Toyota’s bZ4X all-electric SUV starts at $42,000

Toyota announced that its bZ4X electric SUV will have a suggested retail price of $42,000 for the base front-wheel drive version, with the “Limited” all-wheel drive version starting at $48,780. The vehicle with the memorable name is Toyota’s first full EV and will go on sale in “Spring 2022” – although the company’s site states that availability “will be”.extreme limited” (Toyota’s emphasis) as Toyota struggles to keep up with production amid supply chain constraints.

Toyota says the base model bZ4X has an estimated EPA range of 252 miles — about the same mileage as the $33,500 Chevy Bolt EUV, about 60 miles less than the $40,900 Kia EV6, and about 48 miles more than the $39,700 Hyundai Ioniq 5. It is worth noting that these prices do not include destination costs, which can add a few thousand. In Toyota’s case, the bZ4X has “delivery, handling and handling fees of $1,215.” Some automakers will also let you upgrade to an extended battery for more range, which isn’t currently an option with the bZ4X.

Image: Toyota

Interestingly, the steering yoke that Toyota showed when it announced the bZ4X in October appears to be absent from Tuesday’s press release and the vehicle options and image gallery pages. (This is not a complaint, by the way.)

It’s unclear what this announcement means for the upcoming Subaru Solterra, which is built on the same platform as the bZ4X. Since Subaru’s version will have four-wheel drive as standard (a roughly $2,000 option on Toyota’s SUV), it may have to skimp on other features to get a starting price under $42,000. For comparison: Toyota’s 2022 GR86 is about $230 cheaper than its Subaru BRZ twinwithout difference in the number of driven wheels.

There’s another issue to consider when choosing between the two or pricing a bZ4X out against other EVs: the $7,500 federal tax credit† While a lower tax rate isn’t quite the same as a lower sticker price, it is certainly an incentive — one that Toyota buyers may not be able to take advantage of for much longer. According to Electrekthe company sells enough hybrids that executives estimate buyers won’t be able to get the full $7,500 by the end of 2022. For people who buy Toyotas, the credit could be halved to $3,750 in October and then halved again in April 2023. Subaru customers, on the other hand may be eligible for the full tax credit†