It finally happened. The Toyota Hilux pickup truck, which is known around the world for its ability to withstand extreme punishment while occasionally carrying heavy automatic weapons in the bed, is now electric. The ninth-generation Hilux debuted today in Thailand, ten years after the previous model launched, with Toyota putting the EV variant under the spotlight ahead of additional diesel and hydrogen fuel cell powertrains.
Earlier this year, Slate Auto emerged from stealth mode and stunned industry watchers with the Slate Truck, a compact electric pickup it plans to sell for less than $30,000. Achieving that price won't be easy, but Slate really does look to be doing things differently from the rest of the industry -even Tesla. For example, the truck will be made from just 600 parts, with no paint or even an infotainment system, to keep costs down.
The Denali badge has been an incredible cash cow for GMC, giving it a sub-brand sponge to soak up dollars from luxury-seeking SUV and pickup shoppers willing to pay extra for power, style and features. The numbers vary from year to year, but it's not unusual for the company to move more Denali units than several leading European premium marques combined, generating billions of dollars in the process.
