The wait is almost over for buyers interested in Toyota’s first battery-powered electric car.
After numerous delays the updated bZ4X electric SUV is due to land in showrooms from February next year.
Toyota Australia head of sales and marketing Sean Hanley, who favours a multi-prong approach to reducing emissions – including hybrids – says now is the right time for the company to launch its first EV.
“The bZ4X is not just an electric car, it’s the foundation for the next phase of
our electrification strategy,” says Hanley.
“Rest assured, our Australian customers will be offered Toyota BEVs in multiple segments in the coming years.”
Hanley says the company’s battery tech gives it a distinct advantage over rivals.
Toyota is one of the few car makers that develop and produce its own batteries, which allows it to put the cells through rigorous testing and quality control measures.
“The batteries [we produce] are a cut above those offered by many others in the market in terms of quality, performance, safety and reliability,” says Hanley.
Australian delivered vehicles will bring some hardware and software updates that focus on improving battery performance over initial versions sold overseas.
Global chief engineer for the bZ4X Masaya Uchiyama says it uses the same 71.4kWh battery but work has been done to improve the usable range and charging times in extreme weather conditions. This is joined by a few very minor cosmetic changes.
The bZ4X is a similar size to the hyper popular RAV4 SUV but because it’s an EV it has increased interior space due to the removal of some mechanical elements found in a petrol or diesel vehicles.
It will be available in two set-ups: a single-motor, front-wheel-drive version and a dual-motor all-wheel-drive variant.
The single-motor versions make 150kW/266Nm and have a driving range of up to 512km. All-wheel drive models use two motors to make 160kW/337Nm with a driving range of 461km.
Those numbers aren’t groundbreaking and fall into the lower range of already on sale rivals such as the Hyundai Ioniq 5 and Tesla Model Y.
Prices haven’t been announced but expect the range to start at about $80,000 drive-away.
Toyota Australia hasn’t revealed specifications of what will land in dealerships yet but there is a large central screen, digital dash, premium upholstery and an overall quality interior. Safety is expected to be up to Toyota standards with all bases covered.
In the real world the bZ4x feels much like other electric cars to drive.
We sampled the all-wheel drive version in Japan on a very short test loop at the Tokyo motor show and on a dedicated off-road track where the company often puts its LandCruiser four-wheel drive through its paces.
On the bitumen the bZ4X has urgent propulsion off the marks thanks to the instant torque delivered by the electric motors.
All the batteries are stored underneath the floor, which gives it good balance through corners where it feels planted and stable. There is noticeable body roll, though, as the suspension attempts to keep the car’s circa-2500kg in check.
Steering is light, making it a pleasant vehicle to steer.
Off-road the bZ4X tackled terrain you’d never usually attempt in an electric car.
It traversed deeply rutted descents and hills, finding significant purchase despite having a wheel off the ground. It also made light work of rocky and slippery surfaces.
A hill descent control feature allows the car to maintain its speed down steep descents with no pedal input from the driver. When in use the regenerative braking makes many horrible noises including loud crunches and shudders as it works to hold the car at low speeds. At one time it built up too much momentum and driver intervention was needed to halt its progress down a particularly steep decline.
Overall the bZ4x performed well, as expected from a new vehicle from the world’s biggest car maker, but we’ll reserve Judgement until we can have a more comprehensive drive on local roads.
TOYOTA bZ4X AWD
PRICE About $90,000 (est.)
MOTOR Two electric motors, 160kW/337Nm
RANGE 461km
SPARE Repair kit
LUGGAGE 452 litres