Toyota might have a more conservative electrified vehicle approach than most of its market rivals, but the brand which brought us Prius, isn’t ignoring BEVs.
With its generous R&D resources, Toyota has developed a range of new hybridized vehicles and BEVs. And it has now revealed its largest BEV yet, the ProAce Max. This utility van is based on a shared architecture developed by Stellantis for various of its brands.
This isn’t Toyota’s first BEV van, with the ProAce electric launching in 2021. But with its ProAce Max BEV, Toyota has created an even bigger EV.
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As you would expect for a van, the ProAce Max has enormous load-carrying volume.
Using the benefit of a flat-floor structure, Toyota’s ProAce Max electric has a total cargo volume of 17 m³. For its target customers, who value space utilization above all, the ProAce Max electric’s claim of being the most capacious van in class is a strong selling point.
With the latest ProAce Max range, Toyota’s product planners have enhanced the van’s ergonomics and ease of ingress and egress. The front doors have a generous opening aperture of 270 degrees, making it easier than before to access the van’s cabin. There are also benefits to loading packages or goods into the van via the cabin.
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Although Toyota has confirmed visual details and some configuration specifications for its new BEV van, but comprehensive powertrain and battery details will only follow next month. The one driving specification detail Toyota has confirmed, is the ProAce Max electric’s WTLP range, which is claimed at 260 miles.
To achieve that driving range, with a van that will more often than not be loaded, expect much larger battery packs than those which powered the ProAce EV van, where the 75kWh battery is good for 205 miles. For Toyota’s largest BEV vehicle to attain its claimed 260 mile range, a battery energy density in the 90kWh range, or even beyond 100kWh, might be required.
