Toyota News: Toyota bZ4X BEV Details Released

[David]

Toyota bZ4X is their start of catching up to the rest of the auto industry in having BEVs. Toyota announced the details of this new BEV with the following bullet points per their press release:

• Contribution to SDGs based on the concept of "home planet"
  Toyota's approach to carbon neutrality is "practical and sustainable," aiming to reduce CO2 with products that are easy to use and highly appealing.
• The TOYOTA bZ series adopts a BEV-dedicated platform that aims for a value greater than zero ("beyond Zero"). The bZ4X has the excitement of an SUV-style BEV, driving appeal, and is the first model of the Toyota's bZ series, which emphasizes safety and peace of mind. It will be launched worldwide in the middle of 2022.
• Toyota is promoting the deployment of BEVs in its full lineup, starting with the bZ4X.

For those auto fans that want the fine details, here they are on their first BEV, an FWD/4WD suv. Compared to competition, much slower, heavier and very questionable about delivering on the battery range based on this info provided by Toyota.

With the basic details done, lets hit on how Toyota is marketing this BEV and the message they are trying to transmit to the world.

Practical and Sustainable

Toyota is using this phrase to talk about their reduction in C02 emissions with a goal of achieving carbon neutrality by 2050. This they believe can be achieved by building a global portfolio of HEVs, PHEVs, BEVs and FCEVs.

"bZ" Toyota's New Value Provided by "beyond Zero"

This is Toyota's way of establishing the following four target values.

1. You & Others

In addition to comfortable cabins, Toyota bZ offers a new lifestyle and the opportunity to spend precious time with family and friends.

1. You & Your Car

Toyota bZ delivers the BEV's unique joy of driving and excitement at anticipated possibilities.

1. You & the Environment

Toyota bZ will not only reduce CO2 and other emissions―it aims to contribute positively to the environment.

1. You & Society

Toyota bZ aims to create a safer society where everyone enjoys greater peace of mind.

bZ4X Vehicle Overview

1. Cars that are more than just a means of transport, able to provide enjoyable time and space for passengers, with the "activity hub" concept

2. Toyota bZ4X adopts a BEV-dedicated platform (first for Toyota) based on e-TNGA philosophy, to achieve impressive driving performance through a low center of gravity and greater rigidity.

3. Performance Focused on Safety and Peace of Mind

Details of the bZ4X

This is an interesting area for Toyota as they try to copy Rivian with marketing this as "new lifestyle and the opportunity to spend precious time with family and friends."

They say this is part of the You & Others section with a spacious, quiet, relaxing space, extra wide cabin, home-like comfort, a space to stimulate conversation.

Seems the focus is on performance for safe, convenient driving. Heat pump AC, seat and steering wheel heaters, front-seat radiant foot-heating (first for Toyota) and they top it with a 150-kW compatible quick charging, recharging 80% of the battery pack in 30 minutes.

Toyota then goes on to the You & Your Car, how the bZ4X delivers joy of driving and excitement due to the following points.

• Low center of gravity innovations
  • Thin high-capacity battery pack placed flat under the floor
  • E-axle, integrating motor, transaxle and inverter (a Toyota first)
  • Electricity Supply Unit (ESU) consolidating charging and power distribution functions (a first for Toyota)
• Greater rigidity innovations
  • Hot stamp materials used in key framework parts, adoption of a lightweight, high-rigidity body structure partially made of high tensile steel
  • Enhancement of rigidity of various parts including around the battery pack, areas where the BEV unit and radiator are installed, and around forward and rear suspension
• Driving that leverages motor drive characteristics
  • Agile response, sense of linear acceleration, high-precision output control (Lightening of acceleration/deceleration control and driver pedal operation, slip suppression control on slippery roads, etc.)
  • Improved turning and stability through independent control of front and rear motors (AWD)
  • Adoption of Subaru's AWD technology and X-MODE (AWD vehicle, a first for Toyota). Also, Grip-Control was newly developed and installed as a new feature for X-MODE. By leveraging motor drive characteristics, it is suited to everything from everyday driving to light off-road driving and more, achieving off-road performance exceeding expectations in BEVs

Interesting observation is that Toyota seems to cling to the ICE age in poorly routed wiring and keeping a transmission tunnel that is used for the core wires. At a time when they are using a new platform built from scratch, this is a poor engineering design by not incorporating it into the floor better IMHO.

Toyota then continues this conversation of a new driving experience.

Cockpit that emphasizes meter visibility

• Meters are positioned to be visible through the upper part of the steering wheel (top-mounted meters, a first for Toyota) Emphasizes ease of viewing by reducing eye movement and enabling a distance point of focus
• Modularized driving controls including a steering column, adopting a wing-shape that promotes eye guidance from hands to meters

One-motion grip^*4 combining steer-by-wire system and uniquely shaped steering wheel (A Toyota first)

Some models adopt the steer-by-wire system, where there is no mechanical connection between the steering wheel and tires. Characteristics of this are listed below

• Lock-to-lock is set at around 150 degrees, eliminating the need to change grips when steering, greatly reducing the burden on the driver for U-turn, garage parking and on winding roads
• The steering feeling is improved through independently controlling the steering torque that the driver feels and the steering angle of the tires. Steering characteristics can be changed with drive mode select
• Blocks unnecessary vibrations from tires and only transmits necessary vibrations such as road information. System controls tire movement to ensure vehicle stability when driving on uneven surfaces or when Lane Tracing Assist is activated
• One-motion grip provides more legroom, improving driving position freedom and ease of entry and exit

*4	For the Chinese market, thereafter, for other markets, it will steadily be fitted on vehicles launched from 2022 onwards

Dial type shift (a first for Toyota)

• Pursuing a simple and easy-to-operate impression

Styling that expresses the innovation of BEV and the impact of SUV

Based on the design theme "Hi-Tech and Emotion," we strived to create a form combining an advanced BEV feel with the inherent beauty of cars, aiming to create advanced and sleek, powerful styling unique to SUVs.

• Side view

Aiming for sleek proportions and expressing an unconstrained silhouette that takes advantage of the long wheelbase with the tires placed at the four corners

• Front view

The corners with aero dynamic items and the thin shape of the bumper expresses the uniqueness of the BEV. Also, the large hammerhead shark-like shape running from the hood to the top of the headlamps is uniquely iconic

• Rear view

The rear combination lamps, back door, and bumper, which have the trapezoidal theme heading to tires, creates a powerful stance

As many people have stated, styling is a very subjective area on an auto and the bZ4X is an ECLECTIC style to say the least and not necessarily in a good way, yet there are those that seem to be very smitten with Toyota's current styling direction.

Latest infotainment system

Multimedia system

• The bZ4X adopts cloud navigation that uses map information on the cloud to obtain traffic information and parking space availability information in a timely manner. Additionally, BEV specialized services such as driving support, charging station display, driving support display, and driving range display are available

Enhanced voice-recognition function

• Also able to operate wipers and air-conditioning

Over-the-air (OTA = wireless) software updates

• Software updates to improve performance are possible for the latest preventive safety package, Toyota Safety Sense, and the multimedia system without needing to visit a dealership

Digital Key (specially equipped vehicles)

• With a smartphone, users can lock, unlock and start the system without screen operation. Digital keys can be handed over between smartphones, making it easy for family and friends to borrow and lend vehicles remotely

You & the Environment

Energy-generating BEVs

• Roof Solar Panel that can generate the equivalent of 1,800 km of driving distance per year.

Proactive initiatives of recycling to reduce CO2 creation. Auto's that are built by reuse, recycle of materials from the outside to the inside.

One can only hope that with the use of recycled materials that the interiors will be of a competitive quality level, yet the above picture of the rear storage area makes one go Hmmmmmmmmmm. 

You & Society

Latest preventive safety performances

• Latest Toyota Safety Sense

In order to realize the ultimate wish of the mobility society―"zero fatalities and injuries in traffic accidents"―the bZ4X adopts the evolved Toyota Safety Sense. By expanding the detection range of the millimeter wave radar and monocular camera, we have enhanced the performance of each function and added new functions to assist on ordinary roads. The aim is to prevent accidents, further reduce traffic fatalities and injuries, and ease the burden on drivers.

• Adopts the Toyota Advanced Park advanced driver assistance technology (with remote function) (specially equipped vehicles)

Pursues Collision safety performance expected of BEVs

• An omni-directional crash-response structure to protect passengers, batteries, and the other vehicle

• BEV unit compartment is fitted with a cross framework firmly connecting left and right front-side members to boost collision energy absorption
• Two cross-members are located in front of the vehicle to reduce harm to the other vehicle
• Strong framework created at the cabin front to achieve full under-floor mounting of the battery pack
• Adopts a structure that distributes input load over multiple routes in a collision to stabilize and protect the cabin and battery pack in frontal or side collisions

Battery safety

• By strengthening measures to prevent and detect signs of battery failure, and introducing new technologies, have adopted a design and multiple monitoring system that ensures safety and security in case of emergency

• Thorough production process that eliminates contamination, which is a cause of abnormal heating
• Redundant monitoring of battery voltage, current, and temperature to detect signs and occurrence of abnormal heating to prevent overheating
• Newly introduced the use of high-resistance coolant, which prevents fire from short circuits even if there is leakage of the battery's liquid coolant
• Newly introduced the use of a high-capacity battery pack integrated with the body to ensure protection in the event of a collision

External power supply function

• DC external power supply function (Japanese specifications)

• Can connect to a power feeder to supply high-output electricity to homes and home appliances for outdoor activities, and during disasters and other emergencies
• When used with home solar power generation, solar power can supply electricity to the house in the daytime, surplus electricity can be used to recharge the vehicle via a power feeder, and electricity stored in the vehicle can be used to power the home at night

More photos of the all-new Toyota BEV bZ4X can be viewed here:

 

All of this is provided via the extensive press release at the link below if you are wanting even more information and is the property of Toyota.

 

Details of All-New bZ4X BEV Announced | Toyota | Global Newsroom | Toyota Motor Corporation Official Global Website

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[balthazar]

Edsel featured here recently looks world's more appealing than this hot grey mess.

And... a 185" SUV that weights 5000 lbs. Wonderful.

[Robert Hall]

7 hours ago, balthazar said:

Edsel featured here recently looks world's more appealing than this hot grey mess.

And... a 185" SUV that weights 5000 lbs. Wonderful.

It is quite a busy design...but it is pretty light weight as far as BEV CUVs go.  the 4 target values make for some interesting marketing-speak.  

Edited March 16, 2022 by Robert Hall

[balthazar]

Model S is a foot longer and weighs 300-500 lbs less.

[surreal1272]

1 hour ago, balthazar said:

Model S is a foot longer and weighs 300-500 lbs less.

You're taking the Bill Wise mantle in stride aren't you? The S weighs less because of two things:

 1. It is a sedan while this is a CUV/SUV (Toyota calls it an SUV). Length does not factor that heavily here.

 

2. The Model S is built cheap as $h! to begin with hence that lighter weight. This has already been discussed on may occasions.

 

The comparison is like comparing an Equinox to the Malibu. The Malibu is ten inches longer while weighing 300 lbs less in most trims. It is a pointless comparison, is the lesson here because they are two different types of vehicles.

 

Any other phantom complaints about the obvious?

[balthazar]

toyoter certainly is no stellar build, plus its a full decade newer than the Model S. Just hoping the weight on these starts going the other direction from ‘up’.

[Robert Hall]

It will be interesting to see how GM's competitor weighs...the Blazer BEV or Equinox BEV or whatever...I can't imagine it will weigh less.  I don't think they will be as obese as the Hummer or Silverado EVs, but I don't think they will be as light as the ICE versions...

Edited March 16, 2022 by Robert Hall

[surreal1272]

15 minutes ago, balthazar said:

toyoter certainly is no stellar build, plus its a full decade newer than the Model S. Just hoping the weight on these starts going the other direction from ‘up’

Okay SMK, I am going to say to you what I have to him in these incidences. Until you have sat and driven said car that has yet to be sold here, you have no clue as to its "stellarness" in regards to its build. You are only using your past bias about a company you clearly don't like no matter what they put out. You are moving the bar too. You made a pointless weight comparison and now you are just saying to want them to weigh less (which you supported by comparing a sedan to a CUV). Just pointless and bitching for bitchings sake.

[David]

Interesting, looking at the pictures, I see the bZ4X I posted above has a charge port on both sides of the auto. I wonder if they are doing this to support shorter charge ports so you can charge from either side or if this is just a one off indicating that the side that is the drivers will have the charge port?
Yet the auto above is a right side driving with the dual charge ports. 🤔

I also have to state, I HATE that dash, so busy, cut up and messy looking.

[balthazar]

OK, how about this?
The 185" long toyoter pictured above weighs more than my 241" long, full-frame 4x4 pickup.

I know, I know; not fair comparing a compact SUV to a full-size pickup; I'll stop now.

[Robert Hall]

11 minutes ago, balthazar said:

OK, how about this?
The 185" long toyoter pictured above weighs more than my 241" long, full-frame 4x4 pickup.

I know, I know; not fair comparing a compact SUV to a full-size pickup; I'll stop now.

Isn't your GMC like 6500lbs??

[David]

29 minutes ago, Robert Hall said:

Isn't your GMC like 6500lbs??

According to the web site, 5,270lbs dry weight for a 1500, diesel 3.0L crew cab with standard box. 24-gallon gas tank, so another 192 lbs if the tank is full. Still I am surprised at how heavy this Compact BEV is compared to the competition out there.

Just compared to the Compact ID.4 the Toyota Looses. ID.4 rwd is 4,698 lbs compared to the FWD Toyota at 4,839, then you have the awd comparison, ID.4 is 4884 and bZ4X is 5,016 lbs. I know that the Korean versions are also right in the same weight as the VW, so Toyota is moving much more weight.

[surreal1272]

1 hour ago, balthazar said:

OK, how about this?
The 185" long toyoter pictured above weighs more than my 241" long, full-frame 4x4 pickup.

I know, I know; not fair comparing a compact SUV to a full-size pickup; I'll stop now.

Your truck does not weigh less than 5000 lbs. and now you are conflating, deflecting, and moving the bar all at once. And big shock on any pick up being lighter. Sure, its longer but it also that has that big empty ass bed back there so again, not even close to apples to apples. Hell by your logic, a Tahoe is too heavy since its 30 inches shorter than your truck yet weighs up to 700 lbs more. Maybe you really should stop now since you apparently just love going out of your way to take any $h! on any EV without proper context (most of the time) or merit. Your initial comparo was dumb, end of story. The biggest problem with your "analysis" is that you think that EV weight is such a big damn deal, in the first place. Again, it has been discussed (many times)why this ins't the issue you constantly make it to be. Don't know if you keep ignoring that fact or if you just want to be deliberately confrontational at every EV turn, but there it is.

Edited March 16, 2022 by surreal1272

[balthazar]

According to GM, my '04 3/4-ton crew cab/6.5' 2500HD 6.6L was 5892.
This is supported, because going over the scale at the scrap yard (AFTER unloading), but with me & my tools in it, it weighed right about 6500. 

According to GM, my '21 1/2-ton crew cab/6.5' 1500 3.0L is 4867.

What did you guys see when you looked up GM-spec weights on specific pickups?

The 'trunk' on a pickup doesn't have a 'trunklid', but the 'trunk sides' are double-walled, so that's a virtual wash. It also has 3 layers of steel across the mid-section (rear wall of cab, double front wall of box), and the tailgate is double-walled. That more than makes up for 'not having a trunklid'.

Edited March 16, 2022 by balthazar

[balthazar]

...Tahoes ARE fat; wow.

[surreal1272]

1 hour ago, balthazar said:

According to GM, my '04 3/4-ton crew cab/6.5' 2500HD 6.6L was 5892.
This is supported, because going over the scale at the scrap yard (AFTER unloading), but with me & my tools in it, it weighed right about 6500. 

According to GM, my '21 1/2-ton crew cab/6.5' 1500 3.0L is 4867.

What did you guys see when you looked up GM-spec weights on specific pickups?

The 'trunk' on a pickup doesn't have a 'trunklid', but the 'trunk sides' are double-walled, so that's a virtual wash. It also has 3 layers of steel across the mid-section (rear wall of cab, double front wall of box), and the tailgate is double-walled. That more than makes up for 'not having a trunklid'.

Exactly how many more excuses are you going to make here? Duh! EVs are heavier than their IC counterparts. This is a shock to literally no one but you apparently.

 

And that bed and its "double wall" is in no way even remotely as heavy as the same back end of a Tahoe or an even closer comparo (since they are built on the same damn platform), a Suburban. A Suburban is closer to the length of your truck than a Tahoe and weighs more at 6,000lbs (minimum). Stop acting like these are equal here. FFS. You have 6.5ft of an empty space truck bed that you are attempting to compare to the rear of an SUV that has a roof, seats, airbags, insulation out the ass, etc. If you don't see how this DOES NOT COMPARE, then there is literally no hope for you here. 

 

The point here is that is ignorant to compare and SUVs weight to a damn pick up. It is just baffling that this has to explained to someone with such knowledge about cars over the decades. 

What's heavier @balthazar? An empty crate or the same size crate with several hundred lbs. in it (like seats, a roof, etc)? Apples to damn apples.

Edited March 16, 2022 by surreal1272

[surreal1272]

Anytime Balth brings up the weight of any EV.

[balthazar]

OK, buddy; I'll go sit in the corner and think about my behavior for a while. 

[smk4565]

15 hours ago, balthazar said:

Edsel featured here recently looks world's more appealing than this hot grey mess.

And... a 185" SUV that weights 5000 lbs. Wonderful.

The Mach-E is 4,920 lbs.  These EV’s are heavy.

[David]

10 minutes ago, smk4565 said:

The Mach-E is 4,920 lbs.  These EV’s are heavy.

Yup especially the EQS, that is one fat jelly bean.

[surreal1272]

45 minutes ago, balthazar said:

OK, buddy; I'll go sit in the corner and think about my behavior for a while. 

I’m sure you will lol…until the next time. 

20 minutes ago, smk4565 said:

The Mach-E is 4,920 lbs.  These EV’s are heavy.

Fun fact: All EVs are heavy. 

[David]

32 minutes ago, surreal1272 said:

Fun fact: All EVs are heavy. 

Looking forward to the use of Solid-state batteries where we can get more power in a much smaller package. That should help with weight reduction imho.

Thinking on this, Tesla says that the next Generation of Tesla Y that will be built with a front and rear mold piece and then the battery section that will now be a structural part will reduce the weight of the Y by 300 to 500 lbs.

If all auto companies move to a mold process of the front, mid and rear sections. WOW will auto repair get possibly fast in regard to accidents, but also more expensive as they replace sections of an auto.

70-part section of the Tesla Y on the left Compared to the single molded piece on the right.

[smk4565]

The key is getting battery weight down.  The Tesla single stamp is good for weight savings, assuming the same structural rigidity.  The downside (to the consumer) is when those get hit in an accident and you have to replace a giant section of the car, the car is going to be totaled.  But then Tesla gets to sell another car, so they won't care.

[surreal1272]

18 minutes ago, smk4565 said:

The key is getting battery weight down.  The Tesla single stamp is good for weight savings, assuming the same structural rigidity.  The downside (to the consumer) is when those get hit in an accident and you have to replace a giant section of the car, the car is going to be totaled.  But then Tesla gets to sell another car, so they won't care.

The Model S weigh 4800 lbs which is basically the same as this Toyota. Their weight savings is mostly in the cheap build with the single stamp method being just for starters.