Toyota Canada Executive: Company Considering Renaming bZ4X EV SUV Within a Year
Toyota launched its first electric SUV, the bZ4X, in 2022, but its market performance has been challenging. In June 2022, Toyota recalled all bZ4X models due to a risk of wheel detachment. Since then, Toyota has struggled to gain a foothold in the electric vehicle market.
According to a report by electrek on the 23rd, as of early 2024, Toyota sold 13,577 bZ4X units in the United States, which, despite doubling from about 6,500 units in the third quarter of 2023, still accounts for less than 1% of its total sales of 1.7 million vehicles in the country during the same period.
In an effort to change this situation, Toyota plans a comprehensive rebranding of the bZ4X. A regional director of Toyota Canada stated at an automotive media event in Quebec that the company is considering changing the name of the bZ4X. Patrick Ryan, regional director for Quebec and the Atlantic region, said that the name change is expected to be completed within the next year.
Toyota recently released the 2025 model of the bZ4X overseas, so this change is likely to be used for the 2026 model. The starting price of the 2025 Toyota bZ4X is $37,070, which is $6,000 cheaper than the current model. The front-wheel-drive version can achieve a range of 252 miles (approximately 405.55 kilometers), while the all-wheel-drive version is 222 miles (approximately 357.27 kilometers).
Toyota defines its bZ brand as 'Beyond Zero,' aiming to convey the concept of electric vehicles reducing emissions. The '4' represents the format of the vehicle model (similar to RAV4), and the 'X' indicates that it is a crossover SUV.
In the United States, all Toyota models use specific names instead of codes like RAV4 and bZ4X. The report suggests that changing the name, considering the bZ4X name is not easy to pronounce and has received a lukewarm response, 'seems' to be an appropriate choice.
