Toyota Highlander BEV 2027: US launch delay, price and range

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Toyota has delayed the launch of the Highlander BEV — its first three-row electric SUV for the US market. Officially, the company cites “additional pre-launch adjustments,” but the practical reason looks different: the regular Highlander and Grand Highlander are selling too well to rush and make room for an electric version.

Through June, Toyota sold more than 100,000 Highlander and Grand Highlander units in the US, while the brand's total EV sales fell short of 22,000. As a result, the current gas and hybrid Highlander will keep rolling off the line through December 2026, and dealers will likely still have them in stock in 2027. The delay applies only to the BEV version. It's a familiar pattern for the nameplate — the US-built Highlander recently went on sale in Japan with right-hand drive, showing how much mileage Toyota still gets out of the conventional model.

The electric Highlander was set to arrive in two trims — XLE and Limited — with front- or all-wheel drive. Toyota had announced 77 and 95.8 kWh battery packs, with a range of 270 to 320 miles, or roughly 435 to 515 km. The all-wheel-drive version makes 338 hp and 438 Nm, while the front-wheel-drive variant delivers 221 hp and 268 Nm. Inside, buyers were expecting a 12.3-inch instrument cluster and a 14-inch infotainment screen.

Toyota's problem is that the segment is no longer empty. The Kia EV9 starts at $54,900 in the US, the Hyundai IONIQ 9 at $58,955, and the new Tesla Model Y L starts at $61,990. The Highlander EV was expected to start around $50,000, and that price was likely meant to be its biggest selling point.

Toyota isn't losing a single launch, but it is handing competitors time. In the large electric SUV class, a year's delay can cost more than an extra batch of profitable hybrids.