NAGOYA, Japan — Toyota Motor shook up the auto industry over two decades ago when it offered the world’s first mass-produced hybrid, but the Japanese company has been late to embrace full electrics. It hopes to make up lost ground by debuting its first full-electric vehicle, touting a range approaching that offered by Tesla.
The sport utility vehicle bZ4X will provide a range of about 500 km for the front-wheel-drive version and 460 km for the all-wheel-drive option. These distances would place Toyota’s offering behind Tesla’s Model 3, which sports a range of 560 km, as well as Nissan Motor’s Ariya and Volkswagen’s ID.3.
But a member of Toyota’s development team emphasized the vehicle’s long battery life and reliable control system, saying the company differentiates its model from others now on the market through technologies and “know-how built over many years” of expertise in electrified vehicles. The Japanese automaker debuted the world’s first mass-produced hybrid car, the Prius, in 1997.
The bZ4X, hitting markets worldwide in mid-2022, will feature a 71.4 kWh battery, with a capacity retention target of 90% after 10 years. This will be possible with a system monitoring the battery’s voltage and temperature to detect signs of overheating.
The model will be the automaker’s first to feature steer-by-wire. (Photo courtesy of Toyota) The SUV rolls off a new platform, Toyota’s first dedicated to battery electric vehicles and developed jointly with compatriot Subaru. The platform marries the partner’s four-wheel-drive expertise and Toyota’s connectivity technology.
Fast charging of 150 kW will enable an 80% recharge in 30 minutes. An optional rooftop solar panel can generate enough power for an additional range of 1,800 km a year and serve as a source of energy outdoors and in emergencies.
The vehicle is also Toyota’s first to feature steer-by-wire technology, meaning the steering wheel and tires are not physically connected but use electric control systems, as well as the e-axle, an integrated motor and inverter drive system.
Toyota aims to sell 8 million electrified vehicles by 2030, including 2 million electric and fuel-cell autos. The automaker is investing 1.5 trillion yen ($13.2 billion) in automotive batteries worldwide. The plan includes a dedicated battery plant in the U.S.
The bZ4X, unveiled as a concept vehicle earlier this year, represents the first of seven bZ models Toyota plans to release by 2025. It will be built at existing production bases in Japan and China, which indicates that Toyota has yet to accelerate its EV push like some rivals that are making bold investments into this field.
All eyes are on Toyota to see when it turns up the juice.