Donald Trump wants a greater fat pickup trucks on the streets of Europe and Japan

Donald Trump wants a greater fat pickup trucks on the streets of Europe and Japan

by with No Comment car updates

Cultural preferences and infrastructure, not trade barriers, are the main obstacles for sales growth of pickup trucks in Europe and Japan.

Cultural preferences and infrastructure, not trade barriers, are the main obstacles for sales growth of pickup trucks in Europe and Japan.

In the US and Europe, significant differences in car buyers' preferences are the size of vehicles. While consumers in the US, Australia prefer the mammoth-shaped SUVs and pickup trucks, car buyers in Europe, Japan like small, fuel-skilled cars. This pickup trucks do not get much traction in the European market. Now, US President Donald Trump wants to change that picture. He wants to keep big pickup trucks to dominate the thinnest roads in Europe.

In a conversation with CNBC, Trump has said that if there were no trade barriers, pickup trucks would get a strong place in markets such as Japan and Europe. However, in fact, the problem is not with tariffs but with the taste, size and practicality of those vehicles. In short, cultural preferences and infrastructure, not trade barriers, are the main obstacles for the sales growth of pickup trucks in Europe and Japan.

It is Japan or Europe, consumers prefer heavy and more fuel-skilled cars such as Toyota Corolla, Volkswagen Golf and Renault Cleo. On the other hand, carmakers such as Ford, General Motors and Salentis, despite enjoying low tariffs, see their market share abroad. Speaking about this, Trump allegedly told CNBC, “They are taking our cars. They are taking very beautiful Ford F -150s, who do very well. And I am sure we will do very well there, and other things that do very well here, will also do well there.”

He promised after Trump's comments, but so far a tariff is cut from 27.5 percent to 15 percent on Japan. However, even if it goes down, it does not mean that other challenges will end because the roads are narrow, the parking lots are tight, and fuel is prohibitedly expensive.

Japan recorded 3.7 million car sales in 2024. Of them, there were only 570 Chevrolets, 420 cadilacs, and 120 dodge. Ford has not sold a car there in almost a decade. On the other hand, Jeep is the most popular American brand in Japan and has been over a decade for more than a decade.

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First published date: 10 August 2025, 12:40 pm IST

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All-Electric Isuzu D-Max concept breaks cover, to enter production in 2025

All-Electric Isuzu D-Max concept breaks cover, to enter production in 2025

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By: Sameer Fayaz Contractor
| Updated on: 20 Mar 2024, 21:00 PM

The Isuzu D-Max BEV pre-production prototype will make its public debut at the upcoming Bangkok Motor Show and will enter production for Europe in 202

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The 2025 Isuzu D-Max Electric will have the same payload capacity as the diesel versions

Japanese auto major Isuzu has revealed its first battery electric vehicle (BEV), which is the electrified D-Max pickup. The Isuzu D-Max BEV pre-production prototype will make its public debut at the 2024 Bangkok International Motor Show in Thailand on March 27, and the company has confirmed that the electric pickup will enter production in 2025 for Europe. Isuzu says the electric D-Max will have the same payload capacity as its diesel counterpart.

The upcoming Isuzu D-Max BEV will be able to meet the commercial and passenger vehicle needs expected from a pickup, the company says, while retaining the “tough underlying performance expected of pickup trucks.” The electric pickup will come with a full-time 4WD system with newly developed e-axles in the front and rear.

Also Read : Isuzu announces I-Care pre-summer camp for D-Max, MU-X customers

Isuzu D-Max Electric Concept
The Isuzu D-Max Electric prototype gets a redesigned nose with a covered grille and blue accents while the rest of the body shell remains the same

The Isuzu D-Max electric pickup prototype gets a 66.9 kWh lithium-ion battery pack, while power will come from two electric motors, one on each axle. The front electric motor develops 54 bhp and 108 Nm of peak torque, while the rear electric motor produces 121 bhp and 217 Nm. The combined output stands at 174 bhp and 325 Nm, which makes it more powerful than the base-spec 1.9-litre diesel version. The top speed though has been capped at 130 kmph.

Isuzu has not revealed details on the driving range yet of the D-Max BEV. Meanwhile, the company says that it will have a “high towing capacity” along with a robust frame and body, ensuring the performance remains on par with the diesel versions. The payload capacity stands at 1,000 kg with a 3,500 kg towing capacity, which is the same as the diesel model.

Isuzu D-Max Electric Concept
Isuzu has also unveiled the 1.9-litre diesel mild-hybrid engine for the D-Max but is yet to confirm when the new motor will enter production

Visually, the Isuzu D-Max electric prototype gets a redesigned front sporting a covered grille with blue accents. The profile appears largely the same as the diesel model, save for the new six-spoke alloy wheels, while the loading bed gets the “EV Concept” badging on the profile. Isuzu says the D-Max electric will go on sale in Europe first, followed by other markets including the “UK, Australia, Thailand and other countries.” However, it also added that the rollout will be based on market needs and the maturity of EV charging infrastructure.

In addition to the electric pickup, Isuzu has unveiled the D-Max prototype with a mild-hybrid diesel engine. The new D-Max Hi-Lander MHEV prototype comes with a 48-volt mild-hybrid system paired with the 1.9-litre turbo diesel engine. More details including power figures and plans for launch are yet to be revealed.

Also Read : Bringing in the new year with the Isuzu D-Max V-Cross: The last of old school

The Isuzu D-Max takes on the Toyota Hilux and Ford Ranger globally, both of which now offer mild-hybrid and plug-in hybrid options, depending on the market. The D-Max Electric will certainly keep Isuzu ahead of the curve, opening new room for growth. That said, it’s unclear if the D-Max BEV will make its way to the Indian market. Isuzu India is still retailing the previous generation D-Max in the country but could use this opportunity to bring the BEV and diesel versions to the market.

First Published Date: 20 Mar 2024, 21:00 PM IST


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Watch: Toyota Land Cruiser is hardly recognizable after crash, but runs fine

Watch: Toyota Land Cruiser is hardly recognizable after crash, but runs fine

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Toyota Land Cruiser has been known as one of the most capable off-roader and tough vehicles in the world. It seems the Toyota Land Cruiser pickup truck is indestructible as well. A video has emerged online showing a heavily damaged Toyota Land Cruiser 70 Series pickup truck being driven to the workshop despite looking like it came out of a crusher.

By: HT Auto Desk
| Updated on: 02 Oct 2023, 11:04 AM

A severely battered Toyota Land Cruiser 70 Series pickup truck has been spotted driving. (Image: Instagram/lc300.qa)

The Land Cruiser has been one of the most famous vehicles in the world for its ruggedness. However, the pickup version of the vehicle spotted in the video has pushed that limit by surviving a severe rollover crash. The video posted on the social media platform Instagram reveals the severely damaged pickup truck making its way to a Toyota dealership service workshop with its body frame mangled. It looks like the vehicle had been stomped on by a giant monster. However, despite the bad condition of the pickup truck, it can be recognizable as a single-cab pickup version of the Land Cruiser 70 Series.

The Toyota Land Cruiser pickup truck’s cabin is crumpled and both the front section as well as the rear cargo deck area are so battered that they look like in the state of ‘point of no return.’ The video was shot in Saudi Arabia and the Land Cruiser was driving somewhere in the mountainous area of the country, where the pickup truck rolled over several times but after it came to rest was found still working.

There is a chance that the wrecked Land Cruiser pickup truck or at least a few parts of it would be saved. Thanks to the ladder-frame underpinning of the vehicle, the Toyota pickup truck is still driveable despite being in such a battered condition. If the engine, frame and suspension can be repaired, the Land Cruiser could come back to life with its original parts. However, repairing the vehicle would take a lot of time and work, considering the damage is severe.

First Published Date: 02 Oct 2023, 11:04 AM IST


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