The success of the Toyota Grand Highlander three-row SUV – the Kluger’s larger sibling – in North America has seen plans for an electric seven-seat model pushed towards the end of the decade.
Toyota has pushed back the introduction of a seven-seat electric SUV, as the Japanese car giant continues to pull back on plans for electric cars in favour of ramping up production of popular petrol and hybrid models.
A Bloomberg report highlights a shift in product strategy for the in-demand large family SUV segment.
Plans for an electric three-row SUV were first announced as part of an EV onslaught promised by the Japanese company in 2021, but introduction timing saw the initial 2025 target first pushed back to 2027, and now to 2028.
The new model was to be produced in Indiana for the United States, but its production location has since switched to Kentucky for a production facility that is due to begin producing electric vehicles in 2026.
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The delay comes as multiple brands reassess their electric vehicle plans in the face of slowing sales in key markets.
Toyota’s current line-up also offers some insight into why the electric large SUV has been pushed back.
The Grand Highlander, a larger version of Australia’s Kluger SUV (known as the Highlander in North America), is enjoying strong success.
In June 2025, the Grand Highlander became Toyota’s second-best-selling SUV model in the United States, after the RAV4, and sold over twice as many vehicles as the related Highlander.
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Over the second quarter of 2025 (April to June), Grand Highlander sales rose by 31.3 per cent compared to the prior year.
The Grand Highlander’s engine options mimic those of the Kluger, with a 198kW 2.4-litre turbo petrol four-cylinder, and 183kW 2.5-litre non-turbo petrol-hybrid.
The larger vehicle also adds a more powerful Hybrid Max variant that combines a 2.4-litre turbo engine with hybrid assistance for a 270kW combined output.
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Seven and eight-seat configurations of the Grand Highlander are available, and the large SUV competes with models like the Hyundai Palisade and Mazda CX-90, plus vehicles not sold here, like the Chevrolet Traverse and Honda Pilot three-row SUVs.
The electric alternative has had few details confirmed at this stage, but Toyota did preview its design as part of the brand’s future product previews.
Information on the battery pack, motor layout, driving range and more has been kept tightly under wraps, leading to speculation that the model – once tipped to wear the bZ5X name – could utilise solid-state battery technology currently under development by Toyota.
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