She copied Tesla, but turned the “dumbest idea” to perfection. Toyota introduced the first electric car – FonTech

Japanese carmaker Toyota has shunned electromobility, but the trend is clear and electric cars definitely have a future. Toyota therefore jumps on the running train at the last minute and officially introduces the bZ4X electric model, informs The Verge.

We have known about the Toyota bZ4X concept for a long time. Despite the opposition to pure electromobility, the carmaker decided to bring a full-fledged battery car, which also comes with a number of seemingly controversial features.

Toyota

Yoke steering wheel and solar roof

The bZ4X concept thus becomes a full-fledged electric car, which will start production next year. By 2025, Toyota wants to have another 14 clean electric cars on the road.

At first glance, it has a wild name, but it also has a deeper meaning. bZ initially means “beyond zero”, which is basically a new electrification strategy of the Japanese carmaker, informs Electrek. In terms of design, the production version does not differ much from the concept. However, the carmaker finally revealed important technical details to us, which are definitely interesting.

Toyota

The technical details revealed apply to the Japanese version of the car, but the global version is unlikely to be that different. The battery is provided by a battery with a capacity of 71.4 kWh, which will provide a range of 500 km for the front-wheel drive version and 460 km for the four-wheel drive version.

Toyota

The front wheel is equipped with one electric motor with an output of 150 kW (201 hp), while the all-wheel drive version gets two 80 kW (107 hp) electric motors, one for each axle.

When it comes to charging, the Toyota bZ4X doesn’t bring anything revolutionary. A maximum output of 150 kW is available, at which the above-mentioned battery can be charged to 80% capacity in just 30 minutes.

Toyota

During the presentation, the carmaker highlighted the V2L function known, for example, from the new one Hyundai Ioniq 5. Thanks to this function, the vehicle can power other equipment. There will also be a configuration with a solar roof, which according to Toyota will provide a range of energy from the Sun up to 1,800 km per year.

Perhaps the biggest controversy is the use of a “yoke” steering wheel in the style of Tesla. But the Japanese carmaker has solved the main problem of the steering wheel, which is occurred in Tesla electric cars.

Toyota

In the Toyota bZ4X, the steering wheel is not mechanically connected to the axle. Thanks to steer-by-wire technology, the engineers have set the maximum range of rotation of the steering wheel to only 150 degrees in each direction.

As a result, the driver does not have to grip the steering wheel, as is necessary in Tesla electric cars. In addition, the steer-by-wire system does not transmit unpleasant vibrations from the wheels to the steering wheel, making driving even more comfortable. Of course, a version with a standard steering wheel will also be available.

Yoke steering wheel and solar roof

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