Are electric versions of the country’s favourite pick-ups close? Not according to their makers.

THE dominant brands in the one-tonne ute sector appear to have pulled the handbrake on Government contention that electric versions of their Kiwi-favoured workhorses are close.

Ford New Zealand’s Ranger and Toyota NZ’s Hilux command the lion’s share of annual ute sales and regularly swap monthly tallies – with Ford’s model holding favouritism more often than Toyota’s and even being the country’s top-selling vehicle in recent years.

Both have reacted to Government thought, offered in the wake of yesterday’s announcement of feebates for plug-in electric passenger vehicles, that this technology was so close to being put into utes as to be worth waiting for.

Neeraj Lala, Toyota New Zealand chief executive, has been the more vocal.

“I’d like to reiterate that we do not have any plans for a battery electric Hilux in our line-up in the next 18 – 24 months,” he said.

“It is irresponsible to suggest that customers stop buying non-electric vehicles immediately until there is an electric option available.”

Ford’s response was much shorter.

“Sorry, no news for us on either,” was the sole comment the brand’s communications manager, Tom Clancy, would offer when asked if there were any plans for an electric drivetrain in Ranger – not just the current line but also a next generation vehicle expected in 2022 - or if Ford NZ had any plans to locally release the electric Lightning version of a much larger traydeck, the F-150, just shown in North America.

In addition to brand comment, the representative body for all new vehicles has also weighed in.

Motor Industry Association chief executive officer David Crawford said speculation by Government Ministers “of when models are coming to the market is unhelpful and potentially misleading. At worst it becomes a death nell to business continuity.”

Based on feedback from members, one or two brands were working hard to get in a fully electric ute, but nothing in the immediate future.

“Our expectation is plug-in hybrid (PHEV) utes might become more widely available by 2025 and full battery electric (BEV) utes after that.”

One-tonne utes, which run turbodiesel engines, are in the firing line with The Clean Car Discount scheme announced yesterday as they stand tall among high-emission vehicles set to incur a penalty levy from next January.

In respect to the Government policy, Lala said the range and volumes of EV’s needed to meet demand is simply not available and many customers still need a vehicle to transport their family or operate their business.

He reminded that Toyota here has performed positively in reducing CO2 emissions with its now broad range of cars using hybrid – petrol electric, but not mains-rechargeable – powertrains, a speciality in which the brand holds world dominance.

“Our extensive hybrid range has allowed us to contribute to 43 per cent of the overall reduction of CO2 emissions over the past five years in New Zealand.

“Hybrid technology is more readily available and is significantly more affordable for everyday kiwis. Battery electric technology is coming but is not quite there yet.”

“As a brand we are focused on achieving affordability of low emission technology for everyday kiwis, not just the top two percent.”

Toyota Japan plans to have 15 new electrified models - spread between full electric, plug-in hybrid, and conventional hybrid – coming out over the next few years, and the brand has dropped hints that a mild hybrid drivetrain might go into the Hilux. However, that level of technology would not be considered to meet the definition of ‘electric’ as laid out by the industry.