Toyota helped usher in an era of environmentally-friendly cars with the Prius and its lineup of hybrid vehicles. However, the Japanese automaker has been slow in its pursuit of electric vehicles. With the bZ4X EV, Toyota makes a foray into the electric crossover SUV segment. Read more to find out the release date, price, and specs of the 2023 Toyota bZ4X.

When will the 2023 Toyota bZ4X be available?

The 2023 Toyota bZ4X entered the market in mid-2022 and is now available at Toyota dealerships. In addition to international markets, the Toyota bZ4X is now available nationwide.

How much is the 2023 Toyota bZ4X?

The starting price of the 2023 Toyota bZ4X is $42,000 MSRP for the XLE trim and $46,700 MSRP for the Limited trim. Also, customers may be eligible for the $7,500 federal EV tax credit for the bZ4X.

What does ‘bZ’ stand for in the Toyota bZ4X?

The “bZ” in the Toyota bZ4X stands for “beyond Zero.” It highlights Toyota’s commitment to producing cars that produce zero emissions, and beyond. The automaker will likely produce many vehicles with the “bZ” acronym, similar to what Volkswagen does with the ID family of electric vehicles. 

Toyota bZ4X specs: Range, charging, horsepower, and acceleration

During the debut of the bZ4X Concept earlier this year, Toyota didn’t reveal much information about its specs. However, for its recent announcement of a production version, the automaker provided more details about the specs of the electric crossover SUV. 

The bZ4X has a standard front-wheel drive electric motor, which generates 201 hp. It offers an option for a dual-motor all-wheel drive version, which boosts the output to 215 hp. The 0-62 mph acceleration time of the all-wheel drive bZ4X is 7.7 seconds. While this doesn’t come close to matching the acceleration time of the Tesla Model Y, it’s similar to the Volkswagen ID.4.

All bZ4X models have a 64.0-kWh battery pack. With the front-wheel drive setup for the bZ4X, the battery pack provides 230 miles of electric range. With the all-wheel drive system, the range of the bZ4X drops to 200 miles. DC Fast charging will be standard for the bZ4X, with it able to reach an 80% charge in 30 minutes. Also, the bZ4X offers a solar roof panel, which adds another 1,000 miles of driving range each year. 

Exterior and interior design of the Toyota bZ4X

The design of the production version of the bZ4X doesn’t differ much from the concept model. It has a fairly traditional design. The bZ4X shares design elements of the Toyota RAV4 and Venza and slots in between those two crossover SUVs with regard to the size.

Inside the bZ4X, the cabin is more futuristic compared to other Toyota models. A standout feature is the yoke-type steering wheel (instead of a round one) that’s similar to the one found in the Tesla Model S. For passenger and cargo space, the bZ4X is comparable to the RAV4, but official interior specs are not yet available.

This article was updated on 7/27/2022 with the latest release and price information.