Toyota Shows bZ Compact SUV Concept in Los Angeles
The all-new 2023 Prius is not the only reason why Toyota came to the Los Angeles Auto Show this year. The Japanese automaker has a cool little EV concept to display.
The bZ Compact SUV hints at a new addition to Toyota’s electric offensive, which started with the launch of the bZ4X crossover earlier this year (technically, the first Canadian units are days away from landing in driveways).
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According to David Christ, VP and General Manager at Toyota Motor North America, the company is only beginning to scratch the surface of the “Beyond Zero” sub-brand. This particular concept aims to showcase how styling will be a big part of future bZ models.
The name may be pretty boring, but the vehicle itself has a very attractive look and athletic stance. The headlights on the bZ Compact SUV are similar to those of the next-gen Prius, foreshadowing a new design trend at Toyota.
The coupe-like profile is emphasized by the rear door handles built into the C-pillars. Aerodynamics were a key part of the development process in an effort to achieve maximum energy efficiency.
Stunning Interior
More than the exterior, it’s what’s inside the latest Toyota concept that captures the attention. The radical layout doesn’t look anything like a production model, with a dashboard that extends around the entire cockpit and features a pair of curved displays—one in front of the driver and another above the centre console. The only physical controls that remain are for the transmission.
Occupants can interact with a personal assistant called Yui in much the same way they would do with Apple’s Siri or Amazon’s Alexa. Furthermore, Toyota has incorporated a number of recycled and vegan materials to minimize the vehicle’s enviromnmental footprint.
Missing Specs
Because the Toyota bZ Compact SUV is no more than a design study at this point, the automaker is not sharing any specs whether it’s power, range or charging capability.
That being said, we’ll likely see a production model inspired by this vehicle sometime in the next few years. Until then, Toyota needs to focus on meeting the growing demand for EVs across Canada.