What you’re looking at here is (potentially) the Land Cruiser of the future.
We say potentially, as it’s just a concept at this stage, which Toyota plans to show off at this year’s Japan Mobility Show.
Whether the Land Cruiser electric concept will make it to production, who knows – but it certainly suggests the model’s at the forefront of the automaker’s thinking as it embraces electrification.
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Perhaps the most surprising thing about the prototype isn’t the fact that it’s battery-powered.
What’s most surprising is how different it looks compared to the 250-series Land Cruiser that debuted in August.
Okay, it has the same general profile we’ve come to expect from the legendary off-roader, but lacks the new version’s retro-inspired boxiness.
That being said, it still has plenty of sharp edges, especially along its completely revised front end and sculpted side panels.
What’s really interesting, though, is how much larger it is than that of the current ICE Land Cruiser.
This electric concept is 202.8 inches (515 cm) long and has a wheelbase of 120.1 inches (305 cm).
That makes it around eight inches (20 cm) longer than the 250-series on both measurements, although the latter is five inches (12 cm) taller at 73.2 inches (185 cm) tall.
That extra size means the Land Cruiser Se has room for an extra row of seats, pushing the seating capacity up to eight.
Toyota hasn’t released any pictures of the interior, however, the automaker says the space will be both comfortable and quiet.
The automaker hasn’t divulged any real detail about the vehicle’s powertrain either, other than to say it will deliver “high-torque driving performance.”
We’d hazard a guess to say it’ll likely include multiple motors, with at least one positioned on each axle, delivering the all-wheel drive that people expect from the nameplate.
Toyota’s announcement stresses that the EV will be adept at “tackling rough terrain.”
As previously mentioned, it’s unclear if Toyota plans to build the Land Cruiser Se or whether it’s purely just a concept vehicle.
But, we wouldn’t be surprised if it did eventually go on sale, as the automaker announced earlier this year it plans to launch 10 EV between now and 2026.
Not only that, but it’s easy to imagine this SUV garnering some serious interest.
