Toyota previews electric SUV ahead of April 19 debut

Toyota has released its first official teaser of the all-new pure-electric SUV it will launch on April 19 at the Shanghai motor show.

Described as the "next exciting journey in electrification", the new SUV is tipped to be the first Toyota to carry the new 'BZ' badge, with the RAV4-sized EV set to become an instant best-seller in China, where demand for electric cars is strongest.

BZ, which stands for ‘beyond zero’, will be the initials used for an entire line-up of new Toyota EVs, from BZ1 to BZ5, and was recently patented by the Japanese brand.

Other fresh trademarks registered include BZ4X and BZ5X, suggesting that the ‘X’ could be reserved for all-wheel drive variants.

While the numerals will refer to the vehicle’s size, it’s unknown whether they also correspond to their competitors from Volkswagen, given the BZ4X will likely rival the Volkswagen ID.4 and the smaller BZ3 should go head-to-head with the Volkswagen ID.3 hatch.

The first BZ-badged Toyota SUV, meanwhile, has already been previewed by what are believed to be design renderings for another trademark application, and it appears Toyota’s first mainstream electric car is set for an angular design.

Battery size, motor count and cruising range remain under wraps at this stage, but the e-TNGA platform that underpins the new model is being jointly developed with Subaru to share the high engineering costs.

Capable of offering different wheelbase lengths, the new architecture is also claimed to be designed to package a wide range of battery capacities and multiple electric motors.

Toyota has already announced that it is well underway with developing solid-state battery technology and has now confirmed the tech will power e-TNGA-based vehicles in the “first half of the 2020s”.

Solid-state batteries are claimed to offer better battery life, faster charging times and are more stable than equivalent lithium-ion cells.

It’s thought the first Toyota BZ model will miss out on the advanced battery tech from launch, but the electric SUV could adopt solid-state cells as part of a mid-life facelift.

Later this year, Toyota will also introduce pure-electric versions of its ProAce people-mover and delivery van in Europe, as part of ambitious electrification plans that will see the Japanese auto giant introduce 60 new or updated electrified vehicles by 2025 in Europe alone.

By 2025, Toyota expects 70 per cent of its sales to be hybrids, while plug-in hybrids, pure-electric vehicles and hydrogen fuel-cell-powered models are forecast to each account for 10 per cent of volume.

Related: Electric car reviews on carsales
Related: Electric car news on carsales
Related: Electric car advice on carsales