Toyota bZ4X Concept Revealed, Let The EV Onslaught Begin!
The carmaker plans to put the model on sale by the middle of 2022, initially in Japan and China.
Toyota has revealed the bZ4X Concept, which will go on to become the first production model under the brand’s new bZ battery electric vehicle (BEV) range.
Unveiled at Auto Shanghai motor show, the concept vehicle looks very sharp and adopts a very striking styling theme like that of the C-HR.
The Toyota bZ4X Concept has slim lighting units on its sharp ‘face’ dominated by numerous creases, cuts and vents. Along the sides, the car can be seen with a letterbox-style window glass area and a thick C-pillar.
Its large wheels that sit under wheel arches that carry a different paint shade to the car’s exterior colour. Finally, at the rear, there is a full-width lighting element that connects the LED tail lamps that are split by the tail gate.
Inside, the Toyota bZ4X Concept has a uniquely shaped steering wheel (with steer-by-wire system), a digital instrument cluster and a large central touchscreen. Toyota claims, the car, which is built on a bespoke platform called e-TNGA which is dedicated for making BEVs, is as spacious inside as a large sedan.
Toyota states ‘bZ’ stands for ‘beyond Zero’ and plans to sell the new bZ series of vehicles in regions such as China, Europe, Japan and the USA. These models, the firm claims, will come with practical cruising range.
By 2025, the brand plans to introduce 15 BEVs, including 7 bZ models (starting with the production version of the bZ4X Concept) and a total of around 70 electrified models.
However, having realised that it cannot go at it alone, the carmaker has joined hands with partners to make its plan come to fruition. For example, the e-TNGA platform and the bZ4X concept were jointly developed with Subaru.
Although there has been no word from Toyota about the performance figures and actual range that the production version will possess, what is known for sure is that the model will come with all-wheel drive and it is claimed to have “impressive off-road performance”
Interestingly, in addition to the use of regenerative energy systems, the vehicle also adopts a solar recharging system which recharges the battery while the car is stationary.
Plans are to begin worldwide sales of the production-spec Toyota bZ4X Concept, initially in Japan and China, by the middle of 2022.
