Toyota Drops 2nd Teaser for What is Likely to be an All-Electric Highlander

Something “big” is coming next week, Toyota confirmed with the release of a second teaser image showing the interior of what will be an all-electric 3-row EV set to debut on February 10. Is this the long-rumored Highlander EV? More from Headlight.News.

Toyota has finally given official confirmation that it will make some major product news during a media event in Ojai, California next week. “Big energy. Bigger versatility. A new adventure starts February 10^th,” the Japanese automaker said in a terse statement accompanying this interior image.

As Headlight.News reported last week, we’ve learned it will be a 3-row SUV fitting into the big D-segment. And, sources are now suggesting this will be the all-electric take on the popular Toyota Highlander.

Significantly, the new model will be produced at the same U.S. assembly plant currently producing the Camry, according to Sam Fiorani, lead auto analyst with AutoForecast Solutions, while we’ve confirmed the batteries will be American-made, as well.

A cautious approach to EVs

Toyota has long taken a cautious approach to EVs – a bet that is now paying off at a time when EV demand has slowed down in most key markets, notably including the U.S. It has primarily favored hybrids and plug-in hybrids – with those technologies available on all but two of the models the company currently sells in the U.S.

But while sales of battery-electric vehicles have slowed down sharply since the arrival of the second-term Trump administration, Toyota doesn’t want to get left behind and has already revealed three new models for 2026: the Toyota-branded bZ Woodland and C-HR, along with the redesigned Lexus ES which will be sold with a variety of powertrain options.

That includes an all-electric version of the sedan that will soon start rolling into U.S. showrooms. That appears to be the same strategy Toyota will be taking with Highlander, with an array of different options under the hood.

What’s new

The 2026 Highlander gives U.S. buyers two choices: a 2.4-liter inline-four making 265 hp and 309 lb-ft of torque. The alternative is a hybrid creating a through-the road all-wheel-drive system, the ICE portion of the drivetrain powering the front wheels, an electric motor kicking in torque to the rear.

The new EV, which sources have described using the internal code, “D-SUV,” will be 100% electric. While the hybrid Highlander sacrifices a bit of power – making just 243 hp – it appears the EV package will be the most powerful of the bunch. That should be no surprise considering the beefy torque that electric motors can deliver.

And Toyota doesn’t want to repeat the mistakes of the original version of its bZ4X – newly renamed bZ – which was widely faulted for having lame performance and limited range. Considering where the market is moving, don’t be surprised to see the new 3-row electric deliver close to 300 miles range, said one source, though we’ve not yet been able to confirm a hard number. That might vary depending upon trim package.

More Toyota News

• Here’s What We Know About Toyota’s All-Electric “D-SUV”
• A Week With Toyota Sienna Platinum AWD
• First Drive: 2026 Toyota bZ

Another variant in the works

The new EV will be rolled out of the Georgetown, Kentucky plant building Toyota’s long-popular Camry, and the automaker’s new battery plant in North Carolina will supply its pack.

According to Fiorani, “A second variant is also set to follow.” He has yet to confirm, however, whether it will be a more upscale version to be sold through the Lexus brand, or if it will be offered through the smaller Japanese automaker Subaru. Either way, that’s a strategy that improves economies of scale, especially on vehicles as costly to develop as a new EV.

The two Japanese manufacturers already have developed significant ties, first working together on sports cars sold as both the Toyota GR 86 and Subaru BRZ. They teamed up again on their first long-range EVs, the Toyota bZ4X – recently renamed the simpler bZ – and the Subaru Solterra. That partnership is growing with the upcoming addition of the Toyota C-HR and its near-twin the Subaru Uncharted.

Strange bedfellows

Subaru isn’t the only partner is working with, depending upon the market. In China – the world’s largest EV market, the Japanese automaker has teamed up with domestic manufacturer Guangzhou Automobile Group. That led to the Toyota bZ3X launched last March, as well as the newer and larger bZ7X, both specifically targeting China.

Not all that long ago, Toyota was taking hits from U.S. environmentalists for seemingly lagging behind some key rivals when it comes to EVs. The strategy now seems prescient in light of the steps the Trump administration has taken to reverse Biden-era policies. Among other things, it convinced Congress to phase out federal EV tax credits last September 30. Sales of all-electric models have since gone into a slump.

But Toyota officials have stressed they remain ready to flex with the market and could put more emphasis on EVs should U.S. consumers demand them. A key element in that strategy was the opening of new battery plant in North Carolina last November, a move Toyota Motor North America President Tetsuo Ogawa called “a pivotal moment in our company’s history.”