Toyota goals to attain carbon neutrality by 2050 and firmly believes that “eco cars will contribute to the environment only once they come widespread.” Nevertheless, with a presence in 204 countries, each with differing market conditions, offering a single solution that may meet the necessities of each Toyota customer is just unfeasible.
As an illustration, the shortage of proper infrastructure limits the widespread use of electrical vehicles (EVs) in some countries, and the identical can be true of hydrogen-powered vehicles. There’s also the problem of cost, as customers in certain markets may not have the identical spending power as those in others.
As such, the Japanese carmaker pursues a multi-pathway strategy where quite a lot of low-carbon personal transport solutions are offered that best suit the needs of consumers. This strategy involves developing powertrains of a various types, from hybrid vehicles (HEVs) that were pioneered by the Prius over 20 years ago, to plug-in hybrid vehicles (PHEVs) and fuel cell electric vehicles (FCEV). Battery electric vehicles (BEVs) are also vital on this strategy, with the carmaker announcing recent technologies recently.
This strategy is being applied to all markets that Toyota is entered in, which incorporates Malaysia. At present, UMW Toyota Motor (UMWT) believes HEVs to be the perfect fit here, with the Corolla Cross Hybrid and Innova Zenix Hybrid already on sale. Long before these two, we welcomed the third-generation Prius in 2009 and the Prius c in 2012.
UMWT also sells models powered by efficient petrol and diesel engines, nevertheless it is now looking forward to the launch of Toyota’s first mass-market EV, the bZ4X, which is currently undergoing testing ahead of an official introduction this yr. This unit loaned to us is one in all a couple of registered units making the rounds, and we’re now bringing you a comprehensive gallery of the bZ4X in your viewing pleasure.
By way of specifications, this bZ4X contains a 71.4-kWh lithium-ion battery pack that is sweet for a variety of as much as 500 km following the WLTP standard. The battery powers a front-mounted electric motor rated at 204 PS (201 hp or 150 kW) and 266 Nm of torque, with this setup being the identical one utilized in the Indonesian-spec bZ4X.
The Toyota EV can be available with all-wheel drive in Thailand, whereby it gains a rear electric motor and increased outputs of 218 PS (215 hp or 160 kW) and 337 Nm of torque, but range is reduced to 411 km. For charging, the bZ4X supports a maximum AC input (Type 2) of 6.6 kW in addition to DC fast charging (CCS2) at as much as 150 kW – the latter gets the battery from a 0-80% state of charge in only half-hour.
Equipment found on this particular unit includes LED exterior lighting, 20-inch wheels, a seven-inch digital instrument cluster, a 12.3-inch infotainment touchscreen, dual-zone climate control with rear vents, a wireless phone charger, synthetic leather upholstery, a front dashcam, a powered driver’s seat and tailgate and Toyota Safety Sense driver assistance systems.
Final specifications together with pricing will likely be revealed later when the bZ4X goes on sale here, which could now be sometime next yr. How much do you expect the Toyota EV to be priced at? For reference, the AWD bZ4X retails for 1.836 million baht (RM243,427) in Thailand, while in Indonesia, the FWD bZ4X sells for 1.19 billion rupiah (RM361,729).
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This Article First Appeared At paultan.org
