Debuting earlier this year, the Toyota bZ4X BEV concept SUV was a star at the Shanghai Auto Show with its head-turning design. And now, the concept vehicle is on its way to the United States. Toyota confirmed yesterday that the bZ4X has officially arrived at its Plano, Texas headquarters. Toyota plans to start selling the crossover in the US sometime next year.
“Roughly the size of a RAV4, with the versatility to stand apart from other BEVs, it will be well-positioned in the sweet spot of the market,” said Lisa Materazzo, VP of Toyota Marketing in a press release. Considering the fact that the RAV4 is one of the best-selling vehicles from the automaker, with over 400,000 units sold annually in the United States alone, it’s not a surprise that the Toyota bZ4X is expected to do well. However, there will be a few key differences between the two vehicles, the bZ4X has a more spacious cabin, the instrument cluster is set to further back from the steering wheel than in most vehicles, and there’s a massive infotainment display. The design of the interior is not quite as minimal as a comparative Tesla, but it is a fair bit sleeker than the interior of the RAV4.
The new spacious cabin sits atop Toyota’s new e-TNGA platform, which was developed in partnership with Subaru. Toyota reportedly contributed its expertise in EVs while Subaru applied its know-how in all-wheel-drive systems. Subaru is also developing an electric SUV called the Solterra based on the same platform.
Toyota had previously stated in 2019 that the e-TNGA platform was designed to be modular, the placement of the front and rear motors are fixed, the width of the battery and the driver’s position in relation to the front wheels as well. However, “wheelbase, number of batteries installed, overhangs, and other elements can be changed.” Toyota hasn’t said how quick its first e-TNGA EV can move, so we will have to wait till the automaker reveals more details.
