Once the darling of the environmental set with early generations of the Prius, the automaker has become a pariah with the likes of Greenpeace for its seeming recalcitrance to embrace electric vehicles – something shared with numerous Japanese brands – and alleged lobbying efforts.
The bZ4X therefore has to show that Toyota not only takes EVs seriously, but that it was a vehicle worth waiting for – Tesla, Hyundai and Kia have already beaten Toyota to the mid-sized electric SUV market locally, as have Ford and Nissan in other markets.
The Japanese EV has also been delayed locally by around 12 months, and now isn’t due until the fourth quarter of 2023. The bZ4X we had a chance to (briefly) drive at Toyota Australia’s headquarters in Altona was an unregistered UK-spec model that the company told us wasn’t necessarily representative of local spec.
“The reason we delayed actually, despite some popular opinion and commentary, is that we want to be able to secure supply and the latest spec,” Sean Hanley, Toyota Australia’s vice president of sales, marketing and franchise operations, told us at the drive event.
Mr Hanley appeared to be obliquely referring to the bZ4X’s well-publicised recall for loose wheel hub bolts that could see the wheels literally fall off the EV. A recall early in a product’s lifecycle is hardly unusual, but that was certainly an inauspicious one rife with symbolism.
Of course, omens shouldn’t matter. With the recall allegedly resolved, Toyota now needs to continue ramping up production of the bZ4X as it looks to roll out an even wider range of EVs to supplement its also growing range of hybrids.
The bZ4X isn’t Toyota’s first EV, but past efforts like the RAV4 EV were offered only in limited markets or on a lease-only basis.
Now, Toyota is going more mainstream with its EVs. The bZ4X will be one of at least three EVs the brand will launch in Australia by 2026, and the company also intends to have 30 EVs globally by 2030 with annual sales volumes of 3.5 million units.
The company rarely introduces a flop, but it’s now in largely unfamiliar territory where Tesla – with which it partnered on the RAV4 EV over a decade ago – reigns supreme.
How much does the Toyota bZ4X cost?
Pricing has yet to be announced for Australia but Mr Hanley said the car will be “expensive”, much like the Prius was back in 2001.
“Battery electric cars are expensive. Don’t kid yourself. They are expensive to build,” said Mr Hanley.
“So I’ve always said this car will not be a cheap car. But as we go forward, as hybrid did over 22 years at scale-up, EVs will come down in price.”
While the company wouldn’t give a price range for the bZ4X and direct price conversions don’t always work, in the UK it starts at £45,710 (A$79,147) while a base RAV4 Hybrid there is around £36,000 (A$62,334).