Total Shocker: 2027 Toyota Highlander Is Only Electric

Shock is a strong word that I don’t use often. If you do what I do long enough, not much surprises you, much less shocks you-but the news that the 2027 Toyota Highlander was going electric-without a gas or hybrid alternative, blew me away. I should have probably seen this coming when they debuted the Grand Highlander, and I questioned at the time why they would add another 3-row SUV to the lineup. Now we know. And it makes sense, sort of.

The car company that I call “the smartest in the world” sat back and waited until everybody else gave up on EVs, and now they’ll swoop in and show the world how to sell a 3-row all-electric SUV. They will not put all their eggs in one basket, nope. They are too smart for that. They’ll price it right, and since they didn’t jump in too soon, they have it perfected when it hits the dealer’s lots. And because it’s Toyota, people will trust it. For those not ready to make the transition, the Grand Highlander will work great, and I suspect they’ll realign the trim levels so current Highlander customers will have a short price walk up to the Grand Highlander.

Highlander sales peaked in 2021 at 264,000 units but have waned since then. In 2025, only 56,000 were sold while the Grand Highlander topped 136,000 units. So without anyone knowing, Toyota began quietly moving their loyal customers from the Highlander ever so gently to the Grand Highlander.

We won’t see the Highlander EV for sale until September, but pictures and details are available now and you can see them below. The exterior is stunning and if you want a ROOMY 3-row, this is going to make you consider going electric.

Best of all, it is going to be made 100% in America, so there will be no tariffs. This will allow them to keep the price lower, which is especially important with the $7,500 federal money gone. We won’t know actual pricing until closer to September, but knowing Toyota, it will be a pleasant surprise.

Photo: Toyota.

Highlights:

• Highlander Reimagined for 2027, with All-New, Head-Turning Style, Elevated Comfort, and All-Electric Powertrain
• Spacious Three-Row SUV with Seating for Up to Seven and Over 45-Cubic Feet of Rear Storage with Third Row Folded Flat
• Equipped with The Latest Toyota Audio Multimedia and Toyota Safety Sense Systems
• Assembled in the U.S. at Toyota Motor Manufacturing Kentucky
• Battery Modules Assembled at the Newly Opened Toyota Battery Manufacturing North Carolina (TBMNC) Battery Plant and Partner Supplier in the U.S.
• Vehicle-To-Load Technology, Making Highlander Capable of Powering External Devices or Serving as a Backup Power Source in Case of Emergency (Purchase of Bi-Directional Accessories Required)
• Fourth BEV in the U.S. Toyota Lineup; Toyota’s First Three-Row BEV Model in the U.S.
• Two Grades, Limited or XLE, with Available Front- or All-Wheel Drive
• XLE AWD and Limited AWD Models Equipped with 95.8-kWh Battery Have 320-Mile Manufacturer Estimated Total Driving Range Rating
• Equipped with North American Charging System (NACS) Port for Wide Access to Thousands of DC Fast Charging Stations in the U.S.
• Powerful Drive with up to 338 Combined System Horsepower and 323 lb.-ft. of Torque

For more details on the 2027 Highlander EV, click here for the official Toyota press announcement.

Photo Credit: Toyota.