A new generation of the Toyota Land Cruiser arrived for the 2024 model year, and it may be joined by a pair of electric siblings in the years ahead.
Toyota rolled out the Compact Cruiser EV concept in 2021 and the Land Cruiser Se concept in 2023. Autocar reported on Friday that both concepts are destined for production as part of Toyota's plan to expand the appeal of the Land Cruiser nameplate and keep it relevant in a world of zero emissions.
The Compact Cruiser EV looks like a downsized version of the 2024 Land Cruiser and was designed to appeal to younger buyers, especially in urban areas. Mercedes-Benz last September confirmed plans to target this space with a baby G-Class powered by batteries. Land Rover is also rumored to be working on its own baby Defender.
While reports out of Japan have claimed Toyota will launch a vehicle like the Compact Cruiser EV as soon as this year, but with gas or possibly hybrid powertrains, Autocar reported that the Compact Cruiser EV will still be built, likely using a version of Toyota's E-TNGA platform that underpins the BZ4X. A release date wasn't mentioned.
Toyota Land Cruiser Se concept
For Toyota fans who enjoy the rugged appeal of the Land Cruiser but want an EV with a touch of luxury, Toyota will reportedly offer a production version of the Land Cruiser Se concept. The concept measured several inches longer than the 2024 Land Cruiser and featured a car-like unibody structure rather than the body-on-frame designs typical of off-road vehicles.
According to Autocar, this upmarket SUV could arrive in 2026 to mark the Land Cruiser’s 75th anniversary and feature Toyota's next-generation prismatic cell battery design that is due around the same time. Toyota has said the new battery design could enable EVs with a range of around 600 miles on a charge.
Toyota has already toyed with the idea of an electric Land Cruiser. In 2021, the automaker built a prototype electric Land Cruiser based on the classic 70-series design form the 1980s, which Toyota still builds for commercial buyers such as mining and forestry companies.
