The Bizarrely Named Toyota bZ4X Finally Has a Range Estimate and Official Specs

• Yes, bZ4X is a strange name.
• You might be able to buy it with a yoke.
• It will come with either front- or all-wheel drive.

We've been conditioned to think that adding another electric motor will add masses of horsepower to every EV, but Toyota has broken that mold. This isn't supposed to be a performance SUV that will go toe-to-toe with the Model Y Performance. It's a daily driver that's supposed to be comfortable and deliver adequate range.

Speaking of range, Toyota estimates that the bZ4X will get 310 miles of range on a full charge from the front-wheel-drive version and 285 miles out of the all-wheel-drive version. Bear in mind, however, that those numbers are from the Japanese testing cycle, and U.S.-spec cars won't get an official range number until the EPA has tested them. As for charging, Toyota says you can juice up the battery pack to 80% capacity in as little as 30 minutes with a compatible fast charger.

The bZ4X's interior is just as striking as the exterior, mostly due to the fact that it looks like Toyota's new EV can be had with a steering yoke. Interior images reveal both a traditional steering wheel and a yoke-style wheel — but one that's markedly different from the yoke found on the current Tesla Model S. The lock-to-lock ratio of Toyota's yoke is only 150 degrees, which means you won't have to fumble with hand-over-hand maneuvers like you do in a Model S.

Toyota said that the yoke, which it's calling the "one-motion grip," will be available in Chinese markets first and will come to other markets later. Which other markets, however, remain unspecified.

The rest of the interior is just as forward-thinking. Behind the steering wheel (or yoke) sits a digital driver's display that looks like something out of a jet fighter, and the shifter is a dial, a first for Toyota. The massive infotainment screen that rises above the center console houses Toyota's new infotainment system (likely the one found in the new Tundra). It can receive over-the-air updates and can display real-time information about parking spots and traffic conditions.

Toyota will also fit the bZ4X with the latest version of Safety Sense, its suite of driver aids and safety tech. Toyota says the goal of the updated Safety Sense is to "prevent accidents, further reduce traffic fatalities and injuries, and ease the burden on drivers," and that the automaker wants the bZ4X to provide a smooth and intuitive driver experience. We'll only be able to vet that claim once we get behind the wheel.

Edmunds says

Another electric crossover enters the fray, but only time will tell if Toyota has made a serious competitor to the Mustang Mach-E and the Model Y.