs from China have, together with choices just like the Atto 3, Dolphin, and Seal from BYD in addition to the Ora Good Cat from Nice Wall Motor. Battery-electric autos are anticipated to account for slightly below 9% of whole new automotive gross sales in Thailand this yr.

Ganesh added that Toyota can be contemplating beginning to check different EV pickups that may very well be utilized by last-mile supply companies.