Interesting and inevitable decision from car giants Toyota with the news of the BZ series of full electric cars. This is seen as a massive u-turn from the Prius makers who had previously focused a lot of their efforts on “self-charging” hybrids.
It seems they will not wait for the 1000Km range solid state batteries after all. Although promising, it will still take time until full development on a large scale platform. Meanwhile Tesla and other early adopters including Chinese brands have gained some significant market share in this segment. A decision had to be made before it became too late to catch up to other auto makers who are a decade deep already into EV’s and battery technology.
All is not lost though. Toyota and “reliability” go hand in hand, what this means is that the majority of car owners who had previously been skeptical about EV’s will now pay more attention. This is especially true for most of Africa where every other vehicle on the road seems to be some type of Toyota model. This decision will help push electric vehicles to the Early and Late Majority group in the “adoption of innovation” scale.
The inspiration for the new BZ fully electric vehicle series is environmental impact and real lives and experiences. Toyota says their new EV platform has been developed to help bring 4 key values to life.
· You & environment
· You & your car
· You & others
· You & society
Let’s celebrate this milestone from Toyota and look out for their world premier and it’s price locally.
Here’s some specs and features from the premier of the all new Toyota BZ4X
Outstanding driving performance
Enjoy best-in-class electric performance with Toyota bZ4X and leave zero emissions behind. Highly-responsive, it offers you speed and torque when you need it. Thanks to its outstanding all-wheel-drive capabilities, Toyota bZ4X provides a truly seamless driving experience.
Equipped for every journey
AWD XMODE enhances performance and safety to enable bZ4X to tackle any terrain with fantastic all-wheel drive capabilities. You can enjoy all-weather reassurance whatever your adventure.
Superb battery performance
Drawing on almost 25 years’ experience in battery technology, Toyota bZ4X can deliver more than 450 km on single full charge – and with zero emissions too. This range can be maximised with the optional solar panel roof. Three charging options offer drivers flexibility – use rapid public charging and achieve an 80% charge in around 30 minutes with a 150 kW fast-charging system, or plug into a home socket or a wall box at home. Toyota quality provides total peace of mind for battery reliability. Even after 10 years, the battery will still be able to achieve a world-class 90% of its original performance.
Safety you can trust
Toyota bZ4X offers comprehensive safety features wherever you choose to travel, whether in urban areas or off road. Including the latest Toyota Safety Sense technology with features like Driver Emergency Stop Assist (DESA) and Over the Air Updates (OTA).
Intelligent connected cockpit
Explore a world of multimedia and connectivity. With an extra-large 12” touchscreen, advanced voice recognition and seamless smartphone integration, Toyota Smart Connect offers an exceptionally fast and easy-to-use experience, always up to date via over-the-air technology.
The MyT App on your smartphone helps you to check your battery level, schedule charging, check trip data or even remotely control your vehicle – from climate control to unlocking and locking the doors.
Unique style and presence
Toyota bZ4X combines the sleek and advanced look of an electric vehicle with the confident SUV design. The result is an innovative electric vehicle that performs on all roads, turning heads wherever it goes.
Spacious and airy cabin
Designed to enhance the driving experience for all passengers, Toyota bZ4X offers a social space to be enjoyed by everyone. A refined interior provides class-leading legroom for all passengers, thanks to superior comfort and an unrivalled sense of space.
YOUR ELECTRIC BATTERY RANGE
With Toyota bZ4X, you’ll never have to think about range. It’s outstanding battery performance can deliver more than 450km of worry-free driving, wherever you go.
(Source: https://www.toyota-europe.com/new-cars/bz4x/)
