In the field of new energy competition, the current mainstream consumption trend is divided into pure electric technology and hybrid technology. In the past year's consumer market, the competition between independent brands and joint venture brands seems to have reached a tacit understanding. As the hybrid power of joint venture brand models becomes the mainstream trend of consumption, independent brands continue to develop upwards at the level of pure electric technology.
The saying "You cross your canoe bridge, I walk my sunshine road" is the most appropriate expression for such a appearance. But for the Toyota brand, there is no such thing as "well water does not violate river water". Saying that pure electric technology is the trend of current competition, then Toyota will inevitably not let go of this conquest.
In the past December, Toyota officially released the new e-TNGA pure electric platform. The e-TNGA is regarded as Toyota's main technology platform for exporting pure electric models in the future electrification development.
According to Toyota's current strategic plan for the future pure electric market, Toyota will invest 35 billion US dollars in the research and development of electric vehicles, and shouted the goal of achieving 3.5 million pure electric models sales by 2030. In this way, e-TNGA can be described as a long way to go.
At the 2021 Guangzhou Auto Show, e-TNGA ushered in the first pure electric model Toyota bZ4X, which is different from the "oil to electricity" models such as the dual engine E+ or E jinqing previously launched by Toyota. The emergence of Toyota bZ4X is Toyota's layout product that opens a new competition for the pure electric market. According to the existing product plan, toyota bZ4X is expected to be launched in 2022.
Based on Toyota's understanding of the concept of new energy, the Toyota bZ4X under the new design concept presents the "avant-garde intelligence" that a pure electric model should have.
This is evidenced by design elements such as the double-spliced livery design, the new headlight group design and the through-type taillights that extend to the rear fenders, as well as the line treatment of the body contour that distinguishes it from traditional design concepts.
The same is true of the interior cockpit atmosphere, with a staggered LCD screen combination, a new electronic knob-type gear shift operation, and the layout of the overall physical button area design that is significantly different from the current Toyota model.
In addition to the regular three-frame disc steering wheel, the Toyota bZ4X is also expected to offer a steering wheel option similar to the "F1 car". Thanks to the steer-by-wire system, the steering wheel is only 150 degrees full left and right.
That is, with both hands clutching the steering wheel, the maximum turning angle of the vehicle can also be achieved. Most importantly, the design embellishments of the steering wheel make the cockpit cockpit atmosphere more like a flying machine from an alien planet.
Toyota bZ4X positioning compact SUV, its body length, width and height are 4690 * 1860 * 1650mm, wheelbase is 2850mm. Compared with the RAV4 of the same level, the wheelbase is longer, and the maximum distance between the front and rear rows can reach 100cm. In the category of compact SUVs, the Toyota bZ4X has a fairly good performance level in terms of space level.
In terms of configuration, the mainstream intelligent driving assistance configuration such as lane assist/departure, adaptive cruise, and pedestrian protection is readily available on the Toyota bZ4X.
In addition, the Toyota bZ4X will also be equipped with the newly developed "Grip-Control Intelligent Multi-Traffic Adaptation System", which is only available in the four-wheel drive version. Motor-driven power output assist improves the Toyota bZ4X's throughput performance in response to complex road conditions.
The performance of the design level and configuration level makes the Toyota bZ4X very interesting, and the performance at the product level is in line with the current consumer audience's consumption level for an intelligent electric vehicle. However, for "pragmatic" consumers, how the Toyota bZ4X weighs configuration options and pricing ranges is particularly important.
After all, like the previous Toyota Yize E Jinqing as a small pure electric SUV that dominates young consumption, its entry configuration level can be said to be the biggest selling point in the same level of competition, but it seems that the starting price of 225,800 is prohibitive for many people.
Toyota bZ4X will be available in both the front-drive version and the four-wheel drive version according to the power version, of which the front-drive version will be equipped with a front-mounted motor, and the rear-drive version will use the front-rear motor combination of the power layout. Its maximum output power is expected to be between 201-215 horsepower.
In terms of endurance, it is equipped with a 71.4kWh battery pack, and its endurance is calibrated between 460-500km, which can also be supported by half an hour of fast charging. In terms of the current pure electric model evaluation criteria, toyota bZ4X performance tends to be average.
In addition, in other aspects, Toyota bZ4X optional solar battery version, according to the official statement that a year can achieve about 1800km of endurance supplement. The use of solar energy to supplement the battery life is quite novel, but for the installation cost of solar panels and whether the 1800km endurance in a year can bring substantial "pure electric use" and other issues?
Maybe it depends on the specific performance of the real car test...
Secondly, the biggest highlight of Toyota's bZ4X power system is Toyota's own elaboration of toyota's bZ4X battery durability in battery group applications with long-term energy storage. Vehicle batteries use only 10% of the power performance for 10 years. To put it another way, the 500km calibrated Toyota bZ4X can still have a cruising range of 450km after ten years of use.
This can be said to be a breakthrough highlight for the pure electric technology of the Toyota brand. After all, from Toyota's first pure electric model, the Prius, to the previous plug-in hybrid CH-R, Toyota has raised this endurance attenuation performance standard from 50% to a maximum of about 80%.
From the perspective of consumer users, the energy storage attenuation of the battery is a major influencing factor leading to the retention rate of used cars in pure electric models. If toyota bZ4X can achieve this technological milestone, then it will be the biggest competitive advantage of Toyota bZ4X in the face of the current pure esports competition.
The Toyota bZ4X has now launched four model configurations in the UK market and announced that it will be priced at £41,950-51,550, equivalent to between RMB363,000 and 445,000. Referring to the overseas price in the domestic competitive market, it is obvious that the Cost Performance of toyota bZ4X is not high. After all, this price can already choose a medium-sized SUV like weilai ES6 in China.
In the future, Toyota bZ4X in the domestic competitive market has a high probability of exploring the price down, in fact, there is no reason, like the same pure electric compact SUV Volkswagen ID.4 CROZZ and ID.4 X are aimed at the 200,000-300,000 level market. Therefore, in the future, Toyota bZ4X is also very likely to target the price point market of 200,000-300,000.
In the current pure electricity market, there is actually no shortage of pure electric compact SUVs. It is about the toyota bZ4X models with the greatest overlap in terms of consumption level and product positioning. Then Honda's new e:NP1 will be a competitor to the Toyota bZ4X.
Honda e: NP1 is also a new car product that Honda will enter the pure electric market in 2022, according to the previous declaration information, Honda e:NP1 is equipped with a three-in-one high-power electric motor, according to the power version of the maximum output of 182 hp and 204 hp. And equipped with a ternary lithium battery pack, its cruising range is expected to exceed 500km.
Although in terms of power level book data Honda e:NP1 is better than the Toyota bZ4X. However, in the face of Honda e:NP1, intelligent four-wheel drive and battery group durability, toyota bZ4X is more able to meet the long battery life of pure electric SUVs and multi-scenario car environments.
In Toyota's view, the launch of toyota bZ4X is only the beginning of the Toyota brand's strategic electrification of pure electricity in the future, according to the existing strategic plan, Toyota is expected to launch three SUVs, one station wagon, and two MPV models of pure electric products based on the e-TNGA platform by 2025. With the continuous introduction of new models, Toyota will continue to improve its product matrix in the pure electric market.