#ToyotaBZ4X

Toyota is delaying production of a new EV model, citing “production preparation issues.” The company denies that the move is related to wavering EV demand, but won’t begin building the new model until 2026 at its plant in Kentucky.

Toyota hinted at a new electric Highlander variant earlier this month, but its most recent announcement confirms another three-row electric SUV. Yesterday, the Japanese auto giant said it would build a new EV at its Princeton, Indiana facility and noted that it would inject $1.4 billion to modernize the plant.

Toyota, a noted EV skeptic, finally delivered the bZ4X crossover in 2023. Despite it only having been on sale for one year, the automaker is already offering discounts on the new 2024 model, cutting $10,000 off the top for lease clients in New York.

Toyota may be pushing hard toward more diverse propulsion options instead of solely focusing on EVs, but that doesn’t mean it’s not looking for ways to make headway on electrification. The Japanese auto giant recently announced its acquisition of Primearth EV Energy from Panasonic, which it said would give it a significant boost toward EV battery mass production.

Toyota and Subaru have partnered on a few vehicles in recent times, including the BRZ/GR 86 and bZ4X/Solterra twins. The brotherly love is expected to continue with a new three-row SUV in 2025. Toyota will build the vehicle in its Kentucky factory, where its own electric three-row will be produced.

Toyota was slow to get going with electric vehicle development, but it’s got a new CEO and a fresh outlook on what it will take to remain the world’s largest automaker. To improve its chances and gain eligibility for federal tax credits, Toyota needs to build EVs in the United States. That could be changing as early as 2025, according to a new report from Nikkei. 

Like it did with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, Toyota has dragged its feet on developing and shipping new EVs. It offers several hybrid and plug-in hybrid models, and there’s even a hydrogen fuel cell model for sale in California, but Toyota did not offer an EV in the United States until just a few months ago. That should have been cause for celebration at Toyota, but a recall just a month into being on sale likely squashed any excitement. Now, the automaker says it has fixed the problems and restarted production. 

Toyota and Subaru are recalling their new all-electric models, though EV fans will be pleased to know that the issue has nothing to do with the battery packs. Instead, the affected vehicles run the risk of losing their wheels under sudden braking or sharp turns — which I suppose isn’t much of an improvement over the possibility of an electrical fire.

The good news is that the problem is limited almost entirely to demo models of the Toyota bZ4X and Subaru Solterra the companies wanted to use for promotional purposes. While they may eventually have found their way into residential garages, the original intent was to have them attend trade events and serve as test models on dealership lots. That’s likely to remain the plan, too. But only after the automakers comply with the demands of Japanese regulators.

Lexus’ first EV, the RZ 450e, will reportedly be debuting with a yoke-style steering wheel that will be coming to the United States as an optional feature. While we’ve seen yokes on dedicated racing vehicles, their adoption by companies producing mass-market automobiles is fairly novel, and global firms have been generally hesitant to use them inside North America.

Lexus won’t be following suit and has already confirmed that its yoke will be available to RZ shoppers living in the U.S.