What's the difference?
Toyota claims its first HiLux BEV (Battery Electric Vehicle) has been designed primarily with mining, business and government fleet customers in mind, by combining the iconic ute’s 4x4 all-terrain capability with zero tailpipe emissions only a full-electric drivetrain can deliver.
To prove its suitability for harsh Aussie conditions, Toyota claims the HiLux BEV has undergone more than two years of testing on site with major mining companies, covering thousands of kilometres in ambient temperatures up to 50 degrees.
We recently sampled the HiLux BEV as a daily driver in metropolitan use, to see if its mining-focused credentials translate to being a practical alternative to traditional diesel power for tradies working in busy urban environments.
So, you’re after an affordable alternative to the increasingly expensive Toyota HiLux and Ford Ranger. You need it to be tough enough for work, but also big and comfortable enough to haul family every now and again.
It’s a common predicament, and one that's increasingly served by Chinese and Korean alternatives.
Today, we’re looking at LDV’s latest effort - the T60 Max Plus. While it looks like just another new variant from the outside, it’s hiding some significant changes underneath, and it takes its place at the top of the T60 range in 2024.
Could it be the right ute to fit your budget? Let’s take a look.
Given the HiLux BEV was developed in close cooperation with mining companies, its relatively short driving range appears tailor-made for that role given the daily driving distances (typically around 150km or less) in underground and open-cut mining operations. However, determining if our SR5 test vehicle is equally well suited to urban tradie duties would require careful analysis of driving range and payload/towing requirements, to determine if its emissions-free high purchase price can be justified.
The Max Plus brings a lot of welcome upgrades to the T60 range, particularly in its previously non-existent active safety suite, but it’s not all good news. There are still a few areas where this ageing ute could use a lot of polish.
Still, there’s something to be said for how refreshingly straightforward much of it is, and for the most part its specs and features are up to the task of competing with many more expensive alternatives.