Along with Hägglunds (Swedish dual-cab tracked snow vehicles), Sno-Cats, Pisten Bully snow groomers, modified Caterpillar Challenger agricultural tractors, and snow machines (aka snowmobiles, aka skidoos), the Toyota Hilux reliably ferries supplies, transports researchers and support teams, and performs reconnaissance duties. The Hilux provides an uncommonly comfortable ride for the conditions. Toyota Hiluxes travel modest distances in Antarctica but are kept running for extended periods – sometimes for weeks – to prevent freezing. Their reliability in Antarctica is legendary. Eric Mulder, blogging from the Australian Antarctic Program’s Mawson base, notes that their Hiluxes were “almost unbreakable” and could turn over even at -31°F / -35°C, past the point where other mechanical equipment ceased functioning. Even so, the stock Hilux can’t withstand all of Antarctica’s demands. Enter Arctic Trucks, an Icelandic company that specializes in re-engineering four-wheel drive vehicles.
Arctic Trucks
Established in 1990 and based in Reykjavik, Iceland with global outlets, Arctic Trucks offers five Hilux-based models. Each conversion takes 45 to 55 hours, and the process is approved by Toyota, retaining Toyota’s 5-year / 100,000-mile warranty. Modification starts with the “Invincible X Double Cab” automatic Hilux. Chassis and bodywork strengthening are implemented on all five Arctic Trucks models. Front and rear differentials are re-geared for enhanced torque. Speedometers are recalibrated for use with outsized tires. Suspensions are upgraded for greater clearance and increased approach and departure angles, providing a smooth ride over rough terrain. Bodywork includes ruggedized side steps, fenders, and front & rear mud guards. Large models offer an integrated air compressor to inflate tires (lowering the tire pressure maximizes surface area when traversing soft snow and reduces bouncing over choppy terrain). Options extend to a crawler gear, premium lighting, roof racks, auxiliary fuel tanks, front and rear mounted winches, an engine snorkel, satellite antennas, crevasse bars (an extended front grille that lengthens the vehicle to reduce its likelihood of being swallowed by a fissure), and even a front-mounted crane. Badging and detailing round out the package. Toyota’s proven Hilux powertrain is left unmodified. The diesel engine on all AT models deployed in Antarctica is stock, but is fueled with a jet fuel formulation that, unlike diesel, performs at subzero temperatures. In Antarctica, Arctic Trucks vehicles have been driven in expeditions of over 5,965 miles / 9,600 kilometers, driven distances as long as 930 miles / 1,500 kilometers between fuel depots, and performed in temperatures as low as -69°F / -56°C. For their size, they’re faster and more efficient than anything else on the ground in Antarctica.
Arctic Trucks Hilux-based 4x4s and 6x6s are deployed in Antarctica for scientific support, logistics support, weather observations, supply & equipment transport, and rescue operations. They’re popular with adventurers, explorers, and Antarctic competitive marathoners.
Closest to the stock Toyota Hilux is the Arctic Trucks AT35, at home in normal traffic as well as off-road. The AT35 is defined by its 35-inch BF Goodrich K02 all-terrain tires on 17×10 ET-25 Arctic Trucks alloy wheels. An elevated suspension system raises the height by 2 ½ inches / 64 millimeters. The 2.8-liter turbodiesel engine produces 204 horsepower.
The AT37 was originally developed for ice and snow but is also seen in the deserts of the Middle East and Africa. For the AT37, Arctic Trucks re-engineered the Hilux frame, inner arches, and bodywork to accommodate 37” x 12.5 R17 tires on Arctic Truck’s 17×10 alloy wheels. A high-performance, fully adjustable suspension system, upgraded from the AT35, allows for fine-tuning for different terrains and vehicle loads. This step up from the AT35 isn’t too large for city streets.The AT38 gained notoriety in 2007, when the BBC television series Top Gear drove three to the Magnetic North Pole, a journey of over 870 miles / 1,400 kilometers. Suitable for regular use at the Antarctic coast, the AT38 has completely overhauled bodywork and suspension. The 3.0-liter diesel common rail engine is an upgrade from the AT35 and AT37 and puts out 171 horsepower. 38” x 5.5 R15 metal-studded tires on 15×12 rims give the model its name. With its grille guard and roof rack, the AT38 is 2 ¾ inches / 70 millimeters longer, 6 ¾ inches / 170 millimeters wider, and11 inches / 280 millimeters taller than the AT35 and AT37. Other features for this muscular model are fuel heaters, a heavy-duty starter battery with an extra battery as a backup, a 12-volt, 960-watt generator, a 42 gallon / 160 liter fuel tank and 26.5 gallon / 100 liter auxiliary tank, and a locking differential that directs 100% of torque to the four wheels.
Antarctica’s workhorse 4×4 is the AT44, designed by Arctic Trucks specifically as a support vehicle for Antarctic expeditions. 44” x 18.5/15 tires on 15×16 rims give exceptional performance on ice and snow. The AT44 shares the same engine and 5-speed automatic transmission as the AT38, with a beefier suspension system and re-engineered body and frame that maintains a low center of gravity. A voluminous 74 gallon / 280 liter fuel tank, with options for additional external fuel tanks, gives this massive 4,960 pound / 2,250 kilogram beast tremendous range. It was an expedition organized by the Kazakhstan National Geographic Society (KNGS) in December 2010 that made the fastest overland journey to the South Pole with two Arctic Trucks AT44s. This Guinness World Records-recognized accomplishment spanned 1,479 miles / 2,308 kilometers in a mere 108 hours (four and a half days). The team endured temperatures down to -68.8°F / -56°C and altitudes of over 11,100 feet / 3,380 meters. Unloaded, the return trip was even faster at 3 ½ days, averaging 17 miles per hour / 27.5 kilometers per hour. Incredibly, the record-breaking expedition was intended only as a test of the AT44s in preparation for a South Pole expedition to mark the 100th anniversary of Roald Amundsen’s accomplishment.
The six-wheeled AT44 6×6 is a 5,735 pound / 2,600 kilogram monster. Used to support large expeditions, AT44 6x6s have crossed the Antarctic continent. The base Hilux frame is rebuilt for the AT44 6×6, and a custom front & rear suspension with heavy duty coil springs and shock absorbers is incorporated. A jumbo fuel tank, 105 gallons / 400 liters, can power the AT44 6×6 for up to 800 miles / 1,285 kilometers. The brute can haul up to 4,480 pounds / 2,032 kilograms.
Ice Runways and Expedition Leads: Hilux’s Antarctic Adventures
Toyota Hilux pickups, stock and custom, are familiar sights at Antarctic research stations. Many are used for base logistics, maintenance, and equipment transport. Grooming and repairing ice runways and supporting resupply flights is another feat. And some are lead vehicles for expeditions into the Antarctic wilderness. Stations that rely on Hilux find a myriad of uses for them.
In the early 1980’s a stock Hilux pickup could be found at New Zealand’s Arrival Heights Laboratory (NZARP), customized with snow tires, front grille bars, a camper shell, and modified bed. Germany’s Neumayer Station III utilizes a Toyota Hilux, along with snow machines, for station maintenance and fieldwork. The Korean Polar Research Institute station, Jang Bogo, employs an AT44 customized with a crevasse bar, winch, and off-road jack. Britain’s Halley station relies on an AT44 6×6 for support and resupply missions.
Argentina’s Marambio Antarctic Base deployed its first Hilux in 2002, a slightly modified Hilux GR Sport with a stock 2.8 liter, 4-cylinder turbodiesel engine. The GR Sport line incorporates performance upgrades developed by Toyota’s motorsport division, Toyota Gazoo Racing, and is designed for off-road performance. Marambio Base’s Hilux GR Sport, manufactured in Argentina, utilized a stiffer suspension than the stock Toyota Hilux, 17-inch alloy wheels, snow tires studded with tungsten nails, a heavy-duty battery, a 300-watt engine pre-heater, a light bar, and satellite antennas. Argentina’s Hilux GR Sport was relied upon as an all-purpose vehicle for personnel and cargo transfers, as an ambulance, for communication services, base maintenance, logistical support, and runway testing for their Lockheed C-130 Hercules supply flights.
Belgium’s zero-emission Princess Elisabeth Antarctica Research Station received two uniquely modified Hiluxes in 2015. Intended for scientific expeditions, these Hiluxes have each wheel replaced with large, wide snow treads that extend beyond the width of the vehicle’s body. Each of the four treads is in a triangular formation. The modification enhances traction and provides flotation over soft snow. While speed and maneuverability are limited by the treads compared to wheels with snow tires, Belgium’s Hiluxes are still capable of 30 miles per hour / 50 kilometers per hour over ice or rock and can haul up to five people and one ton of equipment.
The South African National Antarctic Programme (SANAP) manages three Antarctica research stations. The latest, SANAE IV, is the fourth South African research base in Antarctica and is equipped to support year-round scientific research. SANAP relies on their Toyota Hilux bakkie, a South African colloquialism for a light truck, for personnel transport and as a light-duty work truck around the station. SANAP received its Hilux, a South African-made custom AT38, at SANAE IV base in early 2011. Built at Toyota SA in Johannesburg and Arctic Trucks’ Johannesburg plant, Toyota South Africa Motors donated the AT38 to the South African Department of Environmental Affairs (DEA). After arrival at SANAE IV, the AT38 was put through its paces by author, journalist, instructor, and adventurer Geoff Dalglish on a test drive from SANAE Summer Station, near the edge of the ice shelf, to SANAE IV, 186 miles / 300 kilometers inland. Leading two huge 25-ton tracked Caterpillar Challenger tractors, the team accomplished the trek in just 21 hours. The shakedown drive was a success, and the AT38 met SANAP’s performance and reliability expectations.
Hilux with the 29th Indian Antarctic Expedition
A compelling account of Hiluxes leading Antarctic fieldwork comes from the Indian National Centre for Antarctic and Ocean Research (NACOR). India began their Antarctica program in 1981; today, NACOR operates two coastal stations, the aging Maitri, established in 1989, and Bharati, established in 2012. Space, atmospheric, biological, cryospheric, and environmental sciences are the focus of NACOR’s Antarctic research, with an emphasis on the study of climate change. Maitri station received NACOR’s first Toyota Hilux in 2008 and found it to be invaluable for scientific fieldwork.
The 29th Indian Antarctic expedition, India’s maiden mission to reach the South Pole, saw the Toyota Hilux in its element. The record-setting 40-day expedition from Maitri station to the South Pole and back was 1,460 miles / 2,350 kilometers each way. Led by pioneering polar scientist Dr. Rasik Ravindra, an eight-man team composed of a geologist, glaciologist, geophysicist, meteorologist, and support engineers cut a new path from Maitri station to the pole. This shortcut through unexplored territory enabled the team to reach the South Pole in just nine days, led by a convoy of four AT44s carrying scientific equipment, supplies, spare parts, and explorers.
Departing November 13, 2010, from Maitri station, the expedition made many stops to collect snow samples for climate research. Facing gusting winds, temperatures as low as -72°F / -54°C, and craggy terrain, the team reached the South Pole on November 21. Only one stop at a mid-route fuel depot, 930 miles / 1,500 kilometers from Maitri, was needed to keep the engine powered. The Hiluxes averaged around 5 miles per gallon / 2 kilometers per liter of A-1 jet fuel, outperforming the fuel efficiency of more traditional Antarctic vehicles. The engines were kept running 24/7 to combat the crippling cold.
The expedition prevailed over the challenges of subzero temperatures and oxygen deprivation atop the plateau. The South Pole was unexpectedly inhospitable upon arrival at -94°F / -70°C. The return trip was a trial. An incorrect antifreeze mix damaged an AT44 radiator, which was replaced at a fuel depot stop. Another AT44’s axle, beaten by sastrugis, snapped as soon as the convoy departed the fuel depot. It was replaced within 30 minutes. The team returned to Maitri station on December 1, 2010 with a wealth of scientific data and experience gained for future forays to the plateau.
Scientists aren’t the only ones driving Toyota Hilux vehicles in Antarctica. The number of Antarctic tourists increased ten-fold between 1992 and 2020, with over 100,000 visitors in the 2022-23 season. Tourists visit Antarctica to witness its pristine natural environment and explore one of the most remote and untouched regions on Earth. Companies like The Explorations Company, Expeditions 7, and Self Drive Adventures book Antarctic tours for skiing, snowshoeing, and climbing expeditions, treks to the pole, and continental crossings. Arctic Trucks-modified Hilux vehicles provide reliable logistics and transportation for these Antarctic adventurers.
Like the race between Scott and Amundsen to claim the South Pole, a competitive spirit is manifested in Antarctic extreme sports. Speed and distance records were set with the Toyota Hilux in the 2012 Extreme World Races expedition. Ten Hiluxes in total were used by the expedition for supply runs, establishing depots, and weather reconnaissance. Three of them, two Hilux AT44s and one AT44 6×6, made the entire trek. One AT44 sported a front crane for loading and unloading heavy equipment, and all were outfitted with additional fuel tanks. As a part of the longest-distance Antarctic expedition from November 2011 to February 2012, the Hiluxes trekked 5,900 miles / 9,495 kilometers, a record for a light truck. In 2014, British television personality Helen Skelton bicycled, cross-country skied and kite skied to the South Pole in a high-profile charity fundraiser. Arctic Trucks founder Emil Grimsson himself set an unofficial speed record as a support driver for the expedition behind the wheel of an AT44, making the trip from the South Pole to Ross Ice Hill in just nineteen and a half hours (with a five hour pause).
Hilux: At Home in Antarctica
Roald Amundsen’s expedition landed at the edge of the Ross Ice Shelf on January 14, 1911. After setting up supply depots and overwintering, a team of five set out for the pole on October 19th, and after much trial reached the South Pole on December 14, an arduous journey of 56 days. A 21st century team led by modified Toyota Hilux vehicles can make the same journey in a third of the time, in comfort, and with significantly less risk.
Antarctica may be the harshest test for the Toyota Hilux and its Arctic Trucks brethren. The vehicles experience temperatures and terrain that can seize up engines, thicken lubricants, rupture tires, and stiffen gaskets. Not only can the Toyota Hilux operate in this domain, but it has also redefined Antarctic mobility. Toyota Hilux pickups and Hilux-derived vehicles have been driven for hundreds of thousands of combined miles in Antarctica. Compared to large, tracked snow vehicles, the Toyota Hilux is cleaner, faster, and more fuel efficient. Its reliability and repairability means less downtime during the short polar summer. A Hilux configured with low-pressure tires and an enhanced suspension offers a comfortable ride over sharp-edged ice or drifting snow. The popularity of the Toyota Hilux in Antarctica reinforces its indestructible reputation.