Toyota promised a three-row electric Highlander by late 2026. Then early 2027. Now, according to Nikkei Asia reporting summarized by Car and Driver, the timeline has reportedly stretched another four to twelve months — and Toyota still hasn’t given buyers a firm date to write in their calendars. For families weighing whether to wait for an EV or settle for a gas or hybrid model, that uncertainty carries real weight — especially with so many worth waiting for in the coming model years.
A Timeline That Keeps Moving
Two delays in two months tell a complicated story about Toyota’s EV readiness.
The original plan put Highlander EV production and sales in late summer or fall 2026. In July, a Toyota spokesperson confirmed a minimum eight-week pushback, citing “additional adjustments prior to launch” — language that left timing questions firmly unanswered. Sales slipped to early 2027. Then in September, Nikkei Asia reported the delay had reportedly ballooned to between four and twelve months, placing the best-case production start at January 2027, with customer deliveries drifting further into the year.
What we know right now:
- Toyota officially confirmed an at least eight-week delay in July 2026
- Nikkei Asia reportedly claims that window has extended to four to twelve months
- Toyota’s U.S. spokesperson maintains the early-2027 window announced in July still holds
- Car and Driver contacted Toyota for confirmation of the second delay; no response at publication
- Gas and hybrid 2026 Highlanders remain in production through December 2026, with dealer inventory expected into 2027
Toyota’s spokesperson told Autoblog: “Additional adjustments are being made to the vehicle prior to launch with a delay of a minimum of eight weeks… We will update on-sale timing when start of production is confirmed.”
Toyota denies any change beyond July’s announcement and says delays are “unrelated to U.S. EV demand,” according to Car and Driver. Nikkei Asia’s sourcing points in a different direction. The gap between those two positions is where buyers are currently living — somewhere between an official reassurance and a reported reality that may stretch well into 2027. Meanwhile, Honda Cancels its own ambitious EV line, underscoring how widespread production struggles have become across the industry.
Worth noting: Toyota’s hybrids outsell its EVs roughly five to one, according to TechTimes. Extending profitable gas and hybrid Highlander production while the EV matures fits neatly into that business reality.
So Should You Wait?
The gas and hybrid Highlander exists today; the EV does not — not yet, and not on any confirmed schedule.
The Highlander EV is Toyota’s first U.S.-built three-row battery-electric SUV, assembled in Georgetown, Kentucky. It shares its platform with the Lexus TZ and Subaru Getaway, both also facing uncertain timelines — a detail that suggests the challenges here may run deeper than one model’s launch logistics. The hybrid is on dealer lots today; the EV will arrive on Toyota’s schedule — which, at this writing, remains unconfirmed. Families buying their first EV may also find meaningful incentives worth factoring into that decision. That is the actual decision in front of anyone shopping a three-row SUV right now.
