Here's What We Know About Toyota's New bZ4X Concept Electric SUV

author: Manish Kharinta   

The Toyota bZ4X Concept.

Back in 2017, Japan's Toyota Motor Corp revealed its electrification intentions. Since then, the auto industry has been awaiting the launch of the company's first battery-powered model. 

Eariler this month, Toyota revealed its fully-electric bZ4X concept SUV at its North American headquarters in Plano, Texas as a gesture of its commitment to electrification.

The letters "bZ" stand for Toyota's "Beyond Zero" lineup of new battery-powered vehicles. The automaker will use its bZ nomenclature for EVs introduced under the company's new electric-only sub-brand.

Toyota's bZ4X concept will be one of seven battery-only EVs that the company will introduce by 2025. It's slated to enter production next year and will make its debut as a 2023 model. 

"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, group vice president of Toyota Marketing.  "And the best part is, it's a Toyota – with the legendary quality, durability and reliability our customers expect."

The bZ4X concept will be based on the company's e-TGNA electric vehicle platform, which will also underpin Subaru's Solterra EV, which is Subaru's first-ever all-electric model. 

It is unclear what kind of changes the bZ4X crossover will undergo before it hits the production line, but the concept showcased at the company's North American headquarters in Texas looked almost production-ready.

The bX4X gets a sculpted, albeit smooth front-end that flaunts a sharp and angular design where body panels appear to overlay over one another. The SUV rides on 20-inch alloy wheels.

Style wise, the 2023 bZ4X will get LED headlights, which will sit atop a pair of air vents that encompass a sleek air dam. The car's wraparound tail light cluster also gets the LED treatment.  

To improve visibility and sense of space, Toyota has positioned the gauge cluster above the steering wheel. Like other EVs on the market, a large infotainment touchscreen sits in the middle of the dashboard.

Toyota claims that the bZ4X's cabin space will be comparable to a full-size sedan. 

The bZ4X will also come equipped with an all-wheel-drive system, which Toyota developed in collaboration with Subaru. Steering will be controlled by a steer-by-wire system. 

Toyota has also announced that it will offer the bZ4X with DC fast charging capability. The production model may also get a solar recharging system along with regenerative braking to help keep the battery charged. The solar panels are designed to help replenish the battery pack when the vehicle is stationary.

Toyota may introduce bZ4X in its home country of Japan before it heads to China, which is the world's largest EV market. Following China, the bZ4X crossover will make its North American debut. 

The bZ4X concept is just the beginning of Toyota's electrification plans. The automaker aims to introduce a total of 15 new EVs by 2025.

Manish Kharinta

Manish Kharinta is a automotive writer based in the Los Angeles area. He has worked for automotive industry websites TheSmokingClutch.com, CarDekho.com and CarBikeindia.com. His experience ranges from covering auto shows, to car reviews and breaking automotive news. Manish aims to bring forth his unique perspective on automotive design and technological innovations in the automotive industry.