(Corrects fifth paragraph to show driving range is for front-wheel-drive version)
By Maki Shiraki
TOKYO (Reuters) -Toyota Motor Corp disclosed on Friday the driving range and other specifications of its bZ4X sport utility vehicle (SUV), the first in a series of EV-only models it plans to launch globally to catch up in the zero-emissions market.
The world's top-selling carmaker has said it will launch 15 battery EV (BEV) models worldwide by 2025, but so far its plans seem modest https://www.reuters.com/business/autos-transportation/toyota-exec-not-everyone-should-drive-battery-electric-vehicle-2021-10-21 compared with those of U.S. automakers such as General Motors Co (NYSE:GM) and Ford Motor (NYSE:F) Co.
Toyota did not announce a price range or sales target for the bZ4X but said joint development and procurement of core components with affiliate Subaru (OTC:FUJHY) Corp would help rein in the normally high cost of producing BEVs.
The model would also initially be built on a mixed line with gasoline-engine cars, both in Japan and China. It will be sold in Japan, North America, China and Europe starting in mid-2022, the company said.
The car will be offered in front-wheel and four-wheel drive versions, with a driving range of about 500 km (310 miles) for the former. An optional roof-mounted solar panel can be used to charge the battery in the absence of a charging station or in disaster conditions, Toyota said.
A latecomer to the mass BEV market, Toyota has long touted the merits of hybrid vehicles, a category it has dominated for more than 20 years, for their lower price and accessibility and by extension, a greater role in cutting CO2 emissions.
As governments tighten zero-emissions regulations, Toyota has said it would invest $13.5 billion through 2030 on EV batteries and introduce seven bZ series models by 2025.