SHANGHAI MOTOR SHOW: Toyota bZ4X breaks cover

Just days after Toyota confirmed that its first electric car in Australia would be the incoming 2022 Toyota BZ, the hotly-anticipated all-electric mid-size SUV – dubbed the Toyota bZ4X – has broken cover at the Shanghai motor show.

Developed in collaboration with Subaru, this is also the model that Subaru Australia is planning to introduce – with minor styling tweaks – during next year as its first-ever EV offering Down Under.

Suzuki is a development partner for Toyota bZ models, too, meaning that its first electric car in Australia – set to be an all-new smaller model – is also on the cards.

Other partners include BYD and Daihatsu.

The Shanghai unveiling of the near-production Toyota bZ4X Concept also coincided with confirmation that this is the first of seven ‘bZ’ – for ‘beyond Zero’ – models in the pipeline, some (if not all) of which will be sold here.

As previously reported, the Japanese auto giant filed for trademark protection of bZ1 through to bZ5, with some of these adding ‘X’ variants – such as bZ4X – which denotes all-wheel drive.

Going beyond bZ, Toyota has committed to 15 battery-electric vehicles in total from the company by 2025.

Toyota Australia today confirmed that it will launch the Toyota bZ4X, but insisted timing – which is expected to be in the second half of 2022 – would be “confirmed closer to launch”.

Japan and China will be the first recipients, and Toyota HQ also confirmed global sales will commence from mid-2022.

“Adding the first battery-electric vehicle to our range builds on our approach of providing a variety of powertrain options, while reducing emissions,” said Toyota Australia’s sales and marketing chief Sean Hanley.

“Further ‘bZ’ series vehicles will be considered and introduced as appropriate for Australia in due course, expanding Toyota’s electrified vehicle choices.”

Dimensions, powertrain and other key specs are still to be released but some interesting detail on the Toyota bZ4X has come to light, plus confirmation of previous intel such as the SUV being underpinned by the e-TNGA platform developed jointly by Toyota and Subaru.

As well as the EV-specific architecture and all-wheel drive, other key points of the Toyota bZ4X highlighted by the car-maker include its long wheelbase and short overhangs that “results both in a distinctive design and in an interior space comparable to a D-segment [mid-size] sedan”.

The driver is confronted by a radical cockpit layout that includes a unique steering wheel that Toyota says “eliminates the need to change grip when steering, and also contributes to a spacious interior”.

This is aided by a steer-by-wire system and the fact that the instrument panel is mounted low, “not only to enhance the vehicle’s sense of space, but also improve visibility and contribute to safe and secure driving”.

“In addition to the use of regenerative energy systems, the vehicle also adopts a solar recharging system,” Toyota said.

“This cleverly recharges the battery while stationary, and further enhances the unique environmental performance of a BEV. It also provides cruising range that ensures customers not to be inconvenienced in wintertime.”