By Steven Symes 
To the dismay and even anger of some consumers and even the auto industry, Toyota hasn’t been enthusiastic about EVs. That’s baffled so many, considering the Japanese automaker was a pioneer in hybrid technology with the Prius popularizing it. But with the release of some new EVs, it seems Toyota is getting serious about making compelling electric cars.
Gen Z is the most likely to be targeted by car thieves.
What changed isn’t entirely clear, but one thing we do know is the confusingly named Toyota bZ4X is now just called the bZ as the second generation of what was once a compliance car has been revealed. Instead of ugly plastic cladding, the new EV looks sleek and packs far better performance.
With a bigger battery, the estimated range is 314 miles, about 25 percent better than the first generation car. Output is about 50 percent higher at 338-horsepower and the vehicle can go 0 to 60 mph in 4.9 seconds.
Plus, Toyota is offering three trims, the top two with the option of all-wheel or front-wheel drive. Those with AWD will come with a switch, allowing drivers to select a drive mode that matches conditions, ensuring optimal performance.
Toyota has also unveiled an all-electric version of the C-HR crossover, which also has a very marketable appearance and is bristling with features. It’s almost like the automaker wants to be competitive in the EV market instead of just meeting government requirements.
Like the bZ, the C-HR has 338-hp on tap, but AWD is standard. It can dash from 0 to 60 in about 5 seconds while providing about 290 miles of range. Like the bZ, this is an entry-level EV appealing to people who want something fairly simple, not a crazy powerful or super long-range ride.
These, combined with the new Lexus ES all-electric sedan, show Toyota is treating its EV offerings much differently suddenly. What has sparked this change isn’t clear, but we’re curious to see how these vehicles are received by the market, especially since the bZ4X was a disaster.
Images via Toyota
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