Skip to main content
Green 2024 Toyota LiteCruiser EV, aka Compact Cruiser EV, parked on a large rock, highlighting its release date and price
SUVs

2024 Toyota LiteCruiser EV: Spec Predictions and Concept Debut Details

Fans of the FJ Cruiser will be pleased to know that Toyota will offer an electric version of the off-road SUV with the 2024 LiteCruiser EV. For our predicted specs and concept design features, view here.
by Mark Putzer
Updated on Headline and article updated for clarity.
Published on
2 min read

Toyota has a long history of producing off-road capable SUVs. This includes the 4Runner, Land Cruiser, and FJ Cruiser. However, the Land Cruiser was discontinued in the United States in 2022, and the last time the FJ Cruiser was sold in America was in 2014. As Toyota makes the move toward EVs, it aims to retain its edge for off-road SUVs. Enter the 2024 Toyota Compact Cruiser EV, also known as the LiteCruiser EV — an all-electric FJ Cruiser-style SUV. Find out what we know so far about the 2024 Toyota LightCruiser EV.

2024 LightCruiser EV predicted specs: Electric powertrain and all-wheel drive system

Front view of blue 2024 Toyota LiteCruiser EV, aka Compact Cruiser EV, highlighting its release date and price
2024 Toyota LiteCruiser EV | Toyota

Toyota hasn’t revealed much information about the 2024 LightCruiser EV SUV. However, we expect the Compact Cruiser EV to share powertrain components with some of the automaker’s upcoming electric vehicles, such as a possible Tacoma EV pickup truck. Currently, the only electric vehicle that Toyota offers in the U.S. is the bZ4X crossover SUV.

Given the off-road emphasis of the LightCruiser EV, it will undoubtedly offer an all-wheel drive system. This means that the Compact Cruiser EV will offer at least two electric motors, with a motor for both the front and rear wheels.

Award-winning design of the 2024 LightCruiser EV

Silver 2024 Toyota LiteCruiser EV, aka Compact Cruiser EV, with mountains in the background, highlighting its release date and price
2024 Toyota LiteCruiser EV | Toyota

The 2024 Toyota LightCruiser was previewed as a concept model in December 2021, along with many other Toyota electric vehicles. Despite its relatively recent unveiling, the Compact Cruiser EV was already honored for its design. It won the 2022 Car Design Award for Concept Vehicles, as detailed by Drive. The LightCruiser beat out a competitive field of other finalists, including the Porsche Mission R, Polestar O2, Audi Skysphere, and Lexus Electrified Sport.

Fans of the FJ Cruiser will notice design similarities for the LightCruiser EV, including its boxy body, flat roof, upright A-pillars, and large windows. The Compact Cruiser also draws inspiration from the first-generation Land Cruiser.

Related

2023 Toyota 4Runner: Features, Specs, and New 40th Anniversary Model

Best in SUVs
Staff Writer, Producer - SUVs

Mark Putzer

With seven years of experience writing in the automotive industry prior to joining MotorBiscuit in 2021, Mark’s work can be found on dealership websites across North America. A Bachelor of Science degree in zoology from the University of Wisconsin-Madison sent Mark into the wilderness for environmental studies. Here, he discovered a passion for driving off-road trucks and SUVs off the beaten path.

During his extensive international travels, Mark developed an affinity for foreign cars and international automotive markets. Inspired by the industry-wide push toward environmentally-friendly EVs and hybrids, Mark covers topics about recent advances in the automotive industry, in addition to everything from off-road concepts to emerging EV technology.