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A new Toyota SUV sized like the automaker’s popular RAV4 will usher the automaker into the electric era.
The BZ4X, which derives its name from the new “Beyond Zero” subbrand of Toyota
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electric cars set to hit roads over the next few years, is sized and even styled about like the RAV4. It features a 71.4-kWh battery pack and a choice of front- or all-wheel drive. With 214 horsepower in all-wheel-drive form, the BZ4X won’t be about Tesla-level acceleration, though Toyota did quote a 7.7-second 0-60 mph sprint.
The 2023 Toyota BZ4X
Toyota
Instead, the BZ4X is likely to emphasize its range and its value. Pricing has not been announced, but the car’s range, when converted from the global WLTP test cycle to that used by the Environmental Protection Agency and largely considered more accurate for American roads, is likely to approach 300 miles on a full charge.
On a Level 3 charger, Toyota says to expect an 80% top-off in just 30 minutes.
The 2023 Toyota BZ4X
Toyota
The car looks sort of like a RAV4 that has been given a Hollywood sci-fi treatment. Inside, its low dash has two screens — one for instrumentation and another for infotainment functions. A roof-mounted solar panel will be offered in certain markets, though it’s unclear if the U.S. will see that feature. Also not clear if it will make it here is an aircraft yoke-style steering wheel with a flat bottom.
Read next: Should you get an electric car? Here are some pros and cons
It’s expected that Toyota will reveal U.S.-market specifics over the next few months.
This story originally ran on Autotrader.com.
