► Toyota’s first EV driven► Pre-production spec for now
► Out later this year
‘What took so long,’ is the first question that comes to mind when driving Toyota’s first-ever electric car. It’s 2022, and although the Prius is now one of the most popular cars in the hybrid market, Toyota’s entry into the rapidly growing EV market feels incredibly late.
The second must be ‘and why this?’ Based on Toyota’s new e-TNGA platform and co-developed with Subaru (which will use it in the Solterra), it’s a smart, understated looking SUV on the outside – even if you discount our prototype’s dazzle camouflage. Well, what you can see of it: BEVs don’t naturally lend themselves to dirt and mud, but the prototype bZ4X we’re driving is coated in both.
Over the last hour we’ve used the all-wheel-drive prototypes to traverse impossibly steep hills, navigate sticky ruts and slink through water. The bZ4X is equipped with X mode – an all-encompassing function which allows for easy ascent and descent. And thanks to our car’s twin 80kW motors, the bZ4X is able to move torque to wherever there’s more grip. Sealed batteries also mean the prototype can partially submerge in water.
But what’s it like on the road?
However, the Toyota is more likely to be used as a family SUV; after all, models such as the VW ID.4, Tesla Model Y and potentially the Nissan Qashqai are the bZ4X’s current targets. With that in mind, we’re pleased to report the bZ4X has road manners, too. On the roads around Barcelona, we’re able to test the dynamics of the first e-TNGA chassis, and the Toyota seems perfectly balanced.
The chassis benefits from a modest ground-clearance and low centre-of gravity: the batteries are packaged low, and both front-and-rear motors (in the all-wheel-drive model) use compact, Prius-derived tech. It means that the weight, while present in heavy braking and higher speed corners, isn’t noticeable when driving normally.
The steering in its current iteration too is progressive and predictable and the power delivery, which makes for a modest 0-62mph launch of 6.9 seconds in the model we had, encourages you to be smooth and efficient with your inputs. The result is a car that doesn’t feel particularly cumbersome, and one that you’re happy to feed into corners at a decent pace.
This is by no means a performance car; but with the right roads, the right amount of regen and the correct mindset, the bZ4X can provide enjoyment when going from A to B. As you’d expect, the Toyota was quicker without regen, but we preferred to use the smooth slowing effect of the battery recuperation – and reduce our time on the left pedal.
Give me some specs
Only one battery size (a lithium-ion 71.4 kWh) is available so far, and designers have focused on endurance, range (254miles WLTP) as opposed to outright performance – one of the reasons the bZ4X tops out at a conservative 150kW CCS charging. Toyota says both could change in the future – and if it’s to compete with the likes of the VW Group, Hyundai Motoring Group and Tesla, they’ll need to.
There’s certainly scope: the all-wheel-drive variant we drove makes do with two 80kW motors, while the front-wheel-drive model uses a single 150kW unit. And with a GR concept already revealed, it’s possible a later bZ could twin the 150kW units for around 300kW (400bhp).
Instead, Toyota is keen to point out that this car is designed to provide a seamless transition to electric for its hybrid and ICE customers. It’s clear from the comms, this is a car that just happens to be electric. With than in mind, UK buyers will receive a ‘one-stop’ shop that’ll include a British Gas Centrica home charger, 6 month’s free charging on the brand’s 12,000 charger network, and 3 years AA roadside EU and UK support.
What’s the interior like?
Back to the car, and the interior feels familiar at best, and boring at worst. Piano black is combined with a range of other likely sustainable materials, and swiping is done on a full HD 12.3-inch touchscreen, which is both Apple CarPlay and Android Auto compatible. Behind the Toyota’s small, button-covered wheel, there’s a deep-set range of cockpit dials that have more than a whiff of ID.3 about them.
There is innovation coming: Next year, Toyota will introduce an optional butterfly-shaped wheel with steer-by-wire technology. Debuting on the bZ4X and then later EVs – because Toyota believes they attract the early adopters – it’ll go 150-degrees at full-lock, unlike Tesla’s solution.
The only real issue? Visibility around A-pillar isn’t great, and it was a problem that appeared often when cornering. We frequently found placing the car harder than it should’ve been, which is a shame given how proficient the Toyota is at bendy bits.
So what’s the plan?
It’s nigh on impossible to talk about the bZ4X without tackling about Toyota’s EV plans, so after our drive it’s time to answer those first two questions.
Toyota’s hybrid dominance and multi-drivetrain approach means it’s been well on track in terms of CO2 targets, so it’s not had the same urgency or need to push electric vehicles. With that in mind, Toyota has been analysing markets worldwide, and now believes the time is right for EVs in all markets – not just in super early-adopting countries such as Norway. It’s a reactive rather than proactive approach, but one a company as large as Toyota may have had to take.
However, it’s a gamble: the likes of Tesla, HMG and VW Group all have solidified EV offerings, EV brand recognition, and electric experience – and despite its hybrid dominance Toyota is still effectively starting from scratch.
And why an off-road EV to kick things off? Because Toyota wanted to differentiate its first electric offering, while also leaning on Subaru’s expertise. bZ4X is short for beyond Zero 4 X, with four designating the size and X the vehicle type – proof this is just one slice of the final offering. There are already another six bZ EVs planned, four of which are coming to Europe – and they’ll almost certainly tick the other boxes.
Early verdict
Toyota’s first EV is a solid offering that does little wrong. It’s a perfect example of Toyota’s slow, considered multi-powertrain approach – but we’re not sure it does enough. The range, while useful, isn’t earth-shattering, and slower 150kW CCS charging means the Toyota is already behind some of its most obvious competition. Simply put, it feels a little too conservative and traditional for a rapidly shifting EV market.
Eye-catching cars such as the Hyundai Ioniq 5, Skoda Enyaq and Kia EV6 have beaten the Toyota to UK roads, and they look to have beaten it on the spec sheets too. With that in mind, the bZ4X’s success hinges on Toyota’s all-in-one Kaizen approach, and its ability to get existing Toyota and 4×4 customers aboard the EV wagon.
Keyword: Toyota bZ4X prototype: we drive the long awaited BEV