It’s a simple question: When will electric vehicles be mainstream for American buyers?

Ask Ash Corson, Toyota’s alternative powertrain vehicle manager in Toyota’s Technical Facility in Gardena, California, and he’ll give you an equally simple answer.

“They already are,” he says. “Electricity – along with the connectivity and autonomy that it enables – is powering the industry’s transformation towards sustainable mobility for all.”

Toyota envisions a future in which carbon neutrality is achieved through a portfolio of products with advanced, alternative-fuel and zero-emission powertrain technologies.

It’s a company-wide mission, illustrated by three major commitments from Toyota so far:

• First, the development of electrification initiatives with worldwide collaborators like Aurora, Shell, Panasonic, SoftBank, Mazda and Subaru.
• Second, Toyota’s commitment to offer an electrified version of nearly all vehicle models in the Toyota lineup by around 2025.
• Third, to sell more than two million zero-emissions vehicles by 2030.

But seeing is believing. And at June’s HQ Confidential press preview event in Plano, Texas, it was clear that Toyota means business.

Lisa Materazzo, group vice president of Toyota Division Marketing, unveiled the all-new bZ4X, a battery-electric vehicle – the first in a global series of Toyota BEVs and a continuation of the company’s long lineage of electrified vehicles.

“Bottom line, we’re all in on BEVs,” Materazzo says. “bZ4X is just the beginning. [It] represents our philosophy that technology should contribute to people’s happiness and health. And we can’t wait to share more U.S. product details.”

In the meantime, check out three electrifying facts about the new Toyota bZ4X:

The Concept Became a Reality

The bZ4X was first introduced as a concept vehicle in June 2021, however Toyota recently announced it is scheduled to go on sale in mid-2022. The all-new, all-electric SUV offers styling that is as bold and modern as the vehicle itself. It has a distinctive aero-dynamic design with ample interior space that gives it a certain uniqueness from other vehicles.

The Name is Already Building a Legacy

“Toyota bZ” stands for “Beyond Zero,” and will become Toyota’s BEV brand umbrella. In fact, bZ4X is the first of a global series of BEVs to be introduced under the moniker. Toyota plans to offer 70 electrified models globally by 2025. That includes 15 BEVs, seven of which will carry the “bZ” name.

Above All, It’s a Great Car

The Toyota bZ4X features the new e-TNGA BEV-dedicated platform, has all-wheel drive capabilities, a long wheelbase with short overhangs and an open-concept interior.

“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,” Materazzo says. “And the best part is, it’s a Toyota — with the legendary quality, durability and reliability our customers expect.”

 

For more information about the 2023 Toyota bZ4X, please visit here.