Toyota spent years letting its hybrid lineup do the talking while other automakers raced ahead with battery-electric vehicles. That cautious approach is over. The world’s largest automaker is rolling out three new electric SUVs in quick succession, and each one targets a different type of buyer. If you’ve been waiting for Toyota to get serious about EVs, 2026 and 2027 are shaping up to be the years that make it happen.
- The 2026 Toyota C-HR returns as an all-electric SUV with 338 horsepower, standard AWD, and a starting price of $37,000.
- The 2026 bZ Woodland brings off-road ability to the EV space with 375 horsepower, 8.4 inches of ground clearance, and a $45,300 starting price.
- The 2027 Highlander EV will be Toyota’s first three-row electric SUV, with up to 320 miles of range and production in Kentucky.
The C-HR Returns With a Whole New Identity
Remember the old C-HR? It was a quirky little crossover with a gas engine that took nearly 11 seconds to hit 60 mph. Toyota scrapped that version and brought the name back as something completely different. The all-new 2026 Toyota C-HR joins Toyota’s growing battery-electric lineup alongside the revised bZ and the new bZ Woodland, packing dual motors and standard electronic AWD for 338 combined system horsepower. Toyota estimates a 4.9-second 0-60 mph time, which is a wild turnaround from the original.
With its 74.7-kWh battery, the C-HR’s EPA-estimated range is 287 miles on the SE grade with 18-inch wheels. The starting price comes in at $37,000, making it Toyota’s most affordable new EV. It also comes with a NACS charging port, so you can pull into Tesla Superchargers without an adapter. If you’re coming from a Toyota bZ4X and want something sportier and a bit more compact, the C-HR is worth a close look.
The bZ Woodland Takes EVs Off the Beaten Path
Toyota’s “bZ” name originally belonged to the bZ4X, which has since been renamed to just “bZ” for 2026. The bZ Woodland is a new, rugged spin on that platform, and it’s aimed at buyers who want an EV that can actually handle dirt roads and camping trips.
The bZ Woodland has standard AWD with X-MODE, a net combined output of 375 horsepower, an EPA-estimated driving range of up to 281 miles, and midsize SUV utility with optional all-terrain tires, 8.4 inches of ground clearance, and up to 3,500 pounds of towing capacity. That added power puts the 0-60 time at 4.4 seconds.
The bZ Woodland is about six inches longer than the standard bZ, which opens up to 74.3 cubic feet of storage with the second row folded, compared to 67.1 cubic feet in the regular bZ. Pricing starts at $45,300 and the SUV is available in two grades: bZ Woodland and bZ Woodland Premium. You’re paying a premium over the standard bZ, but you get a bigger vehicle with more power and genuine off-road chops.
The 2027 Highlander Goes Fully Electric
This is the big one. The next-generation 2027 Highlander will be a three-row pure electric vehicle. Toyota has sold over 3 million Highlanders since the nameplate debuted back in 2000, and this fifth-generation model marks its most dramatic turn yet.
The new Highlander offers 338 net combined system horsepower with 198/125 lb.-ft. of front/rear motor torque on AWD models, while FWD models have 221 net combined system horsepower. It’s available with two battery pack options, a 77 kWh or 95.8 kWh, with Toyota estimating up to 287 miles of range for the smaller pack and up to 320 miles for the larger one.
The electric Highlander is also Toyota’s first EV assembled in the U.S. It will be built at Toyota’s manufacturing plant in Georgetown, Kentucky, while the batteries will come from its new $13.9 billion assembly plant in Liberty, North Carolina. Inside, there’s a 14-inch touchscreen, 12.3-inch driver’s display, customizable ambient lighting, and device charging in every row.
The three-row EV will also be Toyota’s first with bidirectional charging. That means you can use it to power appliances on a camping trip or even serve as a backup power source for your home during an outage. For those who prefer gasoline, the Grand Highlander continues with an internal combustion engine.
Is Toyota’s EV Timing Actually Perfect?
While competitors like Ford and Stellantis are paring back their own EV programs, Toyota is ramping up. With Ford scrubbing plans for a three-row EV, only a handful of competitors will be available in that segment, including the Kia EV9 and Hyundai Ioniq 9. Toyota could walk into a less crowded playing field at the exact right time.
With the three-row Highlander EV joining its lineup, Toyota will offer an electric SUV across nearly every segment, including a crossover with the C-HR, a mid-size option with the bZ, and an off-roader with the bZ Woodland. Altogether, Toyota will soon offer 22 different models equipped with electrified powertrains. Whether you’re shopping for a $37,000 compact crossover or a family hauler with 320 miles of range, Toyota wants to have something for you. And for a company that once seemed allergic to full battery power, that’s a pretty big deal.
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