The bZ4X is Toyota's first pure electric vehicle, and it has received attention since its debut at last year's Shanghai Auto Show.
Today, the car is officially listed in the United States, priced at $42,000, equivalent to about 260,000 yuan, which is cheaper than Tesla's Model 3.
While the price looks good, some of the highlights of the previously announced configuration are gone.
For example, the steering wheel similar to Tesla's model s, the American version of the car has also become a traditional round.
There is also a solar panel roof, which was previously said to be an optional configuration, but it cannot be ordered in the released version.
In addition, the other designs have not changed much.
With a length of 4690 mm, a width of 1860 mm and a height of 1650 mm, the body is about the same size as the RAV4. But the wheelbase is longer, at 2850 mm, which is a crossover SUV model.
The headlights are thin in design, the bumpers are smooth, and there are several ducts and air intakes on both sides.
The rear is angular and equipped with double-layer LED brake lights similar to the Toyota Prius.
Moreover, there are blue lights inside the logo, showing its purely electric identity.
The low-end version comes with 18-inch alloy wheels, while the high-end version comes with 20-inch alloy wheels. At the same time, the blue brake calipers also echo the blue light of the logo.
It is worth mentioning that although the steering wheel adopts a traditional circular design, Toyota is equipped with a steer-by-wire system, the steering wheel and tires are not mechanically connected, and the locking is set to about 150 degrees, which means that you can hit the direction without changing hands, which is not only safe, but also makes it easier to make a U-turn or park.
A 7-inch digital dashboard display is located in front of the steering wheel, and the slightly protruding design gives you a clear overview without any obstruction.
The center console is a floating touch screen, but there are still some physical buttons designed below, which shows that Toyota still does not rely entirely on the computer system like Tesla.
Built on the new e-TNGA's Toyota all-electric vehicle platform, the car is just a compact SUV, but it has the space to ride in a mid-size SUV.
And using Toyota's first battery water cooling and active thermal management technology, it can maintain 90% of the battery's range for ten years.
Currently, XLE and Limited are available. The XLE single-motor version delivers 201 hp of power, 265 Nm of torque and acceleration from zero to 100 km/h in 7.1 seconds. The Limited dual-motor version has 215 hp and 336 Nm of torque, accelerating from zero to 100 km/h in 6.5 seconds.
Supports 150kW fast charging and can charge 80% in 30 minutes.
It even has a two-way charging function. That is, it can be used as a mobile power station to power homes and appliances during natural disasters or power outages, or in conjunction with home solar energy.
Of course, some active safety features are also indispensable, as well as remote parking capabilities.
Finally, its range is not high, according to Toyota's official website in the United States, the XLE version, which costs $42,000, has a range of 252 miles, that is, 405 kilometers. The $46,700 Limited version has a range of 242 miles, or about 390 kilometers.
Toyota, which was once dismissive of electric vehicles, announced its new BEV strategy in December, revealing that the remaining six bZ models are also under development.
After playing hybrid for so many years, Toyota's first all-electric car was finally sold this time, but it looked a bit conservative, and I don't know how the market will react?