Toyota has subjected the electric Hilux BEV to a dramatic durability test, dropping a 760-kilogram caravan onto the truck from roughly 30 feet in the air. Despite extensive body damage, the battery-powered pickup started and drove away after the impact.

The stunt was organized by Toyota’s UK operation after it asked Reddit users to choose the punishment for the zero-emission Hilux. The alternatives were a strike from a one-tonne wrecking ball or a caravan dropped from altitude. The survey favored the caravan, prompting Toyota to carry out the test at Bentwaters Airfield in Suffolk.

A caravan lands on the Hilux

Engineers lifted the 760-kg camper approximately 9.1 meters with a crane before positioning a new Hilux BEV beneath it. When released, the caravan hit the truck’s roof directly. Its fiberglass and wood structure broke apart on impact, while high-speed cameras recorded the collision from outside and from inside the caravan.

The Hilux BEV was left with a distorted roof, a cracked windshield and damage to the rear bed. The suspension visibly compressed under the force of the landing, but the truck remained operational. Toyota’s test footage showed it powering up and driving away from the wreckage.

The battery is mounted within the truck’s ladder-frame chassis, and the electric motors were reported to have survived the impact without damage. However, the severity of the roof damage means the vehicle is likely to be considered a write-off, despite remaining drivable.

Another Hilux BEV test is planned for Top Gear’s YouTube channel

Toyota warned viewers not to attempt to reproduce the stunt, noting that similar actions could result in serious injury, death or property damage. The company also said the caravan debris was collected from the airfield and sent to a recycling facility.

The caravan drop was described as only a “warm-up” for the electric pickup. Toyota has offered the Hilux BEV to Top Gear’s YouTube channel for further rough treatment, potentially continuing the tradition of extreme Hilux durability tests associated with the model’s earlier appearances on the television show.

The latest Hilux is offered with mild-hybrid diesel and fully electric powertrains, while a hydrogen version has been confirmed for 2028. Diesel remains the dominant choice among Hilux buyers, supported by its lower price, fuel availability and higher towing and payload ratings compared with the electric model.