ENCINITAS, Calif. — The 2022 Toyota bZ4X midsize EV crossover will go on sale in the spring in the U.S. as the brand's reentry into the electric vehicle space with an estimated range of up to 250 miles, an enhanced suite of driver-assistance and safety features and styling that is identifiable as a Toyota while still differentiating itself within the brand's lineup.
The bZ4X — the bZ nomenclature is shorthand for "Beyond Zero" and will be used for future Toyota EV models — sits between the RAV4 and Venza in overall length, but at 112.2 inches, it has the same wheelbase as a three-row Highlander. The two-row five-seater will come equipped with a standard 150-kilowatt front motor and a temperature-controlled 71-kilowatt-hour battery pack that, according to Toyota's estimate, will give the bZ4X a range of up to 250 miles. An optional all-wheel-drive version, which will come outfitted with Subaru's X-Mode system, will be equipped with an additional rear-mounted 80-kW motor and a 73-kWh battery pack, but its estimated range was not released.
Toyota said that in designing the bZ4X, it concentrated on retaining the capacity of its thermally controlled battery over the long term, claiming it will still have 90 percent of its power after 10 years of ownership.