The Toyota bZ4X electric SUV is coming to shock the world this spring. Toyota has worked hard to avoid the failures that Chevrolet experienced with the Chevy Bolt electric vehicle.

The Chevy Bolt is every EV skeptic’s dream come true

What are the biggest challenges that modern electric vehicles face today? Range anxiety plays a huge role in whether consumers chose to purchase an EV or not. The Bolt had decent range. Chevrolet’s electric vehicle was a huge success until it encountered the issue that would end up costing General Motors millions of dollars.

The Chevy Bolt nameplate was recalled in its entirety (a rare occurrence) because of battery fires. News of Bolt battery fires was too consistent for comfort in 2021. Bolt drivers began to fear that they would lose their homes if they parked the EV in a home garage.

The Chevrolet Bolt is easily one of the most controversial electric vehicles created in this decade. Ironically, it had the makings of the quintessential affordable electric vehicle when it first debuted. Automotive publications and critics praised the vehicle early on.

Today, the Bolt has become a sore point for GM as the automaker has moved on to producing other electric vehicles like the Chevrolet Silverado EV and the Chevy Equinox EV. The Bolt will return, but will consumers ever look at the electric vehicle the same way after learning of its checkered past? Plenty of consumers are skeptical of the practicality and safety of electric vehicles, and the Bolt hasn’t done much to soothe that skepticism.

The Toyota bZ4X attempts to solve a huge electric vehicle problem

Chevy is far from the only automaker that has struggled with producing a reliable electric vehicle. In fact, even some of the most popular electric vehicles have had reliability issues because of the nature of EV battery systems. Some Tesla vehicles couldn’t heat up their cabins and even powered down due to temperature-related issues.

Electric vehicle batteries can be sensitive to extreme heat and cold. Toyota has clearly put thought into the challenges that its electric vehicle will face because the automaker has fitted the bZ4X with a heat pump. This heat pump will ensure that the Toyota bZ4X doesn’t unnecessarily lose battery capacity, power down, or freeze its passengers in the winter.

Battery degradation and temperature-related issues have plagued electric vehicles in recent years, so the bZ4X is a breath of fresh air. The bZ4X may not be as flashy as models like the Mustang Mach-E or Kia EV6, but Toyota is clearly focused on practicality over any “wow factor”.

The Toyota bZ4X could be the most popular electric SUV in the future

Though it seems like Toyota is late to the electric SUV game, the bZ4X is still arriving before EVs from other automakers. The Toyota bZ4X has the potential to rise to the top because it appears to be more affordable than its rivals. Its battery design is another advantage. Toyota has watched and learned. Now it is perfectly positioned to roll out the SUV that is the cornerstone of its electric future. Car and Driver estimates that the bZ4X will start at around $37,000.