Australian-converted electric Toyota HiLux and Ford Ranger pricing announced

The price of locally-converted electric versions of the Toyota HiLux and Ford Ranger utes will cost almost twice as much as the diesel vehicles on which they are based.

Australian technology start-up Roev has announced pricing and specifications of its electric Toyota HiLux and Ford Ranger conversion packages, starting from $47,990 – not including the cost of the donor vehicles, which typically range from $50,000 to $65,000.

Roev says it has electric conversion packages for Toyota HiLux and Ford Ranger variants built between 2016 and 2022 – offering the service for all body styles, as well as both two- and four-wheel-drive models.

Provisional pricing for the two plug-in utes lists electric conversions priced from $47,990 for 4×2 utes and $50,990 for 4x4s – excluding GST and the cost of the donor vehicles.

Roev offers two levels of electric conversions, a Standard Range package and a more expensive Extended Range option.

Vehicles equipped with the Standard Range package are fitted with an 11kW onboard AC charger, an 80kW DC fast charger, vehicle-to-load/V2L capabilities (allowing owners to plug in 240-volt appliances) and a 64kWh battery pack – which Roev claims can deliver up to 240km of driving range.

The Standard Range conversion for two-wheel-drive Toyota HiLuxs and Ford Rangers is priced from $47,990 (model year 2020 to 2022) and $48,990 (model year 2016 to 2019), while all-wheel-drive grades incur an additional $3000 premium.

Roev’s Extended Range conversion equips the electric utes with a larger 96kWh battery, allowing the plug-in pick-ups to run for up to 360km on a charge.

Pricing for the Extended Range conversion adds another $6000 on top of the Standard Range packages, starting from $53,990 (4×2, MY2020-2022) and topping out at $57,990 (4×4, MY2016-2019).

The Extended Range-converted ute’s 360km claimed driving range is 30km greater than the LDV eT60, the first factory-made electric dual-cab in Australia.

Revealed last week, the LDV eT60 has an electric driving range of 330km, although the Chinese car-maker claims this is halved when towing or carrying a load.

Priced from $92,990 plus on-road costs, the two-wheel-drive LDV eT60 is more than double the price of the most expensive version of the 4×4 diesel dual-cab LDV T60, which starts from $46,990 drive-away. 

Based on 2022 pricing, Roev’s Standard Range conversion would increase the price of the entry-level 4×2 Toyota HiLux Workmate cab chassis up to $72,215, while the 4×2 Ford Ranger XL Hi-Rider would start from $83,920 – both excluding on-road costs and GST for the conversion.

As reported in September, Roev is yet to confirm the technical package (such as power, torque, load and towing capacity) of its conversions, although it is understood a single electric motor powers the plug-in utes.

Roev is not the only Australian company to invest in zero-emissions utes. 

In October, Victorian firm H2X Global revealed the Warrego, a Ford Ranger-based ute which is powered by a 260kW electric motor and a 60kW hydrogen fuel-cell, packaged into a supercapacitor hybrid system.

While H2X Global Warrego production is being prioritised for Europe rather than Australia – due to the availability of hydrogen and government support for zero-emissions vehicles – the company claimed local testing will commence soon.