The All-Electric bZ4X Is An EV Done The Toyota Way
The All-Electric bZ4X Is An EV Done The Toyota Way
It would seem that hybrid king Toyota has pushed back against battery electric vehicles. But it does make a BEV- the bZ4X. With a range of up to 252 miles, it’s available in front and all-wheel drive. How does it drive? Tom Voelk drives a front-wheel drive Limited model and finds it to be a solid performer with an excellent driving dynamic. Charging speed and curve? That might be the deal breaker for those that travel long distances.
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Toyota bZ4X review, Toyota bZ4X range, Toyota bZ4X charge speed, Toyota bZ4X price, Toyota bZ4X interior, Toyota bZ4X front wheel drive, Toyota bZ4X AWD, Tom Voelk, Tom Volk, Tom Volk car reviews, Toyota EV
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About Tom: Tom Voelk is an award-winning automotive contributor to The New York Times. His podcast was the first to win an Emmy Award (and he’s won for photography, editing, producing and reporting). But really, all you need to know is in the videos.
Content
1.26 -> The bZ4X is an electrified Toyota and normally
5.64 -> that means a hybrid when it comes to
this brand, but this is a pure EV.
13.5 -> Passionate discussion swirls around Toyota s
position on pure battery electric vehicles. Some
24.12 -> vilify the automotive behemoth for not taking the
market- or environmental concerns- seriously. The
30.6 -> flip side claims it s better to lower emissions
by building bunches of gas/electric hybrids. The
36.48 -> bZ4X is a pure BEV. The Big T says it can pump
out 900,000 Prii or 600,000 RAV4 Prime plug-in
46.08 -> hybrids using the same amount of battery
material that goes into the 10,000 bZ4X
51.552 -> s it plans to bring into the US annually. The
awkward moniker means something, BZ stands for
58.68 -> beyond zero . X is for crossover body style, 4 is
the size. A smaller bz3x has already been shown.
67.2 -> This Toyota has a twin, the Subaru Solterra.
The big difference is a couple trim pieces,
73.44 -> and the Subie is only available
with all-wheel drive, which makes
77.22 -> sense. You have a choice with a Toyota,
front wheel drive or all-wheel drive.
83.34 -> Subaru plans on selling Solterra in all 50 states,
the bz is available in selected ones for now so
90.24 -> check your local dealer if you want this badge on
your EV. Pricing for the Toyota starts at $43,300
97.32 -> for a base XLE model, this front-drive Limited
MSRPs for just over 49 grand with the black roof
105.18 -> option. Made in Japan, it s not eligible for
federal tax credits, check with your state.
110.82 -> You might've heard the original batch of
bZ4X had an issue where the wheels could
117.06 -> come loose. That's not the kind of snafu you'd
expect from Toyota. That has been fixed. There
123.96 -> are new wheels that are now up to the exact
specs that Toyota wanted plus new lug bolts
130.44 -> made of a different alloy that have less friction
and a conical washer. Should be taken care of.
138.18 -> Time to play frunk or no frunk . Okay,
the consolation prize is more foot and
144.72 -> storage room in the cabin for those up
front. Total power from the single motor,
148.74 -> front-drive model is 201 horsepower
and 196 lb-ft of instant torque.
155.16 -> All-wheel drive ups the oomph to 214
horses. If you ve seen the new Prius,
161.46 -> this will look familiar. Change directions
here, the bz uses a single speed transmission.
167.4 -> One thing, when you put the car into reverse,
172.38 -> you get this warning tone which is distracting.
I mean, I know I'm going backwards.
180.66 -> You would think that this tone would
be outside to warn pedestrians but no.
188.82 -> The 71.4 kWH lithium-ion battery
lays flat underneath the passengers,
194.46 -> the usual EV set up. In AWD models it grows
by 1.4kWh and is sourced from a different
201.78 -> supplier. The pack is liquid-cooled and
can deliver up to 252 miles of range,
208.2 -> according to EPA estimates, depending
on model plus front or rear drive.
213.3 -> Extra recuperation drag can be added with
this button, no degrees, it s an on or off
219.42 -> proposition. Drive modes are distinct enough so
that all pilots should notice the difference.
226.02 -> Typically with an EV a second motor for all wheel
drive boosts the power significantly. Not so much
232.8 -> with the bZ4X, this front driver will do the
0 to 60 dash in about seven seconds. With all
239.077 -> wheel drive it drops about a half a second, so
really it's more about traction and stability.
248.16 -> Sometimes powerful front wheel
drive vehicles have torque steer,
251.88 -> that tugging of the wheel under
hard acceleration. Not bZ4X
257.16 -> On average, the bz weighs 4,400
pounds. AWD adds around 65 lbs.
264.78 -> Some EVs get super-coolie-neato sounds pumped
into the cabin, they re synthetic. The bZ4X?
275.52 -> None of that. It s completely natural,
just the motor sound and very faint.
281.46 -> Like many EVs, this is quiet around
town. At highway speeds, 70 and over,
287.22 -> there s some road noise heard plus the
smooth rushing of wind over the body.
291.84 -> You know the whole thing about EV is they have
their heavy batteries in the floor so it lowers
297.12 -> the center of gravity. That makes bZ4X kind of
fun to chuck in the corners. Not tons of road
303.6 -> feel but there is some and the steering
weight is very nice just about perfect.
310.08 -> Body roll and dive are nicely checked, and
typically that means a firm uncomfortable
316.32 -> suspension. But not here. The Toyota
engineers have worked a little bit of
321.78 -> magic. It s comfortable, but
still engaging, nicely done.
326.7 -> It s not Supra grade handling, people aren t going
to be driving the wheels off it, but it s a good
333 -> real-world setup. If you re into sport and your
spouse wants comfort, here s your middle ground.
338.58 -> Let s talk range because that s what everybody
wants to know about in an EV. The EPA rates the
345.48 -> front-wheel drive Limited bZ4X that I m driving
at 242 miles. But it s been cold in Seattle this
352.972 -> week in the high 30s low 40s so I am not gonna be
getting that. Closer to 210, which is pretty good.
359.7 -> FYI, a good half of my driving was at
highway speeds. Many competitors go
365.28 -> farther. And there are more and more choices
in the EV world these days. Mustang Mach-E,
371.22 -> Ioniq 5, EV6, Model Y, ID.4, Ariya,
Niro EV and Bolt EUV. And more coming.
380.82 -> A lot of EV owners have come to love one pedal
driving the bZ4X doesn t really have an aggressive
388.56 -> setting, even when you push the button, it takes a
while for this car to come to a complete stop and
394.92 -> even then you really need to use the brake pedal.
Something to keep in mind on your test drive.
402.78 -> The gauge cluster is very simple, a
power graphic shows how efficiently
407.16 -> you re accelerating and what your regen is. Some
of the information is small and not easy to read.
414.78 -> One thing to check on your test drive
is the gauge cluster. It's positioned
420.9 -> up high like a head up display so
it's positioned over the wheel,
426.66 -> not through the wheel. Some
people like it, some people don t.
432.6 -> Personally, I have no trouble with the seat in
a comfortable driving position. Visibility is
439.08 -> decent in the bz and Toyota Safety Sense 3 ADAS,
that s standard, includes blind spot monitoring.
446.76 -> As for autonomous driving tech, bZ4X is good
stuff. On the highway it stays pretty much
453.12 -> locked in its lane and doesn't wander around.
It takes general curves very confidently,
458.16 -> the adaptive cruise is nice and
smooth. No, this is not Super Cruise,
463.56 -> but it compares very well to the excellent
Hyundai Group s Highway Driving Assist 2.
472.62 -> Toyota has partnered up with EVGo for
a full year of free fueling. Remember,
477.54 -> charging speed depends on a lot things, ambient
temperature, if the pack is nearly spent,
483.06 -> if it s pre conditioned, and how much
power the terminal can deliver. It s
488.28 -> much cheaper and more convenient to charge
at home, this will juice up overnight.
492.66 -> Quicker speeds at commercial terminals
make a difference if you travel A LOT.
498.18 -> Electric vehicles have max charge rates meaning
the fastest that they'll juice up at DC fast
504.06 -> chargers like this. BZ4X isn't particularly
fast, tops 150 kW and that's with the front
512.52 -> wheel drive version. The all-wheel-drive
drops to 100 kW. Yup they're different.
517.98 -> Also, my experience is the charge curve
is not overly aggressive. At 40 degrees,
523.8 -> at a 150kWH station 7 percent to 80 percent took
some 50 minutes, throttling back dramatically
531.84 -> once hitting that threshold. Seems like Toyota s
protecting the pack, always going for reliability.
540.06 -> This is the top trim Limited model so it s
the spendiest looking bz interior. It nice,
545.46 -> there s a Lexus RZ coming if it s not up to
your standards. Cloth on the dash? That s
551.52 -> different. There s a good amount of piano
black. This cabin is a leather free zone,
556.26 -> chairs are heated and vented, the smallish
wheel with lots of controls is toasty. A
562.08 -> radiant heat panel underneath the instrument
panel is optional, the HVAC system is a heat
567.78 -> pump. Small bags stash here, door pockets
are large and roomy, and there are a few
573.78 -> little useful cubbies. But no traditional
glovebox. Underneath a removable section here,
579.78 -> there s a secret storage compartment to hide
things from thieves. But I guess I just gave that
585.18 -> away. I m not sure if the wide expanse between the
display and wheel is a good place to put things,
591.24 -> especially if the wheel gets adjusted all the
time. The car would have to be upside down
596.82 -> before drinks came out the deep cupholders.
The glass roof is standard on all models.
602.88 -> Toyota has a new user interface. It was developed
in the house, and it's much better than the
608.76 -> outgoing version. It does rely on the data plan
for full functionality. Welcome to the future of
615.96 -> subscriptions folks. It's largely voice based
using the wake phrase Hey Toyota , what can I
623.76 -> do for you? Set the temperature to 74 . Setting
the driver seat temperature to 74 . Or there s
635.52 -> hey Toyota I want a cup of coffee . I found these
15 locations, the first is Starbucks. Of course,
650.34 -> at Starbucks they're everywhere. I think
they re opening one up in my bedroom.
655.14 -> There are a good amount of controls on this panel
here to do things manually. The phone charge pad
660.66 -> takes up a lot of real estate but it works well,
look closely there s a see through pattern.
666.24 -> Android Auto and Apple CarPlay are wireless and
those do many things with voice prompts as well.
672.18 -> And free. Just saying. Plus, you can run apps like
Chargeway to easily locate places to juice up.
679.44 -> I have to believe a lot of Toyota loyalists will
be considering this vehicle, I don't suppose you
684.66 -> have any idea how the backseat stacks up to say
Camry or RAV4. I am the backseat master. I know
691.98 -> everything about backseats, right? Camry would
be the most spacious then RAV4, this one s a
699.12 -> couple inches smaller in all dimensions than
the RAV. I've got that much headroom, it's OK,
705.06 -> knee and legroom are generous, foot room a little
bit tight. The cushions high enough so that thigh
712.38 -> support is quite good and you know the door
openings are big enough to get car seats in
718.5 -> and out, they might be a little bit tight. Door
pockets are pretty good sized for water bottles,
724.14 -> stay hydrated. This is the fancy bZ and no
built-in sunshades. No separate climate zone
731.46 -> and heated seats, those are an option not on this
car. You know me I like it with pockets on both
736.5 -> seat backs. It's nice for storage. The floor is
nice and flat an advantage that some EVs have,
742.14 -> which is great for foot room especially if you
have three adults back here. Now keep in mind
747.6 -> that a RAV4 has about 3 inches more hip room.
If you really wanna maximize that out, there's
754.44 -> always the RAV4 Prime plug-in hybrid if you wanna
go electric. Two adults back here will be pretty
760.86 -> comfortable as long as they're not too tall.
Three will be OK if you're just going across town.
767.3 -> The design, kind of a RAV4 from the near
future grew on me during the week I had
778.68 -> it. My tester is wearing optional Wind
Chill Pearl paint giving it kind of a
784.2 -> Shamu appearance. For the full-on Free Willey
visual, the interior is available in white.
789.9 -> I find the contrasting fender treatment
a tad awkward, if it isn t your thing,
795.72 -> order the black paint which doesn t even get
a special name like midnight , just BLACK. I
801.72 -> m guessing this panel helps to trick the eye into
seeing the windshield as longer. There are gentle
807.72 -> lines along the flanks. My big gripe is the
lack of a rear wiper, we in Seattle like those.
815.16 -> I've had a couple people asked me
if this is a new RAV4. They kind
820.74 -> of look the same. Let's see how the cargo
compartment stack up, the TP never lies.
826.38 -> There is no spare tire back here. The security
cover doesn t have to be left behind and the
833.16 -> supplied travel charge cord has a home. Nothing in
the way of bag hooks or straps. It s a big stretch
839.58 -> to the seat release when dropping the backs so
chances are there will be bumper schmutz on your
845.04 -> Levi s. Or walk around, there s always that.
Toyota doesn t have a measurement for cargo
851.28 -> space in this configuration, but as you can see
there s no pass through or 40/20/40 split. With
858.24 -> al seats usable RAV4 takes on 9 packs, the
RAV4 Prime plug-in hybrid is good for 8,
864.78 -> the bz scores a 7 or just under 28 cubic
feet. Standardized measurement metrics rule.
872.46 -> Time to wrap this up with Red Light Green Light.
876.18 -> Green Light- Finally, loyal Toyota
buyers get a fully electric vehicle,
881.22 -> and it s practical. bZ4X has the instant torque
and low center of gravity that make EVs fun to
887.7 -> drive. The ride quality stays comfortable,
even with controlled driving dynamics. The
893.1 -> semi-autonomous driving tech is something you ll
actually use since it inspires some confidence.
899.52 -> Yellow Light- It s quiet inside when
driving in the city, on the highway not
904.2 -> as much. The gauge cluster is directly
in the driver s eye line with the road,
908.64 -> some won t like that positioning. Generally the
voice-command-based user interface works great,
914.4 -> it could use some polish and
there s that data plan to pay for.
919.38 -> Red Light- For travelers, the max charge
speed and curve are on the slow side,
924.66 -> especially the AWD model. Adding power to
all four tires doesn t boost performance
930 -> like other EVs. Range is lower than some
competitors that have been out for awhile.
936.78 -> Toyota had time to study the competition and learn
from those vehicles. But cars like EV6 and Ioniq
943.32 -> 5 still feel like the ones to beat. Plus, there s
the gaffe with the wheels, that doesn t help. The
949.5 -> automaker has taken a conservative approach
here, no surprise, it s the Toyota way. And
955.44 -> let s not forget that it did have an EV before
this, a joint venture with Tesla, the RAV4 EV
961.56 -> Is the bZ4X worth a test drive?
965.64 -> Of course it is. For starters electric vehicles
are all very expensive and you should do your
972.42 -> homework. You never know what s going to
click with you. Plus this is comfortable.
977.22 -> It s fun to drive, it s practical and it has
good tech. Would I like more range and faster
983.88 -> charge speed? Of course and the name is a little
awkward but I think we can all get over that.
991.98 -> The bZ4X won t be sold in the
same numbers as Camry or RAV4,
996.78 -> and won t satisfy critics that feel Toyota is
dragging its feet on battery electric vehicles.
1002.48 -> But brand loyalists have an EV they can call
their own even if name is kind of weird.
1011 -> I m going through my usual checklist- pure
EVs are not for everyone, especially people
1016.52 -> that live in apartments and condos. Cars that
use gas will be around for some time. Coal,
1023.36 -> to generate electricity is on the decline and
renewables are on the rise, so electric cars
1029.06 -> are better for the environment in the long run.
But, don t get to smug if you re an EV driver,
1034.76 -> they still have a large carbon footprint.
Take mass transit, ride a bike or walk. Yes,
1042.2 -> mining for battery minerals is invasive, so
is the extraction of petroleum products. AND,
1049.82 -> please stop saying save the planet . The
planet will be around a long time. It s
1055.94 -> the environment and us that need to
be saved. There. I ve said my piece.
1064.4 -> Well look who showed up. It s Martin Campbell.
You know he drives so I can shoot running footage
1071 -> so please thank him. He bever talks!
1081.26 -> Oh and if you re thinking that
hydrogen is the way forward,
1084.74 -> that doesn t seem to be gaining ground.
And all the smart people I ve talked to in
1089.66 -> transportation think it s much better
suited to large trucks like semis.
1104.54 -> That's how I feel about the whole new Toyota
BZ 4X before I go. I think I've mentioned a
1111.74 -> couple times that I shoot these videos and one
of my baseline requirements. Is that the car at
1118.64 -> least be respectively clean right mean even if I
don't like the vehicle it needs to present well
1125.9 -> am I end up wiping the vehicles down at least
six or seven times during a shoot when it's
1132.08 -> sloppy sometimes more and there are a couple
of outages so one I get an arm workouts got a
1139.1 -> little definition going on there, but the main
reason the main advantages it really gives you
1145.7 -> a good look at the vehicle where the designer
put the cut lines in the sways lines. It just
1151.76 -> gives you a much better look at the design it's
very helpful. What are the reasons why I suggest
1158.24 -> handwashing your car is a great idea because
you're really get to know the design a lot better.
1164.9 -> I'm a nerd that way. Thanks for watching.
Remember to subscribe to this channel.
1170.66 -> Click notifications follow me on social
media. I'm on post now and if you have
1176.78 -> a question leave it in the comments OK I'll try
to get back to you that's driven I'm Tom Voelk.
Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n-qIUvhfhXk