Toyota unveils a compact SUV with a battery
"They plan to produce the bZ4X in Japan and China and sell it worldwide by mid-2022."
Toyota takes a big step into the market of electric vehicles with the release of its first SUV built on a new EV platform, joining Volkswagen AG.
The world’s largest carmaker previewed “bZ4X," an electric SUV sitting on its new “e-TNGA" platform at the 2021 Shanghai Auto Show on Monday.
bZ4X is a compact SUV that resembles Toyota's popular Rav-4 but is built on an entirely new platform and features such as a system that can recharge the car's battery using solar power.
Instead of a conventional round-shaped wheel, bZ4X comes with a controller that's inspired by Formula One cars and looks straight out of video games.
Toyota is planning to introduce 15 EVs, including seven "bZ" series models globally.
The BZ stands for "beyond zero", or cars that exceed being "just zero-emission", according to Toyota.
They plan to produce the bZ4X in Japan and China and sell it worldwide by mid-2022.
Toyota had taken a more cautious approach to EVs, but that’s starting to change with the latest debut.
By comparison, Volkswagen, Toyota’s main global rival, announced last month a $29 billion bet on new battery technology to accelerate its shift to EVs.
The e-TNGA platform will speed up the deployment of new EVs, reducing development time and allowing different models to be designed in parallel.
Since they first introduced the Prius, Toyota has not pushed forward with any single technology, instead preparing numerous options like fuel cell, hybrid, plug-in hybrid, and electric vehicles.
The company plans to expand its number of electrified models, which includes hybrids, to around 70 by 2025.