The sub-Toyota HiLux ute breaks cover at long last! Toyota EPU electric car is coming for Ford Maverick, Hyundai Santa Cruz and more pick-ups!

Is this the hotly-rumoured Toyota Stout?

One of the most wildly-anticipated new models has finally been revealed in Japan today, in the form of the Toyota EPU Concept.

EPU? Toyota isn’t saying what it means, but let’s just go with Electric Pick Up, and one that has the successful Ford Maverick dual-cab ute right in its crosshairs.

Expected to enter production from 2026, this will be Toyota’s first monocoque-bodied utility in history, eschewing the ladder-frame chassis construction as found in Australia’s best-selling vehicle, the HiLux.

And, also just like the Maverick, the EPU is described as a next-generation mid-sized pick-up truck, measuring in at a similar 5070mm in length.

However, its 3350mm wheelbase is considerably longer than the Ford’s, and that’s partly because the Toyota will most likely be built on next-gen electric architecture that will likely include the long-awaited solid-state battery tech.

Since Toyota has already flagged the latter to become available in the second half of this decade, don’t expect to see the production-ready EPU in dealerships before then.

Keep in mind, though, that this has nothing to do with the HiLux Revo EV ute unveiled recently in Thailand.

Note, too, that it will not replace the HiLux – Australia’s top-selling vehicle for a number of years now – because of its electrification, but instead run alongside the next-gen version anticipated next year.

Here’s another thing. The EPU Concept seems to be very closely related to another new Toyota concept vehicle, the LandCruiser Se that was also unveiled the same day. In fact, they appear to share plenty of hardware.

The company isn’t saying, but the EPU Concept might even have four-wheel drive, given the generous ground clearance and lifestyle-active imagery that has accompanied this vehicle’s press release.

The dual-cab interior concept is ultra-modern, clean and minimalist, but whether this translates to the production version hasn’t been confirmed.

As well as the EP and LandCruiser Se concepts, Toyota will also show off some other new tech. Other Tokyo show debuts include a three-wheeled personal mobility concept, dubbed the Land Hopper. That name was being used by media outlets - including us - for a sub-LandCruiser off-roader.

The other show concepts include an electric wheelchair called the Juu, a prototype of a vehicle that is designed to be used in space, and Neo Steer - a cockpit concept based on motorbike handlebars.

As with the LandCruiser Se, stay tuned, as more info on both these exciting Toyota show cars will drop from Wednesday.