u/Falling_Freely

Our community is approaching 1500 and I couldn’t be prouder of you all. Instead of directing people to the owners manuals, you have been the manual, only more colorful and kind, thank you. Let’s continue to grow this sub and keep supporting each other with enthusiasm, love and respect!

There’s been a lot of talk about the next-generation Toyota Highlander going fully electric, and honestly I’m curious where everyone here stands on that idea.

The Highlander has always been known as the practical family SUV—reliable, efficient, comfortable, and built for road trips, carpools, and everyday life. But an all-electric Highlander would be a pretty big shift from what this vehicle has traditionally been.

On one hand, it actually makes a lot of sense:

• Instant torque in a midsize SUV could make it surprisingly fun to drive

• Charging at home instead of filling up a large SUV with gas

• Potentially lower maintenance compared to a traditional drivetrain

• Toyota reliability combined with EV tech could be a powerful combo

On the other hand, there are real questions too:

• What kind of range would people expect from a family SUV like this?

• Would towing capability matter to you in an electric Highlander?

• Would people prefer a hybrid or plug-in option instead of going fully electric?

• And what about pricing — could Toyota keep it accessible for families?

I don’t own a Highlander, but I’ve always respected what the vehicle represents in Toyota’s lineup. If Toyota can take that same practicality and translate it into an EV, it could be a big moment for the segment.

So I’m curious what everyone here thinks:

If Toyota launches a fully electric Highlander, would you seriously consider buying one?

And what would Toyota absolutely have to get right for it to work?

Some background: Because of the war with Iran, 15-20% of the world's oil supply was cut off about 11 days ago in the strait of Hormuz. The ships that are stuck were supposed to be delivering that oil around now, and now that the oil isn't actually there, the price reaction to that is going to start filtering into the world economy as everyone bids up the price on what's available so they can fill in their shortfall.

The fundamental problem is that there isn't anywhere else to get more oil in the short term to meet demand. So at the end of the day that demand is going to have to get destroyed. That level of destruction can only be done with insanely high oil prices (think $150-$200/barrel or possibly more), which will filter down to gas as well. I'm not talking $4-5/gallon for gasoline. I'm talking closer to $10/gallon.

If you think I'm being alarmist, take a look at the 1973 oil embargo against the US where rationing and very high prices had to be used to curtail a 5-6% drop in supply. That's close to what you're going to see here in a few weeks but with a larger shortfall, and on a global scale.

Due to the nature of logistics, the lag times involved, and the way oil wells and infrastructure works, a lot of pain is already baked in even if everything in the strait is resolved today. You can't just instantly restart shut-in wells, boats take a while to get their destination, oil has to go through refineries, pipelines, etc. And every day that the strait is closed the problem gets worse and the longer it will take to get back to normal.

You're looking at 3-6 months for supply (and prices) to get back up to where it was two weeks ago, and that's if the conflict is resolved today and no infrastructure is damaged.

What is currently happening is a black swan event: something with very low probability that was not foreseen or planned for because it was considered almost impossible to happen. The problem with that is that is leads to complacency. Humans also have something called normalcy bias, which leads people to minimize or ignore threat warnings. Most people are not aware nor prepared for what is coming.

Now, to my main point: EV/PHEV is suddenly going to be one of the highest demand item you can get for personal transportation on the planet. This is probably going to end up a lot like 2022 where shortages of very high-demand cars like EVs led to high mark-ups, an insane used car market where available used cars went for a higher price than a new one on a waiting list, etc. I foresee a point in the near future where something like the Chevy Bolt is backordered by months because of demand, and because the factories for cars like EVs and compacts were not designed for massive high-volume manufacturing like the regular cars they make.

If you were looking at getting an EV very soon, or you drive a lot and were thinking of maybe getting something more fuel-efficient, well this is your golden window of opportunity, because I think current inventory is going to be gone here within a few weeks. Best of all is that right now EV/PHEV inventory, especially on used, is dirt cheap right now.

Hey everyone! I'm u/Falling_Freely, a founding moderator of r/ToyotaHighlander_EV.

This is our new home for all things related to THE ALL NEW TOYOTA HIGHLANDER BEV. We're excited to have you join us!

What to Post

Post anything that you think the community would find interesting, helpful, or inspiring. Whether you’re an owner (past, present or future), enthusiast or just curious about the vehicle, let this be your resource.

Community Vibe

Respect is a must, all opinions are welcome as long as they are educated and respectful…silliness and weirdness is also welcome.

How to Get Started

1. Introduce yourself in the comments below.

2. Post something today! Even a simple question can spark a great conversation.

3. If you know someone who would love this community, invite them to join.

4. Interested in helping out? We're always looking for new moderators, so feel free to reach out to me to apply.

Thanks for being part of the very first wave. Together, let's make r/ToyotaHighlander_EV amazing.