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Toyota Benchmarking Tesla Cybertruck In Michigan: Photos

Earlier this month, MOTROLIX exclusively reported that Toyota went on an electric truck benchmarking splurge. Specifically, sources told us that the Japanese automaker was engaged in hands-on competitive intelligence testing of a Tesla Cybertruck, Ford F-150 Lightning, and GMC Hummer EV Pickup. Now, our spies have caught Toyota in the act with the first of the three aforementioned models.

Arguably one of the most controversial models to enter production (so far) this decade, the recently-launched Cybertruck is still a unique sight on Michigan roads thanks to its unique design, which catches the eye of even the most oblivious onlookers and motorists. Our sources tell us that Toyota engineers performing the benchmarking activities were impressed by the Cybertruck’s performance and futuristic features, though the biggest grins were caused by sampling the Hummer EV… though that’s a story for a different time.

Interestingly, the model tested by Toyota is wearing a Texas license plate, despite being benchmarked in Michigan. As luck may have it, both Tesla and Toyota have assembly facilities in Texas: Tesla’s Gigafactory Texas, located in Austin, produces the Cybertruck as well as the Model Y, while the Toyota Motor Manufacturing Texas facility, often abbreviated as TMMTX, produces the full-size Tundra pickup along with the Sequoia SUV.

Though benchmarking is a typical practice among automakers all over the world, the trio of battery electric trucks in the Japanese multinational’s possession tips the hat in terms of what’s coming. In fact, given that Ford, GM (with Chevy and GMC), as well as Ram – which collectively represent the over 90 percent of full-size pickup sales in the U.S. – have either launched or are in the process of launching battery electric trucks, we can’t imagine that an electric Toyota pickup is not on the books at this point.

More as we have it, right here at MOTROLIX.

Motrolix Founder with a passion for global automotive business strategy.

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