In a world where cars are often either all business or all spectacle, Toyota has gone for something a bit different. The automaker has unveiled a one-off electric vehicle designed for the popular Australian children’s music group The Wiggles. Dubbed the Big Red Ute, it combines playful design with Toyota’s off-road heritage, and while it may look like a bit of a gimmick, there’s some genuine engineering at work beneath the colorful exterior.

Designed and developed locally by Toyota’s Product, Planning, and Development division, the Big Red Ute isn’t just a show pony. While this one-off clearly serves a specific purpose, some of its styling elements could hint at the upcoming ‘baby’ Toyota FJ Cruiser.

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The front end draws from the tough, utilitarian design of Toyota’s classic Cruiser J70, with a playful twist. The headlights, for instance, are LED screens that can display everything from pupils to hearts. Muscular fenders, exposed wheels, and underbody protection reinforce the pickup’s off-road character, while the 3,120 mm (122.8 inches) length keeps it compact enough for the stage without losing presence. The same applies to the chunky tires wrapped around the rainbow-themed 12-inch Turbofan wheels.

The exposed cabin accommodates four passengers, each with their own seatbelt attached to the oversized bull bar. Adding to the fun, there’s an integrated bubble machine at the rear, capable of producing 6,000 bubbles per minute, a feature guaranteed to captivate toddlers.

Toyota Australia

The name Big Red Ute is inspired by the latest song release from The Wiggles, while the colorful livery mirrors the Toyota Hilux featured in the music video.

Despite its toy-like appearance, this one-off is a fully functional vehicle, powered by a 48V electric powertrain, independent coil spring suspension, and drum brakes. Naturally, the top speed is limited to 20 km/h (12 mph), because, really, no “ute” needs to go faster than that on a music stage.

The Big Red Ute made its debut on December 7, when The Wiggles performed in Melbourne. The EV will accompany the band on the remainder of their Australian tour, before joining them for their global tour dates. The Wiggles have been around for three decades, earning the title of “the world’s most popular children’s entertainment group.”

Toyota is pressing forward with its electric Hilux project, unveiling a new prototype built for Australian roads. This Hilux BEV double-cab marks Toyota’s first venture into the all-electric utility truck market, developed in partnership with mining giant BHPP. This zero-emissions workhorse isn’t just for show, as it’s set for a full-year trial in the unforgiving conditions of Australia’s mining operations. Toyota’s goals is gather raw, unfiltered data to shape the future production model and demonstrate that an electric Hilux can meet the rigorous demands of heavy-duty work.

The original Toyota Hilux BEV concept was unveiled in Thailand in December 2022, featuring a single-cab bodystyle. The new prototype is based on a double chassis-cab Hilux, and it looks just like the ICE-powered version, albeit with a charging port on the front fender. Toyota’s given it a few extra touches too, like a fortified front bumper with embedded LEDs and a sturdy bull bar.

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BHP will deploy this new BEV prototype at Port Hedland, one of the world’s largest iron ore hubs, situated in Western Australia. For the next 12 months starting in late November, it’ll replace diesel trucks across a “range of applications”. This is no gentle proving ground; if the Hilux BEV can survive here, it can survive almost anywhere.

Toyota is keeping the powertrain details close to its chest. In fact, nearly two years after debuting the concept, we’re still in the dark about the motor’s power output, battery capacity, and expected range.

Matthew Callachor, President and CEO of Toyota Australia said: “Toyota has long advocated a multi-pathway approach towards decarbonization, and when we do something, we want to make sure we do it right”, adding that the trial will provide valuable insights for testing in “harsh and demanding mining environments.”

Geraldine Slattery, BHP President Australia, added: “Our ambition to electrify our light vehicle fleet and lower greenhouse gas emissions across our operations depends on enabling technology that can only be achieved through collaborations like this, with leading suppliers like Toyota. With around 5,000 light vehicles at our sites across Australia, we look forward to putting the Battery Electric HiLux through its paces and seeing the potential it can bring, not only to reduce diesel use in mining but eventually for all HiLux drivers too”.

The announcement follows the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding by Toyota Australia and BHP in August 2023 to collaborate in safety, engineering, and product development, towards decarbonization.

Electric Hilux For Mining And Private Use

This is not the first time we hear about a fully electric Hilux aiming to replace diesel-powered trucks in mining facilities. Last year, SEA Electric and MEVCO announced an AU $1 billion (US $700 million) deal for building 8,500 EVs over the next five years, based on the Toyota Hilux and Land Cruiser. A similar project for a BEV-converted Hilux had been under development since 2022 by the Australian-based startup ROEV, before being scrapped in 2024 due to limited funding.

As for factory-backed programs, Toyota began testing ten FCEV prototypes of the Hilux in the UK in mid-2024, after unveiling a hydrogen prototype in September 2023.

More importantly, the first commercially available version of the fully electric truck will arrive by the end of 2025. The BEV will initially roll out in Thailand and could be followed by other markets, including Europe.

The eighth generation of the Toyota Hilux has been around since 2017 with subsequent facelifts in 2020, and 2024. This makes us believe that the fully electric variant could be based on the next-generation model. Depending on the market, the BEV will join more traditional diesel and mild-hybrid powertrain options.