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Category: Toyota bZ4x

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  • Toyota unveils 2026 bZ: A smarter, longer-range electric SUV

    Toyota is back in the electric SUV game with the 2026 bZ, a major refresh of its bZ4X that finally delivers on two of the biggest demands from EV drivers: more range and faster charging.

    The headline news is the improved driving range. Toyota now estimates up to 314 miles on a single charge for the front-wheel-drive model with the larger 74.7-kWh battery—about 60 miles more than the outgoing bZ4X. All-wheel-drive variants also get a boost, with up to 288 miles of range depending on trim.

    Charging speeds haven’t increased in terms of raw kilowatts (still capped at 150 kW for DC fast charging), but Toyota has significantly improved how long peak speeds are sustained. With preconditioning enabled—especially helpful in colder weather—the new bZ can charge from 10% to 80% in about 30 minutes. Also new: Plug and Charge support for automatic payment at compatible stations and full adoption of the North American Charging Standard (NACS), meaning access to Tesla Superchargers will be standard by 2026.

    Under the hood, or rather the floor, Toyota has swapped in higher-performance silicon carbide components to improve efficiency and power delivery. The AWD version now produces up to 338 horsepower and sprints from 0–60 mph in a brisk 4.9 seconds.

    Toyota didn’t stop at just the powertrain. The exterior has been cleaned up, with body-colored wheel arches replacing the black cladding, and a sleeker front fascia. Inside, a larger 14-inch touchscreen now houses climate controls, giving the dash a more refined and less cluttered appearance. There’s also more usable storage thanks to a redesigned center console.

    With the 2026 bZ, Toyota seems to be responding directly to critiques of the bZ4X. It’s faster, more efficient, and more driver-friendly—finally bringing Toyota’s EV efforts up to speed.

  • Subaru’s electric comeback starts now: Trailseeker EV to debut in NYC

    Subaru is finally accelerating into the EV fast lane. The automaker is officially teasing the 2026 Trailseeker, an all-new electric SUV set to debut at the New York International Auto Show next week. While details are still scarce, the Trailseeker marks Subaru’s long-awaited second entry into the EV space, joining the Solterra — and the expectations couldn’t be higher.

    The teaser image offers only a glimpse of the Trailseeker’s rear badge and taillight, but the name alone suggests rugged ambitions. It’s a clear nod to Subaru’s outdoorsy heritage. But in the EV space, the outdoors belongs to brands like Rivian, whose upcoming R2 compact SUV is already turning heads. The Trailseeker is Subaru’s chance to reassert its identity in an electric age.

    Currently, Subaru’s only EV is the Solterra, a joint venture with Toyota that shares a platform with the bZ4X. While the Solterra nails some Subaru essentials — all-wheel drive, spaciousness, and off-road capability — it falls short on key EV metrics. Reviewers have pointed to its modest 225-mile range, slow 100kW charging, and unremarkable acceleration, especially compared to rivals like the Hyundai Ioniq 5  or Ford Mustang Mach-E.

    The hope is that Subaru has learned from these criticisms and is poised to deliver a more competitive product. The Trailseeker could either be a variation of a newer Toyota EV (possibly the next-gen C-HR+), or something entirely new under the shared platform strategy. Subaru previously announced that its next three EVs would be co-developed with Toyota, before launching four in-house EVs by 2028.

    Given how long Subaru has waited to expand its EV offerings, the Trailseeker has to deliver. It’s not just about adding a second electric model — it’s about keeping pace with a market rapidly leaving legacy automakers behind. If the Trailseeker can improve on the Solterra’s shortcomings and channel that classic Subaru ruggedness into a truly modern EV, it might just be the spark the brand needs.

  • Toyota shifts gears: 15 New EVs and a million cars by 2027

    After years of cautiously navigating the electric vehicle (EV) market, Toyota is finally ramping up its commitment to fully electric vehicles.

    The Japanese automaker, which has long relied on hybrids, is now planning to develop about 15 fully electric models by 2027, up from five currently. These models will include vehicles under the Toyota and Lexus brands, with production expected to reach 1 million units annually by that year, according to a report from Nikkei.

    This strategy marks a significant shift for Toyota, which has thus far remained conservative in its approach to electric cars. The company sold just 140,000 EVs globally in 2024—representing less than 2% of its total global sales. Despite this, Toyota is aiming for a much larger presence in the EV market, targeting approximately 35% of its global production to be electric by the end of the decade.

    The Nikkei report suggests the company plans to diversify its production footprint beyond Japan and China and expanding into the U.S., Thailand, and Argentina. This would help mitigate the impact of President Donald Trump’s 25% tariffs on all car imports, as well as reduce delivery times. Toyota is also building a battery plant in North Carolina.

    For now, Toyota has only two fully electric vehicles on the U.S. market: The bZ4X  and the Lexus RZ models. The Japanese automaker is expected to introduce new models like the bZ5X and a potential electric version of the popular Tacoma pickup.

    Separately, Toyota and Honda, along with South Korea’s Hyundai, all announced on April 4 that they would not be raising prices, at least over the next couple of months, following the imposition of U.S. tariffs. According to a separate Nikkei report, Toyota’s North American division has told its suppliers that it will absorb the extra costs of parts imported from Mexico and Canada. Another 25% for automotive parts imported to the U.S. is slated to come into effect on May 3.

  • Toyota tunes up bZ4x with new battery, more power

    Earlier today, Toyota and Lexus debuted some improved and some new electric vehicles. The event was focused on the European market, where battery EV penetration is relatively high, and I wouldn’t expect either the Urban Cruiser or C-HR+ crossovers to show up on sale in the US. But we’ll likely find the upgrades to the Toyota bZ4x and the closely related Lexus RZ, or at least some of them, in North American models at some point.

    The revised bZ4x will come in three powertrain options, at least in the EU, all with new battery packs. There’s a 165 hp (123 kW) front-wheel drive version coupled to a smaller-capacity 57.7 kWh battery pack (which I would not expect to come to the US), and then 221 hp (165 kW) FWD and 337 (252 kW) all-wheel drive options, both of which use a new 73.1 kWh battery pack.

    For comparison, the bZ4xs that went on sale in the US several years ago are offered with either a 71.4 kWh pack for FWD or a 72.8 kWh pack for AWD versions.

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