A radical redesign is on the cards for the next Toyota HiAce van – possibly with electric power – if these new concepts are a guide.
Toyota has previewed the future of the HiAce – Australia’s top-selling delivery van – with a pair of futuristic concepts revealed at the Tokyo motor show this week.
Two delivery-van concepts were previewed to media ahead of this week's show as the ‘Kayoibako-L’ and ‘Kayoibako-XL’, but when the covers were lifted off today, they switched to ‘HiAce Concept’ decals and licence plates.
It suggests their appearance and proportions are closer to showroom ready than the other – and smaller – Kayoibako van concepts on the Toyota stand.
The next HiAce is not expected for another five years or so, given the current model launched in 2019 – and its maker has just invested in resubmitting it for ANCAP crash tests to reset the six-year clock on its five-star safety rating.
The concepts point to different body configurations – a standard model akin to the old ‘flat-nose’ HiAce that is still sold in Japan, and a larger model closer in size to a high-roof, super-long-wheelbase version available in Australia.
Neither van has a pillar between the left-side front and sliding rear doors, unlocking a larger load space that allows for a ladder to stretch from the front-seat footwell to the rear of the cargo area in the smaller van.
The larger van is outfitted as passenger transport, with bench seats running along the side of the load area, and a front passenger seat that swivels out of the vehicle.
A high-resolution screen stretches out across the width of the dashboard, with instrument and multimedia functions, while controls for the screen, including a fan speed and air-temperature dial, sit closer to hand.
The gear shifter has moved to this dashboard panel, allowing for the deletion of the centre console.
There is no word on what powers the van concepts.
A generously-sized nose could allow for a conventional diesel engine to suit global markets, but the vehicles' styling hints at electric power for use in city centres that don’t allow for internal-combustion-engined vehicles.
Production versions of the HiAce concepts could replace both versions of the van sold globally – the flat-nose model launched in 2004 and still sold in Japan, and the ‘semi-bonneted’ iteration introduced in Australia in 2019 to replace the flat-nose.
Japanese media reports in recent years have hinted at such a vehicle, based on a new battery-electric platform to allow for a more radical shape.
Alex Misoyannis has been writing about cars since 2017, when he started his own website, Redline. He contributed for Drive in 2018, before joining CarAdvice in 2019, becoming a regular contributing journalist within the news team in 2020. Cars have played a central role throughout Alex’s life, from flicking through car magazines at a young age, to growing up around performance vehicles in a car-loving family. Highly Commended - Young Writer of the Year 2024 (Under 30) Rising Star Journalist, 2024 Winner Scoop of The Year - 2024 Winner
