A Glimpse of An Everyday Future
Okay, so how’s your experimentation with electric vehicles going?
Ah, so you’re still driving a hybrid huh? Well, you and many others it’s fair to say as hybrid sales have been up big time over the last few years – culminating in a staggering 69% increase here in New Zealand between 2022 and 2023. Far greater than the increases in either plug-in hybrids or electric-only vehicles over the same period. So, obviously most of us are still taking the soft entry into this big new scary post-‘fossil fuel’ world.
But this state of affairs can’t and won’t last as fossil fuels become increasingly unacceptable throughout society and are squarely in the sights of governments all over the world via initiatives such as the Clean Car Discount program here. And, sorry to break the news to you, but hybrid vehicles still use petrol despite their crowd-pleasing electrical power train aspect. Sure, hybrids are likely to be around for a while longer as there seems to be no real agreement on any sunset date for petrol use anywhere at all – with even Toyota’s CEO Akio Toyoda calling the US government’s goal of 50% of new car sales being electric by 2030 a ‘tough ask’.
Still, the writing has been laser-cut into the wall and at some point, we are all going to have to make the big leap into the dark unknown. Whether that is sooner or later largely depends on our inner Early Adopter ratio.
The good news is; that every day that leap seems a little less daunting and our target drop zone seems a tiny bit lighter and more defined. This is because the electric cars themselves resemble their petrol equivalents – without the emissions of course – more and more in power, comfort and, increasingly, in traveling range too.
A perfect case in point is the all-new Toyota bZ4X which is the marque’s first foray into battery electric vehicles. But in contrast to say a Tesla, which aspires to match Elon Musk’s limitless ego, the bZ4X is first and foremost an everyday car. This was always an extremely important design aspect for Toyota who have spent decades striving to meet the needs of everyday people as opposed to the discerning few. Just because it is the first Toyota to feature an exciting new fully electrical power train doesn’t mean tossing the baby out with the bathwater. The bZ4X is a Toyota first and a whole new ballgame second, so driving one feels familiar like all the other Toyotas you’ve driven over the years.
That doesn’t mean it isn’t impressive, as my daughter can attest as her first observation upon getting into the bZ4X was; ‘wow! It’s like stepping into the future!’ This is, in part, thanks to a futuristic design, bold lines and assertive stance. The distinct front grille, combined with a sleek silhouette, makes it approachable but in a way that also says “Let’s go, I’m ready for business!” Part of this visionary experience is also from all the room she’s not used to in our petrol-powered family cars. Due to the lack of all the space required for a combustion engine, the bZ4X feels like a bigger car internally than its external size should warrant. The thin high-capacity 71.4kWh battery pack placed under the cabin floor helps open up the space while the deliberately longer wheelbase chosen by Toyota Chief Engineer Masaya Uchiyama also assists in delivering a low centre of gravity and a better weight distribution. This helps create the ease of driving traditionally with a Toyota and feeds the focus Uchiyama-san wanted on comfort for both driver and passengers.
The technology you’d expect from a Toyota is also there highlighted by a clever 12.3-inch navigation screen which Uchiyama-san said is to be positioned in a way to improve driver visibility. This touchscreen serves as the hub for all navigation, media, and vehicle settings, integrating seamlessly with both Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. The instrument panel gets a dose of tactile luxury with soft-touch materials, while ergonomic seating provides support and comfort for weary dads, even on longer journeys. And it’s not just hi-tech futurism at play, some good old-school practicality is evident in the ample storage spaces and the thoughtful placement of controls, which are intuitively reachable and visually minimalistic. This design philosophy extends throughout the cabin, combining a clean, modern aesthetic with advanced technological features.
The bZ4X comes in two primary configurations: the front-wheel drive Pure and the all-wheel drive Motion. Both benefit from Toyota’s eAxle technology which integrates the transaxle, motor generator, and inverter. The Pure offers a robust 150kW power output, which provides enough oomph to handle daily commutes and long hauls with equal ease. For those who want even more vigor, the Motion variant ups the ante with a 160kW output and incorporates the X-Mode system to enhance the vehicle’s drive system.
The bZ4X Motion taps into some serious Toyota pedigree in ruggedness. Tested on the same grueling courses as the next-generation Land Cruiser Prado, the bZ4X has proven it can handle anything from steep, dusty climbs to slippery, mud-caked descents.
To help with this terrain negotiation the Motion gets 20” black and machined finished alloys with resin accents while the Pure rides on 18” alloy wheels with an aerodynamic silver and black metallic full resin cover.
As you would expect from Toyota, the bZ4X also takes safety very, very seriously. It features a 5-star ANCAP safety rating, Pre-Collision System which includes vehicle, pedestrian, cyclist, and motorcycle detection, Intersection Collision Avoidance Support and Emergency Steering Assist. Even the body structure features a multi-directional crash-response design to protect passengers, batteries, and other vehicles in a collision.
The Motion variant also comes with additional parking assistance including a Panoramic View Monitor, a Blind Spot Monitor with safe exit assist, a Driver Monitor Camera and Toyota teammate advanced parking system. And this isn’t just an ‘assist’ program – it’s the whole nine yards. I have to admit I hadn’t used this feature before so found it a little disconcerting the first time! It does require some clear reference points, i.e.; either some solid park line markings or a space between two already parked cars, in order to function. But if you have that then operation couldn’t really be any easier; you just press start on your screen then lift your hands clear of the steering wheel – and your feet clear of the accelerator and brake and the car parks itself. Driverless motoring here we come!
And when you are ready to hit the road again, the 71.4kWh battery provides impressive range. It is also compatible with 150kW DC fast chargers; capable of 10% – 80% charge in around 30 minutes. And this is the thing. Sooner or later petrol is going to be a goneburger as a fuel source and electrically-powered vehicles will be the dominant vehicles on the road – or in the sky! Luckily for us, these BEVs have at least caught up to their petrol-fueled contemporaries so they are an easier switch option now. The Toyota bZ4X goes a step further in making that transition even simpler by replicating those comforting drives we had of old, with the new exciting vehicles of the future and without the sacrifice or compromise.