Toyota reveals production electric SUV
Saturday, 30 October 2021
Toyota has revealed the final production design of its all-electric SUV, the bZ4X, and – rather surprisingly – little appears to have changed from the concept version revealed at the Shanghai motor show in April this year.
The exterior has retained the striking black front wheel arches that stretch up into the guards and meet the slim headlights, which would have been the feature we would have picked to not make it onto the production version, but it certainly gives the bZ4X a striking and distinctive look.
At 4690mm long, 1860mm wide and 1650mm tall, the bZ4X is almost exactly the same size as the RAV4 (which is 4,600mm long, 1,855mm wide and 1,685 tall) and will come in front-wheel drive and all-wheel drive variants, with a range of up to 450 kilometres.
The FWD version will pack a single 150kW electric motor, while the AWD version gets two 80kW motors. Toyota hasn’t talked torque yet, but both will be powered by the same 71.4kWh battery pack that the company claims will have a class leading capacity retention ratio of 90 per cent after 10 years.
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The all-new electric platform developed with Subaru features the thin high-capacity battery pack placed flat under the floor, and an “e-axle” that integrates the motor, transaxle and inverter.
On the inside Toyota says the bZ4X boasts a “spacious, quiet and relaxing” cabin, that is extra wide thanks to the dedicated electric platform, with a 1000mm tandem distance that is equivalent to that of a large D-segment sedan, as well as class-leading legroom for front and rear seats. High soundproofing glass and wind-noise reduction provides “a quietness that enables clear conversation while driving.”
Perhaps most interesting is the “one-motion grip” steering system that combines a yoke-style steering wheel and steer-by-wire, with no mechanical connection between the steering wheel and wheels.
Toyota says the lock-to-lock is set at around 150 degrees, eliminating the need to change grip when steering, and “greatly reducing the burden on the driver for U-turn, garage parking and on winding roads”, something Tesla didn’t do when it introduced a yoke-style wheel in the Model S recently, leading to complaints from owners.
The company says the system blocks unnecessary vibrations from the tyres and only transmits “necessary vibrations” such as road information, while also “controlling tyre movement to ensure vehicle stability” when driving on uneven surfaces or when Lane Tracing Assist is activated.
While the system is only for the Chinese market at launch, Toyota says it will “steadily fitted” to vehicles in other markets from 2022 on. Vehicles without the steer-by-wire system are fitted with a conventional round steering wheel.
The bZ4X will also pack many of the expected high-tech EV features, including a “digital key” that will allow owners to unlock and operate a number of functions from their phone, over-the-air software updates and an optional solar roof that Toyota says will generate electricity “equivalent to 1800km of driving distance” per year.
The bZ4X is the first in Toyota’s bZ (Beyond Zero) EV range and Toyota New Zealand has also confirmed that they are already starting to plan the introduction of the bZ4X, due to arrive locally at the end of 2022.
“Toyota’s electrification strategy has always been based on introducing the right solution, at the right time, and in the right market,” said Toyota New Zealand Chief Executive, Neeraj Lala.
“The bZ4X is the catalyst for an avalanche of new, exciting fully electric products under the bZ series over the next 5 years. The addition of bZ4X expands our large range of electrified vehicles and is a major contributor in reducing our overall emissions profile.
While the bZ4X will be the first dedicated EV Toyota will sell in New Zealand, the company is still a big fan of hybrids, with Lala saying that hybrid electric vehicles have proven to be “the best transitionary low emission vehicle to bridge the gap while availability and affordability of battery electric vehicles increase’ and that in 2021 the company planned to deliver a record 11,000 hybrid electric vehicles to customers which has had “a huge impact on the carbon footprint of our total fleet.”
“However, demand remains high for utes and commercial vans, where lower emission alternatives are yet to become readily available at an affordable price for small businesses,” Lala said.
“Our commitment is to offer customers all powertrain options until lower emission alternatives become available and affordable, which will take some time, and is unlikely in the time frames set under the new clean car scheme.”
To meet the ongoing consumer demand for low emission technology, Toyota says it is investing heavily in battery technology globally, recently announcing a $19 billion investment in battery research and development and the formation of partnerships with technology resource companies such as Panasonic and BHP in Australia.
“Toyota will continue to leverage our global knowledge and experience accumulated over two decades of development of hybrid electric vehicles, to provide a stable supply of batteries that can be used worldwide through flexible manufacturing,” said Lala.
“This investment highlights our commitment to transitioning our total fleet to some form of an electrified powertrain and provides the foundation for the introduction of seven new bZ vehicles by 2025 globally.”
Lala said that Toyota’s investment into future battery technology also includes sold state batteries which will have higher performance, reduced environmental impact and more recycling options.
The new bZ4X will be available in New Zealand next year, and more information about the vehicle will be available closer to the launch.