Toyota has recalled 2,700 units of its first all-electric SUV just two months after its launch. The Toyota bZ4X SUVs were recalled due to the risk of their wheels possibly coming loose while driving. Toyota has already submitted the recall request to Japan’s Transportation Ministry.

The breakdown of the distribution of the mass-produced bZ4X SUVs slated for recall shows Europe as the destination for the bulk of the affected cars. Europe accounts for 2,200 of the vehicles, while 260 units were earmarked for the United States, 110 for Japan, and 10 units for Canada. The wheel issue also affected about 2,600 units of the Subaru Solterra, which was jointly developed by Subaru and Toyota.

Japan’s safety regulator had warned that sharp turns and sudden braking could result in the loosening of the hub bolts. This heightens the risk of a wheel coming off the vehicle. There are no reported actual accidents due to this observed flaw yet in Japan. Owners of the affected models were advised to stop using their vehicles until permanent repair measures were taken.

The 110 recalled units of the bZ4X in Japan were meant for test drives and display, according to Toyota. In an official statement, the company apologized for any inconvenience the recall might cause. Toyota says the 2,700 recalled units of the bZ4X are part of the overall number produced for the model. However, the company was silent on the total number of bZ4X already mass-produced. Toyota has already canceled the promotional test drives that were being carried out by KINTO.

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Japanese automaker Toyota is finally in the band of traditional automakers now diversifying to electric vehicle manufacturing. It had previously released the concept all-electric car but has now gone one step further by unveiling its first all-electric car, called the bZ4X. During the Shanghai Motor Show earlier this year, Toyota had showcased the bZ4X as a concept car although not much was known about the car back then. Toyota has now provided better illumination, specs-wise, of the new all-electric SUV, the bZ4X. It is noted that Toyota has offered all-electric vehicles in China previously, the bZ4X is its first battery-electric vehicle with a BEV-dedicated platform and made for the global market.

As reflected during the concept unveiling, the “bZ” stands for beyond zero, which is Toyota’s electrification strategy and a sub-brand for its upcoming lineup of EVs. The bZ4X is not much different from what we saw on the concept version. It has only a few updated features and still features some sharp lines and aggressive design. The vehicle is equipped with a 71.4 kWh battery pack, with a range of 500 km (310 miles) for the front-wheel-drive version and 460 km (286 miles) for the all-wheel-drive version of the SUV. The front-wheel-drive version has a single 150 kW motor while the all-wheel-drive version has an 80 kW motor on each axle to offer more power.

Toyota has packed the bZ4X with a lot of impressive features. The car is capable of bidirectional charging for vehicle-to-home capacity. An optional solar roof adds some wonderful options for the bZ4X. Toyota says the solar roof can generate electricity equivalent to 1,800 km of driving distance per year. Putting this in perspective, it means that the solar panel offers the equivalent power of at least three batteries in terms of the driving range.

Another optional feature in the bZ4X is the wing-shaped steering wheel for improved visibility. It has a steer-by-wire system enabling one motion grip, according to the carmaker. Lock-to-lock is set at around 150 degrees, for greater width and control of the steering wheel.

The bZ4X system controls tire movement to ensure stability in difficult driving situations and uneven roads or when Lane Tracing Assist is activated. The One-motion grip feature provides more legroom and makes it easy for entry and exit.
The bZ4X electric SUV will first be released in Toyota’s home market by mid-2022. More details about the pricing and global availability of the bZ4X are expected to be released subsequently.

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