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Bloomberg
Toyota Motor Corp is kicking off its first series of electric vehicles bound for the global market with a battery-powered SUV that the Japanese automaker says embodies the reliability and efficiency underpinning the Toyota brand.
The “bZ4X,†which resembles Toyota’s popular Rav-4, is set for release in North America, Japan, China and Europe in mid-2022, the company said. With an estimated range of around 500 kilometers (310 miles) per charge, the bZ4X is the first of seven “bZ†series EV models the automaker plans to introduce globally by 2025.
Toyota, the world’s biggest automaker, has been slower to build its presence in EV arena compared with rivals such as Volkswagen, which began shipping its flagship ID.3 EV in 2020.
Even so, the bZ4X is based off more than two decades of experience with battery-powered cars, according to Toyota General Manager Daisuke Ido.
Since releasing the world’s first mass-produced hybrid car, the Prius, in 1997, Toyota has gained a strong command of batteries and energy efficiency, according to Ido. The car’s heating system and battery temperature-control mechanisms work to boost efficiency, enabling it to drive long distances on a battery that’s not too bulky or heavy, Ido said.