Toyota Drops 760 kg Trailer on Electric Hilux to Prove Battery Durability
A 760-kilogram trailer dropped from a height of nine meters landed directly onto the cab of a new electric Hilux at the Bentwaters airfield in Suffolk, United Kingdom, as reported by vrum.com.br. Toyota recreated the destructive test to demonstrate that replacing a diesel engine with a battery pack does not compromise the vehicle’s structural integrity or risk a thermal runaway event from chassis deformation.
The Japanese automaker also developed specific solutions to protect the component in extreme conditions. To prove that electric Hilux pickups are as durable as diesel or gasoline pickups, the Japanese manufacturer remade the 2003 video, subjecting the electric Hilux to the impact of a 750 kg caravan launched from a height of 9 meters. Toyota utilizes a body-on-frame solution with side rails and crossmembers, which is by far the solution that can handle the highest stresses exposed to work vehicles.
Recreating the 2003 Top Gear Demolition Test
The demonstration revives a recipe from 23 years ago. The original episode aired on November 23, 2003, on the motoring program Top Gear, where presenter Jeremy Clarkson subjected a 1980s diesel Hilux to severe abuse including tree impacts, building crashes, sea immersion, a demolition ball, and a falling caravan to prove its toughness. For the modern battery-electric iteration, internet users on Reddit voted to recreate the caravan drop over facing a one-ton demolition ball, according to vrum.com.br.
Engineering inspections following the drop revealed only modest body damage. The Toyota electric Hilux started immediately and drove away under its own power, according to vrum.com.br. Development testing for the electric pickup also included deep-water wading, rough terrain trials, and total battery pack immersion.
Frequently Asked Questions About the Electric Hilux Test
Why did Toyota drop a trailer on the electric Hilux?
Toyota wanted to prove that the chassis and battery pack on its new electric pickup can withstand severe physical impacts without risking structural failures that could breach the battery system.
How heavy was the trailer used in the test?
The trailer weighed 760 kilograms and was dropped from approximately nine meters high onto the cab of the vehicle at a former airfield in Suffolk, United Kingdom.
What happened to the truck after the impact?
Engineers inspected the vehicle and found only modest body damage, allowing the pickup to start immediately and drive away.
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