The Motor Industry Association (MIA) says brands are working hard to get electric utes into New Zealand - but it's unlikely they will be widely available until beyond 2025.
On Sunday, the Government announced its Clean Car Package - aimed at incentivising New Zealanders to go electric by offering big discounts for both new and used electric vehicles (EV) - while imposing a "fee" on newly imported, higher-emitting vehicles from January 2022.
It prompted backlash from those including trade and agriculture workers who rely on dirtier vehicle models, particularly utes.
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern, discussing the scheme on Monday, suggested Toyota was "talking about bringing in EV utes" to New Zealand - a claim the global motoring giant shut down as "misinformation".
"I'd like to reiterate that we do not have any plans for a battery-electric Hilux in our line-up in the next 18-24 months," said Toyota New Zealand chief executive Neeraj Lala.
So a fully electric version of Toyota's famous Hilux is off the table for now - but the Japanese has said it has plans to bring a hybrid version into New Zealand. Hybrids operate on both fuel and electricity.
"We hope to have Hilux hybrid enter the market before the end of next year," Lala told motoring site Driven in April.
However, a Toyota New Zealand spokeswoman told Newshub on Tuesday specific timing for the hybrid Hilux has yet to be confirmed.
So what about other brands?
There is a wide range of fully electric utes in development abroad, but when they could enter the New Zealand market is anyone's guess.
MIA chief executive David Crawford said based on feedback from association members, fully battery-electric utes probably won't become widely available until beyond 2025.
"Manufacturers of current popular makes of utes have confirmed they will not have battery-electric utes of their brands coming to the market in the next 12 to 24 months.
"Speculation by ministers of when models are coming to the market is unhelpful and potentially misleading."
But Elizabeth Yeaman, the managing director of electric vehicle specialists Retyna, said EV utes could come from new suppliers such as Rivian - due to be launched in the US next month.
A date for when they could launch in New Zealand, however, remains unclear - with none yet confirmed for our market. Australian site CarsGuide reported it's likely to not even launch there until 2023.
"We're excited to launch our vehicles in Australia and New Zealand, but have not announced our timing or pricing there yet," a spokesperson for Rivian told EVs and Beyond magazine last year.
Ford also unveiled a battery-electric version of its US-best-selling F-150 Lightning model ute in the United States late last month, but New Zealand Autocar says that's not on its way to us either.
Tesla's electric Cybertruck, which looks like it rolled off the set of a science-fiction movie, is due to begin high-volume production in 2022 - but New Zealand motoring site Automuse reported we might not see the first Cybertrucks until 2023.
Despite this, Yeaman said the Government's policy will help attract the attention of EV developers.
"The incentives announced will help focus attention on Australasia as a market for RHD (right-hand drive) versions of these vehicles."
