Why Toyota’s first electric SUV isn’t coming to SA just yet

Toyota’s first battery electric vehicle, the bZ4X, was finally rolled out last month in Copenhagen, Denmark.

The car’s arrival was highly anticipated as the world’s leading car manufacturer was a relative latecomer in the full-on electric game and it could not have gotten off to a worse start.

Hardly a few weeks after its launch, 2 700 models had to be recalled due to the possibility that their wheels might fall off due to loosening hub bolts.

SA’s wait begins

Toyota says it is investigating the problem and hope to find a solution before re-deploying the recalled models.

But, that is not the reason why bZ4X won’t be available in South Africa just yet. Toyota South Africa Motors (TSAM) has no intention of bringing it before 2023 and even by then it will only be in limited numbers.

“We have to be realistic about our customers’ expectations,” says Clynton Yon, Senior Manager Marketing and Corporate Communications at TSAM.

“If we had to import the bZ4X straight away, we simply would not be able to sell it for anything under a million rand. That would offset our current product portfolio.”

The reason Toyota has not joined the all-electric bandwagon, like many other manufacturers over the last few years, is that the Japanese carmaker believes the future is not a case of one size fits all.

By researching and developing a variety of new energy solutions, including fuel cell electric, hybrid electric, plug-in hybrid electric and battery electric vehicles, Toyota wants to be able to provide different markers with different solutions.

Horses for courses

Other carmakers like BMW and Volkswagen have leapfrogged hybrid systems and gone straight from internal combustion engines to full-on battery electric technology. But, TSAM believes the local climate is more suited to hybrid electric vehicles than fully electric cars for the foreseeable future.

ALSO READ: WATCH: This is Toyota’s SA-bound all-electric SUV, the bZ4X

TSAM broke new ground last year, when the Prospecton-assembled Corolla Cross became the first hybrid car to be built locally.

To boost local sales, the carmaker knocked a good few dozen grand of the price of the hybrid models to make it a viable option next to the petrol-powered model.

According the the carmaker, the rebate was in anticipation of future government support, something which hasn’t materialised yet.

Last year, Toyota also offered more affordable mid-specced hybrid Corolla and RAV4 models locally.

In sharp contrast, the jump in price from internal combustion engine powered cars to full electric vehicles has been significant in other carmakers’ stables. This is exactly what TSAM is trying to avoid with the bZ4X.

As the demand for its first electric SUV is set to grow as Western Europe readies for carbon neutrality in 2025, with the rest of the world in tow, production will expand, which will ultimately lead to lower prices.

First drive in Toyota bZ4X

Once the bZ4X is offered in South Africa at a realistic price, Toyota’s proven brand power will probably ensure the carmaker sells out whatever numbers they do make available for sales.

The Citizen last month had to opportunity to drive the car during its world media launch in Copenhagen last month, and is happy to report that it is everything you would expect from an electric Toyota.

Developed alongside fellow Japanese manufacturer Subaru, Toyota calls the car the bZ4X. The bZ is short for “Beyond Zero”, which is its sub brand for cars with zero emissions. The 4 indicates size, which is in this case medium, while the X denotes that it is a crossover.

The bZ4X is built on Toyota’s e-TNGA platform, which will also be used for future fully electric vehicles. This architecture features a 71.4-kWh lithium-ion battery built into the chassis under the car’s floor by virtue of 96 different cells.

Compared to other Toyota products, the bZ4X takes to the RAV4 the most. The lack of a front grille opening and distinctively sharp – almost Lexus-like – lines create a rather futuristic look, but with enough Toyota design elements not to alienate it too much from its family tree.

Two Toyota bZ4X derivatives

Two derivatives were introduced at its world launch. A front-wheel drive model with a front-mounted 150kW/265Nm electric motor, and an all-wheel drive version which features an 80 kW motor on each axle for a combined output of 160kW/366Nm.

Toyota claims the front-wheel drive model has a maximum range of 516 km and the all-wheel drive derivative a range of 470 km.

The front-wheel drive can reach 100 km/h in 7.5 sec, with the all-wheel drive model capable of a 6.9 sec sprint. Both models’ top speed is limited to 160 km/h.

The battery, which is guaranteed for eight years and 160 000 km, can be charged to 80% capacity in just 30 minutes through fast-charging.

Toyota boasts the bZ4X’s all-wheel drive system co-developed with Subaru’s engineers is class-leading for an all-electric SUV.

It features an X-Mode selector with options for snow/mud, deep snow and mud for speeds below 20 km/h and Grip Control for tougher conditions below 10 km/h. The bZ4X also features a wading depth of 600mm.

Smooth ride

We got to test the system and were hugely impressed with the ease the bZ4X performed down a sharp incline, over cross-axle bumps and through a pool of water during its launch.

Out on the road it performed equally well. Despite there not being any potholes in Copenhagen, the suspension felt superb.

Along with effortless steering, no shortage of power and a supremely quiet and comfortable cabin, the bZ4X is a joy to drive.

Inside the cabin, the bZ4X utilises the same design philosophy as Peugeot’s iCockpit. A raised digital instrument cluster means that the driver looks at it over the steering wheel, instead of under it, which results in less eye movement from the road to the instruments.

Safety comes in the form of Toyota T-Mate, the collective name for the systems used to aid and keep the occupants safe. It includes the latest generation of Toyota Safety Sense, a comprehensive safety package.

Conclusion

Overall, the bZ4X is a comprehensive package and more or less what you would have expected from the world’s top-selling carmaker.

Once it does become available locally – and at a reasonable price – Toyota should be able to count on its brand power to do the rest.

For more information on the Toyota bZ4X, click here.