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Toyota bZ4x concept

3122 Views 16 Replies 13 Participants Last post by Islander, Dec 8, 2021

salant76

Discussion Starter · Apr 19, 2021

Surprised to see Toyota’s EV concept looks close to production worthy. As some who has owned 3 Toyota’s I have no interest in this vehicle. Something looks really wrong with the steering wheel and instrument cluster.

Toyota bZ4X Concept Debuts As Vision Of Future Electric Crossover

The Toyota bZ4X concept features a tautly creased exterior and high-tech cabin, including a digital instrument cluster and wide infotainment screen.

www.motor1.com

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krusshall

· #2 · Apr 19, 2021

salant76 said:
Surprised to see Toyota’s EV concept looks close to production worthy. As some who has owned 3 Toyota’s I have no interest in this vehicle. Something looks really wrong with the steering wheel and instrument cluster.

Toyota bZ4X Concept Debuts As Vision Of Future Electric Crossover

The Toyota bZ4X concept features a tautly creased exterior and high-tech cabin, including a digital instrument cluster and wide infotainment screen.

www.motor1.com

It's better than I expected but definitely has the awkwardness Toyota has become known for on both inside and outside. It's like they used a fighter jet cockpit as the driver's theme. The exterior is pretty good other than the hood being too long because the front overhang is too long. Toyota, there's no transverse ICE up there so why so much overhang!

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Geo

· #3 · Apr 19, 2021

Finally, a replacement for the RAV4 EV.

Too bad Volkswagen got to me first or I might seriously consider it.

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TPG

· #4 · Apr 19, 2021

Geo said:
Finally, a replacement for the RAV4 EV.

Too bad Volkswagen got to me first or I might seriously consider it.

We'll see how much of the concept becomes reality and if/when it goes on sale in the US. Also notice the swoopy roof toward the tailgate - probably done to maximize aerodynamics but will reduce usable cargo volume.

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Geo

· #5 · Apr 19, 2021

TPG said:
We'll see how much of the concept becomes reality and if/when it goes on sale in the US. Also notice the swoopy roof toward the tailgate - probably done to maximize aerodynamics but will reduce usable cargo volume.

I noticed in this image, it looks slightly wider than the current RAV.

But who knows... wait and see.

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theboomr

· #6 · Apr 20, 2021

Geo said:
I noticed in this image, it looks slightly wider than the current RAV.

But who knows... wait and see.

Does look like smaller cargo area, but hard to say for sure.

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krusshall

· #7 · Apr 20, 2021

TPG said:
We'll see how much of the concept becomes reality and if/when it goes on sale in the US. Also notice the swoopy roof toward the tailgate - probably done to maximize aerodynamics but will reduce usable cargo volume.

General consensus is that it's a concept in name only and that we are looking at the production model.

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SexyBeast

· #8 · Aug 28, 2021

Looks like BZ4X will go into mass production later this year in China & Japan (I’m not a fan of the name - BZ4X is a mouthful - BZ4 would be better).

Deliveries in North America will start 2nd half of 2022 (the microchip shortage is supposed to be resolved by then).

The vehicle has some interesting features that ID4 lacks - particularly a solar power roof that can regenerate some energy. I know it will regen minimal power, but great to have. I wonder how much the solar panels would be able to charge? Any guesses? If the vehicle is not used for a few days, would the solar panels charge 20-25% SOC?

I’m not sure I like the yoke steering - would have to try it.

I do like the design of centre console of BZ4X as it has a dedicated storage type space underneath - but I suspect this isn’t a deal breaker for most.

The power train and battery is what I want to know more about. Will it be RWD? AWD? SSD battery??

Toyota has been developing SSD battery technology. Anyone know when they will be ready to release it for mass market? Will it be available in the 2022 BZ4X model?

Subaru is partnering w/ Toyota, and I’m curious to see what their Solterra will look like (built on same platform as BZ4X). Prelim renderings give it less of a coupe sloped rear (which BZ4X has), making the Solterra look more like ID4.

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SunWizard

· #9 · Aug 28, 2021 (Edited)

SexyBeast said:
I wonder how much the solar panels would be able to charge? Any guesses?

The biggest panel you can fit on a car is about 300 watts x 6 hours of direct sun on a perfect day = 1.8kwh / 77kwh = 2.3% per day. (if the battery were as big as the ID.4, this toyota is unknown.)

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salant76

Discussion Starter · #10 · Oct 30, 2021

Official specs:

Everything We Know About The Toyota bZ4X Specs

Toyota has released today a lot of details about the all-new Toyota bZ4X model, which will be launched worldwide in the middle of 2022. Let's check the specs.

insideevs.com

Toyota bZ4X Unveiled In Production Form With FWD And AWD Versions

The base model relies on a single electric motor mounted on the front axle with a peak output of 201 horsepower (150 kilowatts).

www.motor1.com

As a former owner of 2 Prii and a 90s Corolla wagon I am disappointed with this effort.

Vehicle Car Speedometer Motor vehicle Automotive design

I know they are not know for amazing interiors but they could have done a better job then this. Way to busy.

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kenchills

· #11 · Nov 26, 2021 (Edited)

salant76 said:
Official specs:

Everything We Know About The Toyota bZ4X Specs

Toyota has released today a lot of details about the all-new Toyota bZ4X model, which will be launched worldwide in the middle of 2022. Let's check the specs.

insideevs.com

Toyota bZ4X Unveiled In Production Form With FWD And AWD Versions

The base model relies on a single electric motor mounted on the front axle with a peak output of 201 horsepower (150 kilowatts).

www.motor1.com

As a former owner of 2 Prii and a 90s Corolla wagon I am disappointed with this effort.

View attachment 6890

I know they are not know for amazing interiors but they could have done a better job then this. Way to busy.

Agreed.

This interior for Toyota's first dedicated EV, looks like it was planned and put together very, very hastily.
There's really nothing in that interior pic that's attractive or looks like Toyota put some time in to make it well thought out.
Just IMHO.

It gives me the feeling that Toyota is releasing this EV because they have to, not because they want to.

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Islander

· #12 · Nov 26, 2021

Most of my prior cars have been Toyotas, and I've been very happy with them. But I would not buy an EV from a company that has as little enthusiasm for EVs as Toyota does.

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Perfesser

· #13 · Nov 27, 2021

SexyBeast said:
Subaru is partnering w/ Toyota, and I’m curious to see what their Solterra will look like (built on same platform as BZ4X). Prelim renderings give it less of a coupe sloped rear (which BZ4X has), making the Solterra look more like ID4.

The early teaser pics made the Solterra look more rounded than the BZ4X. Now that more photos have been released, the two are practically clones. Just as in the Subaru BRZ and the Toyota GR86, there are subtle differences in the grilles and the taillights. That's all.

A humorous Jalopnik story had pictures of both and the all the photo captions were similar: "This is the Toyota. Or maybe the Subaru. I can't tell."

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Reeler

· #14 · Dec 7, 2021

With the delays in the ID.4, not sure I can wait a year from order to delivery. Presuming you can actually get a Toyota/Subaru EV before my ID.4 arrives, I would probably jump ship.

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id4alex

· #15 · Dec 8, 2021

SunWizard said:
The biggest panel you can fit on a car is about 300 watts x 6 hours of direct sun on a perfect day = 1.8kwh / 77kwh = 2.3% per day. (if the battery were as big as the ID.4, this toyota is unknown.)

I hadn't realized it has a solar roof option but that makes it more appealing to me. Based on a Verge article, it sounds like it could gain about 3 miles/day. They quote Toyota saying 1800 km/year. So 1118 miles/365 days is approximately 3 miles/day. (I'm assuming this is under ideal circumstances.) I think that's about what the Hyundai Sonata hybrid does -- the only other car I've researched that has a solar option.

It's not a lot, but for me would actually be a big advantage as I will probably go weeks with minimal, in-city driving and then occasional road trips. Between road trips, there are some weeks I might not go much more than what one might gain from solar (no commute, just running errands). Also, when leaving it for a couple of weeks (such as airport parking), it would be nice to have a little charge.

That said, while I think it looks good outside, the interior looks like a mess -- maybe they will clean that up. Unless my ID.4 is super delayed (ordered RWD Pro S end of August; looking at Jan - Feb delivery), I'll stick with ID.4.

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Nai3t

· #16 · Dec 8, 2021

After living the EV life for a couple of years now and coming to understand the importance of the 12 volt battery, if the auto makers said simply "we added a solar panel so the 12 volt never goes dead," I'd be sold on its utility.

Added EV range, meh.

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Islander

· #17 · Dec 8, 2021

id4alex said:
I hadn't realized it has a solar roof option but that makes it more appealing to me.

I had a Prius I overpaid for back in the day with a solar panel built into the sunroof. The initial idea was to trickle charge the hybrid battery. But on implementation, its use was limited to running a fan when parked on a hot day. Not that I didn't appreciate the fan.

Maybe the most optimistic comp out there is the Sono Sion, which is covered in PV panels and is supposed to generate about 500 watts peak. That about 6 cents worth of electricity an hour where I live. It's hard to see how the cost of integrating these panels into an EV is going to pay off.

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