Toyota has recreated one of Top Gear’s most famous vehicle durability tests, dropping a 760kg caravan onto its all-new electric Hilux to prove that going electric hasn’t made the legendary pick-up any less tough.
Toyota has put its all-new electric Hilux through an extreme test that will look very familiar to fans of Top Gear.
More than 20 years after the iconic motoring show famously tried — and failed — to destroy a Toyota Hilux, the car manufacturer has recreated one of its most memorable tests by dropping a caravan directly onto the new all-electric pick-up.
And, much like its predecessor, the Hilux survived.
Toyota Lets Reddit Choose the Hilux’s Ultimate Test!
Rather than simply deciding how to test the new electric Hilux internally, Toyota handed the decision to the internet.
The company asked Reddit communities across the UK to choose between two potential challenges: repeatedly hitting the Hilux with a one-tonne wrecking ball, or recreating the famous caravan drop from Top Gear.
Hundreds of Reddit users voted, with the caravan challenge winning by a significant margin.
The choice offered Toyota the opportunity to recreate a stunt that originally took place back in 2003, when Top Gear subjected a Hilux to a series of increasingly ridiculous attempts at destruction.
A 760kg Caravan Crashes Onto the Electric Hilux!
The latest stunt took place at Bentwaters airfield in Suffolk, where Toyota suspended a caravan weighing more than three-quarters of a tonne around 30 feet above the ground.
The caravan was then released directly onto the Hilux’s cab.
As the dust and debris settled, Toyota’s engineers inspected the vehicle to see how it had handled the impact.
Despite sustaining some visible bodywork damage, the electric Hilux powered up immediately and drove away from the scene.
Toyota says the result demonstrates that the introduction of battery-electric power hasn’t compromised the Hilux’s reputation for durability.
The Top Gear Hilux Legacy!
The stunt is a direct nod to one of Top Gear’s most famous experiments.
More than two decades ago, the programme attempted to destroy a Toyota Hilux using a series of increasingly extreme methods, including hitting it with a wrecking ball, submerging it in the sea and placing it on top of a building that was subsequently demolished.
The Hilux famously continued to operate despite the abuse, helping cement its reputation among Top Gear viewers as an exceptionally durable pick-up.
Toyota’s latest stunt deliberately recreates the caravan element of that original experiment, but this time with a major difference: the Hilux is powered entirely by electricity.
Electric Power Meets Hilux Toughness!
The all-new Hilux was launched earlier this year with a significant rethink of the iconic pick-up, combining its traditional rugged character with modern styling, technology and electric power.
Toyota says the battery-electric model underwent extensive testing during development, including deep-water driving, rough-terrain testing and total battery immersion.
The company has also developed specific design solutions intended to protect the battery from damage when the vehicle is being driven in extreme conditions.
The new Hilux is available with both battery-electric and Diesel 48V powertrains, giving customers different options depending on how they intend to use the pick-up.
What Else Can the New Hilux Do?
While the caravan stunt makes for an impressive demonstration, Toyota says the electric Hilux has been designed to remain a practical workhorse as well.
The new double-cab model combines a rugged exterior with a more spacious and comfortable interior, featuring fully digital instrumentation and a comprehensive multimedia system.
Depending on the powertrain, the Hilux can carry a payload of up to 1,065kg and tow trailers weighing up to 3.5 tonnes.
Toyota also points to the Hilux’s long-running global success, with more than 27 million examples sold worldwide across seven decades.
Chris Hayes, Director of Products & Services Division at Toyota, said:
“Hilux has earned its reputation as the world’s toughest pick-up. Following on from our launch of the ninth-generation model earlier this year, we wanted to honour that legacy and demonstrate how Hilux is still as impressive as it was decades ago, even when it’s powered by electricity.”
He added that the caravan drop wasn’t simply about recreating a famous TV moment, but about demonstrating that the Hilux’s core toughness remains intact.
Toyota Hands the Electric Hilux Back to Top Gear
The caravan stunt might be over, but Toyota isn’t stopping there.
Following the test, the company has handed the keys to its electric Hilux to the Top Gear YouTube channel.
That means another chapter of the Hilux’s long-running relationship with Top Gear could be on the way — and after seeing what Toyota has already done with the electric pick-up, it will be interesting to see what happens next.
