Toyota Highlander EV Faces More Delays

The automaker says the delays are due to product finalization and are not related to a soft EV market.

Photo by: Toyota

By: Jeff Glucker

Sep 4, at 1:00pm ET

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Toyota has pushed back the launch of its upcoming Highlander EV.
Production was slated to begin sometime in 2026, but may now start in early 2027.
This delay leaves customers with a potential delivery target ranging from as early as late spring to as late as the end of next year.

The upcoming Toyota Highlander EV needs a bit more ironing out before it's ready for primetime. Toyota's electric three-row SUV was slated to launch in the middle of 2026. Now, it seems potential customers might be waiting until the middle of, or even the end of, 2027 to get their hands on one.

According to a report by Nikkei Asia, Toyota needs to push the launch back by as little as four months but potentially as much as 12 months. That hefty delay is owed to final testing and tweaking, as Toyota has no desire to deliver a half-baked product.

2027 Toyota Highlander EV

Photo by: Toyota

The Long EV Strategy

Toyota hasn't exactly been a leader on EVs. The Japanese automaker has gradually added EVs to its lineup, preferring the (literal) hybrid approach to its powertrain offerings. That said, the Highlander EV and others show that Toyota has been easing into the fully electric space.

The Highlander EV should prove to be one of its most attractive offerings in the space. This is a three-row EV SUV, with a recognizable and appealing nameplate. The base FWD model should deliver at least 287 miles of range, while an upgraded version with a larger battery pack will be good for north of 320 miles.

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Hopefully the reason for the delay isn't related to mileage targets, but rather to some ride-quality fine-tuning and other last-minute market features and pricing specs.

Motor1's Take: It's always a bummer when an upcoming model is delayed, but it would be far worse to launch an inferior product. Toyota knows it needs to nail the Highlander EV, as the nameplate is incredibly important to the brand, regardless of which powertrain is under the skin.