Toyota’s upcoming Proace Max large van will have an important role in completing the brand’s LCV line-up, its European head of LCV has said.

The arrival of the Proace Max this autumn will drive conquest sales from other OEMs

Speaking to John Kendall, editor of IFW’s sister title Van Fleet World, Emmanuel Beaune, the chief of Toyota Motor Europe’s light commercial vehicles division, said the arrival of the large van this autumn would spearhead conquest sales from other OEMs.

As reported late 2023, Toyota is growing its line-up with the Proace Max, based on the large Stellantis van, extending the co-operation on LCV models between the two companies.

Beaune explained to VFW where it would fit in among the rest of the range.

“From the product catalogue that we will offer, we will have exactly the same diversity as the Stellantis models,” he said. “So we will propose everything to the customer, both with the conventional powertrain and also the battery electric powertrain and the first phase should be from around September 2024.”

Toyota wanted to offer the large van because customers had requested it, according to Beaune.

“The one-stop shop is very important to our fleet customers, he reveals. “So today we have a large and wide variety of products and now, in our LCV line-up, we are missing about 30% of the segment by not having the Proace Max. That’s why we believe it will be an important conquest tool for us. We also want to develop our LCV network across Europe and it’s better to be a full squad, in the football sense, rather than just having seven players.”

Although the new van will give dealers an opportunity that they do not currently have, it will also bring challenges for them. Toyota will ensure that LCV dealers are equipped with a five-tonne vehicle lift, as well as making sure that access to service bays is large enough and there is enough room for the large van to manoeuvre. Dealers are currently being surveyed to make sure that everything is in place ahead of the launch.

Across all its European LCV markets, Toyota has developed a pan-European customer promise. This includes the Toyota Relax Warranty (which can provide cover for vehicles up to 10 years old/100,000 miles), express service, five years’ roadside assistance and tailor-made financial products.

“All of this will be in every market and on top, every market can develop some local products too,” added Beaune. This approach is all designed to differentiate the Proace Max from its Stellantis rivals.

Toyota dealers wishing to become LCV centres will have to demonstrate they have the potential to sell more than 100 units a year. There will be other standards that they will need to comply with too, such as having dedicated sales staff and service technicians as well as offering the five-tonne capacity lift.