Toyota is developing a new bed extender designed to give pickup owners more usable cargo space without taking up room in the truck bed when it is not needed. A newly discovered patent details a folding design that could rotate farther than conventional extenders and sit flat against the bed floor.
Toyota’s New Approach to Short-Bed Pickups
Modern pickup trucks typically have beds around six feet long, while compact pickups can offer even less space. That can make hauling items such as 4×8 sheets or handling a moderately sized Costco run difficult.
Bed extenders address the problem by creating a cage-like structure over the open tailgate, allowing longer items and additional cargo to be carried without falling out of the truck.
However, conventional extenders can create a storage problem. When they are not being used, the structure can become a wall that takes up space and divides the truck bed. Removing one can also require tools, making it less convenient to switch between configurations.
How Toyota’s Bed Extender Could Work
Toyota’s patented design uses a folding and movable structure rather than the three or more simple tubes commonly found on existing extenders. The concept includes a large central brace section and attachment brackets with hinges mounted to the truck bed.
While conventional extenders typically rotate 180 degrees, Toyota’s design could rotate 270 degrees. When fully rotated, the portion that normally occupies the tailgate position would fold flat against the floor of the truck bed.
The design would also include a small indentation in the bed floor so the extender could sit flush with the surrounding surface. Because truck bed floors are normally corrugated rather than completely flat, the indentation would largely preserve the existing configuration.
Tailgate Pockets Could Keep the Extender Secure
Toyota’s design also includes pockets in the tailgate that would accommodate the feet of the extender. These pockets are intended to help hold the structure in place on rough terrain, during heavy acceleration and in other conditions where a conventional extender could shift.
The overall concept is aimed at making a short truck bed more accommodating without requiring a longer vehicle. As pickup trucks become larger while their beds remain relatively compact, the ability to increase usable cargo space without adding overall length becomes increasingly important to the design.
Patent Drawings Point to Toyota EPU Concept
Toyota’s new bed extender concept is presented as a more convenient approach to expanding cargo capacity. The design could also offer a simpler alternative to GMC’s elaborate MultiPro tailgate setup, which performs some of the same functions.
Notably, the patent drawings do not appear to resemble Toyota’s current Tacoma, Tundra or HiLux. Instead, they appear to be based on the EPU concept truck, which was first shown in 2023.
The resemblance could be a possible sign that the truck may be coming to market sooner rather than later, according to the source.
