The driving range on s single charge and other features of its bZ4X sport utility vehicle (SUV) was disclosed recently by Japan’s Toyota Motor Corp.

This is the first in a series of electric-only models of the vehicle being manufactured by Toyota and the company has set a target of launching the vehicles globally to gain more ground in the zero-emissions electric vehicles market.

15 new battery-powered electric vehicles will be launched by the largest car company in the world in terms of production capacity across the globe by 2025. However, compared to the plans of its rival of the United States such as General Motors Co and Ford Motor Co, the plans of the Japanese company appear to be modest at best.  

Neither the price range nor the sales target of the new for the bZ4X vehicle was announced by Toyota. However, it said that it would be able to bring down the generally high costs of manufacturing electric vehicles through its plans of joint development and procurement of the key components with affiliate Subaru Corp.

Toyota said a mixed line with gasoline-engine cars, both in Japan and China, would initially be used for the building of the model. The Japanese company said that starting in mid-2022, the vehicle would be sold in Japan, North America, China, and Europe.

The new electric car from the company will be available in front-wheel and four-wheel drive variants, with the former having a range of roughly 500 kilometres (310 miles). In the absence of a charging station or in crisis situations, a roof-mounted solar panel may be utilized to charge the battery, according to Toyota.

The potential of hybrid vehicles, a category it has dominated for more than 20 years, has for long been touted by Toyota – which is considered to be a latecomer to the mass battery-powered electric vehicle industry. Toyota has for long favored hybrid vehicles because of their lower price and accessibility and by extension and sees it playing a greater role in reducing the emission of carbon dioxide.

An investment of $13.5 billion through 2030 on electric vehicles batteries would be made by Toyota even as governments tighten zero-emissions regulations. The company is also slated to launch seven bZ series models by 2025.

(Adapted from CarAndBike.com)