Toyota’s first electric SUV, bZ4X concept: First impressions

The Toyota bZ4X concept will be the company's first battery powered SUV.

The Shanghai Auto Show is underway and to give the audience a show, Toyota unwrapped the bz4X concept, its first battery powered SUV.

The bZ4X is just the start of Toyota’s ‘Beyond Zero’ electrification strategy. It aims to launch electric vehicles by 2025, the first of which will be the bZ4X electric SUV.

Let’s talk about the design first. The bZ4X looks exactly the way you would expect an electrified SUV would look. It is butch no doubt, but it features heavy angles and sharp lines that push it into future. There is no grille and instead, a black strip that houses sensors for autonomous driving tech. Headlamps are slim and angled and the air intakes flank the bumper in narrow slits.

The side profile shows a coupe-esque roofline and strong blacked out wheel arches

Off to the side, you see blacked out wheel arches and a coupe-esque roofline. The rear features a red LED strip that runs along the width of the car and overflows onto the sides of the car. There is obviously no exhaust port but the angled bumper and tailgate give it a look that says ‘heavy duty’.

Details on the powertrain are currently still fairly secretive, but what we expect is at least a dual-motor set up sending power to all four wheels. The bZ4X is also expected to get Solar charging capabilities for better range.

Except for the steering wheel, most of the elemets should make it into proudction form

As for the interiors, except for the steering wheel, most of the elements look like they will make it to production. The instrument cluster is set on top of the dashboard, but low enough to not be distracting. The infotainment system is a large standing screen compete with connected car tech.

Now, there is no direct timeline for the launch of the bZ4X SUV just yet and an India launch, too, we can only wait and see. Speaking of India, Toyota only recently launched the Fortuner SUV and Toyota’s partnership with Maruti Suzuki is also going to spawn a new Ciaz based sedan.